The rap collective plays an important role in the landscape of modern underground hip-hop. With Griselda at the top; families across the nation have spawned to add fuel to the fire that the Buffalo giants ignited. In today's climate, belonging to a well-respected collective, carries weight. The identity adds legitimacy and confidence for the unfamiliar rap head. Much like the best crews in the genre's history; these collectives have sustained quality control. In the past, crews such as DITC or Cella Dwellaz have occupied a space in hip-hop closely tied to the streets. Although acts like Fat Joe or Big L received some mainstream attention at various points in their career, the brand that they stood for remained strictly underground and strictly for the heads. In much the same way, are the stories that follow.
This article will highlight the stories of three important collectives in the scene. The Umbrella, Da Cloth and Brown Bag Money. Understanding these stories will provide a foundation for understanding how modern underground hip-hop operates as a whole. Although there are plenty of crews not represented in this piece, the three covered have certainly maintained prime real estate in the weekly release schedule for the past several years. Following each story, is a curated playlist which will serve as an entry point into the artists covered.
A special thank you to those who agreed to be interviewed for this piece, including Pro Dillinger, Allah Preme, Substance810, Rigz, M.A.V., as well as both Daniel Son and Asun Eastwood who shared their stories last year during an interview for a separate article.
The Umbrella:
One of the more unique collectives in the modern era is that of The Umbrella. Appearing in circles as a masterly curated supergroup of buzzing emcees and producers; the crew's ethos and structure is not alike anything else we have in the contemporary rap space. Now consisting of ten emcees, and an onslaught of producers - The Umbrella's origins date back four years ago with online conversations between New York's Pro Dillinger and Snotty Dinero.
Pro Dillinger: I didn't really have an idea that the underground was going through a resurgence in a sense. I didn't know. But I knew there was something happening there. So, I kind of just started deep diving. I was getting in - trying to find the producers - following the people that were in the comments that looked like they were doing something - following other rappers and stuff like that. And in doing my research, leading up to my first underground release - I encountered Snotty under a comment. What caught my attention initially was his name. Like 'that's a dope fucking name... like 'snotty.' It made me want to see who the fuck this dude was. Right? So, I checked his profile and saw he's a rapper. I clicked the link on his bio and that was it. I was amazed. He had just came out of jail and he released 'Columbian Snow Talk' and I was really into the project.
Frequent conversations between Dillinger and Snotty quickly materialized into something greater than the sum of their parts. Out of an apparent necessity for resources, spawned the idea of a common collective. One that could lower budgets - and surround the two artists with likeminded talent - who could push - inspire - and motivate.
Pro Dillinger: [Snotty and I] were going to go at it - try to find our way in the underground, just me and him. But we had no resources. We were both still getting beats from YouTube and shit like that and the few people we did know. Cause Snotty was making his own artwork, I'm buying artwork from people - and we're getting beats from other people we don't even know. One night we were having a conversation. Regular shit. Me and Snotty would call each other every night and just chop it up. Like plan and plot and shit. And one day I said to him 'Wouldn't it be dope if we didn't need to reach out to anyone? If we had all of our shit in house? and he was like 'Yeah.' And I said to him 'Like under the same umbrella.' And he was like 'Yo cuzz, that's it! The Umbrella!'
In a conversation with Umbrella member Allah Preme, he noted the origins and claimed that it was the 'Gunbrella' symbol that the crew had adopted that gave The Umbrella an identity within hip-hop conversations.
Allah Preme: The Umbrella is founded by Snotty and Pro Dillinger. They had created the Umbrella as a way for us to have resources. So, we would have producers under The Umbrella, graphic artists, other rappers, so that we wouldn't have to reach out for no features for nobody. We just wanted to create a network of resources that everyone could have at their disposal. That's what The Umbrella really was. It wasn't no rap group. It wasn't even a collective yet. It was just a band of dudes who came together and pooled their resources together. As time start going along - we start acquiring new members and the Gunbrella Symbol was made. And this is what changed it. Cause now this was a symbol that everyone could identify. Like 'Oh that's them dudes These guys run together!' And the people kind of made The Umbrella what it is now. We really didn't see it like this in the beginning. The people made it this.
Today, The Umbrella goes strong. In 2020, Insomniac Magazine wrote that The Umbrella is the "ultimate collective of MCs, producers, and artists set to dominate the Hip Hop scene." That statement, today, holds true. With emcees Pro Dillinger, Josiah The Gift, Mickey Diamond, Snotty, Substance810, Jay Royale, Allah Preme, Big Trip, John Creasy and Mvck Nyce; the crew has established a discography totaling well over 100 releases. Each gaining traction in the underground hip-hop landscape.
In May, the collective reached new heights. Despite geographic separation within their roster; the crew held their first live performance as a single identity at Chelsea Music Hall in New York City. The show, hosted by ID Rich and Shaolin Luciano was an opportunity for artists to collaborate, build rapport, and break bread. Speaking of the event, Umbrella emcee Substance810 claimed:
Substance810: The comradery was off the charts. It was dope. Meeting everybody in person. It really felt natural. It's not every time that you meet people that you've never met before and it feels natural and organic from the jump. And it just felt that way from everyone - that is as far as the people I hadn't met prior. It was just a dope ass night. We had only agreed that we were going to do it like a month before the show. We put it all together and it was successful. [...] It was just a fire ass night. I know in my mind it was just the one to kick it off. We have so much more coming it's going to be crazy.
Pro Dillinger: We got to meet each other. Live in the flesh. Stay at each others houses, host each other, shit like that. That was - for me - the best part - having the whole Umbrella in my driveway bro. Drinking beers, cracking jokes, smoking weed. It's like when you go to a BBQ or a family reunion and see all your cousins. Like you didn't miss anything - you didn't skip a beat. That's how I felt. It was good to just see all of the guys just kick it. And when we got to the show, it was amazing. There was a moment where I was standing there with my wife and we're just talking, socializing with people, and I look down the block towards the venue and the whole block is filled up with just people. It's just mad people catching a vibe, enjoying the vibe. I was like 'Holy shit, I can't believe we did this.'
The event was live, energetic, and triumphant. Despite the show being cut short during Pro Dillinger's final set, he took it to the streets, and rocked for fans outside of the venue for an impromptu performance that Substance recalled as 'legendary'. This was hip-hop in its most raw and primal state, and the fans took notice. Pro Dillinger remembers:
Pro Dillinger: I feel like that was - not only an important moment for The Umbrella, that was just an important moment in our space of artistry. I feel like that was something that needed to happen for a number of reasons. I feel like the way it came together - was so last minute - that it's amazing that we were able to produce a product of that quality in that short span of time. There was some hiccups, and there were some things that could have went a little better but at the end of the day - it was a moment. I know it definitely was a good moment for me. As even though my set got cut short, I was able to recover and capture another moment after the show. I really experienced something special with the people who came to support us. It was good for everyone involved.
What's next for The Umbrella? With an ever-impressive list of releases out in 2022, the collective has been actively discussing the potential of an Umbrella crew album. Despite no release date in mind, everyone seemingly agrees; it's going to happen. Roadblocks in the way are contained only to the logistics of constructing a project with over a dozen individuals.
Allah Preme: When it comes to the Umbrella collective. Me personally, I've put out two compilations; I put out one called 'Govament Cheeze,' and I put out another one called 'Stealth Assassins.' Where I kind of just put out my favourite tracks from everyone and put them on. As far as The Umbrella collective album, yes. The Umbrella collective album is going to happen. It's talked about all the time. More than people know. It's just we are trying to really establish the work that we've been doing - and establishing ourselves so that when the time does come, first and foremost everyone is ready. And it's hard. We are a big crew. It's not that no one wants to do it, the challenge is just getting this many people on the same page.
