At a listening session at IMI Studios in NYC last week, Hip Hop’s newest super group, the Lobby Boyz, comprised of Brooklyn born Maino and Harlem bred Jim Jones, played several tracks from their highly anticipated upcoming self-titled album for a room of industry insiders. The album is set to be released in December.
Making surprise appearances was legendary producer Pete Rock, along with super producer Jerry Wonda.
Maino told the audience that Lobby Boyz was conceived by him and Jimmy to create “quality street music.”
“This project is about quality street music, he said. “It’s about dope hooks and rapping. Most of the production was done in-house with producers me and Jimmy have been working with. Stacks and Sage did most of it.”
He noted that the production purposely sampled songs from the late 90s and early 2000s, a classic era in Hip Hop.
“We took a lot of samples that were familiar and modernized the drum patterns and the baseline to bring it to now,” he added.
I asked Maino what he thought about the impact of music streaming and how it played a part in the Lobby Boyz project.
“Of course were going to have the album streaming on every platform,” he said. “Streaming has made music more accessible without it, we may never have been able to pull this album off. Streaming is gonna helps us change the game with this project. Years ago, this could have never happened.
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When asked how the duo came together, Maino told the audience that it was an organic happening.
“Remember when (Rick) Ross and Puff were saying they are the bugatti boys? There was a song me and Jim did around the same time and we said shout out to the bugatti boys, but me and Jimmy, we the Lobby Boyz and we started calling each other that.” Maino said.
Jim chimed in about the formation of the Lobby Boyz.
“Maino hit me up and said he was finally ready and we were like bet let’s do the Lobby Boyz album,” said Jim added. “We hit the studio 3-4 days straight and knocked out the first four songs that came out incredibly great. I pulled Maino to the side and said l, I think we might really have something here.”
Although the platinum selling rappers had high expectations about the project, even they were surprised about their chemistry and how well the album turned out.
“It’s even doper than we really expected, we definitely have a hot ass album, we got some heat on that shit,” Jim explained. I think people will be thoroughly surprised and happy.”
“We’ve both been called bullies at one time or another in this industry, but this music is going to really give them a punch,” Jim said.
In addition to playing tracks from their new project, the Lobby Boyz also played several beats from up and coming producers that were submitted for their Tracklib Beat Battle Competition. The company recently announced a $12.2 million in investment from existing investors, as well as several new investors including former NBA star, actor and music producer Baron Davis.
“We’re looking for that fire — we’re looking for that one dope producer to be on the Lobby Boyz album, ” said Jim Jones. “Send the best beats you got, if my email ain’t sizzlin (you’re out).”
The competition is a partnership with Tracklib, the world’s first and only record store for sampling. Jimmy and Maino will be listening to the submitted tracks and selecting the winner themselves!
Interested producers can go to Tracklib.com/LobbyBoyz to see all of the rules and guidelines. The contest ends on Sunday, October 10th.