Vanda L. Watkins^[1] (born August 1979), known professionally as Criminal Manne, is an American rapper and actor from Tennessee. He is a former member of the Memphis-based hip hop trio the Project Playaz. As a solo artist, his 2005 album Street Ways reached number 97 on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Chart following his collaboration with Pastor Troy: Atlanta 2 Memphis (2006) which peaked at number 88 on Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums.^[2][3] Criminal Manne has also starred in the films Da Neighborhood Dopemane^[4] and The Woods.^[5]

Career

Criminal Manne started his music career during the underground rap scene in Memphis with producer DJ Squeeky. Criminal Manne is also a former member of the Memphis trio Project Playaz, which consisted of Criminal Manne, Thugsta and Yo Lynch.^[6]

The group is known for their 1998 single "Buck & Naked" and second single in 1999 "Buck with Me", which led to a deal with Relativity Records. The song "Buck with Me" aired on BET's television network influential show Rap City. Project Playaz signed a deal in 2000 with Rap-A-Lot Records that began to dissolve around 2002. Criminal Manne went solo and dropped an album "Playtime's Over" under Rap-A-Lot Records. Criminal Manne parted ways with Rap-A-Lot Records in 2003. In 2004, solo artist Criminal Manne collaborated with Yung Kee and dropped a hit single, "Tryna Buss Sumthing".^[7]

The album Street Ways followed in 2005 and climbed to number 97 on Billboard 200 chart, while in 2006 a collaborative album Atlanta 2 Memphis with Pastor Troy, climbed to number 88 on Billboard 200. In 2007, Criminal Manne dropped a mixtape titled Da Neighborhood Dopeman hosted by DJ Drama and The Aphiliates. A year later in 2008, Criminal Manne and hometown native Frayser Boy released the album The Takeover. In 2009, Manne released two additional albums titled Certified Dopeboy and Got Work. He followed up with Certified DopeBoy/The Re-Up in 2010. Blow and Blow 2 in 2011, followed by Blow 3 in 2012, Blow 3.5 in 2013 and finally The Come Up in 2014. The singles "Arm & Hammer", "Black Boston George", "Kings of The Trap", "I'm Tripping", and "Trap Talk" were released during the time frame and following years.

Discography

Independent Mixtapes

• 2002: Play Time's Over
• 2003: Neighborhood Dope Manne
• 2005: Street Ways
• 2009: Got Work
• 2016: Trap Talk
• 2013: Black Boston George
• 2017: Return of the Neighborhood Dopeman
• 2018: King Kong
• 2019: Underground King
• 2021: King Kong II
• 2022: Big Dawg
• 2023: Neighborhood Dope Mane

References