Pro Dillinger: We talk about it all the time man. My biggest thing, and everyone else's biggest thing is... we don't want to rush it. We don't want to make it to the point where we're offering our supporters false hope. Like 'The Umbrella album is getting this close to getting done...blah blah blah' you know what I'm saying? Then on top of that; we don't want to record it through emails. We want to all be in the same spot recording it. It has to happen organically, or it's just not going to happen. At some point - we're going to have an Umbrella album. But we don't want to rush it. We don't want to cheat the people. We don't want to give the people just a compilation album. As we could have easily done that. We all have songs together. So, we could just take a bunch of songs that we have together and slap them together on one project and give them that, but it wouldn't be the sauce, you know what I'm saying? It would just be something to pacify. And that's not what I want to do. I don't want to pacify anybody. Fuck that. I want all my guys in a lab. We got to lock in for five to seven days. Nobody go to work. Nobody call their girl. We just gotta work. That's how I envision The Umbrella album. Nothing forced. Put a beat on. Whoever gets on this beat gets on this beat. Whoever doesn't, get on the next one. Shit like that man. No distractions, just come in here and do business.
Over the years, The Umbrella has formed a singular identity in the underground. What once began as an opportunity to pool resources, has turned into one of the most respected names in the scene; commanding respect for all that carry the name. If you're new to The Umbrella, there's no bad place to start. That said, below is a playlist crafted from joints within the collective. If you care about underground rap, and find yourself unfamiliar with the brand, then listen intently.
Da Cloth:
A favourite among heads of the underground; Da Cloth has put their stamp on the landscape over the last handful of years. Consistently providing us with a cohesive array of mood setting albums - their quality control and production choices are something to be marveled. Consisting of emcees; M.A.V. (Maverick Montana), Rigz, Mooch, iLLanoise, Times Change, Symph and Rob Gates - Da Cloth have cemented their legacy in the scene.
Unlike The Umbrella, Da Cloth's regional identity is important. Hailing from Rochester, New York, the crew has painted a portrait of the city that has defined the region's identity within the culture.
The origins of Da Cloth date back to 2012. While Rigz and M.A.V. have familial ties, the two were well acquainted with the others who all occupied spaces within the local Rochester music scene. Originally consisting of M.A.V., Rigz, iLLanoise and Symph, the collective bonded over shared principles and a vision for each other's craft.
M.A.V.: We started doing some music together. That was me, Rigz, Symph and iLLanoise. We started featuring each other on each other’s music and one day after some thought had been put into it, it was like 'Listen, we can really make some noise together. Like everyone's going to continue to make some noise by themselves, that's a given. For the most part, that's something we have all continued to do. But together, I feel like we can be a force to be reckoned with. And I'm not even sure who truly initiated that conversation, but I know that was the root of it. We're pretty tough individually, but together this could really turn into something. At that time there were only four of us.
Rigz: The vision was always the same from my perspective. I can't really speak for everybody else but as far as my vantage point? I always seen our collective strength, but it started with our individual strength. What I see in Gates is different from what I see in MAV. What I see in Mooch is different from what I see in Times. So forth and so on. So collectively when I bring that vision together, we all are different, but we all stand for integrity. Like different things outside of the music? We felt wasn't relevant. And when it comes to the artistic side? I felt like our creativity, the way we flow, the way we approach a beat? It's just something fresh and something that isn't really out. So, my vision has always been the same with Da Cloth as far as just getting it out there to the point where it can be acknowledged, and hopefully it can influence something else to continue on and push it forward.
The first addition to Da Cloth came quickly after its formation. By early 2013, Times Change had been added to the roster. As a battle emcee in the area, Times had begun a working relationship with M.A.V. after appearing on an early tape titled Angels and Demons. After impressing the rest of the crew, it became a no brainer to syndicate his talents with the group.
Rigz: He was brought in, honestly off the strength of M.A.V. - M.A.V. put him on the map as far as me. I was aware of him as he was in the battle circuit, and he was cooking dudes here, but I hadn't really heard any projects from him per say. But M.A.V. had him featured on one of his tapes. I think it was called 'Angels and Demons.' The original one before he did the ones with Hobgoblin, he did one way back. But he featured him on there and I was like 'who the fuck is this?' The way he was showing up on the records was like toe to toe with us. It was a no brainer for me once he brought it to the table. Like yeah, we should fuck with him. His caliber as far as his pen game is ridiculous. And when I met him as a person we gelled. So that's how that happened. But M.A.V. was definitely the one that brought him to my attention. Everyone else in the crew already knew of him.
