Tairrie B

Theresa Beth (born January 18, 1965),[1] known professionally as Tairrie B (pronounced "Terry"), is an American rapper and singer. She first established herself as a rapper under the tutelage of Eazy-E. After releasing her debut album, Power of a Woman (1990) on Ruthless Records, she formed the rap metal band Manhole (later Tura Satana). She would further establish herself in metal with the band My Ruin. Since 2015, she has primarily released rap albums.

Tairrie B
Tairrie B performing in 2008
Tairrie B performing in 2008
Background information
Birth nameTheresa Beth
Also known asTairrie B. Murphy
Born (1965-01-18) January 18, 1965
Anaheim, California, U.S.[1]
OriginLos Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Rapper
  • singer
  • songwriter
Years active1986–present
Member ofMy Ruin
Formerly ofTura Satana (Manhole)
Spouse(s)
​
(m. 2008)​

Career

She started her music career as part of the female dance group Bardeux. After the release of their debut single, "Three-Time Lover", in 1987, she left the group. Under the tutelage of Eazy-E, she was later signed to his label Ruthless Records (under a new imprint called Comptown Records) and released her first album, Power of a Woman, which, unlike usual Ruthless fare, was distributed by MCA Records.[1] Tairrie B alleges she was assaulted by Dr. Dre at the 1990 Grammy Awards for not collaborating with him on her first album:

"Everyone with NWA – like Above the Law and The D.O.C. – whenever they do an album, all of the guys appear on the last track. So they were going to do that with me at one point and Ice Cube was gonna write lyrics to a track called 'I Ain't Your Bitch'." She refused, and rewrote the track as a diatribe against her labelmates. When Dr. Dre heard the track, he turned up at the awards ceremony party, where he punched Tairrie "twice – once in the mouth and once in the eye. He hit me like Tyson, but I took it – I don't know how."[4]

It turned out to be the only Comptown Records album release. Tairrie B later began working on her second full-length album Single White Female, but before releasing it decided to change her musical direction away from rap. After being released from her contract by Eazy-E, just a few weeks before his 1995 death, she then formed Manhole (later renamed Tura Satana),[5] initially a rap metal band inspired by Ice-T's band Body Count.[6] She later formed My Ruin. In December 2008, Tairrie B married her long-time partner and guitarist of My Ruin, Mick Murphy. She stated in the band's Myspace blog that she had changed her last name to Murphy, but would continue to use the name Tairrie B in music.

In August 2015, Tairrie B returned to her rap roots with her third studio rap album Vintage Curses. On October 30, 2015, cult director John Waters commented on Tairrie B's rap career and legacy in his interview with Iggy Pop on BBC Radio 6 just before playing "Ruthless Bitch" saying, "..she was very much a part of the story, she was the first white girl rapper I remember."[7]

On October 20, 2020, Tairrie B released a new album, Feminenergy, with 12 songs that she described as "socially conscious, politically reflective, hardcore tracks of hip hop, rock & resistance."[8] The album addresses racism, social injustice, sexism, and contains tributes to the passing of civil rights icon John Lewis and United States Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. The album features Mick Murphy (My Ruin), Paul Catten (Dead Sheeran, Barrabus, Murder One, Lazarus Blackstar, Medulla Nocte), and Spokane DJ, GrandMixer GMS (KFOX Nightbeat & Global Frequency).[8][9]

Style

Tairrie B's influences as a rapper include Schoolly D, Eazy-E, Chuck D, Ice-T and Paris.[6]

Discography
Studio albums
Demos
  • Single White Female (recorded 1993; released 2010)[10]
with Tura Satana
with My Ruin
Main article: My Ruin § Discography

References
  1. Huey, Steve (January 18, 1965). "Tairrie B. – Music Biography, Credits and Discography". AllMusic. Retrieved February 20, 2013.
  2. McPadden, Mike (September 7, 2015). "The 10 Best Extreme Metal Covers Of AC/DC Songs". VH1. Retrieved December 20, 2015.
  3. O'Brien, Lucy (2002). She Bop II: The Definitive History of Women in Rock, Pop and Soul. Continuum. p. 332. ISBN 978-0-8264-7208-3.
  4. Record Mirror – December 1, 1990 issue
  5. Colin Larkin, ed. (1998). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Dance Music (First ed.). Virgin Books. p. 333. ISBN 0-7535-0252-6.
  6. Everley, Dave (May 17, 2021). ""The music industry is filled with liars, con artists and assholes": a no-bullsh*t interview with Tairrie B". Metal Hammer. Retrieved May 21, 2023.
  7. "A Special Halloween Confidential with John Waters, Iggy Pop – BBC Radio 6 Music". BBC. Retrieved November 15, 2015.
  8. "Feminenergy, by TAIRRIE B". TAIRRIE B. Retrieved October 21, 2020.
  9. "Album Review: Tairrie B – Feminenergy". Kerrang!. November 2020. Retrieved August 1, 2021.
  10. "Single White Female [Unreleased 2nd Album] | TAIRRIE B". Tairrieb.bandcamp.com. August 11, 2010. Retrieved February 20, 2013.
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