Long Beach has long been on hip-hop’s map as a result of Snoop Dogg’s eternal popularity, but in recent years, the nation’s gaze has been returned to the city by the sea thanks to the efforts of a rising crop of rappers that includes, Vince Staples, Seafood Sam, and Huey Briss. Huey himself dropped by Uproxx Studios to demonstrate just why North Long Beach deserves its renewed time in the spotlight with a gritty rendition of the song “Grace Park Legend (Norfside)” from his spring 2021 album of the same name.
In a recent interview with the Long Beach Post, Huey breaks down the thematic drive behind the chilling single. “When I’m talking about North Long Beach, I’m talking about people that aren’t there. It’s like I’m talking to ghosts,” he says. “Ninety percent of the people I grew up with are not even here. They’re all in jail, but not because they’re bad people, but because they’re broke. What you want to do? Go to college? You never see nobody do that. You only want to be what you see, and you see everybody around you steal a car, you’re gonna steal a car.”
Fortunately, the self-proclaimed Grace Park legend’s music is starting to take off, as evidenced by the publication of the deluxe version of his record, which you can listen to here.
UPROXX Sessions is a performance show hosted by Uproxx that features the hottest up-and-coming talents to keep an eye on. UPROXX Sessions is a showcase of some of our favorite acts, who just might be yours, too, with creative direction by LA promotion team Ham On Everything and taking place on our “bathroom” set conceived and painted by Julian Gross.
