Though they’ve been together since high school, the Lootpack - Madlib, Wildchild and DJ Romes - first made their presence known in 1994 when the group’s beat conductor, Madlib, produced "Mary Jane," a Tha Alkaholiks 12”. Later that year, Lootpack's lyrical skills were heard on the song "Turn The Party Out" on the Alkaholiks’ debut LP "21 And Over," and "WLIX" from the Liks’ second LP.

The positive feedback from these collaborations led to the Lootpack's own EP "Ill Psych Move" on Crate Digger’s Palace Records in 1996, a venture funded by Madlib’s father, soul-crooner Otis Jackson Sr.

It was through this poorly-distributed 12” that the group caught the attention of Stones Throw Records’ founder/president Peanut Butter Wolf, who heard the record on college radio and hunted the group down. The ‘Pack kept in touch with Wolf as he built Stones Throw into a viable hip hop enterprise. The group eventually signed for Stones Throw, paving the way for the release of 1999’s Soundpieces: Da Antidote CD/LP.

The album was received with open arms by hip hop’s proletariat, while luminaries such as The Roots’ Quest Love, Jay Dee and D’Angelo (the latter calling it his “favorite album of the year”) sang the ‘Pack’s praises.

Since the release of “Soundpieces,” the group has matured and spread its wings. Madlib has demonstrated his versatility as a producer and hip hop visionary, crafting concept-albums such as Quasimoto's "The Unseen" and Yesterdays New Quintet's "Angles Without Edges". DJ Romes has established himself as a DJ to watch, and released the oh-so-dope Hamburger Hater breakbeat record with Stones Throw in 2001. Wildchild produced Lootpack's 2001 documentary video Da Packumentary.