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In Conversation With Shoreline Mafia
OHGEESY and Fenix Flexin are growing up.Despite making some of the most memorable West Coast trap music of the last 10 years, the Los Angeles-based duo behind Shoreline Mafia has traded all-nighters for intensive gym sessions and black label bottles for Erewhon smoothies. OHGEESY even bumps jazz and classical music more than anything else these days.Half a decade since their last studio album Mafia Bidness (2020), the former quartet (which also featured Rob Vicious and Master Kato) has turned into a pair – one more locked in than ever before, confidently picking back right where they left off but better.“Prioritizing the mental allows us to do everything better. We’re growing up, and the music is growing with us,” Flexin explained.Days off their longform return to the music scene with Back in Bidness – commemorated in proper LA fashion by a Born X Raised collaboration – and days ahead of their first performance as a duo in five years at Coachella – the rappers divulged more.How have the first few days off the album release felt?Fenix Flexin: I feel like we’re about to be at the biggest point in our career very shortly, so I’m trying to harness that star power like a surge of energy going through me. I feel like a real rapper.Why was now the time for a proper Shoreline Mafia reunion?OHGEESY: We were locked in on our solo careers the whole time we were apart. We’re both at different stages in our lives than we were five years ago. We’re older and wiser now, and everything just feels right.How does each of your solo work differ from your work as Shoreline Mafia?FF: It’s a lot more fun recording together.OG: When we’re together, it’s easier to make good party music.FF: Solo projects feel more like work. When we’re together, it’s a lot more fun. The chemistry we have is magical. You can’t put a price on it. It makes it really easy to work.Why do you think that is?FF: When we started making music, it was together. It wasn’t until after that that we started coming into our individual voices. We know each other’s rhyme patterns and cadences so well that it’s almost subconscious.OG: We really are like twins but opposites. Like yin and yang.What do you admire about the other person as an artist?FF: Bro has them hooks. It takes me a long time to get a good hook. He just goes in like boom. 10-15 minutes. That’s something I’m not able to do. It also makes rapping the verses pretty easy – the verse is the easy part when you have a good hook.OG: Fenix has fire energy, and I have cool energy. They balance each other out.Is this a continuation of Mafia Bidness or a whole new era?OG: A continuation. We’re picking up right where we left off, and we’re doing it better.Has your creative process or outlook changed at all?OG: We’re so locked in our health this time, which has played into the creative process.FF: Back then, we were partying all the time. This time, we’re in the gym. We’re eating right. We’re picking each other up. Prioritizing the mental allows us to do everything better. We’re growing up, and the music is growing with us.Tell me more about the significance of your Born X Raised collaboration.FF: Shoutout Geesy, man. Those were all his designs.OG: We were close with Spanto before he passed away and we’ve always been tapped in with the brand. To see it come to fruition was amazing.FF: A real blessing to make that happen. One of my favorite brands to come out of LA.What else are you guys feeling right now fashion-wise?FF: I always say the same thing. Wear what you like. Don’t wear something because you see someone else wearing it.OG: I like GALLERY DEPT.. I really got into them because I found out they’re from Hollywood too.FF: Love GALLERY pants. My favorite jeans to wear.How did you pick the cover art?OG: It’s a direct reference to a Capone-N-Noreaga album. We love to reference 1990s and early 2000s stuff.Favorite songs from the album that may go overlooked?FF: “Tusi” and “Too Often.”OG: My all-time favorite is “Back 2 Back.”How would you describe the sound of the album in your own words?OG: Trap music slash party music.FF: Players can bump it. The regular people can bump it. The ladies can bump it. It’s for everybody. It’s a well-rounded project.What else are you listening to right now?FF: I like the new Playboi Carti album. [starts signing “BACKD00R"]. I listen to a lot of house music. A lot of Red Hot Chili Peppers. A lot of Future, always.OG: Jazz. I listen to a lot of classical music on drives. As for rap, I’ve been listening to Central Cee’s album. Lil Durk’s album.How do you approach translating the album into a live performance?OG: We just have to go out there and do what we do to the highest quality.FF: After performing together for so long, it comes naturally to us. Usually, we don’t rehearse as much as we are doing now for Coachella, which I can imagine will make a big difference in our performance.Are we gonna see some throwbacks in the setlist?OG: We gotta do some of the classics, of course…Click here
OHGEESY and Fenix Flexin are growing up.
