Mac (rapper)

McKinley Phipps (born July 30, 1977,^[1] better know by his stage name Mac, is an American rapper from New Orleans' 3rd Ward, and would grow to be one of the most critically acclaimed on Master P's No Limit Records, both as a solo rapper and as a member of the 504 Boyz rap group.

Music career

Mac started his music career as a kid rapper in the year 1990. He then went by the stage name Lil Mac, and at 13 years old he released his debut album The Lyrical Midget. The album was one of the earliest commercial hip-hop albums to come out of New Orleans, and featured some production from New Orleans producer Mannie Fresh. It was not very successful though Lil Mac would not be heard from for another 7 years.

In 1997 he changed his stage name from Lil Mac to just Mac and signed with Master P's No Limit Records. He made guest appearances on many other artists' albums before releasing his own. He was featured on Master P's Ghetto D, Mystikal's Unpredictable, and Mia X's Unlady Like, among others. The next year, 1998, Mac released his second solo album and first with No Limit, Shell Shocked. The album is Mac's most commercially successful to date, reaching #11 on the Billboard 200.^[2] Mac again was featured on many other No Limit releases that year. In 1999 he released his second album on the label, World War III. While it was still on the label, this release differed from usual No Limit releases in that it was not exclusively produced by the production team Beats by the Pound, and featured only three guest spots from major No Limit names Master P, C-Murder, and Silkk the Shocker.^[3] The album did not fare as well commercially as his first No Limit release, peaking at #44 on the Billboard 200.

World War III would be Mac's last album released on No Limit and his last solo album to date, as he would be sentenced to a 30 year prison term in 2001. In 2000 he did join the group 504 Boyz, whose name was a reference to the area code 504. The group was a collective of other No Limit rappers such as Master P, Silkk the Shocker, and C-Murder. Mac was with their group for one album, 2000's Goodfellas, which went gold and reached #2 on the Billboard 200. He was featured prominently on the group's hit single "Wobble Wobble", rapping the first verse and the chorus. The song reached #17 on the Billboard Hot 100.

In 2007, while Mac was still serving his prison term, No Limit released the album The Lost Tapes, which consisted of unreleased material Mac recorded with the label.

On May 31, 2012, DJ 5150 released the mixtape "Uptown Veterans" which is compilation of Mac's greatest hits.

Legal Issues

On September 21, 2001, Mac was convicted of manslaughter charges in the death of 22-year-old Barron C. Victor Jr.^[4] He is currently serving a 30-year-to-life prison term at Elayn Hunt Correctional Center in Louisiana (inmate number 445656).

Discography

Solo albums

Compilation albums

• 2007: Lost Tapes

Mixtapes

• 2012: Uptown Veterans

Collaboration albums

• 2000: Goodfellas (With the 504 Boyz)

Singles

References

External links

• Mac on Myspace
• Mac at AllMusic