300 Pounds of Gangsta

The Click: Mic Check
From Down and Dirty [Sick Wid It, 1994]

The Click: World Went Crazy
From Game Related [Sick Wid It, 1995]

E-40: Da Bumble
From In a Major Way [Jive, 1995]

There's been a lot of talk recently about who's the next to blow up in the Bay Area. the FADER did an extensive article on the current Bay Area rap climate in the February issue I believe, highlighting the existing talent but lack of exposure. As far as Bay Area rappers that have really broken through, there's been Too Short and E-40, with the latter being the focus of this post.

Born Earl Stevens, 40 aspired to follow in the footsteps of the looming legend Too Short, and with an unorthodox flow, sharp and crisp delivery, and street edge, 40 definitely had all of the ingredients to do just that. He started out like must aspiring rappers, slanging tapes out of his trunk and developing street cred in the Bay. His Sick Wid' It label soon followed along with his national debut The Mail Man and a radio hit in "Captain Save a Hoe." Next came his album Federal and Down and Dirty with his group the Click, all of which caught the attention of Jive Records which offered to distribute the entire Sick Wid' It catalog.

The rest is history as 40 broke through to the mainstream, reaching both coasts with his boistorous rhymes. He's never managed to permeate popular culture, but I'm sure he's happy just where he is, enjoying his success in relative obscurity in much the same way Too Short did.

Here I present three tracks, two of them from albums he put out with The Click and one from his album In a Major Way. I think they all highlight different aspects of his talent, and they definitely all bang hard just the way Bay Area rap is supposed to.