View source for Richie Rich (rapper)

{{short description|American rapper}}
{{Distinguish|The Real Richie Rich|Ricky Rich}}
{{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject Musicians -->
| name                = Richie Rich
| image               = Richie Rich rapper.jpeg
| caption             =
| image_size          =
| birth_name          = Richard Serrell
| birth_date          ={{Birth date and age|1968|03|1}}
| birth_place         = [[Oakland]], [[California]], U.S.<ref name="AllMusic">{{cite web|author=John Bush|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/richie-rich-mn0000352072|title=Richie Rich|publisher=[[AllMusic]]|access-date=2019-11-09}}</ref>
| origin              =
| instrument          =
| genre               = {{hlist|[[West Coast hip hop]]|[[Hip hop music|hip hop]]}}
| occupation          = [[Rapper]]
| years_active        = 1988–present
| label               = {{hlist|[[Hoo-Bangin' Records|Hoo-Bangin']]|[[Priority Records|Priority]]|Big League}}
| website             = {{URL|https://dubbleworldwide.com}}
}}
'''Richard Serrell''' (born June 25, 1967), better known by his rap name '''Richie Rich''', is a [[rapper]] from [[Oakland, California|Oakland]], [[California]].
==Music career==
===Early years (1987–1999)===
Richie Rich first entered music in the late 1980s with the group [[415 (group)|415]]. With [[415 (group)|D-Loc]], [[415 (group)|DJ Daryl]], and [[415 (group)|JED]], Rich crafted a [[Bay Area]] album in 1989 called ''41Fivin'', which sold well around the Bay Area and spawned a Richie Rich solo album in 1990, titled ''[[Don't Do It]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.discogs.com/artist/Richie+Rich+(2)|title= Richie Rich (2) Discography|access-date=10 November 2008 |work= Discogs}}</ref>
His rapping style had an influence on [[Snoop Dogg]], and the group 415 inspired the name of the group [[213 (group)|213]].<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Reeves |first1=Mosi |title=Warren G and Nate Dogg's 'Regulate': The Oral History of a Hip-Hop Classic |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/warren-g-and-nate-doggs-regulate-the-oral-history-of-a-hip-hop-classic-170034/ |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |access-date=8 September 2023 |date=19 December 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite AV media |date=2001 |title=Welcome to Death Row (The Signature Series) |language=en |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SvonQJqMH0 |format=video |time= |location= |publisher=Xenon |asin=B0009PW4F0}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-3129024.html|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121025101602/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-3129024.html|url-status= dead|archive-date= 25 October 2012|title= Richie Rich: Hip-Hop Pioneer Debuts National Solo Album |access-date=25 April 2009 |work= The [[Sun Reporter]]| date= 11 November 1996}}</ref>
As the group was ready to sign a major-label contract with [[Priority Records]] in 1990, however, Richie Rich was arrested for possession of cocaine. 415 released its next album and faded from the scene soon after, while Rich sat in jail; he was released a year later, and began appearing on tracks by [[2Pac]] and the [[Luniz]]. Richie Rich soon found himself being in the middle of a bidding war between [[Def Jam Records]] and [[Relativity Records]].  He choose to go on [[Russell Simmons]]' label Def Jam.  Before forming his own label, Oakland Hills 41510, he released his second solo album in 1996, ''[[Half Thang]]'', which peaked on the ''Billboard'' Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums at number 57.<ref>{{cite web |url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p457528|pure_url=yes}} |title= Richie Rich|access-date=22 November 2008 | work=All Music}}</ref>
