Biography

A loose collective centered around the enigmatic SpaceGhostPurrp, Raider Klan followed in the footsteps of Three 6 Mafia, producing a gritty, macabre brand of Southern hip-hop. Although the crew originated from Purrp's home city of Miami, they've included members from several other cities, including Memphis, Seattle, and Houston, connecting with and recruiting new affiliates via the Internet. The Klan's nearly gothic aesthetic and usage of their own form of hieroglyphics (stylizing their name as RVIDXR KLVN, for example) proved to be influential throughout the hip-hop underground. Aside from Purrp, the collective has included other notable rappers such as Yung Simmie, Xavier Wulf, and future breakout star Denzel Curry, although members frequently came and left, making it unclear who was in the group at any given time, or if the entity still existed. The Klan's output as a group has been scarce, with only 2013's Tales from the Underground and a few mixtapes bearing their name. SpaceGhostPurrp founded Raider Klan in the Carol City neighborhood of Miami in 2008, along with fellow members Dough Dough Da Don, Kadafi, Muney Junior, and Jitt. After Jitt's death in 2010, Purrp began taking his music career more seriously. His influential 2011 mixtape BLVCKLVND RVDIX 66.6 received national attention, and he temporarily relocated to New York to work with A$AP Mob, although a rift soon developed between the two parties, with Raider Klan members frequently accusing A$AP Mob members of biting their style. Raider Klan released a few mixtapes, but by the time the full-length Tales from the Underground appeared in 2013, several key members had left in order to focus on their own careers, including Denzel Curry, Chris Travis, and Xavier Wulf, although the group still counted notable contributors such as Amber London, Yung Simmie, and Nell. The collective's future was in doubt after 2015 tape Raider Klan, but a series of group photos and tweets in 2017 built anticipation for a formal reunion. ~ Paul Simpson, Rovi