PRISM MEDIA
PRESENTING REALITY IN SLOW MOTION.
50 BBQS
“Yeah, my hair naturally nappy than a bih.
Yeah, I be naturally happy than a bih.”
by Nicholas Torres
5/11/2020, 9:00PM
From the second we hear 30 year-old rapper/producer/visionary Mary-O James’ “50 BBQS,'“ one thing is made clear, and I don’t say this lightly: this is the sound of a Master.
The beat is stupid infectious, and has the capability of becoming a viral hit. The bouncy and melodic pan flute loop finds a way to lodge itself in between your ears. It sounds like a party.
In a time where 25 year-old Ahmaud Arbery’s life can be cut short by two racist fucking murderers for jogging outside, it can be hard to find those moments of joy, and of celebration. Regardless, we continue to survive in a place that seems hell bent on ceasing that survival. That’s all we can do, and that’s all some of us have been able to do.
Being black in America, you find yourself inextricably linked together to a nation of millions. We find Mary-O constructing an ode to being black in America and the solidarity and family ties that comes with that. He can go anywhere and be straight. He got a plate in all 50 states. That’s love, that’s bond.
The entirety of Don’t Stop Makin’ Money Just Because They Say it Ain’t Safe is produced, mixed, mastered, and performed by James. He’s been making music since 2006, but didn’t start taking it seriously until 2009.
Since then, he’s released a dozen mixtapes. This is the first release on his own label, SELF-SALARYRECORDS, and the first solo release since he started making beats in 2016. It’s a big step and I had the chance to talk to him about the project.
He has lofty ambitions and if this tape is any indication of what’s to come for Mary-O James, aka Savvy, then we’re in for a wild ride. I asked him what’s the long term vision for Cloud 10 and SELF-SALARYRECORDS. His response: “To be considered one of the top independent production companies and record labels of all time.”