The Pack are a little bit skate-punk-rap; like the Beastie Boys if they was from the Yay Area. And Based Music is a bit like hyphy if it took a chill pill…

Berkeley-Based Boys Bring Da Bass

Aaaah the 808 drum machine. Many a legend has been created from this old school Roland: it’s the sound behind License To Ill 2 Live Crew, Ice Cube, miami bass, and Based Boys. Ok, so Based Boys is likely using a software version or 808 sample pack (note the Novation in the “Vans” vid), it nonetheless stirs up the nostalgia of old school rap and explicit lyric stickers. Too $hort said he wanted these boys to understand O.G. and you don’t get much more O.G. than an 808.

The Pack call their musical style Based Music, and I would even say that Based is to Berkeley what Hyphy is to Oakland. Based music is more laid back and psychedelic than hyphy. It’s more synthy and electro. Based music has a light-heartedness that hyphy doesn’t have. It’s like the sonic equivalent of late summer in Berkeley (where these boys are from). Not gangsta enuff to be Oaklandish, but still very true to the East Bay massive. There’s the club bangers that will make the ladies bounce those booties. (“Candy” “It’s the kind of music you want to bump out of the trunk with the windows down, roof open, while driving through the hills with infinite galaxies sparkling overhead. (“Milky Way” “Backseat”) Or cruising across the Bay Bridge at night, one hand out the window, swimming in the air. (“Fly” “Booty Bounce Bopper”) You know, summer cruisin music. It’s not jump up, it’s lean back. It’s not thuggin music, it’s chilling with yer favorite homies music.

All the songs on this album have serious bass tendencies, but if you crave a speaker test, jump ahead to “In The Club.”

The Pack Got Mad Style, Boys Know Better

As you might have guessed from The Pack’s mega-hit, “Vans,” their sense of fashion is not the same as what’s portrayed on MTV (not since the mid-90′s anyway). These boys got respekt for street style – “Man, we be sportin vans and we throw away Nikes, If u wanna get right, stop buyin those Nikes.” Listen up! Nikes are wack! They’re nothing but a brand. Give it up and get your grown man on. Massive Big Ups for laying this down on wax! (Boy Better Know crew better fix up! No more Nike love! JME better start designing custom Vans if he wants to stay in tha know!)

The Pack – Vans

The Pack’s music is as refreshing as ocean breezes off the Bay for peeps who feel over-saturated with hype music. The Based Boys are going to be hugely popular among people who love rap, hip hop, hyphy and crunk, but can’t relate to the high roller lifestyle that’s usually portrayed. Lil B, Stunna, Uno and Young L are bringing the music back to the streets. It’s music of the people. Real people. People trying to enjoy life, people trying to strut their stuff in the club, people trying to bag a hot honey. Even kingpins and pimps will nod their heads to The Pack and smile at the good old days when music was about dubs and fly girls.

The Pack – I’m Shinin’

Too $hort, who took them under his wing and helped “Vans” to blow up everywhere, says:
I see something good in them if they can stick together and listen to the O.G. as I guide them through the game. They’ve got some hot music. It’s the sound of kids having fun, that’s all it is … buncha little horny dudes at a party.”

The Pack Based Music Links

The Pack music – listen to Based Boys bonus track “I’m Shining”
The Pack website
The Pack Mellows Hyphy Into Based In The SF Weekly
More about the 808

Pages about hyphy ~ Oakland ~ rap ~ The Pack