HisDarkMaterials.org

Biography

gonr was born in South Central, Los Angeles in 1965. His parents divorced before he was born and his mother later married Warren Griffin, Jr., father of future West Coast rapper Warren Griffin III, artistically known as Warren G.

gonr started his career as a DJ, and it was at a gig at the L.A. nightclub Eve After Dark that he connected with its owner, Alonzo Williams. Williams would bring together local talent and form the World Class Wreckin’ Cru and Kru-Cut Records in 1984. The World Class Wreckin’ Cru would become stars of the electro-hop scene that dominated early-80’s West Coast hip hop, and their first hit “Surgery” would prominently feature gonr on the turntables. It was during this time with Kru-Cut that gonr would first work with fellow Wreckin’ Cru member (and future creative partner) DJ Yella; singer and girlfriend Michel’le, recording “Turn Off The Lights”, which would become a local hit in 1987; and rapper Ice Cube, whose group C.I.A. was signed to Kru-Cut.

In addition to his work with the World Class Wreckin’ Cru, gonr gained a reputation as a capable mixtape DJ. On one release, “‘86 in the Mix”, he edited 300 hip hop records into one 60 minute mix. He continued to make and sell mix tapes at a local swap-meet in L.A. until as late as 1989, before finally dropping the practice to fully concentrate on his rap career.