Now, Bay Area hip-hop stands on the verge of what many see as another revival — thanks to artists like Lil B, Kreayshawn, and other talented rappers like Roach Gigz. "We're definitely in the beginning phase of a new generation which is about to explode," Prince Aries says.
Yet even among supporters, there's concern that swag rappers like Kreayshawn and Lil B could suffer a similar fate to hyphy. The outrage over V-Nasty — or the death threats Lil B faced this year — could be evidence of that. "A lot of people outside the Bay look at us as crazy," DJ Amen explains. "From dancing on top of cars to Lil B, the outside world hasn't really seen what the Bay Area is all about." Amen continues to be wowed by Kreayshawn, but he also admits that, "outside the Bay, I think it's going to take some time before they understand it."
Courtesy of audibletreats.com
With swag “coming out my ovaries,” the Oakland-raised Kreayshawn rode her “Gucci Gucci” video to overnight fame.
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Mistah F.A.B. isn't so concerned. He's involved in this new movement both as an artist and a mentor: He helped Kreayshawn by supporting her — and as one of the biggest names in local rap, that lends considerable credibility. "She's a superstar," he says. "Her originality is so easy and obvious." And while hyphy was largely a male take on 'hood life, Kreayshawn's image and attitude seem to appeal to a broader, younger, and more female audience.
F.A.B. also released a video this summer explaining why he's okay with V-Nasty saying "nigga." Part of it, he says, is that the word has lost much of its racist dimension after being tossed around so much. And part of it is that V-Nasty's language reflects who she really is. "It's not a fake, it's not a facade," he says that afternoon on the Oakland street corner. "She's earned the right to socialize in that form."
The 28-year-old rapper and father also throws his name behind Lil B, whom he encourages in semiregular phone conversations. "Nowadays, everybody looks like everybody. You've seen one, you've seen 'em all," he says. "And in rare cases, such as Lil B, such as Kreayshawn — shit, such as myself. ... We're bringing back the days of individualism, when people weren't afraid to be themselves, when people weren't afraid to do what it is they love to do."
That individualism makes it difficult to lump Kreayshawn and Lil B, or any of the rising crop of Bay Area rappers, under a specific style. They're of the same generation, work largely through the Internet, and are undeniably controversial — but their music and images are vastly different.
That's exactly why Mistah F.A.B. likes them. He knows there's more to a career than the quick upward rise. He may not be a regular on MTV, but he plays all over the country, recently released a radio-friendly single with Auto-Tune king T-Pain, and records new music constantly. He's a potent force on Twitter himself. And he's still got plenty of that quality that seems so essential to a long-lasting rap career. He calls it individualism. Lil B and Kreayshawn would call it swag.