By 1995, Richie Rich had become the first Bay Area rapper to sign with New York's [[Def Jam Records]], and his major-label album, ''[[Seasoned Veteran]]'', was released in late 1996<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-3126202.html |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121025101530/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-3126202.html |url-status= dead |archive-date= 25 October 2012 |title=RICHIE RICH: A seasoned veteran returns|access-date=25 April 2009 |work= The Michigan Citizen|date= 11 November 1996}}</ref> ''Seasoned Veteran'' did rather well on the charts, and music videos were soon released for three songs on the album.<ref>''The Source Magazine'' December 1996 Page 130</ref> Just as Rich's career was booming, a merger at Def Jam (with [[PolyGram]]) left him without much direction. Richie Rich was going to release a second album on Def Jam, although it kept getting pushed back. He soon had the decision to stay or go, he decided to go.<ref>''The Source Magazine'' October 2000 Page 190</ref>
===Ten-Six Record Years (1999–2004)===
Rich then started his own label with partner Lev Berlak, named Ten-Six Records. Four years after ''Seasoned Veteran'', his fourth album ''[[The Game (Richie Rich album)|The Game]]'' was released. The album has sold over 300,000 units independently but was panned by critics and fans alike.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Jost |first1=Matthias |title=Richie Rich :: ''The Game'' :: Ten Six |url=http://www.rapreviews.com/archive/2001_11_thegame.html |website=RapReviews.com |access-date=2 February 2023 |date=2 November 2001}}</ref>
===Recent events (2021–present)===
In 2021, Rich's 1996 song "[[Let's Ride (Richie Rich song)|Let's Ride]]" was featured in the television series [[Blindspotting (TV series)|''Blindspotting'']].<ref>{{cite web |title=Richie Rich Sync Placements |url=https://www.tunefind.com/artist/richie-rich |website=[[Tunefind]] |access-date=2 February 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite tweet |user=rafaelcasal |number=1421969924809916417 |author=[[Rafael Casal]] |title=Ok! Time for the BAY AREA EASTER EGG HUNT for Episode 6! Let's begin! |access-date=2 February 2023 |date=1 August 2021 |quote="When Ashley and Miles are hitting the sing-along, it’s to RICHIE RICH - LET’S RIDE, a Bay Area CLASSIC RECORD."}}</ref>
==Discography==
===Studio albums===
* ''[[Don't Do It]]'' (1990)
* ''[[Half Thang]]'' (1996)
* ''[[Seasoned Veteran]]'' (1996)
* ''[[The Game (Richie Rich album)|The Game]]'' (2000)
* ''Nixon Pryor Roundtree'' (2002)
* ''Fed Case'' (2017)
===Collaboration albums===
* ''[[415 (group)|41Fivin]]'' <small>with 415</small> (1989)
* ''The Grow Room'' <small>with The Mekanix</small> (2020)
===Compilation albums===
* ''[[Greatest Hits (Richie Rich album)|Greatest Hits]]'' (2000)
* ''Grabs, Snatches & Takes'' (2004)
===Mixtapes and street albums===
* ''Town Bidness'' (2010)
* ''Town Bidness Volume 2'' (2011)
===Extended plays===
* ''Geeks Revenge (Rodney)'' (1990)
===Guest appearances===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Album
! Song
|-
|rowspan="3"| 1995
| ''[[Me Against the World]]''
| "Heavy in the Game" ([[2Pac]] featuring Richie Rich, [[Eboni Foster]] & Lady Levi)
|-
| ''[[Operation Stackola]]''
| "Pimps, Playas & Hustlas" ([[Luniz]] featuring [[Dru Down]] & Richie Rich)
|-
| "[[I Got 5 on It]]"
| "[[I_Got_5_on_It#Bay_Ballas_Remix|I Got 5 on It (Bay Ballas Remix)]]" (Luniz featuring [[Michael Marshall (singer)|Mike Marshall]], Dru Down, [[E-40]], Richie Rich, [[Shock G]] & [[Spice 1]])
|-
|rowspan="3"| 1996
|rowspan="2"|''[[All Eyez on Me]]''
| "Ratha Be Ya Nigga" (2Pac featuring Richie Rich, Ebony & Puff Johnson)
|-
| "Ain't Hard 2 Find" (2Pac featuring Richie Rich, [[B-Legit]], E-40, [[D-Shot]] & [[C-Bo]])
