Underground usually isn't a very good place to be, especially if you're trying to get your music out to a big audience. It doesn't seem to pose much of a problem to Mr. Criminal, though. The West Coast rapper has established a significant name for himself in the rap scene and has worked with some of the biggest names in the genre. He has an impressive resume, especially when his production credits are thrown into the mix.

Mr. Criminal: Chicano Talent

"I put a little bit of everything in that album and it turned out real good."

Underground usually isn't a very good place to be, especially if you're trying to get your music out to a big audience. It doesn't seem to pose much of a problem to Mr. Criminal, though. The West Coast rapper has established a significant name for himself in the rap scene and has worked with some of the biggest names in the genre. He has an impressive resume, especially when his production credits are thrown into the mix.

Mr. Criminal's Early Career

Born Robert Garcia, he did much of his growing up in the artist-abundant Silver Lake area, in Los Angeles, California. His youth, however, was far from trouble-free. Kicked out of school and sent numerous times to juvenile centers, he was usually out and about on the street.

Spending so much time on the street, however, proved fortuitous for Garcia. He did a lot of writing about his emotions and experiences from seeing the less palatable side of Los Angeles, giving him a good amount of his early material. One day, he happened to meet Mr. Capone-e, who heard some of Garcia's flows and rhymes. This bagged Garcia a deal with Hi-Power Entertainment and quite a lot of attention for a newcomer.

Mr. Criminal's Big Break

Thump Records, Mr. Capone-e's own label released Mr. Criminal's debut in 2001, Criminal Mentality. The 13-track album gained much attention for a debut, thanks to the collaborative work with Mr. Capone-e that was featured there. The two found that they had exceptionally good musical chemistry, which made them work together more often.

Garcia was also busy at that time as a producer, entering the recording studio with rap acts as prominent as Bizzy Bone and Lil' Flip. This did little to hamper his solo recording career, however; he managed to release three more albums after his debut. Organized Crime (2004), Sounds of Crime (2005), Stay on the Streets (2006) and Ryder Muzic (2008) were all recorded while he did production work on the side.

His career hit a speed bump when authorities found him with narcotics and firearms in his car as he was making his way through Arizona in 2008. Despite the state's stringent laws for both possession crimes, Garcia kept on with his recording career. He was still able to record and release 2008's Rise to Power and 2009's Only the Strong Survive after bailing himself out of his criminal troubles.

An eighth studio album, Death Before Dishonor, is expected for a 2010 release.

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