New Rap Music Round Up Pt. 1

Hey what's up everyone, how are things? You may have noticed the lack of posts these past couple weeks. My life schedule has changed a lot this month and I haven't had much free time, but damn it if I can't find a way to keep this blog running. I mean if the characters on Grey's Anatomy can find time to have sex with each other all the time while still fulfilling their doctorly duties then why shouldn't I be able to squeeze in a few hours every week to blog about Bay Area rap?

Anyways, here's a couple new Bay rap albums that you should know about:


Mac Reese "25 Wita L"



Mac Reese is a Fairfield rapper who you may be familiar with from his collaborations with the (now defunct?) Federation. Unlike The Federation's ecstasy-driven hyphy music, Reese opts for a more straightforward mobb music sound that really resonates with people like me, who only recognize Molly as a girl you used to date in High School.
Reese has a real unique delivery, with every phrase he raps tripping over the next one, causing his verses to sound like one huge strung-together word. He rarely mixes up his PausesAndBreathingIsForSuckers flow, but it is still quite nice to hear a rapper putting a lot of effort into his rhymes to sound technically proficient. Mac Reese's focused raps are a breath of fresh air in this era of rappers trying to be weird and different rather than skilled (Lil Wayne and Lil B ruined rap music, etc, etc).
The production is almost exclusively sinister mobb beats that suit Mac Reese's dead serious rhymes perfectly, although towards the end of the album's 76 minute run-time you will probably be yearning for some more musical variety.
Longtime fans of Bay Area gangster rap will absolutely love this album and songs like "Nasty Gang," with its ominous piano line over a punchy drumbeat will leave you pondering why more rappers aren't making music like this in 2013:

Mac Reese ft. Lil Raider, Lil Toro & Big Cholo "Nasty Gang"

The only thing I don't really get about this album is the title, Back 2 Da 90's. Why are we going back to the 90's? There are no zany references to Clarissa Explains It All or The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air on the album, so I'm not really sure what the album title is all about. Regardless, this is a good album that will leave a mean-mug on your face and a smile in your heart.


Shady Nate ft. Fe the Don "Gettin Mo"



Shady Nate ft. HD, Fe the Don & A Plus "Military Tactics"



Livewire's Shady Nate came out with a new album earlier this month, although it's worth asking how closely he is still associated with the label at this point: there is no mention of Livewire Records or any indication that he is still with them apart from a couple Ronald Mack features.
Shady Nate is still my favorite rapper in the Livewire camp, but it seems like enthusiasm for his music is at an all time low at this point. Livewire leader J. Stalin continues to grow in popularity and Philthy Rich has turned himself into a lightweight local celebrity (despite his limited skills) thanks to numerous features from much-hyped rappers such as 2 Chainz and Chief Keef.
Shady Nate on the other hand, is insanely talented but his sporadic releases and uneven discography has done little to raise his profile. Nation of Domination (what a weird album title) is another inconsistent release for Shady Nate, but still manages to contain several memorable hooks and verses from him. The album has far too little Shady Nate and far too much everyone else. In fact there is not a single solo track by him on here and some guy named Fe the Don shows up on 10 of the 14 tracks. I really wish he would release an album that matches his talents and lives up to all the potential he showcased on 2007's Based on a True Story, but it seems like he is moving in the wrong direction at this point. I am still holding out hope for Shady Nate and will definitely continue to check out his new projects.

OK that's all for now, part 2 of the new music round up coming later this week. I've got to get back to generating lavish amounts of revenue thanks to the power of internet blogging: