Its Raining Game In Northern California

My summer is officially over. The first storm is here. Symbolic? Maybe. Either way it goes, summer has officially decided to bounce with the first rain of the season. I guess it had to happen sooner or later. At least it didn't affect first Friday's Art Murmur in Oakland. And as always, I have a song to articulate this moment...

To commemorate the coming of the first rain (If yall haven't noticed by now, I'm connected to seasons, for real, no joke...), I'm posting up some Drizzle... Mac Drizzle that is!

Mac Dre- "It's Raining Game in Northern California"

"It's Raining Game in Northern California" by Mac Dre off of Khayree's Blackalation is one of those shining beacons. It completely represents everything I love about this region. Peep:

1. Reinterpolation. If you weren't aware, Bay Area Mobb Muzik IS the cutting edge when it comes to the art of reinterpolation. Specifically, the reinterpolation of 80's and 90's r&b songs. There are countless songs... one day I'll do a mix to educate the less fortunate on this Fresh Coast cultural phenomenon.

(Oh Yeah, Try and snatch that idea, you'll be very embarrassed getting schooled by this Born-n-Bred -Bay-Boy, Playboy! I got tracks for days... way deeper than "I Got 5 On It" or "Pillow", hehehe )

2. Tony Toni Tone. This is a marriage of some of the Bay's best Black Music aesthetics. Oakland soul and Bay Area Mobb... like musical cousins... and just like people, you can't choose your family... It just happens that way! Cut from the same cloth. Its not a coincidence that Mobb music tempos are in the 80s and low 90s bpm range. Perfect tempos to house my next point...

3. The Double Time Flow. That Bay Sh*t right there. The very reason folks thought Outkast were from OAKLAND in 1994! With so many slick talkers out here, you gotta get creative on how you throw it all up in there. Which brings me to my next point...

4. Slang... so much SAUCE out here, just rainin' game This came out in '97. Nuff said.

5. Musicality. Khayree is the man. Hands down. Mac Mall. Ray Luv. Mac Dre. Young Lay. Dubee. Young Black Brotha Records. He actually played the instruments on Blackalation. That was big . Mobb Muzik with more than just a sampler or a workstation. In high school, I always wanted to make beats like him. West Coast Funk. Dope ass Lead Synths. Breezy Bridges. No samples... Definitely helped brand the Bay's sound. And yes, he produced the B-Side to "Ice, Ice, Baby"... I'm not jokin, I just do my homework!

And for good measure...


Tony Toni Tone- "It Never Rains in Southern California"