7 from the 707: Vallejo’s hottest rappers

VALLEJO – Vallejo’s rap scene took a major hit after the dissolution of SOBxRBE in 2019. There would be rumblings about some rappers here and there, but the scene remained divided; the time of regionalism had lapsed and the city went back under the radar.

The emergence of LaRussell sparked a rejuvenation. LaRussell freestyles in front of M&M Liquors and puts on shows in his backyard (everyone from Slimmy B to Juvenile have now performed at the Pergola) creating community for community’s sake.

We’ve compiled a primer of 7 rappers from the 707 to offer Vallejo Sun readers a sample platter of the city’s hottest rappers. Some of them are fresh to the scene and some have been at it for years, but all of them have yet to receive the flowers they’re due. 

Moe Green has been rapping for over fifteen years, LaRussell already has 30+ albums under his belt, DaBoii came up with SOBxRBE in 2016, and Nef the Pharaoh was named Thizzler on the Roof’s “Bay Area Freshman of the Year” in 2014.

This list is meant to introduce you to the contemporary sound of Vallejo hip-hop. Placed in alphabetical order to resist favoritism, here are 7 rappers you need to know from the 707:

DaBoii

You might not recognize DaBoii without his ‘fro from the SOBxRBE era, but if he dropped from your radar since “Paramedic” on the “Black Panther” soundtrack or the local group’s self-titled album, it’s about time you pick up his solo catalog. He’ll flip Gwen Stefani’s “Hollaback Girl” into a drum line anthem, he’ll remix Mac Dre classics like “Too Hard 4 The Radio,” and he’s had an incredible run of singles since he returned home after spending nearly a year behind bars.

It’s been rumored that Yhung T.O., Slimmy B, and DaBoii will be returning as SOBxRBE in the near future, but as we sit in musical purgatory, DaBoii’s music definitely stands on its own. With a raspy voice that always sounds dismissive, DaBoii is the expression of impassioned indifference. If you don’t believe me, his verse on EBK Young Joc’s “Wack Something” is about as unimpressed as one can get without an explicit scoff. 

Packed with one-liners and ever-expressive intonation, “KickDoe” and “Fresh Out The County” are excellent introductions to Daboii’s recent work.

LaRussell

When Too $hort rapped, “For the last 300 months, I made 16 albums with me on the front,” on “Blow The Whistle,” LaRussell must have thought that was a challenge. 

We attended one of LaRussell’s backyard shows in April, and I can say for certain that LaRussell is the happiest, hardest working rapper in the game right now. Just like the title of his last album, he’s “Majorly Independent,” and he has essentially created his own economy through Good Compenny. 

You can invest in LaRussell like the stock market, his shows and albums and merchandise are all offer based, and he’s versatile enough to have worked with everyone from Snoop Dogg to 03 Greedo to Too $hort himself.

LaRussell is your friendly neighborhood rapper, preacher, motivational speaker, and everything in-between. Songs like “Boss Market Blues” spotlight the struggles he faced growing up poor in a small port town, songs like “Furley Goat” with Nef the Pharaoh revive the beaming spirit of Mac Dre, and “KING KONG” is a hyphy roar in the face of the music industry. 

In the short span of 12 months, LaRussell has recorded full-length albums with P-Lo, Hit-Boy, Link+Up, Homage Simon, Tope, DTB & Ekzakt, and DJ Gutta Butta & Mike G Beatz. If this isn’t a legendary run, I don’t know what is. If you like what you hear, attend his free performance in Downtown Vallejo (Georgia and Sacramento streets) on Thursday at 6 p.m.

LulDame23

When I listen to LulDame23, I’m reminded that we are currently living in a Vallejo rap renaissance. Hailing from East Vallejo, Dame takes the offbeat flow of the city’s past and stretches it even further. Much like Channing Tatum slurring his words as Gambit in Deadpool & Wolverine, LulDame23 is speaking in tongues unless you split the words up yourself. 

His most addictive song to date is “Takeover,” where his raps run right out of the gate: “Dropahunnidf***kinshotsthatswhytheyafterme.” It’s like you’re at track practice running side-by-side with your friend, trying your best to maintain continuity in the conversation, even if you’re gasping for breath. 

“Professor X” is psychedelic in how LulDame23 raps acapella against a low-pitched drone in the background. The 808s stutter as if they were placed separately from the vocal track, with their buzz lingering in the eerie ambience, solely supported by sparse hi-hat ticks. Meanwhile, LulDame23’s monotonous voice raps as if he’s doing sprints. 

He races to the end of his phrases, pausing every couple of bars to catch a new pocket, only to find a faster flow moments later. Dame’s songs are best played on repeat because as soon as you think you’ve caught the beat, he will have already finished his verse.

Moe Green

When I was in college, I had a radio show titled BAY AREA TYPE BEAT on 91.9 KCSB-FM. For two hours a week, typically starting at 10 p.m. on Friday nights, I would select about 25 songs from 25 different artists, and roughly half of those artists would be brand new to (my incredibly few) recurring listeners.

As I was composing this piece, I came across Moe Green for the first time in years. I had forgotten that I had played his music way back when. On my third official broadcast show, on February 3, 2020, I played his then-brand new song, “Free Lunch.”

