B.G.

A native of New Orleans, B.G. began his music career in the early '90s as a member of Cash Money Records. In 1995, he made his album debut with True Story as one part of The B.G.'z alongside Lil Wayne. He later joined the New Orleans group The Hot Boyz and released the culture-shifting smash "Bling Bling" from his Chopper City in the Ghetto LP. After parting ways with Cash Money, B.G. briefly signed to 50 Cent's G-Unit South (now Cashville Records) and worked as an independent artist. He released over a dozen albums during his 15-plus year career before he was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison for gun possession and witness tampering on July 18, 2012.