With the anticipated release of The Pack's national debut - the self titled full-length cd featuring Too $hort, Keak da Sneak, Mr. F.A.B., Jody Breeze of Boyz N Da Hood, and The Team, on Too $hort's new Up All Nite Music label - the prolific young East Bay rap quartet (Lil Uno, Young L, Lil B, & Stunna whose ages range from 16 to 18) look destined to take the hip-hop nation by storm and further elevate the Bay Area's 'hyphy' movement firmly into the national spotlight. Complete with wall-to-wall 'slumpers' (hits) such as "Vans" (already creating a strong buzz on the Left Coast with stations in California, Portland, and Washington all following the Bay Area's KMEL lead and quickly expanding to Miami and Atlanta), "Ice Cream”, " Dum Diddy Dum " and "Booty Bounce Bopper" - "Vans" showcases the fierce, hypnotic flow of the four teen-aged emcees who perfectly play off each other with a nearly matching deep bass vocal assault and a unique group style - all delivered over The Pack's rich anthemic tracks courtesy of the crew's production wiz Young L.
Too $hort, who accurately describes the Bay Area's wild-party-fueled hip-hop "hyphy" phenomenon as "a first cousin to crunk music," discovered the super-talented young Berkeley group last summer on a trip back from Atlanta to his native East Bay. Although the group (then known as Wolf Pack) were only six short months together, the music veteran recognized their potential and was also most impressed with their work ethic (already they had two regional CDs out) so he offered to take them under his wing, and sign them to his new Up All Nite record label/collective. For The Pack connecting with their rap hero was a dream come true. "Too $hort taking us under his wing has been a real blessing," said producer/emcee Young L. "His influence has made us better in all ways. I even focus more on my college work thanks to $hort," said the firs t-year business student at San Francisco State University. "But how Too $hort stumbled upon our music is a trip," added Lil Uno telling the story of how $hort accidentally happened to overhear the group's music booming out of someone's car in West Oakland one day last July and (in true blue ear-to-the-street A&R form) stopped the other car and inquired about what they were bumping in their ride.
Since then things have moved swiftly for The Pack with them doing lots of shows (including a big one at Kaiser Auditorium with such stars as E 40) and busily recording new tracks (solo and collaborations) in both the East Bay and Atlanta. When they signed to Up All Nite Music they also officially became a part of the Up All Nite crew along with Too $hort and Atlanta's up-and-coming Murda Mob (comprised of freestyle master Booski, female emcee Lil Red, and Young Bay who was formerly known as Baby DC). As part of the Up All Nite Crew they've already appeared on both the Aril 2006 CD "Gangsters and Strippers Vol. 1" and on the up coming Fall 2006 CD "Lay it Down" that was released in conjunction with Too $hort's DVD "Pimpin' Incorporated." They've also recorded several other tracks with Too $hort including "At It Again" which appeared on their underground CD "Wolf Pack Music Vol. 1" and "Lite It" which appeared on another limited-edition release: their "Mixtape Vol. 1." To date they have two street albums (Wolf Pack Music Vol. 1 and Vol. 2) and two mix CDs "Wolf Pack Mixtape Vols 1 & 2" which are unique in that they contain music exclusively by group themselves.
In terms of sheer talent and charisma, The Pack have drawn comparisons to another young crew - Atlanta hitmakers Boyz N Da Hood. Coincidentally Jody Breeze of the Bad Boy signed group is a big fan of The Pack and even makes a cameo on "Get Off My Beanie." However longtime Too $hort studio engineer/production collaborator Taj Mahal Tilghman, who is Up All Nite Music's general manager and project coordinator, doesn't like to draw any comparisons to The Pack. "They're totally unique," he said. "And they embody the whole essence of the 'hyphy' sound and style with their energetic crazy party personalities and all that shines through in their delivery and their lyrics." "Organized madness" is how Taj perfectly sums up The Pack's instantly spellbinding 'hyphy' assault - something that is distinguished by their bass intoned flows which is peppered with their own slanguage and slightly varying individual styles. Lil B, for example, sounds like he's intoxicated when he flows. "I spit l like a loogey and it hurt like a rock," laughs Lil Uno of his style, paraphrasing one of his rhymes.
The Pack's sheer appeal is evident from the overwhelming positive phone response that all the radio stations have been receiving everytime they play the future sneaker anthem "Vans" off the album of the same name. As Young L notes in the hook-filled song "Vans" - "It's a punk rock shoe with the logo on the back." "We love shoes....We're like some fashion icons," adds Lil B. Stunna admits that all four members are "obsessed with sneakers." In fact it was in a shoe store that he first crossed paths with Lil Uno.
Ladies and gentlemen, meet the hip-hop nation's next big act: The Pack.
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