Listening back now, I should have kept Moe Green in rotation. “Free Lunch” sounds like one of Alchemist’s decelerated funk loops fused with Pharrell’s drums on “Drop It Like It’s Hot.”

Acting as the split middle of his “Saturday Night/Sunday Morning 2” EP, Green is starving for success in the middle of the night and a midnight snack won’t be satisfactory. Snares whoosh as he raps into the mic instead of reaching into the refrigerator. “As long as there is blood in my veins, Imma speak aggression,” bites with the stoicism of a solidified rhymesmith, eleven years into his craft.

In the years since my personal discovery, Moe Green has released two wrestling-inspired albums, “Moe Green Rap Superstar” & “Monday Night Wars: The Album” with Heir James. With the former given an introduction by “WWF wrestling superstar Virgil,” the beats for these projects are operatic, where the samples bellow and Green transforms tragedy to triumph on songs like “Meadows Drive Part Two” and “Bay Electronica.” 

If you haven’t already heard about Moe Green in the fifteen and a half years since his debut mixtape, I “Just Want You To Hear My Voice,” I suggest you start where I did: “Free Lunch.”

Nef the Pharaoh

Since 2015, Nef the Pharaoh has been a Bay Area staple. I remember being in high school when “Big Tymin’” hit the streets, and I recall being far more attuned to the culture when “Bling Blaow” came in 2017. I would listen to Nef’s 2019 mixtape, “Mushrooms & Coloring Books,” while I was in college to cure my homesickness while I was away. 

SOBxRBE and Nef the Pharaoh defined the next generation of Bay Area hip-hop, much like E-40 and Keak Da Sneak had done in 2006 with “Tell Me When To Go.” From the gold chain on the cover of his self-titled debut to the actual onomatopoeia of “Bling Blaow,” Nef the Pharaoh renewed interest in diamond chains and regionalism throughout the Bay Area, brought to life with the aid of SOBXRBE’s Slimmy B. 

A little more than six months after the election of Donald Trump, Nef the Pharaoh embodied the liberalism and homegrown love of Vallejo that made Mac Dre so beloved. “Bling Blaow” stands as a both symbol of community and Black empowerment, instilling a newfound confidence within the city while the country faced a new era of conservative: “Where was you at when we was gettin’ on cops from tryna cop that glittery s—. Look at my neck, bling blaow.”

Since that breakout moment, Nef the Pharaoh dropped a flurry of projects, including a collaborative EP with Watts’ 03 Greedo, “Porter 2 Grape,” another with ShooterGang Kony, “Vice Versa,” and a full-length mixtape (and deluxe) with DJ.Fresh, “The Tonite Show With Nef The Pharaoh.” We even spotted him at LaRussell’s Pergola where he made a brief guest appearance.

If you’re still unfamiliar with this Vallejo mainstay, start with “Bling Blaow” and work your way through his singles. On the other hand, if this has been a refresher, I suggest checking out his recent collaboration with LaRussell, “Furley Goat.”

Poppa Got Bandz

The Big Boi to LulDame23’s André 3000, Poppa Got Bandz and LulDame23 are North Bay’s premiere power duo. Unlike Dame who dashes through his lyrics, lining up with every fourth bar or so, Poppa Got Bandz tip-toes around the downbeat. 

He swings like a jazz musician, phasing in and out of time with the beat. His flow is viscous, trudging along to the tempo on “Ova Viral,” but still managing to make the chaos seem comfortable amidst the cacophony of “Proceed with Caution.”

“Pop Flow 2” and “Keep It Lit” have the essence of Timbaland beats. They capture the glitz of crystalline synths and the sparkle of high-octave piano keys, but his producers supplement them by battering 808s and a cutting line of closed hi-hats. 

Poppa Got Bandz’s voice is gruff and gravelly, groaning his words to contrast the heavyset bass drum kicks that puff air through his instrumentals. A great starting point is Poppa Got Bandz’s first recorded track with LulDame23, “Members,” or his recent collaboration with DaBoii, “200 Ways.”

Swiftyy

There is a very short list of people who could successfully start a song with what I assume to be a scrapped line from 2022’s “The Batman”: “Riddle me this? Why these b*****s broke?” That list begins and ends with Swiftyy (formally known as Jai Swift). 

This silly opening line to “Austin Powers,” featuring Detroit’s Kasher Quon, boils down exactly what I think is so special about Swiftyy. His nasal voice has the rhythm of HBK Gang’s Kool John, his unfiltered stream-of-consciousness resembles RXK Nephew, and he has the dry humor of Detroit scam rappers.

Blending observational comedy with double-time kicks and gurgling bass lines, Swiftyy is a hidden gem in Vallejo’s rap scene. He’s the perfect example of why artists in the region will claim that Detroit and the Bay Area’s rap scenes are cousins. 

With an off-beat, off-kilter flow, Swiftyy punches in quick-witted jokes against piano–led trap beats. He sounds like a cartoon character on “Simp Son” and “Goku Vs. Vegeta,” as if he’s participating in his own animated caper. 

“Kenan & Kel,” on his latest PowerBook Grease EP, showcases an unorthodox approach to rapping that maintains the levity of skit comedy, with Swiftyy rambling more than he raps. You can pick anywhere in his discography to start, but my personal favorite has been Wah Lah 3: The Zohan.