Shoes Up, Bros Down

Treal Lee & Prince Rick - Shoes Up
(From DJ Fletch presents Treal Lee & Prince Rick - Throwed Off mixtape; 2011)


Here's a Martorialist favourite which has otherwise been wiped from the internet. This deep cut by Treal Lee & Prince Rick was a Dallas equivalent of JR Writer's Grill 'Em or 3 Deep's Watch My Shoes. The song was the next step in club bad behaviour for Lee & Rick after Throwed Off (F**k Everybody): a dystopian vision of the dancefloor populated by a thousand Gary Bushells with nary a Darcey Bussell in sight. Plus, it features one of the most Tonally-Consistent™ DJ-drops ever with "F**K YOUR WHOLE LIVES, IT'S DJ FLETCH!!!"

Northern Exposure

"Reagan set us back 100 years, I'm glad he died
Zimmerman done killed Trayvon, he still alive
I ain't tryna hear your lil' song 'bout how you slide
If I don't change the world before I die just know I tried"

LARussell - Boycott
(From From Vallejo With Love album; 2024)


Don't say the truck is a monster, say that thing got a BBL. A BBL made from them 1980s WWF steroids or sumfink. Coldest LARussell song/video I've heard/seen since all the singles with P-Lo in the boiler room. Speaking of which, let's talk about NorCal Rap in 2024...

* Weighing up which of the LARussell & P-Lo singles is gonna make my 2024 EOY list. Yankin' is their best song and thee anthem, but Who Else You Know is the song I've jammed the most.

* P-Lo's sequel to Player's Holiday has gotta be the biggest NorCal disappointment of 2024. If P-Lo decided on that line-up then he should donate all his profits from the song to charity.

* Ezale's Fun gets my vote for best NorCal Rap single of 2024. Pity the video got removed from Ezale's YouTube channel due to illegal usage of a FedEx truck (lol) and ended up quietly reuploaded on the video director's own channel.

* Seiji Oda's A Gentle Gigg is his best song since City Pop 001 IMHO. Props to him for good-naturedly eluding to my frustrations with his singy Auto-Tune music in an interview.

* Mac God Dbo's A Whole Brick is my favourite unexpected random NorCal slap of 2024. If I never dig another Mac God Dbo song in my life at least I'll always have A Whole Brick.

* Forever inconsistent but always dependable for a few slaps per annum, Nef The Pharaoh's top 3 songs of 2024 are Essence, Don't Stop and the Splash Bakery performance of Big Tymin' IMHO. He's been inconsistent but dependable for a decade now too because Bitch I'm From Vallejo celebrated its 10th birthday this year.

"Look, if you only had one shot or one opportunity..."

LARussell & P-Lo ft. Malachi - Who Else You Know
(From Majorly Independent EP; 2024)


LARussell & P-Lo ft. Malachi - Damn
(From Majorly Independent EP; 2024)


Here at The Martorialist we're lovin' these rolling shot one take videos LARussell & P-Lo have been shooting for their EP. Just like the Yankin' clip, these two videos capture the songs' essence and energy in a way that's effortless like Boiling Point and not laboured like Birdman. There's far too many jump-cuts in most Rap videos and it's surely Jean-Luc Godard's fault innit?

All these clips for the EP were clearly shot in one day because the background cast of friends, famalam and fans are all wearing the same clothes in each clip. According to old timers from the Bronx "peace, love, unity and having fun" are the principles of Hip-Hop kulcha and these videos deliver all four in oodles. I dunno if I'd ever check for Malachi as a solo artiste, but he's a joy on these guest spots poppin' up and showin' out with excitable puppy dog teenage energy. Result: maximum Thizz Khalifa levelz achieved.

Also a big fan of the clip for What We Doin', particularly the bit when Richie Rich slides into frame in a root beer coloured old school motor to deliver his cameo. Now that's an entrance.