Steady B

Steady B
Background information
Birth name	Warren Sabir McGlone
Born	September 17, 1969 (1969-09-17) (age 42)
Origin	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Genres	Old School rap, Hardcore rap
Years active	1985–1996
Labels	Pop Art Records Jive/RCA Records Ruffhouse/Columbia/SME Records
Associated acts	C.E.B., DJ Tat Money, Da Youngstas, Three Times Dope, Mentally Gifted, DJ Grand Dragon K.D.

Warren McGlone (born September 17, 1969, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), known by the stage name Steady B, was an American hip hop emcee who, along with Schoolly D, the Fresh Prince, and Three Times Dope, was one of the first wave of Philadelphia-area emcees to gain notoriety in the mid to late 1980s. Steady B was a member (and de facto leader) of Philadelphia's Hilltop Hustlers crew. Steady B's musical career was relatively short-lived, and he is currently serving a life sentence in a Pennsylvania state prison for his role in the murder of a Philadelphia Police officer during a botched bank robbery in January 1996.

Music career

Early career

With an appealing blend of battle rhymes (most notably against L.L. Cool J, and local Philadelphia rap rivals Three Times Dope and the Fresh Prince) and freestyle lyrics, Steady B's style reflected the post-Run-D.M.C./pre-Public Enemy era of hip hop. His original DJ was Grand Dragon K.D., later replaced by DJ Tat Money, who later became the DJ for Kwamé and a New Beginning. At his best, Steady mixed well-written metaphors and wordplay with sparse yet catchy drum tracks. Steady B released five albums over the course of his career, with mixed success.

C.E.B.

In 1991, Steady B formed the hardcore hip hop group C.E.B., with fellow, local Philadelphia emcees Cool C and Ultimate Eaze, in an effort to update his style and record sales. C.E.B.'s name was a backronym for Countin' Endless Bank, but it was also an acronym for the names of the group's three members. The trio released its only album, Countin' Endless Bank, on Ruffhouse Records in 1992. The single "Get the Point" reached #5 on Billboard's Hot Rap Singles.^[1] The album was poorly received.

Legal issues

On January 2, 1996, Steady B, along with C.E.B. band mate Cool C, and another local Philadelphia rapper, Mark Canty, attempted a bank robbery at a PNC bank branch in Philadelphia. During the botched heist, in which Steady B served as the getaway driver in a stolen minivan, Philadelphia Police Officer Lauretha Vaird, who responded to the bank's silent alarm, was shot and killed by Cool C.^[2][3] Officer Vaird, an African American woman and the single mother of two children, was the first female Philadelphia Police officer slain in the line of duty.^[4] The incident inspired the song "Slipped Away (The Ballad of Lauretha Vaird)," which appeared on Philadelphia trio G. Love and Special Sauce's album Yeah, It's That Easy.

Steady B was arrested at his apartment shortly after the bank robbery. Two handguns left at the scene by Cool C and Canty, including the murder weapon, were traced back to Steady, and he eventually confessed to his role in the crimes to police during interrogation.^[5]

At his trial, the State presented evidence, including testimony from Steady's wife, that Steady B, Cool C, and Canty met at Steady's apartment shortly after the robbery, where they watched media coverage of the event on television, and discussed their escape.^[5] Incriminating statements by Canty were also admitted into evidence at Steady's trial.^[5]

On October 30, 1996, Steady was convicted of the second-degree murder of Officer Vaird.^[2] On December 13, 1996, Steady B was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.^[5]

Discography

Solo albums

Group album

References

External links

• AllMusic.com Biography - Steady B