Mack 10 Revives Hoo Bangin'; Signs Glasses Malone, Xzibit & Richie Rich

The current narrative when it comes to West Coast hip-hop is that it is in need of a serious recharge. But as the South continues its musical and cultural dominance in the rap landscape, there's another Cali-visionary joining the ranks of platinum Compton spitter the Game and West Coast rap icon Snoop Dogg to bring his region back to the rhyming forefront. Respected veteran Mack 10, who recently re-launched his Hoo Bangin' label, is taking matters into his own hands. The one-time cohort of rap giant Ice Cube, who enjoyed gold and multi-platinum success in the '90s as a solo artist and as a member of the super group Westside Connection, explains that he bought back his Universal-distributed imprint simply because it was time.

"I only stepped away from the label because I had a lot of other things going on in my personal life," Mack tells The BoomBox. "But I never cared about what the East Coast was doing or what the South was doing or what the West Coast was doing. I was just worried about what Hoo Bangin' was doing. I got a formula that works and it's been working for over a decade now. Now I'm off to the races again."

Indeed, Mack has signed up three diverse acts to kick off his high profile return to the game: West Coast underground MC Glasses Malone; million plus-selling rapper/actor Xzibit and Bay Area legend Richie Rich. Mack 10 promises the roster will make some serious noise.

"I embrace the younger generation because I'm not insecure," Mack says of his signing of Glasses, who he recently collaborated with on the buzz-heavy Internet hit 'Money Drunk.' You have to put new soldiers on. Glasses Malone was sincere, which reminded me of me when I was younger. You could just tell from his raps that he knew something about what he was talking about. He's really from the streets. And Xzibit, he's a real rapper. He had a company Open Bar Entertainment and he's from the West Coast. He doesn't need anything but real distribution. And Richie Rich ain't lost a step. He's a real street dude. He's going to sound current if nothing else. And his rhymes are even fresher than his '90s stuff."

Mack 10 adds that he's looking to release new albums from Xzibit and Richie Rich this summer. As for his own return to the mic, the outspoken MC says fans will be able to get an uncut dose of the 'Foe Life' rapper on a much-talked about collaboration album with Glasses Malone. "It's coming out April 12 ... Mack & Malone," he says of the inspired project. The album is called 'Money Music.' Me and Glasses were planning on doing it for a couple of years, but I just really buckled down and got serious about doing it. It's a good record. It's going to be one of those records that people will talk about."