I guess it boils down to what they were doing didn’t put them in that A level category compared to what was out there at the time. Nobody, again I’m talking outside of the South, thought of them as elite rappers or producers.
Verzuz Presents: Bone Thugz vs 3-6 Mafia
- Thread starter Stick Up Kid
- Start date
MIC Que
Pro
Yea I can see that the whole landscape of hip hop was different at that time. Compared to the post 2000s once Atlanta took over who basically built their sound off of the Memphis sound. When u factor that in it makes complete since why they wasn’t getting the respect they do now. At the time their sound was a niche market but now it’s the basis for most modern rap.
I see what you’re saying, but not really if you were cognizant at the time.
They were having issues with their name for sure. People thought they were devil worshippers. Hard to build a brand off that. Paul would offer up some half-assed explanation for the name (first there were three of us, then there were six of us, so Three 6 Mafia). He'd completely ignore the fact that they were Triple Six Mafia before that
36 didn't really blow up until 2000 and the rap game was completely different by that point.
Yall don't add any sort of perspective to these bold ass statements yall make. That's how these C-list groups like 36 mafia get passes into sectors that they don't belong in.
And bone still easily outsold them years later, whenever they did anything on a major.
MIC Que
Pro
Lmaooo true shyt I can see nikkas looking at that shyt crazy. Paul also was tryna downplay the gang affiliation so saying that it was a folk reference wasn’t an option either. Wasn’t cool to put gang shyt on front street back then like now.They were having issues with their name for sure. People thought they were devil worshippers. Hard to build a brand off that. Paul would offer up some half-assed explanation for the name (first there were three of us, then there were six of us, so Three 6 Mafia). He'd completely ignore the fact that they were Triple Six Mafia before that
Atlanta didn't build their sound off Memphis. A lot Mempgis artists lived in Atlanta and helped pioneer Atlanta's sound. A Lil Jon Crunk song sounds different from a Three Six Crunk song. Three Six's brand of Crunk was more raw. Lily Jon's Crunk sound has more mainstream polish because it still retains some of the melodic style that he was doing when he made bass records. That's why it was natural to hear Usher or Ciara make their own brand of Crunk with "Yeah" and "Goodies".
In regard to Memphis, Jazze Pha was one of the early producers to breakthrough from Atlanta who wasn't Organized Noize or Jermaine Dupri. Jazze has roots in Memphis. When it came to the trap sound, Drummond Boy was one of the architechts and he's from Memphis.
Three Six starting getting their respect last decade when Juicy J had his solo run and was getting embraced by new artists. Then therewere all these artists who came up listening to Three Six.
Memphis never really left mainstream Hip Hop because during Wayne's come up, T-Mix had several key songs on Carter 2. He had tracks including the single on Birdman's album from 2005. There's the Like Father Like Son album.
MIC Que
Pro
Yea Atlanta didn’t straight up bite Memphis but like you mentioned Memphis was always in the mix when it comes to Atlanta’s come up and the development of their sound. And u right about Juicy J solo run playing a big part. He brought in Va’s Lex Luger which was a big influence on drill (One of Keef’s first drill songs Everyday’s Halloween is over a Luger beat) and also Juicy J was using FatManKey! as a writer and producer who ended up being a huge influence on that 2014 Atlanta Wave with Father/Makonnen/Carti and the SoundCloud era. Also gotta give it to A$AP Yams and Spaceghostpurrp and their love for Memphis and southern rap in general and putting that influence into the SoundCloud and cloud rap sound is a big part of the reason 3-6 popularity skyrocketed past what it was during their actual peak.
Good post
I will say Lil Johns crunk sound was pretty raw on those first 3 albums, especially the first two and he had 36 features on those
the success Bia Bia is what led John to expanding the sound
It's the lil Wayne sydrome. They didn't shine until the bar was lowered.
They weren't good enough to stand out like that in the 90s or even the early 2000s.
Hence, the reason why it's mostly younger fans claiming that they're all-timers and making crazy statements like calling them the most influential group of all-time. Lol.
They weren't even tops amongst the double-time rappers.
He ain't serve nobody.
Naw.
36 mafia is lucky to even be doing this battle.
They had beef. That was it.
Nobody was putting them on the same level as Bone, unless you was from Memphis or something.
keep in mind Memphis artist and every other Southern act would come to Freaknik to pass/sell their tapes + ATL always had the premiere clubs so ATL was always a cultural hub.
This has nothing to do with them shining. NOBODY looked to Three Six Mafia for lyricism, so I don't get the argument about them not being good enough to stand out in the 90's. It was a lot of groups more successful than Three Six in the 90's and early '00's. That's neither here or there.
The love they get now has nothing to do with the bar being lowered because again, NOBODY is looking at Three Six Mafia as standard bearers for greatness as much as they are pioneers for a sound a style of rap that has become prominent over the last decade.
