Cypress Village, West Oakland rapper and Thizz Ent offspring J-Stalin might not have achieved the kind of breakthrough success that fellow Bay Areans Keak and 40 Water tasted during the hyphy bubble, but his street-learned grit and determination, infectiously gruff tone and relentless, purposely pitchy flow meant he shone from within Mac Dre’s quasi-affiliated roster of raw talent and brought sumptuous productions from Tha Mekanix, DJ Fresh and Trackademicks to life.
So (once you’ve got over the above guttery-gutter-ass photo) sit back, relax, and listen to his 808s…
Better yet, watch him paint the town…
And here’s a couple of slaps from his two excellent solo albums: the moody, woosy Mekanix-produced ‘On Behalf Of The Streets’ and last year’s sleeper slumper ‘Gas Nation’ (which was more diverse but no less dope), plus one cut from his debut rite of passage Demolition Men mixtape and a bonus treat, and Rob Breezy favourite, from Stalin affiliate Lil Blood, off of ‘Gas Nation’.
J-Stalin ft. G-Stack – ‘I Was Told’ from J-Stalin ‘On Behalf Of The Streets’
J-Stalin and G-Stack – I Was Told
J-Stalin ft. R.O.B. – ‘Millionaire Status’ from J-Stalin ‘Gas Nation’
J-Stalin and R.O.B. – Millionaire Status
J-Stalin ft. Shady Nate & Alias John Brown – ‘Dre Rock’ from J-Stalin ‘The Early Morning Shift (Mixed By The Demolition Men)’
Lil Blood – ‘Stressed Out’ from J-Stalin ‘Gas Nation’
