Moneybagg Yo and Blac Youngsta team up
Two of Memphis’ top rappers, Moneybagg Yo and Blac Youngsta, have teamed up for the release of a joint mixtape titled “Code Red,” out Friday.
The project was first suggested earlier this week during an Instagram Live conversation between the two artists. Official confirmation of the record came Wednesday from their respective labels, with the 13-track “Code Red” being released through N-less Entertainment/ Interscope Records and Epic Records/ CMG Enterprises.
The album’s leadoff single, “Super Hot,” was produced by 20-year-old South Carolina wunderkind Tahj Money. “Code Red” also features guest appearances by Yo Gotti, 42 Dugg, City Girls and Dababy, among others.
In a statement announcing the project, Moneybagg and Blac Youngsta — who have a long history together personally and on record — hyped their natural chemistry.
“It felt like some 2Pac and Biggie s*** the whole time we were recording,” Blac Youngsta said.
Moneybagg added, “I knew this project was going to be hard, every time we link it’s pressure.”
Moneybagg and Blac Youngsta got their start together in local hip-hop group Memphis Greatest Unrated before going on to solo careers. In more recent years, they have collaborated and been featured together on a number of notable tracks including “Blac Money” and “Goodbye.”
Most recently, they scored with “1 2 3,” which appeared on Moneybagg’s 2020 album “Time Served.” The track, which has surpassed 140 million streams globally, reached gold sales status and became a hit at urban radio.
Born Demario Dewayne White Jr., Moneybagg Yo gained attention starting in 2012 with a series of mixtapes like “From Da Block 2 Da Booth.” His second full-length project, “43va Heartless,” which debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard chart, came out in 2019. “Time Served,” was released this past January, and hit No. 3 on the album charts.
Meanwhile, Blac Youngsta — a longtime member of Yo Gotti’s CMG collective — released his sophomore album for CMG/EPIC, “Church on Sunday,” in 2019. The 30-year-old MC — born Sammie Marquez Benson — has previously collaborated with high profile artists including Tory Lanez, T.I., Dababy, G-eazy, Wiz Khalifa and Ty Dolla Sign, among others.
Tuesday’s Moneybagg/blac Youngsta Instagram Live conversation found the two rappers who, apparently had separate records planned, seemingly decide to scrap their respective albums and release a joint project instead.
“You one of my favorites when it comes to lyrics and bars and s***, bro,” Blac Youngsta told Moneybagg. “So, me doing a [project] with you... come on man.”
“F*** our solo s***,” says Moneybagg Yo. “We got to do that, bro.”
How genuinely spontaneous the decision to release a joint project was is not entirely clear. Particularly as Moneybagg
Yo and Blac Youngsta have already shot a video for “Super Hot,” directed by GT Films (Lil Baby, Lil Yachty, Birdman).
“The video shows what you get from me and Bagg every time we do a song together it’s always something superhot,” Blac Youngsta said.
Moneybagg Yo and Blacc Youngsta’s “Code Red” is available on all platforms now.