American hip-hop group from Memphis, Tennessee.
Established 1991 in Memphis with DJ Paul (3) (Paul Beauregard), Juicy J (Jordan Houston) and Lord Infamous (Ricky Dunigan). The original name for the hip hop group was "Backyard Posse", followed shortly after by "Triple Six Mafia" and they originally did "horrorcore" music. The group formed through releasing several EP's from their own record company with Nick Scarfo, Prophet Entertainment, later launching their own label, Hypnotize Minds.
During their early career, they also propelled the careers of several other rappers. Eventually added before the release of "Mystic Stylez" were rappers Koopsta Knicca (Robert Cooper), Gangsta Boo (Lola Mitchell), and Crunchy Black (Darnell Carlton).
Evolving slowly but steadily over the years, Three 6 Mafia (whose name is a reference to the biblical number 666), began as an exploitative, horror-themed underground hardcore rap sensation yet went on to enjoy some mainstream success years later, eventually winning an Oscar and scoring some major hits.
The group's membership varied from album to album, with the one constant being the duo of Juicy J and DJ Paul (3), who are producers as well as rappers. Other notable Mafia affiliates at one time or another include Crunchy Black, Gangsta Boo, Lord Infamous, Koopsta Knicca, La' Chat, Project Pat, Killa Klan Kaze, and Indo G. The production acumen of Juicy and Paul also brought about a number of side projects including Tear da Club Up Thugs, Hypnotize Camp Posse and Da Headbussaz, and independent label ventures; the guys initially did business as Prophet Entertainment, later as Hypnotize Minds, working out deals with Relativity Records, Loud Records, and Columbia -- all in turn.
