Psychopathic Records' back-story for
Blaze Ya Dead Homie (born Chris Rouleau) suggests that he is a reincarnated gangsta who was originally killed in the late '80s, at the beginning of gangsta rap. Albeit fictitiously, this explains
Blaze's fusion of Psychopathic horrorcore and abrasive gangsta rap on his records.
Blaze's underground career began as Psycho C, a member of the Detroit duo 2 Krazy Devils, later renamed
the Sleepwalkaz. Their friendship with fellow shock rap cohorts the House of Krazees prompted HOK member
the R.O.C. to produce 2 Krazy Devils' only album, Flipped Insanity, in 1996. The group eventually folded, as did the House of Krazees; however, when former HOK members
Jamie Madrox and
Monoxide Child formed
Twiztid, they signed to Psychopathic Records and brought
Blaze along with them. Despite the ups and downs with his label, his core audience grew with each successive record -- 2000's
Blaze Ya Dead Homie EP, 2001's
1 Less G in da Hood, and 2004's
Colton Grundy -- as the 2004 album sold the most units out of those three and was ranked on four different Billboard charts. Taking advantage of the ripe circumstances, in June 2006
Blaze released the Deluxe G Edition of
1 Less G in da Hood, which contained songs from the self-titled debut, the 2001 album, and plus additional new bonus tracks. In between the first two full-lengths, he also worked with close friend and labelmate
Anybody Killa, forming the tag team
Drive-By; however, that project was short-lived, only producing the
Pony Down (Prelude) EP, since
Anybody Killa left Psychopathic Records in 2006.
Blaze released a couple other Psychopathic albums,
Clockwork Gray (2007) and
Gang Rags (2010).
–
Cyril Cordor, Rovi