MC Breed | |
|---|---|
 Breed in the 2000s | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Eric Tyrone Breed |
| Also known as | Breed |
| Born | (1971-06-12)June 12, 1971 Flint, Michigan, U.S. |
| Died | November 22, 2008(2008-11-22) (aged 37) Ypsilanti, Michigan, U.S. |
| Genres | Hip hop |
| Occupations | |
| Years active | 1989–2008 |
| Labels |
|
Eric Tyrone Breed (June 12, 1971 – November 22, 2008),[1] better known asMC Breed, was an American rapper best known for his singles "Ain't No Future in Yo' Frontin'", which peaked at #66 on theBillboard Hot 100 and "Gotta Get Mine" (featuring2Pac), that made it to number 6 on theHot Rap Singles.[2][3]
Born inFlint, Michigan, Breed launched his career in theDetroit hip-hop scene, and was one of the first nationally successful rappers to come out of this scene.[4] Breed's first album was released with rap groupDFC and was entitledMC Breed & DFC for independent record label SDEG Records. His solo debut was 1992's20 Below, after which he released 1993'sThe New Breed. He would go on to have a very extensive discography and have a very long career that was at times successful, but he never fully broke into the mainstream. His highest-charting album was 1994'sFunkafied, which peaked at #106 on theBillboard 200. Through his career, he would align himself with various rap scenes; some of which were early in his career with DFC. He and the group were independents, making them one of the first groups out of the Midwest. However, later in his career he aligned himself with the West Coast, taking on more of aG-funk sound and befriending West Coast rapperToo Short. Still later, he realigned himself once again with thedirty south for 1995'sBig Baller.[5]
Breed released two more albums with Wrap Records—1996'sTo Da Beat Ch'all and 1997'sFlatline—to fulfill his contract with the label.[6] In 1998, Breed signed a deal with Power Records, who had distribution throughRoadrunner Records, and released the album,It's All Good, in 1999.[6]2 for the Show, a compilation showcasing some of Breed's famous collaborations with2Pac, Too Short, and more, followed later that year.[7] In 2000, Breed starred in the straight-to-video movie,Dollar, alongside Shannon Greer, and released a soundtrack for it, which featured his hit, "Ain't No Future in Yo' Frontin'".[8] Breed also released a compilation that year titledThe Thugz, Vol. 1, and featured Too Short,Richie Rich, Bootleg ofthe Dayton Family, and more. It would end up being his last release with Power Records.[9]
In 2001, Breed released his 13th album,The Fharmacist, with an up-start independent label based out of Detroit, Michigan called Fharmacy Records.[10] The album featured theJazze Pha produced hit, "Let's Go To The Club", and a guest appearance from Bootleg of the Dayton Family.[10] The album liner notes advertised many upcoming releases, including a collaboration album between Breed and Bootleg under the group name "Flintstones", and a movie starring Breed with an accompanying soundtrack titledGot To Get Mine. No other releases came to fruition, and Fharmacy Records soon diminished.
Breed re-emerged in 2004 with a new deal through Urban Music Zone Entertainment, a subsidiary label ofPsychopathic Records, to release his albumThe New Prescription.[11] The album was released in August of that year with national distribution throughRED Distribution/Sony, and featuredEsham, who was signed to Psychopathic Records at the time. The album did not receive much promotion, but a music video was made for the album's only single, "Rap Game".[11]
On May 11, 2006, Breed was sentenced to one year in prison for violating probation for failure to pay over $200,000 in child support.[12] On April 3, 2008, he was arrested in Flint, Michigan, following an in-store autograph signing session, on warrants for about $220,000 in unpaid child support.[13]
On September 5, 2008, Breed was hospitalized and placed on life-support after he collapsed when hiskidneys failed during a game of pickupbasketball. On November 22, 2008, he died in his sleep while at a friend's home inYpsilanti, Michigan.[14]
Before his sudden death, Breed was preparing to release a DVD documentary about his life, titledWhere Is MC Breed?.[15] He was also working on a new album, titledThe Original Breed: Swag Heavy, which was intended to be released through his former labelIchiban Records.[16] Although the project was still in development, Breed had reached out to many of his friends to help create the album, such as producers Erotic D,Ant Banks, Jazze Pha, Sonji Mickey, and Colin Wolfe, as well as rappersthe D.O.C.,Spice 1, and Too Short.[16] Breed stated the album was half finished in September 2008 when he was released from the hospital after being on life support for two days.[17] According to MLive.com, Breed had recorded his last song two days before his death, called "Everyday I Wait" and featuringOutlawz.[18]
| Title | Release | Peak chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B | |||
| 20 Below | 1992 | 155 | 40 | |
| The New Breed | 1993 | 156 | 17 | |
| Funkafied | 1994 | 106 | 9 | |
| Big Baller | 1995 | 143 | 17 | |
| To Da Beat Ch'all | 1996 | — | 34 | |
| Flatline | 1997 | — | 48 | |
| It's All Good | 1999 | 180 | 41 | |
| The Fharmacist | 2001 | — | — | |
| The New Prescription | 2004 | — | — | |
| Title | Release | Peak chart positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US | US R&B | ||
| MC Breed & DFCwith DFC |
| 142 | 38 |
| Films and videos | |
|---|---|
| Related articles | |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Artists | |
