The Pack Readies First Full-Length Album
The ShowBuzz's Melissa Castellanos researched and wrote this story.
When it comes to making hip hop, The Pack doesn't focus on what's mainstream or what's considered an East Coast or West Coast thing. Instead they just get creative with whatever styles of music they like or what comes natural to them.
The Pack, made up of four guys with a hip-hop vision and a dream from Berkley, Calif., are Lloyd "Young L" Omadhebo, Keith "Stunna Man" Jenkins, Brandon "Lil B" McCartney and DaMonte "Uno" Johnson. The group has coined the term "based" for their music, which they describe as "freedom of expression."
The Pack has incorporated this "based" genre into their new album, "Based Boys," which is due to be released in stores Oct. 30.
"Based Boys," which like its name, has an abundance of bass, mixed beats and is intertwined with rap. It has 14 new tracks, including the single "In My Car" and bonus tracks "Vans," "I'm Shinin," and "Candy."
Video: The Pack stops by The ShowBuzz studio in New YorkOn Oct. 15, The Pack came to their management's bar Angels and Kings in New York City to reveal the video premiere of "In My Car."
" 'In My Car' is a song that shows what The Pack is all about. It's an introduction to our individuality and what hip hop is going to turn itself into," Lil B told The ShowBuzz.
Created in a studio in California, the "In My Car" video shows The Pack rolling up in a white Cadillac full of smiles, enjoying life, music and being young.
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With a star-filled sky for the back drop, it almost appears as if the group has driven off to another galaxy. Colorful lights flash behind the group as they rap and dance in a crowd filled with eye candy.
Although there are the usual attractive females dancing in the crowd, they weren't the entire focus of the video. Rather the focus was on The Pack just having a good ol' time.
The Pack's first hit song, "Vans," drew a lot of attention to the group with 550,000 plays from their MySpace page. It was a more than just a catchy tune -- it was something of an ethnic crossover that changed the perception that black people don't wear the sneakers that are popular with skateboarders and BMX bikers.
"It was not only a racial thing, but it was a cultural thing," according to The Pack's producer, Young L, who is also a skateboarder along with Stunna Man and, at times, Uno.
The song also grabbed the attention of the makers of Vans, who collaborated with the group to design two styles of Vans sneakers -- one in black and one in white -- made exclusively for the group.
The Pack said that although there are only two sets of Vans sneakers, they aren't ruling out the possibility of having their designs go out to mass production someday, which is ultimately up to the company.
"Vans" did so well that it was also listed as No. 5 on Rolling Stone's best songs of 2006.
"The new album evolved from 'Vans,' " said Young L.
"We planted a tree with 'Vans' and now we have branched off of it with this new album," said Stunna Man.
According to Lil B, the group's musical influences include Lil Boosie, Chris Isaak, Phil Collins, Coldplay, Creed, Lil John and Prince.
The Pack was discovered by longtime rapper Too $hort, who heard the group over the radio and was hooked on their sound. In 2005, he signed The Pack with Up All Nite Records, a part of Jive Records.
"We're turning a new leaf," said Lil B. "They say if you make it in New York, you make it anywhere."