2014 saw two new members added to Da Cloth. This would be the last alteration of the roster, permanently solidifying the core talent of the crew. Childhood friend of Rigz; Mooch was added to the crew at this time along with Rob Gates. In Rigz' view, this made sense; as Mooch was always present in the conversation, despite not formally being inducted into the collective. Gates on the other hand - was inducted due to his skillsets as an emcee and the fact that his authenticity resembled that of the other members.
Rigz: Mooch was always in but he was in off the strength of me. Because I was working with him prior to anyone else. So regardless if he was pulled in or not, he was involved as he was involved with me. So it would have been like a Method Man and Redman thing if he didn't get pulled in. Like he's always going to get standing because of me - period. But the original four was me, iLLanoise, Symph and M.A.V. Then the next was Times. Times was the fifth member. Then Mooch and Gates came in at the exact same time. But like I said, I had been working with Mooch the whole time. Rigz: When I heard Gates, I became a fan of Gates instantly. Because the authenticity on the record, his energy, then who he was... he's the epitome of a diamond in the rough. You know what I mean? He was a star as soon as I seen him. When we met, we had a lot of the same characteristics that we get from the pavement. Everything else was just solid after that.
Despite much of their early catalog being unavailable online, the sonic template that the emcees adopted was very much akin to their current sound. Blessed with production from the likes of Eto, and other Rochester natives; Da Cloth's sound is distinct. Eerie and chilling hip-hop with hard drums and potent lyrics that reek of authenticity and street realism. When it comes to the space they occupy in the underground scene, Da Cloth makes some of the most cinematically grimy records out.
M.A.V.: Listen, the sound that we do now, is still of the same cloth as 2011-2012. That sound has been part of the Rochester sound for lord knows how long. It's just based on the producers that we used. A lot of other artists started using those producers after hearing what we were doing with them. Those would be guys like Truth the Producer, Fifth, Eto. Eto has been making beats - and Truth and Fifth, those guys have been making beats for eons. I'm talking about early 2000s. Maybe even sooner when it comes to Eto. But even the sound that you hear Eto doing? That's been the sounds for a long time. Like before you heard Beat Butcher anywhere else, you heard him on Eto's music. That sound is like probably more Rochester than anywhere else. Rigz: [The sound] was extremely similar. It just evolved as the producers that we worked with evolved. Everything we stood for evolved. Life evolved. It just grew. But we dropped stuff from 2012-2013-2014. I think 2011 was the earliest. But none of that stuff is on the internet. We're probably going to do some re-releases next year. Just to give a history background of the stuff we did prior. But it's always been the same. Just evolved.
In recent years, Da Cloth have grown to new heights; actively collaborating with some of the most sought-after artists in the scene. 2019 saw the first of the Big Ghost Ltd collaborations as Rigz and Mooch teamed up with the Japanese producer to release their album The Only Way Out which got a vinyl pressing through De Rap Winkel. In 2020, Rob Gates and M.A.V. dropped The Dark Side of Nature also entirely produced by Big Ghost. Rigz, earlier this year took a step even further with the record Gold, a record produced by the legendary Soul Assassin himself DJ Muggs. Toronto producer Futurewave, whom has worked with the likes of Rome Streetz, Boldy James and others has also laced Da Cloth with excellence, producing full length projects for both Mooch as well as Rigz respectively. These production credits have not only won over fans, but have proven to elevate Da Cloth to the pillars of culture; with many of their solo projects actively engaging the rap community upon their release. At this point, their legacy is cemented.
To date; Da Cloth has released a handful of crew albums. These include their 2015 debut with the XXL inspired Salute the Few, 2017's Broad Day Kidnaps, the DJ Kay Slay hosted Fixtape in 2018, and the follow up joint Da Fixtape in 2020. In 2022, they are hard working on a new joint effort which is bound to drop by the years end. Speaking with Rigz and M.A.V., the two noted not only that the project is near completion, but hinted at a producer list chalked full of Rochester talent.
