Published: Wednesday - February 14, 2007
Words by Candace Simmons
Crime Mob (Photo: Warner Bros.)
Within the past couple of years, the new blood of the South has taken hip-hop and made it more, well... "crunk" -- from infectious snap beats to creating what seems to be a new dance weekly. So, it made sense that six teens from Dekalb County (Georgia) -- collectively known as Crime Mob -- took everything we love (or hate) about crunk music and turned it up a notch with music fit for riots and the energy to match.
Their 2004 single, "Knuck If You Buck" (from their self-titled debut), became the new "I don't give a f---" club banger of the year, and contributed to their album landing on Billboard's top five. Today, Crime Mob is back, with a new album, a few more years under their belt, more diverse content, and the same aggressiveness that their fans love and possibly their haters will learn to love too. Their sophomore album, appropriately titled Hated On Mostly, hits stores, March 27th. The lead single is "Rock Your Hips" featuring Lil Scrappy. "It's showing a new side of Crime Mob", says Cyco Black referring to the single.
Though many people know their sound, some are confused of how many people make up the group. Crime Mob's five member group is comprised of three males, (MIG, Cyco Black and Lil Jay) and two females (Princess and Diamond). Former member Killa C is now incarcerated for drug possession and failure to register as a sex offender (the group had no comment on the matter). However, Crime Mob did talk to Ballerstatus about Princess and Diamond without the guys, and dealing with haters.
"They think that we are not talented... that we are not real rappers because the first album was so crunk and hard," says the group, referring to how they are perceived by some. And casually, added almost if not plugging their album at all, "we were hated on mostly." However, fans may argue that it isn't about the complexity of their rhymes or use of metaphors, but their energy, fearlessness (to say and do what they feel), and the crunk beats. One of their news track, "Go to War" featuring Lil Scrappy and Pimp C, has the same aggressive lyrics, with a smoother sound. "It has a lean, pimp-type feel that you would expect from Pimp C", says MIG, who also produced the track, "but the song is saying if someone says something wrong, go to war."
All the guys of Crime Mob are also producers, and they show those skills on Hated On Mostly, which features beats from Lil Jay, MIG, Oomp Camp, Dirty Doc Jam, and Killa C. But Princess, who is also Lil Jay's younger sister, and Diamond hold their own in the group lyrically often adding the female perspective to each song. "Before we even came out [with the first album] the boys wanted us to have our own thing, and still be part of Crime Mob...but we wanted to be part of the group period", says Princess.
Even though the group has been through a lot since they first entered the scene -- from losing a member, dealing with haters and rumors, having their album pushed back several times due to former management and issues with composers -- they still are hopeful of the future and open to collaboration. According to Cyco, "We are willing to work with everybody. Crime Mob wants to feature, and we never been featured on anyone else's album. So hit us up!"
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