Official Brownside facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/BrownSide/109423895784758?ref=ts
Brownside is a Chicano

Chicano

The terms "Chicano" and "Chicana" are used in reference to U.S. citizens of Mexican descent. However, those terms have a wide range of meanings in various parts of the world. The term began to be widely used during the Chicano Movement, mainly among Mexican Americans, especially in the movement's...

 hip-hop group founded in 1994 by the late Eazy-E

Eazy-E

Eric Lynn Wright , better known by his stage name Eazy-E, was an American rapper who performed solo and in the hip hop group N.W.A. Wright was born to Richard and Kathie Wright in Compton, California...

. The group originally consisted of rappers Toker (Gilbert Izquierdo), Wicked (Pierre Lamas), Lil Danger (Heder Hernandez Jr.) and Danger (Angel Hernandez), who was shot dead in 1997 from a drive-by. Originally, Eazy-E's intentions on signing Brownside to Ruthless Records was to create a Chicano version of the critically acclaimed rap group N.W.A. Toker had attended high school in Compton

Compton

-Canada:* Compton, Quebec* Compton County, Quebec* Compton , a former Quebec provincial electoral district now part of Mégantic-Compton* Compton , a former Quebec federal electoral district-England:...

, CA where he later met Eazy-E, and the two developed a great friendship until Eazy-E's untimely death in 1995. It is said that towards the end of Eazy's life he was attracted to Chicano rap in California and saw this as a new market to break into. Brownside has been known to use Sureño slang in their lyrics, as well as album covers. Brownside has collaborated with numerous West Coast artists such as Dirty Red, Slow Pain

Slow Pain

Slow Pain is a chicano rapper.In 1994 he released an album from Thump Records called The Baby O.G. with the hit "Money Maid".-Albums:* * * Slow Pain is a chicano rapper.In 1994 he released an album from Thump Records called The Baby O.G. with the hit "Money Maid".-Albums:* (1995) (Saturday...

, Mr. Gee, and Lil' Rob.

History

Brownside was one of the most promising Latin Hip-Hop groups coming straight out of Los Angeles. Brownside's line-up included members Toker, Danger and Wicked. In 1994, they were signed to Eazy's Ruthless Records and released only one single entitled Gang Related. However, they did record one [known] track with Eric entitled Eastside Drama which was not released at that time. After Eric died on 26 March 1995, Brownside, among many of their label mates, was dropped from the label.

Eastside Drama
Their debut album Eastside Drama, released early 1997, was recorded at the G-Spot Studio and featured a Chicano version of Eazy-E's Boyz n the Hood

Boyz N the Hood

Boyz n the Hood is a 1991 American hood film written and directed by John Singleton. Starring Cuba Gooding, Jr., Ice Cube, Laurence Fishburne, Morris Chestnut, Nia Long, Angela Bassett and Regina King, the film depicts life in poor South Central Los Angeles, California and was filmed and released...

 called Vatos In The Varrio. Brownside's main image was that they aren't 'rappers trying to be gangbangers', they are 'gangbangers trying to be rappers' Toker stated on a live interview with Julio G from radiostation KBRN. Their greatest hardship came in 1997 when member Danger was gunned down in a drive-by shooting in South Central L.A., CA. As a result of the shooting, Brownside's Toker and Wicked had to make their 1997 LP Eastside Drama without Danger. The first single off of that LP was Life On The Streets. The dedication song on the album entitled Rest In Piece AKA Firme Memories, samples The Temprees

The Temprees

The Temprees were an American soul vocal trio from Memphis, Tennessee, most popular during the 1970s. The band released several albums under We Produce records, an offshoot of Stax Records...

's Love (Between A Boy and Girl) Can Be So Wonderful. This sample was also used by Bone Thugs-N-Harmony

Bone Thugs-N-Harmony

Bone Thugs-N-Harmony is an American Hip-Hop/R'n'B band from Cleveland, Ohio formed in 1991. It originally consisted of rappers Layzie Bone, Flesh-n-Bone, Bizzy Bone, Krayzie Bone, and Wish Bone. Rapper Eazy-E of the group N.W.A signed Bone Thugs-N-Harmony to Ruthless Records in 1994, when Bone...

 on track 10 of disc 1 of The Art Of War

The Art of War (Bone Thugs-n-Harmony album)

-Album:-Singles:-See also:*List of number-one albums of 1997 *List of number-one R&B albums of 1997 -External links:[ allmusic.com]...

 released the same year.
Payback
In 2002, they released Payback which contains unreleased tracks and some remixes of their tracks from 'Eastside Drama'.
The Takeover
In 2006, they released 'The Takeover' which introduced a new member to Brownside 'Trouble' whom 'Toker' met while incarcerated.

Discography

• (1997) Eastside Drama
  Eastside Drama
  Eastside Drama is the debut album of the Chicano rap group Brownside released on July 12, 1997-Track Listing:# Payback# Another Crazy Day# Kbrn# So Ruff# Danger R.I.P.# Life on the Street# Gangsters P.O.V.# Last Day# Can't Stop The Southland...
  
  
• (2002) Payback
• (2006) The Takeover
• (2008) 13 Reasons (Trece Razones)