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Welcome to Oakland, rap fans. Resident rappers Mistah F.A.B. and E-40 invite you inside their neighborhood — around 40th Street and West Street to be exact — thanks to XXL‘s new video series, Run This Town. Mr. “Beast Mode” Marshawn Lynch, a running back for the Seattle Seahawks, also joins in the conversation, which gives an inside look into the people, places and things that influenced them coming up in the home of the hyphy movement.
Marshawn Lynch, famous for his “I’m just here so I won’t get fined” catchphrase during media day prior to the 2015 Super Bowl, is a bit more vocal here, chiming in on memories of the block he and the Son of a Pimp creator — the two are cousins — grew up on.
“This where we used to come. Stores, dice games, parties, house parties,” F.A.B. says as he, Lynch and two friends sit in the stairwell of an apartment complex.
“First bike stole,” Lynch adds.
“A lot of cats from the 40s, this was our meeting grounds right here. It was our central unit for everybody to go bust they moves whatever they was doing when we was kids. It birthed a lot of stuff but it also taught us a lot stuff. We lost a lot of homies,” F.A.B. continues.
Just like they’re influencing the youth with their respective moves in the music and sports worlds, F.A.B. and Lynch looked to local artists 3X Krazy, Bad-N-Fluenz, Dangerous Dame and Askari X to provide the soundtrack to their teenage years.
At one point, the rapper gets caught up in his feelings, as Lynch puts it, addressing the latter’s positive community involvement despite the media attaching negativity to his name, which has caused him to become apprehensive when speaking with journalists. “To all y’all media outlets, to all you ESPNs and CNNs… y’all wanna know how y’all can get it, come to our block, come to the Fam First football program, come to the block parties, come to the backpack giveaways, come out here,” F.A.B. states.
When E-40 makes his appearance, he arrives with a bottle in hand and delivers daps all around. The three pose for photos and share laughs as 40 admits he has a “best side” for the camera. While F.A.B. points out that he notices the “Tell Me When to Go” MC has been in the gym, 40 responds with a hilarious quip. “Come on man, I tuck that thing in,” he states, referring to his belly.
Watch Marshawn Lynch drop some gems about his football career and community involvement, Mistah F.A.B. take a visit to auntie’s house and E-40 make you laugh above.
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