Part of the post-NW.An explosion of California gangsta rap, Above the Law, came out of the eastern Los Angeles suburb of Pomona; leader Cold 187um, aka Big Hutch (born Gregory Hutchinson), was joined by KMG the Illustrator (born Kevin Dulley), Go Mack (born Arthur Goodman), and DJ Total K-Oss (born Anthony Stewart). Mixing ’70s vintage funk and soul samples with live instrumentation (Hutchinson had studied jazz while in school, the group signed with Eazy-E’s Ruthless Records and issued its debut album, Livin’ Like Hustlers, in 1990; split into violence- and sex-themed sides, it was co-produced by Dr. Dre (before N.W.A’s rancorous breakup) and received well in gangsta circles. The Vocally Pimpin’ EP appeared in 1991, and the full-length follow-up, Black Mafia Life, was released in 1993.