Back in July, I stirred up a lot of conversation when I asked if Macntaj was top 5 in Seattle. Whether you agree with that statement or not, I’d say you were probably smoking meth in Marysville if you don’t think it’s a legitimate question to ask.
This year I’m making a bold prediction and saying he will have the hottest buzz out of the Northwest. Last year we said Caroline was going to be one of the hottest records out of the region and I think that played out as such.
Now I’m not saying Macntaj will be bigger than Macklemore or Raz Simone by the end of the year, but after speaking with Macntaj during our interview, I noticed this guy really has some crossover potential. Other local artists like Caraveo, Gifted Gab, Dave B, Nacho Picasso, and Huey P have broken out of Seattle the past year and shown real commercial promise. Macntaj has that same exciting potential in two genres.
I was let down when I saw his name omitted from the Upstream lineup. A lot of local artists have done more shows and released more music this past year. Not many of those said artists have landed a Billboard ranking feature or the attention of national blogs and producers. Some critics say we haven’t heard enough music and fans simply don’t have a project to put in their rotation. He’s only released five songs this year but the amount of national hip-hop and EDM blog coverage has surpassed many of his local peers that appear to be getting more shine.
In a recent interview, Mac mentioned the reason we haven’t heard much music can be attributed to the time he’s taking on collaborative efforts with national producers, examples being the BSBD album and new Bassnectar collabs. He was quick to reassure us that the wait won’t be much longer.
Seamlessly jumping from genre to genre, Macntaj is able to work with the likes of Bassnectar and Oski, as well as crossover producers like BSBD and Qreepz. Mac professes he doesn’t stick to any sound and says “I make music for me.”
Regardless of who you think is “next up,” if this community continues to grind, there is real potential for the area’s hip-hop scene in the coming years.
RMR Interview With Macntaj
S/O Fatal Frames for helping put this interview together!
Follow Macntaj on Facebook
Macntaj Pushing Seattle Hip-Hop Boundaries With Release Of ‘Lightwaves’