Rigz: It's 98% done. It's called Cloth New York. And it'll definitely be out this year. The tape is basically us putting our flag in the dirt a little deeper. It's us representing our part of New York. It's going to be nice. It's going to be fun. I'm not going to sit here and say 'Yeah it's the best! It's all that!' I'm not here to do that. I want ya'll to hear it and give ya'll opinion. But I’m certain ya'll are gonna enjoy it. It's fun. Just a good joint. M.A.V.: The artwork is being created as you speak. That's a project that's been in the works probably immediately after the first one. Immediately after 'Da Fixtape.' It's sounding good. I actually listened to some of it a couple of weeks back. It's sounding good. We're just trying to make sure that the art work is what it needs to be. And it's definitely a scale up from what 'Da Fixtape' was. And I truly truly enjoy my contributions and hearing what some of my brothers did when it came to 'Da Fixtape.' So yeah, we got one brewing for you guys already. M.A.V.: If you pay attention to the very first 'Fixtape.' On the 'Fixtape' we kept everything predominantly Rochester. So, I know we got some heavy production from Chupra on there. I know there's some Fifth production on there. I think we actually went outside of Rochester for some production on it as well. Cause some production on it for me - listening to it - from the control room - I'm familiar with the production but I can't quite put my finger on - like who could this be? A lot of times I'm listening to that project, and when we're getting ready to go into post-production mode - I just close my eyes and listen so I don't really have any distractions. But we definitely have a heavy element of Rochester production on there. Maybe some Riley Dennis on there. There may even be some Eto on there. I'm really really not positive.
Stay tuned for the upcoming joint record from Da Cloth. In the meantime, like the others on this list; take a few out of your day to bump a playlist made for those who slept on the crew. Da Cloth has become a powerhouse. They have some of the most unique voices in the underground scene and are certainly worthy of your attention.
Brown Bag Money (BBM):
Like Da Cloth has done for Rochester, Brown Bag Money has very much defined what Toronto hip-hop has become over the past several years. Beginning as a high school click in the early 2010s, BBM has experienced multiple iterations of its roster since the inception. However, at present, BBM contains some of Toronto's most sought after and skilled emcees and producers, including; Daniel Son, Futurewave, Asun Eastwood, Saipher Soze, Family Gang Black (formerly Black Nazi) and Snackz.
In its earliest days, BBM was founded by Daniel Son and friends as a way to identify themselves as they hustled within the parameters of the city. Though Daniel Son was already involved in writing music, the crew and the name had little to no association with hip-hop music. Speaking with Daniel Son, he noted:
Daniel Son: I started that shit back in the days. Me and my friends all had Blackberries. We're all doing our thing. Hustling. Getting our little money. And we would always type through BBM. I just flipped it' like Brown Bag Money. Cause that's what we were doing at the time. Hustling. So, I started that back in the days. It wasn't even some rap shit. Just me and my friends doing our little shit, getting our little money.
By 2013, things had changed. Though still fronted by Daniel Son, BBM had a real solidified roster, and had already begun crafting music as a unit. In April of that year, the mixtape Grand Theft Audio 1 was released via DatPiff. Surprisingly obscured to this day, the tape was a glimpse at what BBM had to offer, and an early look at Daniel Son as an emcee. A look at the credits on DatPiff reveals a nearly completely different roster from that of what we know now, including: C Will, Skuddy Rankz, Juvey Don, IC Cash (Cory Cash), as well as the only consistent member in that of Daniel Son.
Over time, the roster took on alterations. As others began to shift their priorities away from rapping, Daniel Son kept the brand and continued to add members who stylistically complimented the sounds that the emcee was already curating.
Fans of Daniel Son may recognize The Rumbar. Often referenced in his lyrics, The Rumbar was a basement apartment that became the catalyst for many relationships to form in the Toronto hip-hop scene. Not only was the location a breeding ground for community bonding, but it was the spot where multiple early BBM related projects were recorded and produced.
Daniel Son: So my dude Blizz. He's on a couple joints. He's on Remo [Gaggi]. He's on 'Divizion Rivals' as well. He had a spot. I rented a room there. It had all the studio equipment - cause he's a big reggae artist. He's got joints with Sizzla, a big reggae artist out of Canada. He went to Jamaica for a month, he's like 'Yo, I'm going to need you to learn all the recording equipment." I mean I've been recording my own shit for how long? Right? I just wasn't familiar with the program Logic. He's like 'I'm going to need you to learn this for when I get back so you can record me." So in that month that he was in Jamaica? We pretty much recorded 'Divizion Rivals,' we pretty much recorded that. I was just learning and working on his setup. And that shit became 'The Rumbar.' I don't know if you ever heard me mention The Rumbar in any of my tracks. But yeah, that was like the hangout spot. Finn and Blizz were friends since they were little kids. It was just a big coincidence. I moved over there, and everybody that was hanging out over there was like an older generation of people I already knew.
