by Jason Ankeny 　　West Coast rapper Tash was born Rico Smith in Columbus, OH, in 1972, relocating to California at age 16; a protégé of King Tee and Ice T, in 1992 he co-founded tha Alkaholiks, issuing their debut album, 21 & Over, the following year. In the wake of the group's third album, 1997's Likwidation, Tash began working on his solo debut, 1999's Rap Life.