exciting. Mack complements the
bring her home,” Mack describes.
“Even with all of the accomplish-
boom-bap with his whispers of
Mack’s tale begins in the club, but eventually moves to the bedroom.
ments, I still feel like I haven’t
sweet nothings to his dream girl,
It’s the detail in his story which makes the album so special. “We can
scratched the surface of where
with promises of a lavish life.
take it back to my crib, we can get away no photographs,” he sings in
I’m supposed to be,” Mack says.
true heartthrob fashion on “My Crib.”
The flirtatious thump of “Henny”
Then immediately after on “Don’t Turn Me Down,” Mack tries to per-
Mack hooked up with Gram-
and the seductive allure of “My
suade his cold-footed lover to give in to his advances.
my-nominated music producer
Crib” both provide balance mix-
Tracks like “Land of the Wild Things” featuring Mack’s fellow Staten
Salaam Remi in 2012 and signed
ing calming melodies over harden
Island-native Method Man add to the authentic feel of the album.
with his Sony-distributed Re Mi
hip-hop sound beds. While New
Fa record label. Together the two
York: A Love Story weaves a ro-
recorded New York: A Love Story,
mantic tale, sonically it’s a nos-
a 1990s hip-hop-centered, R&B-
talgic reminder of the Big Apple’s
laced tale of love and loss.
most defining sounds-- suited for
2013 of course.
The album’s first single “Own It” is
produced by Salaam and written
The storyline takes place over the
by Mack and R&B superstar Ne-
course of several songs and be-
Yo. Backed by a kinetic drum track
gins with the in-the-club anthem
and a feel-good groove “Own It” is
“Henny.” “First off, it’s Hennessey,
reminiscent of a throwback party
partying and wilding out and then
when hip-hop was fresh, new and
you meet that girl and you want to
Aside from Salaam, celebrated NY beat archi tects
DJ Premier, Pete Rock and Havoc lend their production efforts, while Ne-Yo, Rico Love, James Poy-
ove Story
New York: A L
FROM
NEW MUSIC
MACK WILDS
ser, Bink and James Fauntleroy collaborate on the
writing side. Mack of course adds flowing harmonies
over the pounding tracks. “The main thing that we
wanted to do with this album is show that New York
City is back and who better to do it than the people
who made it what it is in the first place,” he says of
being able to work with such an esteemed team of
producers.
“This is that full-on, old school, New York, boom bap
that we’ve been waiting for. This sound isn’t just old
school; this is what is in our blood. It’s bigger than a
’90’s feel, this is New York.”
MAMi Magazine 41
MAMiMagazine
“Even with all of the accomplishments, I still feel like I
haven’t scratched the surface of where I’m supposed to
be,”