The Cali Takeover
California has had a massive impact on rap/hip-hop, as Los Angeles birthed one of the most impactful subgenres of rap, gangster rap, popularized by N.W.A in the late 80's and early 90's. Currently, we have another group from LA that is taking the rest of the country by storm. Shoreline Mafia is applying their own creative twist to the historic LA sound to create immensely energizing music.
Shoreline Mafia – Ohgeesey, Fenix Flexin, Master Kato & Rob Vicious
Shoreline Mafia is made up of three LA native rappers, Ohgeesy, Fenix Flexin and Rob Vicious, and Chicago born rapper Master Kato. Prior to the release of their debut album Shorelinedothatshit in 2017, the group was known in LA for their very talented graffiti art and skateboarding. Each member of Shoreline brings a distinct style to the table and some of the toughest lines you've heard.
Twenty-four-year-old Ohgeesy is most known for cultivating catchy, energetic hooks that get listeners hyped ("This ain't a milly rock, this a money dance, and my d*** aint hard that's a 30 in my pants" – Ohgeesy/ "Bands.") LA born Rob Vicious brings a different approach, with a strong lower pitched voice that creates a presence on the track you can't miss. Fenix Flexin, in my opinion, is one of the most versatile in the group, as he constantly alters his flow and tosses out memorable lines in almost every song. Kato brings such a crisp and clear delivery, with endless lyrical content about mobbing with his clique ("B**** I always get out, I'd been workin' with the work, Robby out here pinchin' midget, I'm just f*****' with the purp, know I'm always bout the ticket, you could get in with the bag." – Master Kato/ "Get it".) Two key tracks you can’t ignore by Shoreline are “Spaceship” and “Serve a Boat,” both off of their debut album. With these records, the group delivered a club/party ready sound that exemplifies their LA lifestyle.
Shoreline's production is where I see the clearest similarity to LA rap in the 90's and early 00's. We have RonRon the producer and Acetheface to thank for developing this modern LA sound, as they are responsible for most of Shoreline’s production. RonRon often uses bright and electric sounds on spacey beats that show similar traits to Dr. Dre's album 2001. A track that exemplifies this style directly is "Musty," which ironically is the beat that brought RonRon and Shoreline together, as Shoreline stole the beat prior to connecting with RonRon. But this interaction is what later built a relationship between the LA rap group and the Watts born producer.
Shoreline Mafia is captivating a growing audience through the intensity of their live performances and the realness of their music. Almost all of their lyrical content directly reflects the lives they live. They never try to hide who they are or what they do from their fans and the rest of society. Everything about Shoreline and how they move is real. They have successfully created a culture that is drawing so many in and are only getting started making their presence felt in the rap scene!
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