Trenton, New Jersey native DJ Ready Red was a founding member of the Geto Boys. The legendary Houston, Texas-based group has seen numerous personnel changes since its inception over 27 years ago, however Ready Red, who produced many of the group’s earliest hits, was active on the group’s first three albums, Making Trouble, Grip It! On That Other Level, and the Rick Rubin-produced self-titled 1990 LP. Although reportedly involved in the group’s fourth album, 1991’s We Can’t Be Stopped, Ready departed from the group and Rap-A-Lot Records prior to its July release.
While the most famous line-up of Scarface, Willie D and Bushwick Bill has toured throughout the last three years, the fourth artist included on The Geto Boys cover artwork recently explained why he refuses to join.
“I’ma keep it real,” Red began to tell Prezident Bejda’s Murder Master Music Show this week, “I was an artist and a producer on [Rap-A-Lot Records]. In the beginning, we all got paid evenly split four ways. When I came back, I was offered to do shows for like $100-$200. I was thinking, ‘Y’all must be crazy because I started this thing, and y’all are trying to do me like that,’ because I would never do y’all like that. I left [the group] because I got tired of the B.S. that was going on; and they just wanna pay me a small fee when we started clockin’ the bigger dough. I’m not doing it. We were equal members and we should have all been paid equally,” said Ready Red, whose group participation predated both emcees Willie D and Scarface (f/k/a Akshun).
“I stood my ground on that one and I have no regrets all these years later because I see that nothing has been accomplished. [J. Prince] still has all the money,” he said of Rap-A-Lot’s founder, who often appeared on Geto Boys albums. “Everybody has been through something dealing with this record company and nobody has anything. I’m glad I got out.”
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Although he left the group and the notorious label over 20 years ago, DJ Ready Red, who still performs, explains why he never faced confrontation, as other Rap-A-Lot acts did. ” A lot of other people who left Rap-A-Lot [were victims to] home invasions; they got pistol whipped, and got their equipment took back, but I was going to the [gun] range. I was learning to shoot, [learning how to] take care of myself, and defend myself, so if you was gonna run up on me you was gonna get double tapped.”
The full interview is available at Prezident Bejda’s Murder Master Music Show
The Geto Boys, as ‘Face, Willie and Bill, last released The Foundationin 2005. In addition to DJ Ready Red, past members include Raheem, The Slim Jukebox, Prince Johnny C, and Big Mike.
RELATED:Scarface Willing To Make Another Geto Boys Album If Rick Rubin Produces It
