Steady B
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Steady B | ||
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| Background information | ||
| Birth name | Warren McGlone | |
| Born | January 5, 1969 | |
| Origin |  Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA |
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| Genre(s) | Old School rap, Hardcore rap | |
| Years active | 1986–1996 | |
| Label(s) | Jive Records | |
| Associated acts |
C.E.B. | |
Warren McGlone (born January 5, 1969 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), known by the stage name Steady B, is an American rapper who, along with Schoolly D and the Fresh Prince, was one of the first wave of Philadelphia-area rappers to gain notoriety in the mid to late 1980s. Sadly, Steady B's musical career was relatively short-lived, and he is currently serving a life sentence in a Pennsylvania state prison for his role in the murder of a Philadelphia Police officer during a botched bank robbery in January 1996.
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[edit] Music career
[edit] Early career
With an appealing blend of battle raps (most notably against LL Cool J, and local Philadelphia rap rivals Three Times Dope and the Fresh Prince) and freestyle lyrics, Steady B's style reflected the post-Run-D.M.C./pre-Public Enemy era of hip-hop. At his best, Steady mixed well-written metaphors and wordplay with sparse, yet catchy, drum tracks. Steady B released five albums over the course of his career, with mixed success.
[edit] C.E.B.
In 1991, Steady B formed the hardcore rap group C.E.B. (which stood for "Countin' Endless Bank"), with fellow, local Philadelphia rappers Cool C and Ultimate Eaze, in an effort to update his style, and record sales. The trio released their only album Countin' Endless Bank on Ruffhouse Records in 1992. The album was poorly received, and Steady B faded into musical obscurity.
[edit] Legal issues
On January 2, 1996, Steady B, along with C.E.B. band mate Cool C, and another local Philadelphia rapper, Mark Canty, attempted a bank robbery at a PNC bank branch in Philadelphia. During the botched heist, where Steady B served as the getaway driver in a stolen minivan, Philadelphia Police Officer Lauretha Vaird, who responded to the bank's silent alarm, was shot and killed by Cool C.[1][2] Officer Vaird, an African-American woman and the single mother of two children, was the first female Philadelphia Police officer slain in the line of duty.[3]
Steady B was arrested at his apartment shortly after the bank robbery. Two handguns left at the scene by Cool C and Canty, including the murder weapon, were traced back to Steady, and he eventually confessed his role in the crimes to police during interrogation.[4]
At his trial, the State presented evidence, including testimony from Steady's wife, Nette McGlone, that Steady B, Cool C, and Canty met at Steady's apartment shortly after the robbery, where they watched media coverage of the event on television, and discussed their escape.[4] Incriminating statements by Canty, Steady B and Cool C's co-defendant, were also admitted into evidence at Steady's trial.[4]
On October 30, 1996, Steady was convicted of the second degree murder of Officer Vaird.[1] On December 13, 1996, Steady B was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.[4]
[edit] Discography
[edit] Solo albums
| Album cover | Album information |
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Bring the Beat Back
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What's My Name
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Let the Hustlers Play
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Going Steady
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Steady B V
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[edit] Group album
| Album cover | Album information |
|---|---|
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Countin' Endless Bank
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[edit] References
- ^ a b Law Enforcement News: Around the Nation - Pennsylvania. John Jay College of Criminal Justice (1996-12-15). Retrieved on 2006-10-28.
- ^ Steve Volk (2003-09-24). Shoot the Messenger?. Philadelphia Weekly. Retrieved on 2006-10-28.
- ^ Philadelphia police charge rappers with female officer's murder; suspect still at large - alleged accomplice of Warren McGlone and Christopher Roney sought in shooting of city's first Black woman police officer, Lauretha Vaird. Jet Magazine (1996-01-29). Retrieved on 2006-10-28.
- ^ a b c d Beck, Hon. J. (1998-09-08). "Pennsylvania v. McGlone". Superior Court of Pennsylvania J.A13034/98: pp. 1-4. Retrieved on 2006-11-05.