So I was hanging around Soze, and Soze's older cousin Crisco was hanging around those guys. So, it all just came full circle. I moved in there, recorded so much music. 'Divizion Rivals.' 'Gunner's Tape.' 'Remo Gaggi.' 'Moonshine Mix 1.' 'Moonshine Mix 2.' I think 'Moonshine Mix 2' was the last project I recorded there before I moved out. But yeah, I was there for like five years just living in The Rumbar man. Crazy place. A lot of people in the basement smoking. Listening to reggae. Drinking rum. I'm trying to record, my dude Blizz is over there cutting hair. Sometimes you'd have like 20 people there waiting for haircuts and I'm in the corner recording. I have to tell people 'Yo yo my friends, please keep it down I gotta do these records and shit.' And then they'd be like 'oh I didn't even know you rapped.' So, I would play them the joints, they would fuck with them so it was cool. It was like a whole little community down there.
How many times me and Finn recorded in The Rumbar till like 3-4 in the morning? Just me and Finn. Everyone else has gone to sleep. Me and Finn are just down there just recording. The fucking water heater would turn on. We'd have to wait 30 minutes for the water heater to turn off and start recording again. I knew Finn before then but that's when me and Finn really started linking, was in The Rumbar. Ironically the day that I moved in - there was a raptors game too. So, Finn was talking up to The Rumbar as I was moving in. Literally I saw him the first day I moved in there. Yeah man, history ever since.
These sessions at The Rumbar were monumental in the development of the Brown Bag Money collective identity. By the time Daniel Son left the complex, a new roster was in full effect. By 2018, Futurewave had replaced Giallo Point as the go-to producer for the crew's art and had even become a legitimate part of the BBM team. Asun Eastwood, who had been steadily building a discography in the Toronto scene, also had become a full-fledged member that year. More importantly, it was Asun Eastwood who brought in the remaining members of the crew with past relationships with both Black Nazi (now Family Gang Black) as well as Snackz. In an interview with Asun Eastwood, he recalled his early connections with Daniel Son as follows:
Asun Eastwood: So, when I saw Daniel Son... I ended up seeing someone with a cover that had like the CN Tower. I was like 'What? There's another Canadian?' I thought I was the only Canadian dude in this realm. So, I was like 'What the fuck? Who's this?' And Instagram and social media allows you to go and research. Easily. That's how the FBI be fucking us up anyway [laughs]. So might as well get real FBIish with this shit and see who these people are.
So, I saw Daniel Son and I hit him up. 'Yo you're dope. You’re around the way and you do this?' then he told me his age. I'm like 'Yo you're real young and you're into this?' Then I started seeing that he's been on shit. Like he's been really doing this since 2012-13 something like that. And I was like 'Yo, you've really been there for this new era.' Like he had a joint on the new Eto shit and I liked Eto. Like 'this guys really in it.' So I just asked him; 'Let me get a feature!' That was the Nimbus joint. And from there, when it came out, I was like 'Yo, let me come check you.' And I had to pull up in my Jag, at that time I was pushing a Jag, and he was like 'Yo, what the fuck, who are you?' and I was like 'Who are you?' and it was just natural from that point. We started going to studios and linking up. And we're from the same spot. A lot of the energy was the same. We're degenerate. We like getting fucked up. Drinking. Talking shit. He introduced me to the Soze's. He introduced me to the Finn's. I brought Black [Nazi] and Snackz into the fold here. And other than just production - I knew some people out here. So, we're just joining up and kicking it. That turns into music, and it just became something. We started making projects. His name was buzzing after 'Remo Gaggi' with Giallo Point. That buzz, they were calling for him in the States. They were calling him in New York and New Jersey to do shows. I'm one of the guys who can travel, and he's like 'I'd love for you to come with me and get some stage time at the same time.' But it was for him. It was his show. He's buzzing. So, I'm just going for the ride but I am getting to see what this really is. Meeting Crimeapple early. Meeting Al.Divino early. Meeting Estee Nack early. We're shaking hands. Everyone. All the guys you see right there? We pretty much shook hands with all of them.
