Critical Praise:
“We here at POW are absolute suckers for a good crew cut, and this one checks every box. Staying in the Bay, anchored by a Keak Da Sneak sample, the record assembles six rappers with shared geography but wildly different approaches, all tearing through a beat built on creeping bells and forward motion. The energy feels jet-fueled, verses piling up with barely a pause to breathe.” – Passion of the Weiss
The Video:
1 Umbrella, the Bay Area’s hottest supergroup, have taken their home region by storm with their electric chemistry and aspirational anthems. The group’s two Oakland representatives, ALLBLACK and 22nd Jim, retreat to the countryside in “Change My Ways,” their latest music video. Produced by Brutal Money & EazyDrez, “Change My Ways” layers wailing saxes and liquid keys over propulsive percussion, creating a vibe that equally suits late night drives and poolside seshes. The two rappers and frequent collaborators trade laid back bars: Jim brags about “making plays on Motorolas,” while ALLBLACK continues to have hte best sports references in the rap game, comparing himself to both L.A. Rams coach Sean McVay and former Chicago Bears running back Matt Forte in his verse.
“Change My Ways” is a highlight from 1 Umbrella, the group’s debut album. Also featuring SF emcees Lil Bean, ZayBang & Lil Yee, the new supergroup dropped their album in early February, drawing critical acclaim from EARMILK and Passion of the Weiss and earning notice from Pitchfork. The album peaked at #24 on Apple Music’s Hip-Hop Albums chart over its debut weekend. The video for “Change My Ways” follows the recent clip for “Off Top,” a collaboration with Larry June.
All five 1 Umbrella rappers are among the most respected artists in the Bay, with long track records of success and a history of fiery collaborations. ALLBLACK and 22nd Jim hail from the same neighborhood in Oakland, while ZayBang, Lil Bean, and Lil Yee hail from across the bridge, in San Francisco, a city with a rich, if less-heralded, hip-hop history than its East Bay cousin. Spanning 15 tracks, the album gets its bounce from the five emcees’ electric chemistry, featuring all five rappers in various combinations, including true posse cuts like “CODE,” “The Blueprint” ft. DaBoii, and the Passion of the Weiss-praised “Baller Blockin.”
The group welcomes guests from across the region, including SF’s Larry June, Vallejo’s DaBoii (formerly of SOB x RBE), Berkeley-born melodic mastermind Rexx Life Raj, and East Oakland storyteller 1100 Himself. Featuring additional guest appearances from Lingo and Dooder, and production from Bay Area sound architects like Brutal Money, Reece Beats, EazyDrez, DrinkJuice, B’Lon, and DJ Idea, 1 Umbrella is available on all platforms via EMPIRE.
1 Umbrella’s album arrived just in time for the worlds of music and sports to converge on California, with the Super Bowl in Santa Clara and the NBA All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles. The 1 Umbrella rappers were outside during both weekends, sitting courtside at a Golden State Warriors game during Super Bowl weekend, then jetting to Los Angeles to film a music video for album highlight “Off Top” with Larry June. The group hosted a meet-and-greet at EMPIRE’s HQ in San Francisco, and launched a special pop-up on Montgomery Street during the album’s release weekend. The group recently discussed their mission on an episode of Million Dollaz Worth of Game, performed highlights from the new album with a live band on Yerr On The Street, and treated fans into an inside look at their high-rolling lifestyles with the “A Day in San Francisco with 1 Umbrella” vlog.
1 Umbrella has released their debut album, but they are far from finished. Keep an eye on the new group as they look to make the most of a big moment for Bay Area rap music.
Watch “Change My Ways”: https://youtu.be/wJhLM73cIQI
Watch “A Day in San Francisco with 1 Umbrella” Vlog: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W62T034oiao
Stream 1 Umbrella: https://music.empi.re/1umbrellaalbum
Watch “Off Top” ft. Larry June: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xP0JozRz0os
1 Umbrella tracklist:
Please contact Michelle or Francesca for more info.
Links:
“Off Top” ft. Larry June: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xP0JozRz0os
“One Of Those”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15KRcNgHf4g
1 Umbrella: instagram | youtube | apple | spotify
Lil Bean: instagram | apple | spotify
ALLBLACK: instagram | apple | spotify
22nd Jim: instagram | apple | spotify
ZayBang: instagram | apple | spotify
Lil Yee: instagram | apple | spotify
“Pretty”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6_KRSlgGIA
1 Umbrella: https://music.empi.re/1umbrellaalbum
“The Blueprint” ft. DaBoii: https://music.empi.re/theblueprint
“Baller Blockin”: https://youtu.be/g1aAGVd-NqI