Da Mafia 6ix Hit Albany

Buckle up, Corvallis, Da Mafia 6ix is coming to Albany. So close your windows on Sunday, April 20 if you don’t want to be woken up by profanity…

Every great epic has tragedy and triumph. Before Three 6 Mafia could become Tennessee’s favorite sons, they had to overcome adversity. Started by Juicy J, DJ Paul, and Lord Infamous in 1991, the Memphis rappers were only a regional act for the first 10 years. They added new members including future solo star Gangsta Boo, but never quite broke through beyond the Southern rap scene.

Their original horror-core sound was dark and graphic, and had them beefing with the likes of Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, but began to fade away giving rise to a more urban, drug-fueled sound with a signature twist. Three 6 was hilariously unpretentious at its best, and incredibly danceable at their worst. Then in 2005, “It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp” won them an Oscar for best song. All bets were off, and the Mafia became a household name.

In the interim, they have steadily released material, with core members Juicy J and DJ Paul never leaving. Their stuff is reliably gangster as hell and usually pretty funny, frequently featuring other Southern rap luminaries like UGK and Project Pat (brother of Juicy J). Gangsta Boo and Koopsta Knicca left the group to pursue solo careers. According to Knicca’s Wikipedia page, next to “occupations” it says “rapper, local drug dealer.” So I guess that panned out…

Juicy J’s solo career has recently exploded, leaving the other five members of the crew looking to work in his absence. Last year they formed Da Mafia 6ix to tour without J. In December of 2013, Lord Infamous passed away of a heart attack in his sleep. Da Mafia 6ix is responding the only way you could possibly expect: they’re bringing his casket with them on tour.

How could you not want to go to this show?

Da Mafia 6ix will perform on Sunday, April 20 at the Fairmount Grange in Albany. For more info and tickets, visit http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/560953.