Mack 10

In the middle of the 1990s, as West Coast rap held dominant sway, Mack 10 surfaced alongside Ice Cube and notched multiple years of strong sales momentum before his appeal waned late in the decade. The Inglewood, California, native achieved his peak commercial run with the early releases Mack 10 (1995), Bow Down (1996), Based on a True Story (1997), and The Recipe (1998); those projects collectively yielded a run of standout singles including “Foe Life,” “On Them Thangs,” “Bow Down,” “Gangstas Make the World Go Round,” “Backyard Boogie,” and “Money’s Just a Touch Away.” Momentum slipped with The Paper Route (2000), Mack 10’s first effort that failed to reach gold or platinum certification and lacked a major hit single. Bang or Ball (2001), issued via Cash Money Records, pointed toward a stylistic shift, yet it likewise fell short of the sales figures posted by his mid- to late-’90s work. Over the following years he alternated between independent and major-label deals while attempting to regain traction in a transformed marketplace where West Coast gangsta rap had lost favor.

Born Dedrick D’Mon Rolison on August 9, 1971, in Inglewood, CA, Mack 10 first appeared on the Friday soundtrack (1995) with the track “Take a Hit.” Months afterward he issued his Priority Records debut album, Mack 10 (1995). The set featured production and guest verses from Ice Cube, then riding the success of his Friday lead role, and produced the charting singles “Foe Life” and “On Them Thangs.” It reached number two on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and number 33 on the Billboard 200. One cut from the project, “Westside Slaughterhouse,” paired Mack 10 with Ice Cube and WC of WC and the Maad Circle. In 1996 the three Los Angeles rappers reconvened as Westside Connection for the supergroup album Bow Down. The release proved commercially robust, generating the hits “Bow Down” and “Gangstas Make the World Go Round,” peaking at number two on the Billboard 200, and earning platinum certification. That same year Mack 10 contributed “Nothin’ But the Cavi Hit” to the Rhyme & Reason soundtrack and “Hoo-Bangin’” to The Substitute soundtrack. His follow-up solo album, Based on a True Story (1997), sustained the commercial streak, reaching number 14 on the Billboard 200 and spawning the Top 40 single “Backyard Boogie.”

The Recipe (1998) arrived as a highly collaborative affair, with guest appearances on nearly every track, and simultaneously introduced Hoo-Bangin’ Records, Mack 10’s own imprint. Its strongest single, “Money’s Just a Touch Away” featuring Gerald LeVert, climbed to number five on Billboard’s Top Rap Singles chart and number 54 on the Billboard Hot 100. Hoo-Bangin’: The Mix Tape (1999) spotlighted the label’s roster, which included MC Eiht, Techniec, CJ Mac, the Comrads, and Chilldrin of da Ghetto. The Paper Route (2000) followed and, although it debuted at number 19—slightly lower than the number 15 peak of its predecessor—ultimately underperformed relative to earlier releases. Neither single from the project (“From tha Streetz” and “Tight to Def,” the latter featuring T-Boz of TLC, whom Mack 10 married in 2000) entered the Billboard Hot 100. The album did contain the notable non-single collaboration “Nobody” with Timbaland, Ice Cube, and WC.

Mack 10 departed Priority Records amid its absorption into Capitol and inked a one-album deal with Cash Money Records. The pairing was unexpected: Cash Money, then a leading Dirty South imprint whose roster included Juvenile and Lil Wayne, sought to broaden both its artist roster and geographic footprint, while Mack 10 supplied a direct link between the West Coast and Dirty South scenes. The resulting project, Bang or Ball (2001), reflected a clear change in direction, with Mack 10 working comfortably alongside the label’s in-house producer Mannie Fresh. The sole charting single, “Hate in Yo Eyes”—a Dr. Dre and Scott Storch production built around an interpolation of the Bee Gees’ “Stayin’ Alive”—reached number 98 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart; additional singles released were “Do tha Damn Thing” and “Connected for Life.” Another Hoo-Bangin’ showcase, Mack 10 Presents da Hood (2002), introduced the imprint’s updated roster (K Mac, Deviossi, Skoop, Cousteau, Techniec) and featured the regional anthem “L.A. for Ya.”

Mack 10 resurfaced prominently in 2003 with both the solo album Ghetto, Gutter & Gangster and the Westside Connection reunion Terrorist Threats. Although Ghetto, Gutter & Gangster, released independently via Bungalo, moved modestly despite the charting single “Lights Out,” Terrorist Threats, issued by Capitol, achieved stronger results and earned gold certification, aided by the reception for “Gangsta Nation.” His next release, Hustla’s Handbook (2005), marked a return to major-label distribution through Capitol. Despite promotion and the lead single “Like This” featuring Nate Dogg, the album peaked at number 65 on the Billboard 200—its lowest chart placement to that point aside from the independently released predecessor that failed to crack the Top 100—casting uncertainty on his major-label prospects. In 2007 Capitol/Priority issued the career-spanning compilation Foe Life: The Best of Mack 10.