Could this be the year? Could it be that the Bay Area rap scene is ready to blow, with sideshows spreading to South Dakota and even your mother showing her thizz face? Yadadimean? Probably not, but the growing popularity of long-ignored Bay rap has been a major storyline in hip-hop this year (see the twice-hourly playing of “Tell Me When to Go” as evidence) and San Quinn is yet another benefactor of this newfound curiosity, with nationwide distribution thanks to his recent partnership with SMC.
Bay rappers have always held the mainstream audience at arm’s length due to the sheer gulliness of both their content and flow. While Quinn doesn’t betray this tradition, he also shows some vulnerability when speaking about his struggles in the game on “Look What I’ve Done For Them” and “Holdin’ Back These Years,” in which Quinn proclaims that he has “paid too many dues.” It is this recurring theme of being overlooked that has unified the Bay, and collaborations with fellow San Franciscan Ya’ Boy on “Frisco Stand Up” and “The Hunter” convey their anger at this disregard.
The hunger and passion of San Quinn are obvious from the start, but the album stumbles when Quinn attempts to make radio-friendly tracks such as “Hell Yeah!” and “It’s A Done Deal,” two songs incorporating generically obnoxious whistling samples not flattering to Quinn’s mostly monotone flow. The flaws are few and far between though, and Quinn delivers a worthy album, one that will surely earn him new fans while pleasing his long-time followers.
