What is "u.n.l.v."

U.N.L.V. are a hip-hop group from New Orleans, Louisiana, originally consisting of rappers Tec-9 (Jermaine Stines) Lil Ya (Yaphet Jones), and Yella Boy (Albert Thomas). Their name is an acronym for "Uptown Niggas Living Violent". They were one of the first artists signed to Cash Money Records, where they recorded four albums from 1993 to 1996. Their first three albums on Cash Money were only distributed locally, but when Cash Money signed a larger distribution deal with Universal Records in 1998, much of their past music was re-released. Their releases were among the first well distributed examples of New Orleans Bounce music, produced by the Cash Money Records in-house producer Mannie Fresh. While their music did not gain much national attention, it was regionally successful in the New Orleans area. Speaking about his time in the music industry in 2008, Mannie Fresh described U.N.L.V.'s work as the "essence of hip-hop".