It’s unanimous – Three 6 Mafia gives a great performance. This Oscar-winning music dynasty with its dark, malevolent image and its rap about drug use, violent aggression and pornographic sex, rapidly evolved from an underground rap collective.

Juicy J and DJ Paul had each produced a number of underground tapes that became regional hits by word of mouth, without the benefit of full-scale promotion and distribution, through much of the South. They formed Hypnotize Minds, a production company, and enlisted rappers they’d featured on their tapes and knew from around Memphis. Juicy J, DJ Paul and Lord Infamous were the original members of Three 6 Mafia. Other members are Koopsta Knicca, Gangsta Boo and Crunchy Black.

It was natural that Triple 6’s music should evolve out of the Memphis music scene. DJ Paul explains, “Memphis already had that wild, buck-like music. Our music is just wild, crazy. Like at a rock concert…Instead of standing in one spot or walking around pointing our finger, we’ve always gotten buck wild.”

Few rap outfits have been able to produce gritty music that is also good dance music. “We started out as club deejays, so we knew what it would take to get the people on the dance floor,” DJ Paul says. The group raps over a danceable beat. Their new album, “Chapter 2 World Domination,” is debuting in 2006.