Rappers declare Missoula scene 'best' in Montana

Editor’s note: For the purposes of this article, some sources are referred to by their adopted musical monikers as opposed to their given names.

By 8 p.m. Wednesday, bass sound checks were already blasting from inside The Other Side in preparation for the San Francisco Bay Area-based Mistah F.A.B and Zion 1 rap show, slated to begin at 9.

Inside, bouncers, bartenders and a few local rappers hung out, passing a Swisher Sweet around, the low buzz of conversation frequently and suddenly interrupted by loud bursts of laughter or a thumping sound check.

The rappers sat in a group by the stage, debating if they had time to go back to one of their “cribs” before they had to open for the show. They may have been conflicted about where to spend that hour, but they were far from nervous. 

“I love rappin’ in Missoula. It’s the best music scene in Montana,” said local rapper Yung Syk, his gold bling swinging. “People here aren’t scared to show up, and when they do they don’t pretend to be something they’re not.”

Elsewhere in Montana, the rap scene isn’t as attractive, Syk said.

“Like, in Billings, I’ve got fools running up to the stage, trying to act all gangster, and I’m thinking ‘stop pretending.’”

“Here (in Missoula), people are real,” local rapper Brother Boe, interrupted. “We get it crackin’, and they’re like all …” he trailed off, bit his lower lip and flailed his arms awkwardly, his impersonation of the typical Missoula dancer. “They aren’t afraid to be who they are.”

Posing is a pet peeve of Boe and Syk.

“You’ve got to stay legit,” Boe said.

“Don’t say you’ve done stuff that you haven’t so you can impress people,” Syk added.

A real rapper talks about real stuff, they agreed, which explains why Missoula-raised Young Jay raps about “Shots of Patron” and named another of his songs “Slightly Hyphy.”

“We’re in Montana, he can’t get hyphy all the way,” Boe said, laughing. (For the non-urban, ‘hyphy’ is San Francisco Bay Area slang for getting crazy drunk to the point of stupidity.)

“We get a fair number of rap artists here, despite what people might think,” said The Other Side bouncer Brad Timmons.

Timmons said The Other Side gets a handful of touring rap artists each year, shows that usually draw “a pretty good crowd.”

“The show was awesome,” said University of Montana student Dylan Richmond. “It was packed, and they (the bouncers) were kicking people out left and right. It was crazy in there.”

Jay called his fans his “street team,” and said he is part of a rap “movement” in Montana. The 19-year-old has been performing in Missoula for two years, mostly at local venues like The Other Side and the Elks Club.

“It’s all about being heard,” he said. “You’ve got to stay on it, get in people’s faces … it’s lots of hard work and pushing CDs.”

But Jay said he feels he’s making an impact. Jay and his group, Nine Side Click, have landed a couple of gigs and will be part of a show on April 18 at the Loft. Nine Side Click will be performing along with other regional rap groups Filth and Foul, Certified Outfit, and Holy Fam.