Houston gangsta rapper SPM was on the brink of commercial success when a series of sexual assault charges sent him to prison. • After an unsuccessful stint as a Christian rapper, he flipped over to gangsta rap, performing as South Park Mexican (or SPM). • In 1995, SPM delivered his debut album, Hillwood, and spent the following two years selling CDs out of his trunk. • His 1999 album The 3rd Wish to Rock the World sold 60,000 copies within the first week and positioned him for a deal with Universal Music Group. • SPM made his label debut in 2000 with The Purity Album, which opened at No. 57 on the Billboard 200. • Between 2001 and 2002, SPM was charged with multiple counts of sexual assault involving minors. In May 2002, he was convicted of aggravated assault of a child and sentenced to 45 years in prison. • SPM has continued to release albums through his Dope House Records label. When Devils Strike (2006), The Last Chair Violinist (2008), and The Son of Norma (2014) all made Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Chart.