Eminem was recruited as a guest vocalist for Boo-Yaa T.R.I.B.E.’s song “911” alongside Cypress Hill’s B-Real in 2003. But according to The Regime rapper Monsta Gunjah — who’s also the nephew of the legendary Samoan rap group — there’s more to the story.
While speaking to Australia’s Fresh 92.7, Monsta G confirmed his uncles also moonlighted as Slim Shady’s security back in the day. He then revealed Eminem was once being extorted by the Crips in Los Angeles, which is reflected in the “911” lyrics.
“That’s how that song ‘Hip Hop is in a state of 9-1-1′ with Boo-Ya T.R.I.B.E. and B-Real, that’s how that song came about because Paul Rosenberg reached out,” Monsta G explains. “He was getting extorted by some Crips. Eminem was getting extorted by some Crips. Maybe he was paying them money and getting bullied, I don’t know the exact details.
“I do know a few phone calls were made and then that’s how the feature came about ’cause they were like, ‘Anything in return, what do you want?’ They’re like, ‘I want a feature from Em, you know what I’m saying?’ If you hear what he says, he’s like, ’40, 50 Samoans,’ he throws the lyrics out.”
“911,” which appeared on the Boo-Ya T.R.I.B.E. album West Koastra Nostra, begins with Eminem’s verse.
“Everywhere we go people know we roll deep as fuck,” he spits. “Forty, 50 Samoans, they knowin’ when D-Bo was/50, Tweezy, Obie, there won’t be no ho in us/They pop shit like they gonna do shit but no one does.”
He continues, “From New York down to Texas, back up to Los Angeles/We changed the way we move, so man up if you can’t adjust/You may end up getting rushed by too many to handle us (Ha)/It’s funny, I guess money does have its advantages/And it isn’t that we just think that we can’t be touched/It’s not like we’re just feeling ourselves that much, it’s just/That if someone ever does put us in the clutch.”
The chorus, also provided by Eminem, alludes to violence.
“Shit’s about to change, ’cause we ain’t playin’ no games,” he says. “We ain’t budgin’, neither are they, we ain’t sayin’ no names/Shit just ain’t the same when AK’s get to sprayin’/Hip Hop is in a state of 9-1-1/It ain’t about Hip Hop ’cause those days are gone/It ain’t about tryna rip shots to get props no more/It’s about trying not to get popped, and get dropped to the floor/’Cause Hip Hop is in a state of 9-1-1.”
Ted “Godfather” Devoux established the Boo-Ya T.R.I.B.E. in the late ’80s alongside his brothers Paul, Donald, Roscoe, Danny, David and later Vincent Devoux (who stepped in to fill David’s role once he left). Godfather passed away in April 2018, eliciting condolences from Ice-T, Cee-Lo Green, KXNG Crooked, Paul Wall, DJ Rhettmatic of The Beat Junkies, Vinnie Paz, Ras Kass and more.
In addition to Eminem, they’ve collaborated with Hip Hop artists such as Mack 10, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony’s Layzie Bone and Luniz’ Yukmouth, among others.
Listen to “911” featuring Eminem and B-Real below.