In 2006 there was the “Hyphy Movement.” A mix of zany beats, clever lyrics, and “sideshows” that captivated the Bay Area hip-hop scene and reflected many of the wild antics by the late Bay Area legend Mac Dre. A young man out of Richmond was taking it all in during his high school days, learning from the rappers that would establish the fundamentals for his coming in the new wave of Bay Area artists.
The Gang
Sudan Ahmeer Williams, or better known by his stage name as Iamsu!, is at the forefront of Bay Area hip-hop in 2014. He leads his group of rhyme-sayers known as the Heart Break Gang (HBK). Su is just as talented in his production of music than in his lyricism on records, he produces a considerable amount of his own music. With the help of his production crew, The Invasion, Su and the HBK gang have become the face of the Bay Area hip-hop.
Above the Underground
As an undergrad in 2011 at California State East Bay, Su was featured on the track “UP!” with fellow new-schoolers, LoveRance and Skipper. The song, which Su produced, was a club hit in the Bay Area and dominated the radio waves. The track quickly spread across the country as it reached #46 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and #2 on the Rap charts. IamSu! was introduced to the world with clever lines like, “Make you wanna keep the baby, Kevin Federline.”
Ultimately, it was LoveRance who promoted the song as his own and benefited with performances and appearances nationwide, but Su had other plans. He released six solo mixtapes as an unsigned artist and kept the attention coming his way. With each release, Su became more recognized as an artist rather than someone with a catchy single.
Bay Area Breakout
2012 was the breakout year for the Bay Area rookie. E-40, “The Ambassador of the Bay”, had Su featured on the smash-hit “Function” that reached #62 on the U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. In October, Su teamed up with Bay Area singer Jonn Hart for the hit “Who Booty” that achieved Top 40 status on the Billboard Pop charts. The icing on the cake was “Gas Pedal” with fellow HBK rapper Sage The Gemini. It peaked at #29 on the Billboard Hot 100.
In 2014, after three appearances on the Billboard Hot 100, Su is anticipating the release of his debut album, Sincerely Yours, in April.
http://www.billboard.com/artist/2549565/Sage+the+Gemini/chart?f=379
http://www.billboard.com/artist/308374/loverance/chart
http://www.billboard.com/articles/chartbeat/1481162/chart-highlights-mumford-sons-light-up-rock-radio
http://www.nbcbayarea.com/blogs/the-city/Jonn-Hart-188281141.html
http://www.xxlmag.com/news/2014/01/iamsu-reveals-title-debut-album/
