Cougnut
Cougnut (Ronald Fields Jr.), San Francisco rapper and leader of I.M.P., known for No Prisoners, Ill Mannered Playas and “The Last Breath.”
Lakeview and I.M.P.
Cougnut was born Ronald Fields Jr. on January 11, 1968, in San Francisco, and came up in the city's Lakeview neighborhood. He led I.M.P., short for Ill Mannered Posse and later Ill Mannered Playas, which he formed in 1989 with C-Fresh, D.J. Ill Chill, Hitman Stinge and M.C. Louie Lou. Rob V. and Stingy joined later, and Dre Dog, later known as Andre Nickatina, was a member in 1993 before going solo.
Recordings
I.M.P. debuted with the No Prisoners EP on Maxcacious Records in 1989, a four-song 12-inch with “Scanlous” and “I'm Rollin',” credited to Cougnut and C-Fresh. The I.M.P. Dogs cassette followed in 1990 on Sucka Free Records, then Back in the Days in 1993. Ill Mannered Playas, on In-A-Minute Records, is the group's best-known release, with “The Last Breath,” “Don't Get It Twisted” and “Shinin' Star.” Cougnut is also credited as one of its producers.
All over San Francisco
Cougnut's dark, raspy voice turned up on many San Francisco records of the 1990s. I.M.P. contributed “I Smell Jealousy” to Big Herm's 1993 compilation Trying to Survive in the Ghetto, and Cougnut recorded with Young Cellski, Dre Dog, JT the Bigga Figga and Cold World Hustlers.
Death
Cougnut died on September 4, 2001, in Daly City, from injuries sustained in a car crash. He was 33. His verses have kept appearing on Bay Area compilations since.
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