ADVERTISEMENT
“You know how dudes say ‘I’m really not a rapper, ima street cat that happens to rap’?” asks Atlanta lyricist J-Mac, sitting on a leather couch in his studio blowing a smoke cloud in the air. “Me, I really AM a rapper… an artist in every sense of the word. Music is my life…and my future!!” With his unique southern-fried edgy street vibe, laced with infectious melodies and hard-hitting punch lines, the GA. native has made that life a good one. In 2006 Mac hooked up with a fellow artist and friend, Lil One, to pursue music full time as solo artist with pooled resources. After tirelessly working Atlanta’s open mic scene since 2007, the hard work paid off in ’09 when J-Mac got the opportunity to open up for Atlanta legends DJ Taz and Raheem the Dream. Since then, he has been doing shows constantly, establishing a solid fan base along the way. Hooking up the with the time tested production duo of Shawn Blount and DJ Kermit, a.k.a. BK Productions, the team began to make quite a bit of noise locally. Mac’s two BK Produced singles, the lady- friendly single “Lemme See” and the raunchy straight-to-the-point ode “Right Now” are quickly gaining momentum. “With me, you get the gangster of Tony Montana with the smoothness of Sinatra”, he says. “That’s why my appeal is so diverse.” That diverse appeal is apparent in the music, as well as the crowds that he draws in his frequent shows. “I can rock with the streets, the kids, the divas, the frat boys, and the pop party girls” says Mac. “Every crowd has different energy and it’s a different show each night.” Now, with excitement about his long-awaited mixtape project with Atlanta’s Hot 107.9 DJ “The Poster Child” J1, 4th quarter 2010 is looking ripe for the taking. The mixtape, entitled “Live From Ya Baby Mama’s iPod” features a rock-rap remix of the hit single “No Hands” by Waka Flocka. “That shit is insane”, Mac says of the remix. “So really, ya’ll mediocre rap niggas got like 3 months to get it together. Then I’m taking over.” If that seems incredibly arrogant to you, then you are not alone. “People tell me I’m cocky as hell all the time. I say, if I’m just flexing, outrap me then dude. Otherwise fall back and watch me do me.” Don’t say you haven’t been warned.
J-MAC
OZONE | 7