|-
| ''NFL Jams''
| "Stay with Me" (Richie Rich & [[Esera Tuaolo]])
|-
|rowspan="6"| 1997
| ''[[An Eye for an Eye (RBL Posse album)|An Eye for an Eye]]''
| "More Game" ([[RBL Posse]] featuring Richie Rich)
|-
| ''[[How to Be a Player (soundtrack)|How to Be a Player]]''
| "Hard to Get" ([[Rick James]] & Richie Rich)
|-
| ''[[R U Still Down? (Remember Me)]]''
| "Lie to Kick It" (2Pac featuring Richie Rich)
|-
| ''[[Pre-Meditated Drama]]''
| "Trouble" ([[Steady Mobb'n]] featuring Richie Rich)
|-
| ''Sky Ballin'''
| "Sky Ballin'" (Side 2 Syde featuring Richie Rich)
|-
| ''[[Southwest Riders]]''
| "Yay Deep" (B-Legit & E-40 featuring Richie Rich)
|-
|rowspan="4"|1999
|rowspan="2"|''[[Bosses Will Be Bosses]]''
| "Haters"  ([[The Delinquents (group)|The Delinquents]] featuring Richie Rich, [[Otis & Shug]])
|-
| "Bitch Niggas"  (The Delinquents featuring Richie Rich & B-Legit)
|-
| ''[[Suge Knight Represents: Chronic 2000|Chronic 2000]]''
| "Gotta Love Gangsta's" ([[Tha Realest]] featuring [[Scarface (rapper)|Scarface]] & Richie Rich)
|-
| ''[[That Was Then, This Is Now, Vol. 1]]''
| "Heart of a Savage" ([[Frost (rapper)|Frost]] featuring Richie Rich, [[Mac Minister]] & B-Legit)
|-
|rowspan="1"| 2000
| ''[[The Thugz, Vol. 1]]''
| "Bitches" ([[MC Breed]] featuring Richie Rich & [[Too Short]])
|-
|rowspan="1"| 2001
| ''[[It's Not What You Say... It's How You Say It]]''
| "Hold Off" ([[Mac Dre]] featuring Richie Rich)
|-
|rowspan="1"| 2002
| ''[[United Ghettos of America]]''
| "I'm So Cool" ([[Yukmouth]] featuring Dru Down, Lil' Ron & Richie Rich)
|-
|rowspan="1"| 2004
| ''[[United Ghettos of America Vol. 2|United Ghettos of America, Vol. 2]]''
| "The Slide Show" (Yukmouth featuring C-Bo, Nate da Nut, Richie Rich)
|-
|rowspan="1"| 2005
| ''Smash Rockwell''
| "Oaktown" (Casual featuring E Mac, Richie Rich, Too Short & [[G-Stack]])
|-
|rowspan="1"| 2006
| ''The Book of Life - Chapter 1''
| "Strike 3" (Remix) (Missippi featuring Richie Rich)
|-
|rowspan="2"| 2008
|rowspan="2"|''[[Million Dollar Mouthpiece]]''
| "The Best Thang Goin'" (Yukmouth featuring Too Short, [[Devin the Dude]], Richie Rich & Danica "The Morning Star")
|-
| "East Oakland" (Yukmouth featuring Dru Down, Richie Rich, [[The Team (band)|The Team]], The Delinquents & [[3X Krazy|Bart]])
|-
|rowspan="1"| 2011
| ''[[Thuggin' & Mobbin'|The Tonite Show - Thuggin' & Mobbin']]''
| "All on You" (Yukmouth featuring Richie Rich & B-Legit)
|-
|rowspan="5"|2012
| ''[[No Trespassing (album)|No Trespassing]]''
| "Hog Ridin'" (Too Short featuring Richie Rich)
|-
| ''[[The Block Brochure: Welcome to the Soil 1]]''
| "Cutlass" (E-40 featuring B-Legit & Richie Rich)
|-
| ''[[Memoirs of a Curb Server]]''
| "Cannabis Club" <small>(Remix)</small> ([[J. Stalin]] featuring [[Berner (rapper)|Berner]], Young Do, [[The Jacka]], [[Stevie Joe]], Onionz, Richie Rich & Yukmouth)
|-
| ''[[Cookies 'n Cream (album)|Cookies 'n Cream]]''
| "Airheads" (Blanco & Yukmouth featuring Dru Down, B-Legit & Richie Rich)
|-
| ''The Conspiracy''
| "So Good (Remix)" ([[Philthy Rich]] & [[Dem Hoodstarz]] featuring Richie Rich & Too Short)  (Prod.by Jimi Productionz)
|}
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
* [http://www.discogs.com/artist/Richie+Rich+%282%29 Richie Rich] at [[Discogs]]
{{Richie Rich (rapper)}}
{{Def Jam Recordings}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Richie Rich}}
[[Category:1967 births]]
[[Category:21st-century American rappers]]
[[Category:African-American male rappers]]
[[Category:American male rappers]]
[[Category:African-American record producers]]
[[Category:Def Jam Recordings artists]]
[[Category:Gangsta rappers]]
[[Category:G-funk artists]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Rappers from Oakland, California]]
[[Category:Record producers from California]]