The best rapper you never heard. Ethiopian-born. DMV-bred. Startup Founder/Tech CEO. Artist. Writer. Entrepreneur. Scouting Report:  Lyrics, flow, delivery, depth, versatility, punchlines, storylines, word play, wit, charisma, insight, positivity and passion. Think Jay meets, Pac mixed with Nas, Cole, Fab and Kiss.

Nashville, Tennessee emcee Malcolm DeWayne (fka Mac L) is a battle-tested emcee who has persevered through a number of setbacks to get where he is now. This raw reality is present in his art from the second you press play. Paying homage to the underground sound, boxing him into those tropes does the listener a disservice. DeWayne diversifies his flows and delivery to provide a unique experience that is rare to find in this day and age. On top of his hip-hop career, Malcolm DeWayne is making history by being the co-founder of America’s first Black owned vinyl pressing company called Mid South Record Pressing. Malcolm is a versatile talent not only in the hip-hop space but the art of music, as we pass the midpoint of 2020, Dewayne has more in store for his fans. 

Malcolm DeWayne came up at a time when hip-hop wasn’t a fully respected artform in Nashville let alone Tennessee but before we get to that let’s go back. Dewayne’s entire family introduced him to the wonders and beauty of music as a toddler. “Every member of my family brought different styles of music home...I was soaking up all the sounds I could hear,” DeWayne says. What set DeWayne apart at a young age is his willingness to listen to other genres of music, widening his spectrum of taste. On the hip-hop side of things, Malcolm was more interested in the niche and intellectual topics in music versus the misogyny and materialism that we see from other artists. Malcolm recalls reading ‘Rhythm & Business: The Political Economy of Black Music’ by Norman Kelley. “I first read that book at around 13-14 and it helped drive my decision around pursuing music for a career.” Thus our hero was born. 

The Tennessee artist roots are in the underground sound, however Malcolm DeWayne isn’t your stereotypical backpacker. DeWayne’s varied flows and conversational delivery and ear for raw production, made DeWayne one of a kind. Senior year of high school would have DeWayne start to create his debut project “The Great American Paper Chase”. “The idea started my senior year in high school with a demo tape and became a full fledged mixtape during my second year at Middle Tennessee State University,” DeWayne says. During this whole process, Malcolm was still studying the game, experimenting with delivery to bring us a project that propelled his grind into other areas. 

After his debut Malcolm DeWayne started his own publishing company, co-founded a student organization and became director of the campus radio station. All this and Malcolm hadn’t graduated college just yet, already laying down a legacy that carries onto this day. It’s not over yet though, as DeWayne proceeded to drop his sophomore effort “Raw Material”. Once graduating college our hero was denied entry level opportunities as most Black men are. “I coped and took advantage of the frustration and free time by compiling what became Raw Material,” DeWayne recalls. All of the work DeWayne has put in is also seen in the widespread appeal he has garnering coverage from DJ Booth, Concrete Magazine and more also being named a Top 50 emcee by AllHipHop. Moreover Malcolm DeWayne has performed with likes of GZA, Nappy Roots, Ghostface and others further solidifying his legacy. Earlier this year, DeWayne teamed up with with Fashawn and Skyzoo to release “Skyline” produced by Zen Buddah and is the lead single for their upcoming collaboration album called “Zen Buddah & The Soul Dragon”. Now’s the time to open your ears to Malcolm DeWayne, with over a decade in the game creating stellar content, DeWayne is just getting started.

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