I Knew When I Heard This It Just Fit The Movie Soundtrack: Raw, Real, and Rap
by Chazz Pratt - Producer/Actor/Writer Shade Pictures
I met a mutual Friend of Rapper Lil Macc Loco several months ago. At the time, my Mother had passed away and I had just started working on a movie project called Border Lords II - Dark Secrets with my Friend of 39 years, Jazz Pianist Billy Townes. Billy mentioned that he had lots of work to do, to include producing the soundtrack for the movie. He had many different styles of music to consider, including Latin, Soul, Hip-Hop, Mariachi, Classical, Country, and others that fit the theme of his movie. I kept an ear out for the right fit for the soundtrack.
So, one day I casually mentioned the Border Lords II project and this mutual friend said they know an up & coming Rapper named Lil Macc Loco. Macc was described as a talented Rapper that's been working hard to make it in the industry. I asked for a CD and the next day I had 16 tracks from Lil Macc.
I popped the CD in my car and started listening - did I mention I was supposed to be at work at the time? I listened to about 3 tracks, went back to work, and found a reason (or excuse) to get back in the car to listen. My first impression of his songs was that they were raw, very real, and a style of rap that had it's own signature. Lil Macc Loco is no copycat. He's an original with influences just like all musicians, but he's got a unique gift.
So, I chose 5 songs to present to Billy Townes for consideration to be included in the Border Lords II soundtrack. Of course, as with any movie, the music is only used for a few seconds. It's like Lil Macc Loco captured the essence of what we were trying to accomplish with the movie. For me or Billy to try to write a Rap would have been a disservice to the craft and it would have been a misrepresentation of the hip-hop/rap culture. That's a fancy way of saying we grew up smack dab in the middle of THE HILL and THE HOOD in El Paso, TX so we understand where the music comes from, but we have not lived it.
Let me encourage you to truly LISTEN to Lil Macc Loco's music not just HEAR it. I think people are turned off by any music that does not suit their taste because they don't take the time to appreciate the story being told. For example, there's another meaning to the song title for Track #6 on Make Way For The DeadMan. After you listen to Chapter 11, you'll gain some insight and knowledge.
Lil Macc Loco's music simply blew me away! He talks about real situations in his Raps. His delivery is solid. If you don't pay close attention to his lyrics, you might miss some truth. His music made a huge positive impact on the Border Lords II movie - an independent film about a fictional crime syndicate run by The Cortez Family in El Paso, TX.
Check out these tracks from Make Way For The DeadMan that made the Border Lords II soundtrack: Brotha's, Old School OG, Chapter 11, Breathe, along with a rap from one of Lil Macc Loco's previous releases.
