The Lyrical Midget
| Mac | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | McKinley Phipps |
| Also known as | The Camouflage Assassin Lil Mac |
| Born | July 30, 1977 |
| Origin | New Orleans, Louisiana, USA |
| Genres | Hip hop |
| Occupation(s) | Rapper |
| Instruments | Vocals, sampler |
| Years active | 1989–present |
| Labels | No Limit, Priority |
| Associated acts | Master P, Nas, Snoop Dogg, 504 Boyz, Silkk the Shocker, Soulja Slim, B.G. (rapper) , Mystikal, Mia X, C-Murder |
McKinley Phipps (born July 30, 1977), better known as Mac, is an American rapper and songwriter 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 super group 504 Boyz. He also collaborated with rapper B.G. on the album Chopper City released in 1996.
Mac was born Mckinley Phipps in New Orleans, Louisiana. He started his music career as a kid rapper in the year 1990. At 13 years old he made his solo debut album under the name of "Lil Mac", called 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.
Mac would later join the Psychoward, a New Orleans group consisting (at the time) of more than 28 MCs. Psychoward is known (especially in the city) for having a sound that separates itself from the usual Bounce music and gangster/hustler lyrics that typifies most of the New Orleans rap scene, rather focusing on lyricism and a sound which could be described as a New Orleans Wu-Tang Clan. This made them favorites of local "hip hop heads" who often prefer this style to other local acts. In 1997 the group released their debut www.psychoward.com which is considered a classic by many. The standout on this disc was Mac.
Also in 1997 after rejecting an offer to move to New York and sign with Def Jam Records, Lil Mac changed his name to Mac and signed with Master P's No Limit Records. He toured with No Limit throughout the U.S. and Europe, and 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. 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. The album did not fare as well commercially as his first No Limit release, peaking at #44 on the Billboard 200. Mac's musical style differed from many other Southern hip hop artists in this period, and he often displayed a level of lyrical complexity that has come to be associated with East Coast hip hop.
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