Mass 187 began promisingly enough with the 1996 hit single "Gangsta Strut" yet never bettered this initial success, quickly being overshadowed by countless other Texas-based rappers following their initial lead. The group debuted in 1996 with Real Trues Paying Dues, which made them one of the first Texas rap acts to approach national impact. Even so, Mass 187 never did attain national impact and instead fell into obscurity for a while, resurfacing years later in 2000 with One Eighty Seven Thugs. ~ Jason Birchmeier