Born Dedrick D'Mon Rolison in 1971, Mack 10 perpetually represented Inglewood, California throughout his career, the Los Angeles neighborhood he called home. His professional rap career began in 1995 when he signed with Priority, the premier label for West Coast rap at the time, and released his self-titled album. The West Coast gangsta movement was peaking around this time, and Mack 10 capitalized on the trend with "Foe Life," a song he wrote with Ice Cube, one of the West Coast's reigning talents. The partnership struck gold, and the song became a coastal anthem, opening the door for a successive single, "On Them Thangs." Mack 10 then partnered with Ice Cube again a year later to form the West Coast supergroup Westside Connection along with another Los Angeles rapper, WC. The three had united for a standout song on Mack 10's debut album, "Westside Slaughterhouse," and hoped to reprise their camaraderie for the Westside Connection album. They certainly did so, recording the boastful lead single "Bow Down," which taunted the East Coast, along with several other songs discussing the East-West tension that dominated rap at the time.
Mack 10 followed the number two-charting Westside Connection album with his second album, Based on a True Story, and its lead single, "Backyard Boogie," in 1997. The album became his most successful, peaking at number 14 on the Billboard album chart, and confirmed his quick ascendance to fame. Moreover, the album is generally considered to be Mack 10's career highlight: it features a modest number of guests (Snoop Dogg, E-40, Ice Cube), top-notch G-funk-era producers (Ant Banks, Soopafly), and little of the filler that would begin to populate his successive releases. Mack 10 returned a year later with another Top 20 album, Recipe, which is notable for its abundance of guests. In fact, only one song featured Mack 10 alone; every other song featured at least one guest, if not more; everyone from Master P and Mystikal to Jermaine Dupri and Ol' Dirty Bastard. Following the extravagencies of Recipe in 1997, Mack 10's career began to slowly spiral downward, much like the West Coast gangsta rap scene he rode to fame. His only release in 1998 was Hoo Bangin': Mix Tape, more of a showcase for the many up-and-coming rappers on his Hoo Bangin' label than for himself, and listeners weren't very interested. When Mack 10 finally did return with another full-length of his own, The Paper Route, in 2000, three years after Recipe, listeners similarly weren't very interested.
The relative disappointment of The Paper Route brought Mack 10's souring relationship with Priority Records to an end, and along came Cash Money Records, who happily signed the rapper to a contract. The partnership seemed somewhat unlikely. Cash Money was a leading Dirty South label with a small roster of in-house rappers such as Juvenile and Lil Wayne; however, the label was looking to expand its roster as well as its reach, and Mack 10 offered it a great opportunity to unite the West Coast and Dirty South. The resulting album, Bang or Ball (2001), neither topped the charts nor garnered substantial attention despite boasting "Hate in Yo Eyes," a Dr. Dre production that interpolated the Bee Gees' "Stayin' Alive." The album nonetheless signaled a new direction for Mack 10, who sounded surprisingly comfortable working with one of the Dirty South's premier producers, Manny Fresh. Less than a year later in summer 2002 came Mack 10 Presents da Hood, a Hoo Bangin' release prominently featuring numerous up-and-coming West Coast rappers: K-Mac, Deviossi, Skoop, Cousteau, and Techniec. More importantly, though, the album featured "L.A. for Ya," an anthemic song that was customized for the West Coast's leading radio stations as well as for Lakers and Clippers home games. The customized versions worked, and the song garnered quite a bit of airplay on the West Coast, making it one of Mack 10's biggest hits in years. Ghetto, Gutter and Gangster appeared in 2003 followed by Hustla's Handbook two years later
Hoo-Bangin
Mack 10 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We don't fuck with the stress
Westside connect-Gangin', hoo-bangin'
And we got thousands, so fuck what you claimin'
Who want to scrap with a nigga that bang
Straight mass murderin' on 24 tracks
I put it down like a hog, I got what you need
Hollow points is my venom
I bust rapid as the beat, flamin' hot when I send em
And them niggaz out of bounds better duck when I come around
Movin' the crowd with a tech layin' niggaz down
You say shit my whole crew claimin' true
Some niggaz damn u and niggaz wear blue
Penitentiary listen to the pronunciation of
Penitentiary, penitentary bound, smokin' weed by the pound as I clown
Sendin' work out of town on the greyhound
Mack 10 is the lick, Westside is the click
Can't get enough of this gangsta shit
We got bulletproof vests and 96 ???
Leavin' fly bitches in Donna Karen dresses
With a neck full of hickeys, situation lookin' tricky
20,000 in my pocket and I'm still sportin' dickies
Fuck that, connect life, let me make it plain and simple
You say you roll deep you gonna get busted like a pimple
Till my very last breath, I'ma Inglewood swang
So tell me do you bang, fool, what set you claim?
'Cause niggaz like you can't win with Mack 10
So let the games begin, I'll leave you black again
'Cause on a homicide I ride to the fullest, not just a little
'Cause its four fingers up and two twisted in the middle
[Chorus:Repeat 2X]
I'm on the hunt for the loot, watch your pockets cause I pat em
Bailin' through the hood in Chucks and Stacey Adams
Got the spot still poppin', got your legs still rockin'
Ever since foe life, my ex bitch been jockin'
I can't fade no hos, And this is one of those
That I iron on my clothes, and shine my romeos
Be the best friend to me, get a little Hennessey
Always down to Scwab when I blast on my enemy
A bitch that's the leader of the hoo bang committee
With a 100% Mack 10 on her tittie
Lookin pretty as a bangin' if you want to hoo bang
Throw your neighborhood up like it ain't no thang
[Chorus:Repeat 4X]
Yeah, gun ho mack 1-0
Straight stompin' and chicken hawkin'
Inglewood swangin, dope slangin
And Hoo-Bangin' Comin' from the...
