Part of the post-N.W.A explosion of California gangsta rap, Above the Law came out of the eastern Los Angeles suburb of Pomona; leader Cold 187um, aka Big Hutch (born %Gregory Hutchinson), was joined by KMG the Illustrator (born %Kevin Dulley), Go Mack (born %Arthur Goodman), and DJ Total K-Oss (born %Anthony Stewart). Mixing '70s vintage funk and soul samples with live instrumentation (%Hutchinson had studied jazz while in school), the group signed with Eazy-E's Ruthless Records and issued their debut album, Livin' Like Hustlers, in 1990; split into violence- and sex-themed sides, it was co-produced by Dr.