Musab (formerly known as Beyond) has had a remarkable rap career integral to the surprising rise of Minneapolis Hip-Hop. His album entitled Comparison was the first release of indie hip-hop label giant, Rhymesayers Entertainment. He contributed to Atmosphere’s classic first release, Overcast (1998), then teamed up with Atmosphere, I Self Divine of Micronauts, Gene Poole of Full Circle, and producer Ant to form the super-group The Dynospectrum.
His solo album, Respect The Life (2002) introduced the world to Minnesota Slicks, the Southside mack. Musab recently changed label homes from Rhymesayers to rap pioneers Hieroglyphics, who will release the autobiographic album Slick’s Box.
Born in Minneapolis, MN, to a fifteen-year-old mother deep in the game and raised by an assortment of women who were all affiliated with pimps, Musab is literally a pimp-by-blood. "Pimping ain’t all wearing Louis Vuitton", explains Musab, "It’s also about paying your girl’s dentist bills and college tuition. It’s a dirty game and a strenuous lifestyle. It’s nothing to glorify". Musab’s frustration with hip-hop co-opting and misrepresenting his professional lifestyle inspired the more personal approach taken on Slick’s Box and gives tracks such as the club-banger Baaang a refreshing twist of reality.
Baaang is an up-tempo banger off of Musab’s upcoming Slick’s Box to be released by Oakland based Hiero Imperium Records. On Baaang, tired themes of slangin’, bangin’, mackin’ and flossin’ re-acquire their original edge when Musab, a real life pimp relays these modes of conduct as business necessities rather than co-opted stereotypes.
Slick’s Box hits the streets 08.07.07 on Hiero Imperium Records.