King Of Da Playaz Ball

“King of da Playaz Ball” is the debut solo album by Kingpin Skinny Pimp, released in April 1996 through Prophet Entertainment.

The story

Kingpin Skinny Pimp started rapping in the mid-1980s and came up alongside DJ Paul and Juicy J, appearing on Three 6 Mafia’s 1995 debut “Mystic Stylez.” His solo album followed a year later on the crew’s Prophet label. Guests include Koopsta Knicca, Gangsta Blac, Killa Klan Kaze and Three 6 Mafia, and the 17-track set includes “One Life 2 Live,” “Lookin’ For Da Chewin’,” “Nobody Crosses Me” and the title track.

Sound and production

DJ Paul and Juicy J produced the album and served as executive producers with Nicholas Jackson, with Lil’ Pat credited as co-producer and engineer. Juicy J added scratches, and keyboards came from DJ Paul, Lil’ Pat and Playa G. Larry Nix handled mastering, and Pen & Pixel Graphics designed the cover. The result is the dark, bass-heavy Prophet-era Memphis sound.

Legacy

The album never had major distribution, a gap Kingpin himself has put down to others having better industry connections. Decades later, a TikTok clip of his music sparked the viral #NotTheThermometer challenge, and phonk producers sampled his vocals widely. Both trends brought his mid-1990s work to a new global audience.

More from hip hop in 1996.