During his teenage years and early 20s, Scoob lived life as a gangbanger -- the result of a faction of the Crips and Bloods feud that spread to KC from California in the 1980s -- while growing up on 56th and Highland. He now considers himself fortunate to have survived. Friends were murdered. Others are serving consecutive life sentences for homicide. ...show more

During his teenage years and early 20s, Scoob lived life as a gangbanger -- the result of a faction of the Crips and Bloods feud that spread to KC from California in the 1980s -- while growing up on 56th and Highland. He now considers himself fortunate to have survived. Friends were murdered. Others are serving consecutive life sentences for homicide.

In making it through, the 35-year-old learned several important lessons that impacted his rap career. " That's what I fuel my music on," he says. "I'm speaking about the past, and I can still understand what the young cats are doing now because I've been through it. Everything I write about has 100 percent truth to it.

Did it happen today, did it happen yesterday? No. But has it happened in my lifetime? Yes. " Scoob first met Tech N9ne during their junior high days at Bingham Middle School. Tech, squared off against Scoob in a beatboxing competition. ...show less