Spice 1 is simply a classic gangsta rapper. Born and raised in California, he established his status in the game with 1991's Let It Be Known debut, which saw him teaming up with the producer Ant Banks to drop funk-fueled dispatches straight from the streets. While other rappers coming up during that era courted the mainstream, Spice has always been content to stay true to the game, releasing over 10 more uncompromising albums during the '90s and '00s that showed his undying faith in the power of gangsta rap.