Today, the members of BBM have all left their mark. Daniel Son has appeared on projects from 38 Spesh, Rome Streetz, Estee Nack, Buckwild, Al.Divino, Flee Lord, and plenty of others. Futurewave, the in-house BBM producer has produced full length joints for Rome Streetz, Mooch, Rigz, Al.Divino, Boldy James and a healthy cast of Canadian acts as well. Asun Eastwood, has material with Benny the Butcher and Conway the Machine, and Saipher Soze and Snackz are not too far behind. Though the crew has seemingly no immediate plans for a collective album, any look at the rosters discography will discover an ample amount of collaborations within the team.
Interestingly, the original roster for BBM has not been forgotten. According to Daniel Son last year, a follow up to 2013's Grand Theft Audio is in the works; sporting the original cast of characters from that project.
Daniel Son: But the original BBM was me, Skuddy Rankz. Cory Cash and my dude Juvey Don. And now I’m back working with those guys. We go to the studio every Friday. So, there's going to be like an original BBM member tape coming out soon. My dude Study Ranks? He's the nastiest out of everybody. Out of all the sick artists I know? This guy is the nastiest. He was always the nastiest. Since we were like 16. He's one of those dudes, just an example of cats that could be like the illest rappers but don't really rap. I have to be like 'Bro, we're going to the studio on Friday. Make sure you write something every day of the week.' and now he knows. He has the potential. There's nobody seeing him. I'm just trying to push that. Cause he deserves it. People are going to wild out once they hear that.
Though the lead-up to Grand Theft Audio has yet to be released, fans ought to be excited for the prospects of the project. Brown Bag Money, today, has secured itself in the canons of Canadian hip-hop history. They have broken the mold, have become accepted by their New York peers, and have created some of the most authentic and vivid street rap to be released from the skrewface capital of the world. As with the others, I encourage a listen to the playlist below and for the hip-hop connoisseur to take the time out to familiarize yourself with the crew in question.
Colombian Snow Talk by Snotty : https://therealsnotty.bandcamp.com/album/colombian-snow-talk
Govament Cheeze by Allah Preme : https://allahpreme.bandcamp.com/album/allah-preme-presents-govament-cheeze
"Stealth Assassins Compilation" by Allah Preme : https://allahpreme.bandcamp.com/album/stealth-assassins-compilation
Da Fixtape by Da Cloth : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0Da4WCKNmw
God's Work by iLLanoise : https://illanoisemusic.bandcamp.com/album/gods-work
Angelz & Demonz by M.A.V. : https://mavmusic3.bandcamp.com/album/angelz-and-demonz
The Dark Side of Nature by M.A.V. x Rob Gates : https://bigghostlimited.bandcamp.com/album/the-dark-side-of-nature
The Only Way Out by Rigz x Mooch : https://bigghostlimited.bandcamp.com/album/the-only-way-out
Gold by Rigz x DJ Muggs : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-T5_5ub09U
Salute The Few by Da Cloth : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUnSrsP0xqQ
Broad Day Kidnaps by Da Cloth : https://nineorbetta.com/album/971751/broad-day-kidnaps
The Fixtape by Da Cloth x DJ Kay Slay : https://www.datpiff.com/Da-Cloth-Presents-The-Fixtape-mixtape.785797.html
Grand Theft Audio 1 by Brown Bag Money : https://www.datpiff.com/BROWN-BAG-MONEY-Grand-Theft-Audio-1-mixtape.473136.html
Divizion Rivals by Daniel Son x Saipher Soze : https://www.datpiff.com/Saipher-Soze-Divizion-Rivals-mixtape.820617.html
"Party Time" by Blizz ft. Sizzla : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaBio-Am97M
Moonshine Mix by Daniel Son : https://brownbagmoney.bandcamp.com/album/moonshine-mix
Nimbus by Asun Eastwood : https://asuneastwood.bandcamp.com/album/nimbus