
In a lot of ways the story of my adult hip-hop education is the story of my discovery of Southern hip-hop. As a Boston boy I was raised to believe that if it wasn't coming from the east coast, it wasn't shit. Southern rappers were shallow and hollow. Then I graduated, started really traveling and learned that I'd cut myself off from some of the dopest shit in hip-hop history. Now I'm UGK for life.
I know I'm not the only one out there who grew up with that bias, and if maybe still fighting it now, so whether you're already a Southern fan or someone in need of a conversion, I highly recommend you check out
J. Nics' "
Southern Ni**as Ain't Slow - The Tribute".
The first in a two-mixtape series showcasing the emcee’s influences as well as his original work, the project finds NICS paying homage to his roots by rhyming over the instrumentals from 16 Southern classics. Nics flies solo throughout :The Tribute", flowing over classic beats by
Mr. Lee, Master P, DJ Premier, Pimp C and many more. Watch for "Southern N*ggas Ain’t Slow - The Product", featuring all-original production, to drop in 2012.
Plus the man's alias is The Polar Bear Mack, which, let's be honest, you wish was your name.
Download link and preview stream are below the tracklist. Enjoy:

Stream & Download "The Tribute" via DJBooth
(Looking for all of RefinedHype's dope downloads in one place? We
got you covered.)