IN 2003, 19 YEAR OLD FORMER HIGH SCHOOL/JR. COLLEGE BASKETBALL STAR LIONEL SMITH (better knowN as L-TRAIN) LEFT HIS HOOP DREAMS TO PURSUE A CAREER IN MUSIC. L-TRAIN WAS BORN IN CHICAGO BUT HAVE BEEN LIVING IN SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA SINCE 1995. GROWING UP WITHOUT A FATHER AND BEING POOR MOTIVATED L-TRAIN TO STRIVE FOR ANY GOAL THAT HE HAD SET FOR HIMSELF. HE USED TO BELIEVE THAT HIS B-BALL SKILLS WOULD ULTIMATELY LAND HIM AN NBA CONTRACT. EVENTUALLY 6"3' CENTER L-TRAIN MADE THE DECISION TO PUT THE HOOP DREAMS TO THE SIDE AND TAKE A SHOT AT THE MUSIC INDUSTRY. IN 2004, HE FOUNDED YAH! MOB (now YAH! RECORDS) WITH CHILDHOOD FRIEND DEVIN "D-RIDE" JONES,18, WHO WAS THE PRIMARY ENGINEER AND PRODUCER FOR MANY EARLIER STAGE YAH! RECORDINGS. L-TRAIN AND D-RIDE WORKED HARD TOGETHER AND EVENTUALLY YAH! MOB ADDED NEW MEMBERS TO THE GROUP AND RELEASED THEIR DEBUT 21-TRACK COMPILATION YAH! MOB: NAPPY HEADED NATURE VOL.2 WHICH SOLD OVER 1,000 COPIES WITHOUT THE HELP OF DISTRIBUTORS OR LABELS.