Wednesday 8/12: Shoreline Mafia—"Hoe Shit"
Today, we share our thoughts on a new song by the L.A. rap group Shoreline Mafia.
Welcome to Endless Scroll, the brainchild of Eli Enis (he/him) and Eric Bennett (they/them). Since Feb. 2019, we’ve been a weekly podcast about music, the internet, and where those two things intersect. Now we’re, also a M-F newsletter about songs. Our format is simple: a link to a song and a short take from each of us about what we think of it. Each day of the week has a corresponding genre: Monday is indie, Tuesday is punk, Wednesday is hip-hop, Thursday is pop, and Friday is misc.
Today, we share our thoughts on a new song by the L.A. rap group Shoreline Mafia. We’re joined by official Endless Scroll hip-hop contributor Michael Brooks.
Shoreline Mafia—"Hoe Shit"
Michael Brooks:
Shortly before the release of Mafia Bidness, Shoreline Mafia’s debut studio album, founding member Fenix Flexin announced via Twitter that Mafia Bidness would be his last album with the group. Personally, I always preferred Ohgeesy’s easygoing delivery, but there’s no denying the impact that Fenix Flexin has had on the group, and it’s hard to imagine some of their biggest songs without his flexes and spirited rhymes. His talent is on full display on “Hoe Shit,” which is essentially just a Fenix solo track, where the Los Angeles MC playfully talks shit over a bubbly West Coast thumper courtesy of producer Bruce24k. The biggest problem with Mafia Bidness is whenever a big personality like 03 Greedo or YG shows up, they immediately steal the spotlight and completely overshadow the group. But “Hoe Shit” is an exception, the rare moment on the album where Shoreline Mafia sound like stars, and it’s the perfect send-off for Fenix. Only time will tell if Fenix’s post-Shoreline Mafia material will position him as the Zayn or Harry of the group, but if we could get him in the next Christopher Nolan movie that would be pretty dope.
Eli Enis:
There’s nothing particularly revelatory about “Hoe Shit”. It’s just a really solid West Coast rap song. Fenix Flexin’s delivery falls somewhere between the nonchalant coolness of Nipsey Hussle and whatever you call the chest-puffing confidence YG exudes without even having to raise his voice. True to his name, Flexin is a natural boaster, and on “Hoe Shit” he sneakily unravels disses while maintaining his suave composure. “In real life you just poppin' on yo' phone (You ain't) / Internet niggas, Instagram thugs / You was on yo' couch, I blew twenty in the club, for real,” he raps with the casual snideness of a well-placed shrug emoji. “I don't fuck with you, you don't fuck with me / Let's get into it, one of us gon' have to be deceased,” he delivers with a playful matter-of-factness. If Flexin really does try to carry out a solo career I’d be interested, but I’m not sure if his voice, like his literal voice, is quite compelling enough to carry a whole project. But here, in the midst of his crew, I’m convinced he’s a star.