Kool Moe Dee is one of few in recorded rap who was an MC before rap records became a reality, experienced success in rap's first era of recordings, and became a major player in rap's "Golden Era."

Originally the frontman for The Treacherous Three, Moe Dee along with Spoonie Gee, L.A. Sunshine and Special K released some of rap's earliest recordings, resulting in underground hits such as "The Body Rock," "Feel The Heartbeat" and "The New Rap Language," all released on Enjoy Records. The group moved to Sugar Hill Records in 1982 where they released "Yes We Can," "Get Up," "Action" and "Gotta Rock." Although they didn't score any huge hits like their labelmates Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five and The Sugar Hill Gang, they were able to keep their name relevant throughout the first half of the 1980s with the label.

The group parted ways in 1986, and Moe Dee continued to record music with his Sugar Hill label mate Lavaba and a burgeoning young producer named Teddy Riley. Moe Dee released a single titled "Go See The Doctor" on the independent imprint, Rooftop Records. The success of that single led to a deal with Jive Records, and his 1987 self-titled debut album, which included "Go See The Doctor" and "I'm Kool Moe Dee."

In the same year, Moe dropped How You Like Me Now, which not only served as his breakout album but started a war of words with rising rap star LL COOL J. The lead single, "How You Like Me Now," contained a few subliminal shots at LL ("I'm bigger and better—forget about deffer..."), and the album cover included LL COOL J's signature Kangol hat under the tire of Moe Dee's Jeep, further escalating the potential for a back-and-forth verbal war, which did take place.

The success of the Teddy Riley-produced "How You Like Me Now" as a single placed Moe Dee on tours with Public Enemy, KRS-One, The Jungle Brothers, Eric B. & Rakim and several other giants of Hip-Hop's Golden Era. It also placed him prominently on daytime FM radio, solidifying the song as a hit. Riley again created magic with Moe again on "Wild, Wild West," with a video that received heavy rotation on Video Music Box and BET's Video Soul, further pushing the sales of the album. "Wild Wild West" was all about Moe's Harlem neighborhood dubbed "The Hill." The video, with its cowboy showdown imagery, was perfect for the mid-tempo banger. Television and radio show hosts were visibly impressed with the well-spoken rapper—who is named after Mohandas Ghandi, earned a college degree, and didn't curse.

"I used a little more of a mature sound on this album," he told Soul Train host Don Cornelius in 1987. "There's not a lot of scratching, yelling and screaming like the average cliche rap record. Mine has the old saxophone riffs. I wanted to appeal to an older crowd because I'm trying to expand rap and get the attention and support of older adults and Black radio and things like that because I have a more positive message to give."

"No Respect" was a cautionary tale, with a popular video that found Moe Dee warning the youth about the perils of following the wrong path, and letting criminals know the consequences of illegal life. Musically, the song was based on Aretha Franklin's hit classic "Respect." "I'm A Player," "50 Ways" and "Rock You" all helped How Ya Like Me Now to reach #35 on the Billboard 200 and peak at #4 for Top Hip-Hop/R&B Albums. The album achieved platinum sales status. This album also contained Moe Dee's controversial "report card" on its inner sleeve (see below).