Source: SF Weekly.com
Place your votes there
Messy Marv
This gangbanger-turned-rapper from Eddy St.'s notorious Marcus Garvey Projects is known for the street-savviest flow in the Sucka-Free City. Since first emerging as a solo artist back in the "mobb music" era of the late '90s, Mess, as he's affectionately known, has sold hundreds of thousands of records independently, despite frequent run-ins with the law. Although currently incarcerated, over the past two years he's somehow managed to release eight albums, including his own Draped Up and Chipped Out, the Fillmoe Nation and Muzik fo tha Taliban compilations, Bullys Wit Fullys' The Infrastructure (with Guce), and Da Bidness (with PSD and Keak Da Sneak). If Messy isn't the realest hood cat in rap, he's pretty damn close.
The Pack
The Berkeley hip-hop foursome is probably best known because the video for its viral hit, "Vans" — which seems to sample a vibrating cell phone — was censored by MTV. (The highly principled network doesn't tolerate product placement, don't you know.) Needless to say, hella publicity followed; the group toured the country this fall ahead of its Jive Records debut, Based Boys, slated for release on October 30. The group mixes the local hyphy sound with a bit of down-South snap style, and proudly displays its influences, ranging from Run-D.M.C. to Too $hort — the East Bay godfather who helped the Pack get its deal.
Turf Talk
West Coast Vaccine, the second album by E-40's cousin Turf Talk, confirmed Turf's status as the future of hyphy. He's the exciting, innovative lyricist the movement needs to take its scrapers-and-stunna-shades shtick to the next level. Okay, Turf's topics may seem like typical Cali thug-hop fare, but that's so not the point. Sure, he's got gats, cash, and hos, but he's also got flows for days, yadidahmean? Turf's wide-ranging tonal acrobatics are unparalleled by his street-level MC peers; his ability to shift his delivery and cadences from low whispers to high-pitched drawls makes what he says far less of a focus than the way he says things.
The Federation
Comprising rappers Goldie Gold, Stresmatic, and Doonie Baby, Fairfield's favorite sons the Federation have been credited with being the inventors of the hyphy sound — thanks in no small part to producer Rick Rock, the "king of slaps." Rock took the Bay Area's venerable "mobb music" template, injected it with steroids, enhanced its flavorfulness, added more widespread appeal, and unleashed it on the world. On their just-released second album, It's Whateva, the Feds take hyphy's infectious energy into the realms of metal, crunk, techno, and gospel and still come out shinier than the grill on a just-polished Cadillac.
Place your votes there
Messy Marv
This gangbanger-turned-rapper from Eddy St.'s notorious Marcus Garvey Projects is known for the street-savviest flow in the Sucka-Free City. Since first emerging as a solo artist back in the "mobb music" era of the late '90s, Mess, as he's affectionately known, has sold hundreds of thousands of records independently, despite frequent run-ins with the law. Although currently incarcerated, over the past two years he's somehow managed to release eight albums, including his own Draped Up and Chipped Out, the Fillmoe Nation and Muzik fo tha Taliban compilations, Bullys Wit Fullys' The Infrastructure (with Guce), and Da Bidness (with PSD and Keak Da Sneak). If Messy isn't the realest hood cat in rap, he's pretty damn close.
The Pack
The Berkeley hip-hop foursome is probably best known because the video for its viral hit, "Vans" — which seems to sample a vibrating cell phone — was censored by MTV. (The highly principled network doesn't tolerate product placement, don't you know.) Needless to say, hella publicity followed; the group toured the country this fall ahead of its Jive Records debut, Based Boys, slated for release on October 30. The group mixes the local hyphy sound with a bit of down-South snap style, and proudly displays its influences, ranging from Run-D.M.C. to Too $hort — the East Bay godfather who helped the Pack get its deal.
Turf Talk
West Coast Vaccine, the second album by E-40's cousin Turf Talk, confirmed Turf's status as the future of hyphy. He's the exciting, innovative lyricist the movement needs to take its scrapers-and-stunna-shades shtick to the next level. Okay, Turf's topics may seem like typical Cali thug-hop fare, but that's so not the point. Sure, he's got gats, cash, and hos, but he's also got flows for days, yadidahmean? Turf's wide-ranging tonal acrobatics are unparalleled by his street-level MC peers; his ability to shift his delivery and cadences from low whispers to high-pitched drawls makes what he says far less of a focus than the way he says things.
The Federation
Comprising rappers Goldie Gold, Stresmatic, and Doonie Baby, Fairfield's favorite sons the Federation have been credited with being the inventors of the hyphy sound — thanks in no small part to producer Rick Rock, the "king of slaps." Rock took the Bay Area's venerable "mobb music" template, injected it with steroids, enhanced its flavorfulness, added more widespread appeal, and unleashed it on the world. On their just-released second album, It's Whateva, the Feds take hyphy's infectious energy into the realms of metal, crunk, techno, and gospel and still come out shinier than the grill on a just-polished Cadillac.
