B2 ARCADE WWW.THEHULLABALOO.COM THREE 6 MAFIA, 15 YEARS· LATER: .. :r '» THE INFLUENCE OF MYSTIC STYLEZ f t' BY ZACH YANOWITZ rel couldn't tell you half about this antichrist/Look into my eyes ASSISTANT ARCADE EDITOR tell me what you see/1he demonic man about ｓ ｣ ｡ ｲ ･ ｣ ｲ ｯ ｷ ｩ ｳ ｭ ｾ The J vast majority of Mystic Stylez is far too offensive for publication: • i.i There's something intrinsically off about a white boy from the These guys (and singular gal) were not messing around. Massachusetts suburbs reviewing what might be the hardest rap Despite the shocking lyrics and underground production, Tri- h'lbum of all time, but I'm going to give it a shot ple-6 made the most of its low budget 'lhe eerie minimalist beats _.. ,: The members of 'lhree 6 Mafia had a long journey before they sample church bells and graveyard ･ ｦ ｦ ･ ｣ ｾ Ｎ producing sounds that '&gan winning Academy Awards and hanging out with Andy could be the score to a horror movie. Chopped-and-screwed vocals Milonakis. Brothers DJ Paul and Juicy J formed the group, which and minor piano chords emphasize the rising tension throughout %iginally included Lord Infamous (Da Scarecrow), Gangsta Boo, the album that settles with laidback '90s hoodrat tunes such as 't<oopsta Knicca and Crunchy Black Since then, they've lost all "Da Summa," a song about the simple yet still explicit pleasures of 1nembers but Paul and J - and most of their street creel, too - Memphis life. Call-and-response choruses and the high-cadence 'lfiut their early music is a very· different creature. flow (especially by Koopsta Knicca and Lord Infamous) highlights ' ' Three 6 Mafia released its first album, Mystic Stylez, in 1995 on the dichotomy between the overblown lyricism and the simple, 'llie group's own Prophet Entertainment label. Self-produced and threadbare production. dropped mostly for the Memphis underground scene, this album Mystic Style'L is not only one of the most influential albums in '18 downright scary, with tracks that alternate between chilled-out the history of Southern Hip Hop, but it is also one of the precur- · "8moke songs· and terrifying gangsta rap anthems. sors of today's Horrorcore genre, except that the dark lyrics ac- Three 6 Mafia broached cultural taboos long before most main- tually meant something in Memphis in 1995. Also, New Orleans' • stream artists, and was one ofthe earliest (if not the earliest) exam- bounce music movement samples much of the Mafia's early work. ples ofthe gangsta mentality in the Southern Hip Hop game. Drug so in a way, we've got Triple-6 to thank for Big Freedia and Sissy dealing. violent revenge fantasies and straight-up club bangers ap- Nobby. Gangsta Boo was one of the first - and the hands-down pear as frequent themes. scariest - female emcees with real talent to back up her role in Somehow, it took until now for me to realize that the "Three 6" the group even at the ripe age of 16, breaking gender barriers and in the group's name is a thinly-veiled reference to the Nwnber of probably a kneecap or two. the Beast Both the titular track and "Fuckin' Wit Dis Click" open- Mystic Stylez, however horrifying it may be, showcases a leg- JY. embrace occultism. DJ Paul raps, "No lord could stop us now/ endary Hip Hop group at its rawest and most authentic. Their Ｍ ｾ ｡ ｵ ｳ ･ the demon's reborn again/My praise, the first power found death-tight flow and boneyctrd production will remain influential ,we/So I could never coward out/A mind for murder but the bar- classics for years to come. , . - ( l'>J•,.... Food and Lounging in the Bywater The restaurant's back courtyard seating area, mean- BY ADELE MCCONNELL while, was truly delightful. Sparkling hghts wove ASSOCIATE ARCADE EDITOR among shrubbery and conversation-friendly table ar- rangement$ while a small band played in the comer During the past few weeks, I've felt the fleeting to enchanted listeners. My friends and I had to scram- presence of an emotion I thought was banished from ble to find a table (the place fills up fast on the week- this city: boredom. It wasn't your average dose of the ends), but we felt right at home among our fellow Bac- daily doldrums, either. No, I felt something much chanalians, all of us content to sit and enjoy the pleas- worse, something much more serious. I was bored ant, simple company of good friends. with food. I felt continual disappointment with my Chef Joaquin Rodas creates superb weekly menus city's restaurants. Whether I visited an old haunt or for Bacchanal's outdoor grill Tuesday through Satur- tried a new recommendation with friends, it appeared day. Diners can also peruse the restaurant's perma- that my palette was simply, irrevocably and quite un- nent but equally extravagant deli menu, which of- justly bored. fers ciabatta sandwiches stuffed with anything imag- That was before a friend took me to Bacchanal. inable, from pan-fried pancetta to truffled portobel- Hidden deep in the Bywater at the corner of Poland los and creamy goat cheese. Speaking of goat cheese, Avenue and Chartres Street, the place is a vision of Bacchanal's cheese selection is exceptional and the chipped plaster and unkempt window shutters. In- staff is more than knowledgeable about which wines side, however, was a completely different story. Bac- especially complement their cheeses. chanal's front room looked like a dusty general store 1y evening at Bacchanal was sublime. It is the per- cluttered \\ith mismatched wine coolers, red ging- fect place to immerse yourself in the quiet conversa- ham-covered tables and random decor. \Vine is avail- tion of friends while sampling good wine and great able by the bottle at just above cost, and Bacchanal's food. Needless to say, my boredom with food has offi- selection proved to be both affordable and diverse. cially met its match. • Df"f\."l'X i>RODU(;l S ｾ ,.\ND S\.JP?l.f.Mf..NTS .,-...., l\\'..\tLA£H.E ｾ ｾ -- --.