Rhyme Pays is a hardcore hip hop album by West Coast rapper Ice-T, released in 1987 (see 1987 in music). Ice-T was perhaps the first West Coast hip hop star (the field then being dominated by electro hop), and this album, especially tracks like "6 'N Da Mornin'", is considered the beginning of gangsta rap. Rhyme Pays was the beginning of the popularization of the West Coast scene, later completed by N.W.A's Straight Outta Compton and Dr. Dre's The Chronic. Rolling Stone magazine gave the album three stars.
Rhyme Pays peaked at #26 and #93 on Billboard's (North America) Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums and the Billboard 200 albums charts, respectively.
