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Bodega BAMZ ‘#ThankYou2DBZ’ Interview

blame it on Paul Thompson January 24, 2014

Take a minute and sift through rap Twitter. Before you get too deep into the abyss, chances are you’ll run across some angry tirade against 2dopeboyz or its founders, Shake and Meka. The line of reasoning is usually the same, and it goes something like ‘fuck you guys for not posting my music… but please post my music.’

You see, since it was founded in 2007, 2dopeboyz has become an institution in hip-hop. In the murky, crowded world of the rap blogosphere, 2DBZ has cultivated a reputation as one of the best because it strives to be one simple, elusive thing: a meritocracy.

No one owns a corporate interest in the site. There are no numerically scored album reviews. You won’t find the founders or staff members pushing clothing or liquor tie-ins in music posts. Instead, Shake and Meka have worked tirelessly to be the final (and often the first) word in rap music new and old.

And people have taken notice. Fans flock to the site for news and exclusive material from their favorite artists, but also to see what’s ahead on the horizon. Artists and other members of the industry trust 2DBZ because of their commitment to fair, honest commentary and their integrity when it comes to unreleased music.

Harlemite Bodega Bamz talks about all this and more in a new interview with PRVT PRTY for their #ThankYou2DBZ campaign, held at RocksmithNYC‘s office. The Strictly 4 My P.A.P.I.Z. rapper recalls what 2dopeboyz meant for him as an aspiring artist in New York and what space the site occupies online and on the streets.

Words by Paul Thompson.

(For the record, I’m not writing this from a yacht Shake bought for me. It’s only a lease.)