On July 30th, Los Angeles based group Shoreline Mafia released their major label debut Mafia Bidness under Atlantic Records. The project follows a handful of mixtapes and EPs that solidified a West Coast sound and a space between group members OhGeesy, Fenix Flexin, Rob Vicious, and Master Katoand fans. Since the release of Shoreline Mafia’s last project Party Pack, Vol. 2, the group has undergone a handful of changes, one being the loss of group associate Mac P Dawg and the announcement of the departure of group founder Fenix Flexin, amongst the climate of an uncertain 2020. However in a time when music is at a high demand, Shoreline Mafia come through with a well developed project that feeds fans anticipation for a major label debut.
Mafia Bidness opens up with the “Intro” which sets the pace of the project placing the money making members of Shoreline Mafia in the 2020 climate with reminders of the groups journey with an ode to their 2017 feature in the Fox 11 Los Angeles news. After the introduction, we are quickly emerged into Shoreline Mafia’s world with 21 tracks that kick off with a Juvenile “Back That Azz Up” sampling track titled “Run It Back”. Mafia Bidness explores this groups motivation to make money while reaping their lavish lifestyle complete with a love for sex, drugs and partying. Throughout the project we’re reminded of Ohgeesy’s assertion that money's the motivation with tracks like “All The Time” and “Big Tymer” alongside a handful of notable moments from Fenix Flexin on tracks like “Change Ya Life” and “Perc Popper”. A notable moment on the project finds Fenix and Oh Geesy reflecting on the journey while reminding us to keep the circle small on “Hoe Shit”.Pulling production from Executive Producer Ron Ron the Producer and a handful of in house producers that the group have worked with throughout their career, Shoreline Mafia provides their notable West Coast sound with some Southern influences, enough to fill any party, club or late night cruise. Shoreline Mafia plug in some notable names on tracks like on one of my favorite cuts “Poe The Drop” featuring Future, the Montell Jordan sampling single “How We Do It” featuring Wiz Khalifa, a smooth cut for the ladies featuring a hook from Kodak Black on “On The Low” amongst others collaborations with Lil Yachty, YG, Q Da Fool, 1takejay and many others. Before coming together to appropriately close the project on a collaborative effort with “Bands,” the members remember group member Mac P on “Fucc Cuh” featuring 03 Greedo.
During a time of uncertainty, Shoreline Mafia successfully delivers a major label debut that captures the success of the group over the last two years. With a handful of notable moments and plenty of party records, the group fills the gap with a necessary West Coast sound that the hip-hop landscape currently lacks. Although the major label debut has notably “flattened out” the personality found on the EPs and mixtapes (one of the reasons Fenix Flexin may have made his exit from the group), Mafia Bidness meets fans anticipation for “the big” project! While the future of Shoreline Mafia remains uncertain, Mafia Bidness successfully closes a chapter while making a connection with fans and hip-hop heads amongst one of the most tremulous years that the music industry has seen! Listen to Mafia Bidness here and check out some dope stuff below!
Getty Images