The historical past of Bay Area rap music has principally featured tales of underappreciated legends. E-40 and Too Short are nonetheless heroes on each side of the Golden Gate Bridge, however business enchantment has, in recent times, given option to vital clout. Andre Nickatina is a fair starker instance, an MC beloved in sure communities however by no means the family identify his expertise on the mic warrant. When you dig even deeper into the underground, you get left-field aliens just like the Anticon crew which have impressed as many ant emblem tattoos as they’ve accrued report gross sales.
SOB X RBE, the group of late-teens and early-20s rappers freshly risen from Vallejo’s deep historical past, need to buck this development, already gathering a nationwide viewers off the success of their early breakout hit, “Anti.” Now, with unofficial squad chief Yhung T.O. inking an Interscope report deal — and as of Wednesday, thrusting the group into turmoil by way of a now-deleted Instagram publish that states Gangin’ II shall be his final album with the group — along with the four-piece incomes a spot on the Billboard charts because of their Black Panther soundtrack spot, SOB x RBE is probably already as well-liked because the forefathers that pioneered the basic Bay Area sound the group has based mostly their fashion on.
When we converse with the band, T.O. is nowhere to be discovered, apparently sleeping off a late night time with a mid-afternoon nap. What appeared all through our dialog as an innocent-enough absence now looms way more ominous within the wake of T.O.’s allegations of jealousy and backstabbing from his fellow bandmates (though he did point out within the publish that extra music with DaBoii is on the best way). This absence, although, permits the opposite members to claim personalities that may at instances be swallowed by the presence of Vallejo’s hottest rapper underneath the age of 40 (though Nef the Pharaoh has an argument as properly).
Slimmy B, the opposite SOB x RBE member with a percolating solo profession (he was simply featured on Drakeo the Ruler’s “Touchin’”) takes cost through the course of our dialog, regaling each Billboard and his fellow band members with tales of rising up in Vallejo, the group’s fast rise, and the way his baby has modified the best way he approaches the world. DaBoii and Lul G spherical out the group, every often trying to 1 up Slimmy — a transparent instance of the group members’ inherent competitiveness, the signifier that implies how simply every of those rappers convey the most effective out of one another. It’s clear that SOB X RBE can’t work with none of the members, regardless of how well-liked they get as people.
Bay Area rap has been clouded since Mac Dre’s tragic dying in 2004, however for the primary time since E-40 launched the world to ghost driving, Vallejo, California, is a rap haven solely rising stronger. SOB x RBE are doing the heavy lifting.
What’s it like preparing for Gangin’ II to return out? How are y’all getting ready?
Slimmy B: Answer that, D-Boy!
DaBoii: [Laughing] I ain’t even know that motherfucker was popping out!
Slimmy B: We simply gonna reside our greatest lives till then. We simply gonna keep within the studio and hold going.
Are you engaged on new stuff already?
Slimmy B: Yep, yep.
Lul G: Always. Group shit, solo shit.
What’s the distinction between recording group versus solo stuff?
Slimmy B: We simply at all times be out in our personal studio periods, actually. If we’re on some gang shit we’ll simply at all times be there or be sending verses between one another, that’s how that shit works. But solo shit we’re by ourselves.
Did y’all really feel any stress to make Gangin’ II successful contemplating how profitable the primary one ended up being?
DaBoii: Naw, we didn’t really feel no stress as a result of we was simply making music.
Slimmy B: We’re simply making genuine music that got here to us. It’s simply the identical factor with the second album.
Did you assume you achieved the identical heights with this one?
Slimmy B: If not we achieved extra, most likely.
So y’all have excessive expectations for it?
Slimmy B: There are huge expectations for certain. Expectations actually be excessive within the first place for us. It ain’t about us exceeding our expectations, although, as a result of it’s nearly us versus them. We do what we do whether or not individuals prefer it or not, that gained’t change shit; however our persons are most certainly gonna prefer it as a result of they like our music. We give ‘em what they need.
Lul G: We at all times be giving ‘em what they need.
Now that y’all journey across the nation, what’s your relationship together with your hometown, Vallejo? Has it modified in any respect?
DaBoii: It’s what you make of it.
