Three 6 Mafia
Three 6 Mafia is a dirty south and gangsta rap group from Memphis, Tennessee.
Memphis group whose dark, lo-fi sound shaped crunk and trap, and who won an Oscar in 2006.
Who are Three 6 Mafia?
Three 6 Mafia is a group from Memphis, Tennessee, founded by DJ Paul, Juicy J and Lord Infamous. Over the years Crunchy Black, Gangsta Boo and Koopsta Knicca were also part of the group.
Known for
Mystic Stylez (1995), "Tear da Club Up", "Sippin' on Some Syrup" (2000) with UGK and "Stay Fly" (2005) from Most Known Unknown. In 2006 they won the Oscar for Best Original Song with "It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp".
Style
Dark, hypnotic beats with rattling hi-hats, heavy 808s and eerie samples, and chanted, repetitive hooks. Their early tapes have a raw, lo-fi horror feel.
Impact
The Memphis sound of Three 6 Mafia is one of the foundations of crunk and trap. Their tapes are still sampled by today's artists, and phonk is built almost entirely on their early sound.
Three 6 Mafia: quick answers
What genre is Three 6 Mafia?
Three 6 Mafia’s music falls under Dirty South and Gangsta Rap. Three 6 Mafia is part of Southern hip-hop, with the most important work in the 1990s and 2000s.
Where do Three 6 Mafia come from?
Three 6 Mafia comes from Memphis, Tennessee.
When did Three 6 Mafia start?
Three 6 Mafia has been active since 1991.
Which artists are similar to Three 6 Mafia?
If you like Three 6 Mafia, listen to UGK, Lil Jon, Geto Boys, Scarface and Goodie Mob.