Despite making some of the most memorable West Coast trap music of the last 10 years, the Los Angeles-based duo behind Shoreline Mafia has traded all-nighters for intensive gym sessions and black label bottles for Erewhon smoothies. OHGEESY even bumps jazz and classical music more than anything else these days.
Half a decade since their last studio album Mafia Bidness (2020), the former quartet (which also featured Rob Vicious and Master Kato) has turned into a pair – one more locked in than ever before, confidently picking back right where they left off but better.
“Prioritizing the mental allows us to do everything better. We’re growing up, and the music is growing with us,” Flexin explained.
Days off their longform return to the music scene with Back in Bidness – commemorated in proper LA fashion by a Born X Raised collaboration – and days ahead of their first performance as a duo in five years at Coachella – the rappers divulged more.
How have the first few days off the album release felt?
Fenix Flexin: I feel like we’re about to be at the biggest point in our career very shortly, so I’m trying to harness that star power like a surge of energy going through me. I feel like a real rapper.
Why was now the time for a proper Shoreline Mafia reunion?
OHGEESY: We were locked in on our solo careers the whole time we were apart. We’re both at different stages in our lives than we were five years ago. We’re older and wiser now, and everything just feels right.
How does each of your solo work differ from your work as Shoreline Mafia?
FF: It’s a lot more fun recording together.
OG: When we’re together, it’s easier to make good party music.
FF: Solo projects feel more like work. When we’re together, it’s a lot more fun. The chemistry we have is magical. You can’t put a price on it. It makes it really easy to work.
Why do you think that is?
FF: When we started making music, it was together. It wasn’t until after that that we started coming into our individual voices. We know each other’s rhyme patterns and cadences so well that it’s almost subconscious.
OG: We really are like twins but opposites. Like yin and yang.
What do you admire about the other person as an artist?
FF: Bro has them hooks. It takes me a long time to get a good hook. He just goes in like boom. 10-15 minutes. That’s something I’m not able to do. It also makes rapping the verses pretty easy – the verse is the easy part when you have a good hook.
OG: Fenix has fire energy, and I have cool energy. They balance each other out.
Is this a continuation of Mafia Bidness or a whole new era?
OG: A continuation. We’re picking up right where we left off, and we’re doing it better.
Has your creative process or outlook changed at all?
OG: We’re so locked in our health this time, which has played into the creative process.
FF: Back then, we were partying all the time. This time, we’re in the gym. We’re eating right. We’re picking each other up. Prioritizing the mental allows us to do everything better. We’re growing up, and the music is growing with us.
Tell me more about the significance of your Born X Raised collaboration.
FF: Shoutout Geesy, man. Those were all his designs.
OG: We were close with Spanto before he passed away and we’ve always been tapped in with the brand. To see it come to fruition was amazing.
FF: A real blessing to make that happen. One of my favorite brands to come out of LA.
What else are you guys feeling right now fashion-wise?
FF: I always say the same thing. Wear what you like. Don’t wear something because you see someone else wearing it.
OG: I like GALLERY DEPT.. I really got into them because I found out they’re from Hollywood too.
FF: Love GALLERY pants. My favorite jeans to wear.
How did you pick the cover art?
OG: It’s a direct reference to a Capone-N-Noreaga album. We love to reference 1990s and early 2000s stuff.
Favorite songs from the album that may go overlooked?
FF: “Tusi” and “Too Often.”
OG: My all-time favorite is “Back 2 Back.”
How would you describe the sound of the album in your own words?
OG: Trap music slash party music.
FF: Players can bump it. The regular people can bump it. The ladies can bump it. It’s for everybody. It’s a well-rounded project.
What else are you listening to right now?
FF: I like the new Playboi Carti album. [starts signing “BACKD00R"]. I listen to a lot of house music. A lot of Red Hot Chili Peppers. A lot of Future, always.
OG: Jazz. I listen to a lot of classical music on drives. As for rap, I’ve been listening to Central Cee’s album. Lil Durk’s album.
How do you approach translating the album into a live performance?
OG: We just have to go out there and do what we do to the highest quality.
FF: After performing together for so long, it comes naturally to us. Usually, we don’t rehearse as much as we are doing now for Coachella, which I can imagine will make a big difference in our performance.
Are we gonna see some throwbacks in the setlist?
OG: We gotta do some of the classics, of course…
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