Do or Die

Chicago-based rap trio Do Or Die debuted in a big way with its 1996 debut single, “Po Pimp”. Although the group never topped its success, members AK, Belo Zero, and N.A.R.D. shepherded the act into the 21st century and continued to work with top-tier talent along the way. The group’s first album, Picture This, came out on Houston-based Rap-A-Lot Records, which was mostly known for Southern rap. “Po Pimp”, featuring Twista (then known as Tung Twista), was a significant hit in the summer of 1996, and made it to Number 22 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Headz or Tailz arrived two years later, and although “Still Po Pimpin” didn’t capture the success of the original, the album still made it to Number 13 on the Billboard album charts, and Number 3 on the Rap/Hip-Hop chart. The group explored further collaborations in the 2000s, including Ja Rule and E-40 on 2000’s Victory, and D.O.D. in 2005 featured production assistance from R. Kelly, DJ Quik, and an ascendant Kanye West. The group went on hiatus in 2007 when Belo Zero went to jail for a shooting incident, but reformed in 2015 for Picture This 2, which featured a guest spot from Rick Ross, and the trio re-teamed with Twista for the 2020 EP The Pass-Out.