by POCC Minister of Information JR
Shady Nate
Oakland has always been filled wit’ a gang of lyrical MC’s that
“gas” ever since Hip Hop really got started in the Bay. Looking at the
Old School, you have Askari X, Pooh-man, Richie Rich, D-Loc, V. White,
X.O., Rappin’ Ron (RIP), Ant Diddley Dog, Father Dom, Seagram (RIP), 2
Pac (RIP), Agerman, Keak Da Sneak, BA, Opio, Tajai, Yukmouth, Mr. Ill
and Shock G.
Oakland’s New School of lyricists is emerging with Beeda Weeda,
J.Stalin, D-Lo, Sleepy D, Yung Moses, G-Wet, Kaz Kyzah, Stevie Joe and
Mahasen to name a few of the ones holding the title. And last but not
least, anybody telling the truth would have to mention one of West
Oakland’s most shining stars, Shady Nate, who is somebody that I
truthfully told that I could easily see him being the King of Bay Area
rap in a couple of years. By far, Shady is in my top favorites to
listen to because of the fact that he is very skilled at painting
pictures in listeners’ minds that are filled wit’ grimy street stories,
while at the same time being innovative and pushing the envelope on
what Hip Hop sounds like wit’ his lyrical gymnastics.
If you don’t live in the flatlands of Oakland or in one of the
‘hoods of the Bay, you wouldn’t know that he is one of the streets’
favorites. I have heard Shady bumpin’ out of box chevs in Hunters Point
all the way to seeing his poster in liquor stores in West Oakland to
barbers in East Oakland holding me captive under their clippers while
they bang “Head Doctor.” Shady is one of the kings of the underground
that you need to look out for in the coming years, because he is a
major piece of the future of Bay Area rap. I said it first. Now check
him out in his own words …
M.O.I. JR: Can you tell us how you started rappin’? Who got you started? When?
Shady: I started rappin’ in ‘99 wit my niggaz from
the hood. I’m from Acorn projects, so when the block would get hot, we
would start going to the studio in Frisco. We was fuckin wit this nigga
named Jamil; he was cool on the beats and would record us. This is when
niggaz was still using adats. My nigga, M.A.C., was the first dude to
show me what a studio looked like. When I got in there, I was already
raw so everything else just came natural.
M.O.I. JR: How did you hook up with J.Stalin and help to create the Livewire camp?
Shady: I hooked up wit J through my nigga Lil’ Dame
from Cypress. I been knew J from back in the day, but when Dame went to
jail, me, Jay Jonah and Stalin started Livewire. J was fuckin’ wit
Richie Rich, but I had already been puttin’ shit out in the ‘hood wit
my Acorn niggaz. I was one of the rawest youngstaz in the West at the
time, and so was J. The rest is history …
M.O.I. JR: What were your thoughts when you saw the murder of Oscar Grant on tv? What about Lovelle Mixon?
Shady: When I saw Oscar get popped, the first thing
that came to my mind was execution style. That’s a fucked up way to
die. I prayed for him and his family though. I got a daughter to feed,
and that could’ve easily been me or one of my loved ones. As far as the
Mixon shootings, I had a lot of mixed feelings about that; 5.0 will
never understand what it’s like in the streets of Oakland, even if they
was on the shift 50 years. The OPD been on some gangsta shit since Day
One.
M.O.I. JR: You recently did a political song in the spirit of these two internationally recognized events. Can you talk about that song?
Shady: Yeah, I did a song with Zion I called
“Rise.” It’s for them, but it’s for every hood to start being conscious
about what’s going on in the streets where you live. It’s hectic out
here, and everything ain’t about candy paint and 24s. It’s a struggle
and people need to start identifying the situations at hand.
M.O.I. JR: Can you tell us about your newest work set to come out, “Gasman”?
Shady: The “Gasman” is my first national project.
It’s basically my first album. I’m the mixtape king on the underground.
Now it’s time to show mothafuckas what this West Oakland shit can
really do.
M.O.I. JR: What are you in the lab working on?
Shady: I am currently working on my next album, “Son of the Hood.”
M.O.I. JR: How can people stay connected with Shady Nate online?
Shady: Hit me on Twitter - shady28nate - or myspace.com/shadylivewire.
Email POCC Minister of Information JR, Bay View associate editor, at blockreportradio@gmail.com and visit www.blockreportradio.com.