Slimmy B: It modified somewhat bit. It’s kind of the identical, although. We nonetheless get love. The similar folks that give us love nonetheless present love and the identical folks that present hate nonetheless present hate, you understand? We’re just a bit extra within the public eye now.
Do you continue to reside in Vallejo?
DaBoii: We across the bay however we don’t reside in Vallejo no extra.
Have y’all interacted with the older rap legends within the Bay Area?
Slimmy B: E-40, that’s unc proper there. We discuss to E-40 loads. We been speaking to 40 loads all through our careers. T.O. been featured on a observe with Too Short. All the opposite OGs present love for actual. We ain’t completed any music with any of the opposite OGs from the bay but however I’m fairly certain it’s gonna come.
Who’s the one emcee y’all would wanna collaborate with?
Slimmy B: Too Short and E-40.
How did rising up within the Bay Area encourage the fashion you guys are doing?
Slimmy B: Shit, rising up I used to be listening to Mac Dre. They have been so huge again within the day. Everyone desires to be on the wave, that hyphy wave. With us, we’ve that related kind of wave.
DaBoii: That new wave.
Lul G: Everyone desires to be in our wave. We bought a brand new wave.
What is that wave?
Slimmy B: It’s actual avenue shit. We make actual avenue music, actual business music.
As the group has grown have you ever frightened about dropping some contact with the streets?
DaBoii: Hell naw, that’s simply pure.
As you get additional away from the place you grew up is it tougher to be part of the neighborhood that raised you stylistically?
DaBoii: We make music for everyone.
With Gangin’ II, are y’all re-visiting the primary album and utilizing it as a street map of types?
Slimmy B: We’re simply current. With Gangin’ it was simply no matter got here out got here out. It’s simply good music and that’s what we do.
Do y’all compete with one another and one up one another when within the studio?
Slimmy B: It ain’t actually a contest. Well, it form of is, however we simply push one another tougher. Everyone wanna come onerous so if I spit a verse I do know D-Boy’s gonna wanna come tougher. If they go onerous, G will go onerous, after which T.O. will go onerous, so we’re simply out right here competing as a bunch.
Lul G: We’re simply making an attempt to make one another do higher.
What are your favourite issues to do within the Bay Area outdoors of creating music?
Lul G: Secure my bag, bruh. We simply do regardless of the day places in entrance of us.
DaBoii: Secure the bag any manner we will!
What’s your favourite half about touring outdoors of securing luggage?
Lul G: Different environments.
Slimmy B: [Laughs] Securing the bag for actual! Naw, I similar to seeing new locations. We’ve been on three or 4 excursions already so simply going again to those cities and seeing the brand new reactions you get each time is loopy.
DaBoii: Especially if we’re out of state, someplace we don’t actually know, and so they fuck with us, then that shit is wild.
Is it nonetheless thrilling when individuals know phrases to your songs at exhibits?
Slimmy B: Man, not even in the identical metropolis…In completely different states! New York, Philly, shit like that, it’s insane.
When did you first understand that SOBxRBE was blowing up?
Slimmy B: I didn’t even understand it, it simply occurred! It was similar to, growth! We dropped “Anti” and we have been rattling close to established now that we had that observe. People began reaching out, labels and celebrities. We simply began getting huge.
Do you continue to take into account your self a Bay Area rap group now that you’re getting well-liked nationally?
Slimmy B: We positively nationwide, however the Bay shall be ours without end. Even with that, although, we’re not tryna keep within the Bay as a result of these are individuals that may’t ever go away. With us, we may actually go anyplace and promote out a present. We’re nationally and internationally recognized. We’re not making an attempt to remain native. We’re larger than huge.
The group’s success has come so shortly. Have y’all had any probability to mirror on the trail you’re on?
Slimmy B: Most positively. Sometimes I nonetheless assume, like, rattling, I can’t imagine the place I’m at. Just two years in the past I used to be at work, ready to get off of my 9 to five so I may go dwelling to my child mama and my son. Now it’s like, I don’t gotta work no extra. I do what I like as a job.
Has having a child modified the best way you method music?
Slimmy B: It doesn’t change the best way I method music nevertheless it modifications the best way I method life on the whole. Music’s one factor, I’m gonna do what I do with my music regardless. Ain’t nothing gonna change. But the best way I transfer and care for my son, I don’t need him having to do something dangerous. I don’t need him to see me fall.
