Make way for "Queen of da South" in MC MADuum ShonTé Renae's debut mixtape
Listen to it on Bandcamp
By D Menzies
Just under a week ago today, Jan. 15, Dallas MC MADuum ShonTé Renae dropped “Queen of da South” on Bandcamp. Among the latest hip hop releases, it stood out for several reasons — not the least being the production that sounds like ‘90s hip hop with a little more polish. It’s also how that fits the lyrical content: the braggadocio ShonTé Renae says has been part of rap since the beginning, in this instance coming with allusions to chess pieces — a pawn and a queen — in a world where people are frequently trying to treat someone like the former.
There’s also very good wordplay. Some songs always stand out depending on the listener, and for this one “Da Top” and “Eye to Eye” drew the most repeated listens initially. But replaying the whole album made lines in other songs pop out because, as is often the case with interesting lyricists, it was hard to catch every bit of wordplay the first time around.
ShonTé Renae was kind enough to answer some questions from Chilltown Blues about this debut album where patience, instead of kingly domination, is a virtue.
“Speaking of patience, I’ve been honing my skills and perceptions about the world as a MC for 11 years now,” ShonTé Renae said. “The majority (of people) confuse confidence as something that’s supposed to be loud and obnoxious, and because I was quiet, I appeared weak and was treated as a pawn.”
“Queen of da South” has many layers, ShonTé Renae said, “but the title was inspired by T.I., who proclaimed he was the ‘King of da South,’ and after several battles with rappers like Lil’ Flip and Shawty Lo, went on to have one of the most dominate reigns in Southern Hip Hop history.
“With that being said, nobody makes it to the top on accident and when one reaches that position it’s necessary to have the skills, experience and knowledge on how to stay there,” added ShonTé Renae.
The intro track “Nobody” flows into lyrical bopper “Rites of Passage,” which includes a soundbite from the late writer James Baldwin on the plight of Black Americans in a country where the hierarchical paradigm was shifting somewhat.
“James Baldwin is a thought leader and heavily instrumental to the Civil Rights movement in the South, leaving Harlem, NYC to be front and center in what was happening at that time in American history,” ShanTé Renae said.
“Baldwin is famous for saying, ‘I Am Not Your Negro,’ which is rebellion to the status quo that was set for Blacks especially in the South. ‘Rites of Passage’ is a turning point in my life — hence the original track is ‘Webbie-Independent’ — where James is giving me permission to choose to be who I want to be … unapologetically.”
“Now they blame us, call us dangerous, cause we mimicking the puppets they make famous." — MADuum ShanTé Renae on “Da Top”
Of aforementioned track, “Eye to Eye,” ShonTé Renae said it’s the most conceptual song on the mixtape.
It tells a story that begins with her looking out at a world that masses with her head and finds her contemplating foes whom include those who only value various forms of currency.
It “plays into the concept of ‘know thy enemy,” she said. “And to know your enemy, you have to study them.”
Her words on the song — “The arrogance, variance of said opponents, didn’t heed warnings, obsessed with longings” — “This could only be concluded with observation—pun intended,” ShonTé Renae said.
“Da Top” has quite the introduction (some of the words to which are include in a pull quote above) and it never falters from that high bar.
“I said, ‘Even when I’m dressed down, they say I’m dressed up,” because unlike most rappers I don’t have the trappings of a traditional rapper and yet it’s assumed I have money. I mentioned Tupac because of the ‘Ambitions of a Ridah/hustla’ line (also, a Young JEEZY song off his debut “TM:101” album, she adds) I was alluding to the fact that he was more of a poet than a rapper, similar to how I would describe myself. Furthermore, poetry is about truth and introspection. In the last few bars, I was paying homage to Dallas with my flow.”
ShonTé Renae calls this song the climax of the mixtape, “the ultimate showdown.”
“I’m finally showing my hand and playing the cards I was dealt,” she said. “The object of chess is to take the opponent’s king, therefore I’m not even the target. The queen’s position is powerful because of her freedom to move whichever way is necessary to protect the king. More importantly, I can never move recklessly because just like I can move like a pawn, I can also get taken out by a pawn.
"‘They want it in an instant, I get stronger, waiting,’ (ShonTé Renae raps on this track).
“This requires strategy,” she said of that line.
Full circle
The mixtape’s last two tracks, “Nun to Play With” and “Overcome,” are a reiteration of being formidable and aware of the people who didn’t care when it appeared otherwise.
“How a person demonstrates power has everything to do with their character,” ShonTé Renae said. “‘Men look at appearance but God judges the heart,’ meaning people treat you better when you have money, power and/or prestige but those same people look down at you when they perceive you don’t have any of those aforementioned things. ‘Overcome’ is my victory lap because like the mixtape started off telling listeners, ‘There’s always some new, up incoming ‘nigga’ you don’t know until you do,’ and because of their biases they never saw me coming.'“
Find ShonTe Renae on Instagram @maduumboss and “Queen of da South” on Bandcamp.