West-side
{*repeats till end of song*}
In Mack 10's song "Hoo-Bangin'", the lyrics boast about gang life on the West Coast, specifically in Inglewood. The opening lines explicitly state that the song is about "Gangin'" and "Hoo-bangin'", which translate to living and thriving in a gang culture. The lyrics express loyalty to this lifestyle and a rejection of any outside "stress". It is clear that the "westside connect" mentality is emphasized, creating a feeling of unity among those who embrace this way of life.
Following this opening, Mack 10 discusses his personal involvement in gang activity, including "mass murderin'" in his music, his proficiency with weaponry such as his "tech", and his propensity for violence, as he warns potential rivals to "duck" when he's around. He also mentions the color blue and the possible gang affiliation it suggests. Mack 10 asserts that he is the leader of the "hoo bang committee" and encourages the listener to "throw your neighborhood up like it ain't no thang." Finally, the closing repetition of "West-side" cements the pride in the gang lifestyle that is the subject of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
You are now rockin' with the west
You are now in the midst of Westside gangsters.
We don't fuck with the stress
We don't waste time on negativity or problems.
Westside connect-Gangin', hoo-bangin'
The Westside is united and ready for action.
And we got thousands, so fuck what you claimin'
We have a large number of people on our side, so your claims mean nothing to us.
Who want to scrap with a nigga that bang
Who wants to fight someone who is involved in gang activity?
Straight mass murderin' on 24 tracks
Violent lyrics and themes dominate my music.
I put it down like a hog, I got what you need
I am powerful and provide what people want or need.
I'm from the West Coast the bad seed with the bomb weed
I am from a rough area, and have access to good quality marijuana.
Hollow points is my venom
I use deadly bullets when I shoot my gun.
I bust rapid as the beat, flamin' hot when I send em
I shoot quickly and fiercely, and leave people in bad shape.
And them niggaz out of bounds better duck when I come around
People who are not in my gang should hide when they see me.
Movin' the crowd with a tech layin' niggaz down
I can excite and control a crowd, and use my gun to kill people.
You say shit my whole crew claimin' true
What I say is true for me and my gang.
Some niggaz damn u and niggaz wear blue
Some people are enemies of my gang, while others are part of it.
Penitentiary listen to the pronunciation of
If you listen carefully, I am saying 'penitentiary'.
Penitentiary, penitentary bound, smokin' weed by the pound as I clown
I am on my way to prison, but I am still smoking marijuana and having fun.
Sendin' work out of town on the greyhound
I am sending drugs or other illegal items out of town on a Greyhound bus.
Mack 10 is the lick, Westside is the click
I am very successful, and part of a united Westside gang.
Can't get enough of this gangsta shit
I love the lifestyle and activities associated with being in a gang.
We got bulletproof vests and 96 ???
We have protection and the year 1996 was a good time for us.
Leavin' fly bitches in Donna Karen dresses
We are attracting beautiful women in expensive dresses.
With a neck full of hickeys, situation lookin' tricky
I have evidence of sexual activity on my neck, which could get me into trouble.
20,000 in my pocket and I'm still sportin' dickies
I have a lot of cash, but still dress in commonly worn gang attire.
Fuck that, connect life, let me make it plain and simple
Forget about everything else, I am focused on gang activities only.
You say you roll deep you gonna get busted like a pimple
If you claim to have many people on your side you will be defeated easily by us.
Till my very last breath, I'ma Inglewood swang
I will always be associated with the Inglewood area and its culture.
So tell me do you bang, fool, what set you claim?
Are you involved in gang activity? What gang are you a part of?
'Cause niggaz like you can't win with Mack 10
People who are not in my gang cannot succeed against me.
So let the games begin, I'll leave you black again
Let's start our conflict, and I will make sure you are badly hurt again.
'Cause on a homicide I ride to the fullest, not just a little
When I am involved in a killing, I am completely committed to making it happen.
'Cause its four fingers up and two twisted in the middle
This is the hand sign for our gang, and we take it seriously.
I'm on the hunt for the loot, watch your pockets cause I pat em
I am looking for money, and may search your pockets for it.
Bailin' through the hood in Chucks and Stacey Adams
I am driving around my neighborhood wearing Chuck Taylor sneakers and Stacey Adams dress shoes.
Got the spot still poppin', got your legs still rockin'
I am still successful in my illegal activities, and have made you dance or jump in fear.
Ever since foe life, my ex bitch been jockin'
Since I became involved in gang life, my ex-girlfriend has been trying to get back with me.
I can't fade no hos, And this is one of those
I can't turn down women, and this is one instance of that.
That I iron on my clothes, and shine my romeos
I am careful to look nice, ironing my clothes and shining my shoes.
Be the best friend to me, get a little Hennessey
Be loyal to me, and I will share my Hennessy with you.
Always down to Scwab when I blast on my enemy
You can always count on me to take out my enemies.
A bitch that's the leader of the hoo bang committee
A woman who is the leader of our gang's committee.
With a 100% Mack 10 on her tittie
She has a tattoo of my name on her breast.
Lookin pretty as a bangin' if you want to hoo bang
She looks good, and is willing to participate in illegal activities with us.
Throw your neighborhood up like it ain't no thang
Show your gang affiliation without hesitation, like it's nothing.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: O'SHEA JACKSON, WILLIAM CALHOUN, DARRELL (P/K/A K-DEE) JOHNSON, DEDRICK ROLISON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind