M-Dot & DJ Jean Maron – Run MPC

    Just north of Boston lies a town named Lynn, the so-called “City of Sin” of Massachusetts’ North Shore, where the rent prices are low and the crime rates are high. During the hot summers its residents can be found partying at Boston’s clubs (or the hardcore locals may be at D’Marcos), or hanging out getting some sun at Revere Beach while they eat one of the area’s famous roast beef sandwiches. But come winter time, when the temperatures plummet, the snow falls, and suddenly everyone is living in one huge freezer where there’s not much to do at night, the conditions are perfect to breed some of Mass’ toughest emcees.

    Enter Michael “M-Dot” Januario, the Revere and East Boston-bred Italian American currently residing in Lynn who has teamed up with French deejay and producer Jean Maron for the collaborative LP, Run MPC. While the effort showcases a fair amount of Murda Mass emcees (Termanology, Reks, Akrobatik, Lyric Jones, Big Shug, and more) it also boasts a lineup of strong lyricists from elsewhere (Masta Ace, Chino XL, Billy Danze, Sha Stimuli, etc.) which will keep out-of-towners not so alienated. Just by reading the track listing listeners will know they’re in for lyrical manslaughter, so the biggest question mark surrounding the project lies in DJ Jean Maron’s production abilities. This will most likely boil down to a matter of personal taste. Thankfully, there is a healthy blend of hard-hitting boom bap-style beats balanced by some slowed down, mellowed out tunes for those rainy New England days that will satisfy a wide variety of listeners and moods.

    Unexpectedly, the intro gives the project a rough start, with Jean Maron’s cuts being far from impressive. Luckily this can be overlooked as Maron produces better than he scratches, and the album quickly moves forward to bangers like “Be Easy” featuring Torae, Chino XL, B.A.M., and femcee Lyric Jones. Although the slap-you-in-the-face beat seems tailored to M.O.P’s Billy Danze who shows up later on Run MPC, each lyricist comes correct. Especially notable is the “Puerto Rican Superhero” Chino XL’s verse during which he informs us, “I’m the strongest rapper livin’, why would I run? / Usin syllables like religion until this life’s done.” Another definite standout is “The Feel” featuring Sha Stimuli. Sha spits acapella, “It’s so sincere when it comes from your soul / Kids dying young and it never gets old/you don’t even have to understand the words in the verses but / When you feel, it’s so perfect” as a melancholy, vocal sample-based beat eases in and allows Sha to take the introspective route as he waxes poetic in the role of a drug dealer who is feeling accountable for killing his customers.

    No particular song is distinctively bad, rather the lowest points on Run MPC come in the form of the aforementioned intro and M-Dot’s outro – which is nothing more than a bunch of shout outs that would have been better suited in liner notes, as it gives the otherwise solid album a mixtape feel. The actual tracks reach average status from time to time (see “Rap Game” featuring Craig G of Marley Marl’s legendary Juice Crew, and “The Warning” which boldly utilizes the same sample that fellow New England-bred producer Statik Selektah used on M.O.P’s “Blow the Horns”), but thanks to an impressive lyrical show from M-Dot and friends, they never reach below-average territory.

    As listeners will be more convinced than ever of M-Dot’s lyrical abilities, Run MPC will also serve as an effective argument to non-Bostonians as to why they should be paying attention to the Massachusetts Hip Hop scene as a whole with tracks like “Tap Out,” “Mama,” and “Mass.” While the seasons change and the citizens of Lynn grab their coats and boots, M-Dot has provided his audience a soundtrack that will go along perfectly with the colder weather and darkening moods that the upcoming New England Fall will bring.

    Purchase Run MPC here.

    55 thoughts on “M-Dot & DJ Jean Maron – Run MPC

    1. I’ve only heard 2 or 3 songs featured on this album and I disagree about the cuts…ill scratch like JEAN MARON always did on his classics mixtapes.

    2. Good to see that cats are still doing real hip-hop still. I heard a bunch of songs from mdot but Im glad to see him finally have a project out, and get rave reviews on lyricism. Keep going from boston my dude

      Real cool to see chino on this too
      whens it dropping

    3. yo M-Dot comes hard, always… but this album is somethin vicious! lyrics are on point, beats are hard and features out the a$$! album is a definite cop and the vinyl too!

    4. Really good album put together by M-Dot. He’s got some talent on here, and of course M-Dot himself comes correct with his lyrics.

    5. Great record and a lot of blood, sweat and tears put into making it possible. I don’t just say that cuz Dot’s my brother but because I’ve seen his progression and how far he’s climbed. With this album he shows he can hang with the big dogs for sure.

    6. M-Dot is coming in with a strong tactical flow that will not be denied. Nicely put together By DJ Jean Maron. Great collabs. Two thumbs up.

    7. Hell Yeaaah buddy !! Once again mista Jean Maron is back behind turbtables with a high level prod and blend tracks as usual.Hot mixes 4 sure. Keep on Keeping it real man.

      1. Much respect for your work Jean Maron. I know what pain it took you to get this all together.
        I hope that people will hear the same greatness on your album like I do.
        Much respect to M Dot and all the appearing rappers too. They all did a great job. But still, you are the glue that kept it all together!!!!
        Peace
        nikkel k

      1. You forget to mention racists, jerk, bums, and silly idiot and retarded neo-nazi…….hip hop is my home…..wash out when you step in my house.

      2. you serious? really? dumbass mexicans been here since the start..before the white man.you mad?you mad cuz when you hear drug related rap you know that mexicans are actually running the drug game.this isnt scarface this isnt the 80’s.mexicans are in every black hood.and taking over those hoods, example l.a..46% latino, 9% black..gangland is latino.latinos has the street knowledge you obviously lack

      3. ive listened to hiphop ever since i can remember.when pac was being played on power 106,kday,the beat 92.3 .real l.a. shit.and i could recognize i racist cop from a mile away.and a racist black man,chinese man,korean,whatever, doesnt get my respect.that shit dont fly in our city.put a whole clip in your belly.SOUTH CENTRAL LOS ANGELES!!we run this gangsta shit

    8. This nigga mdot stays impressing. Keep doing you thing. Feeling that joint you did before this cd with Reef. Much respect

    9. Yo, real talk. M-Dot can definitely spit, but let’s be honest, man, Jean Maron’s production is super average. The beats are pretty shitty, i was mad dissapointed. I mean, it still has the classic boom-bap, cuttin/scratchin and shit, but the way he puts the samples together is some elementary shit. It sounds like a little kid on a mpc tryin to play “row row row ur boat” or some shit. Some basic ass melodies. Dissapointment.

      1. HI BALLS,
        It’s may ba just a matter of opinion but I disagree, or to more precise I don’t think your judgment is fair enought. I don’t know any of the artists involved in RUN MPC I’m just a simple listenners who cop the album on Emusic. You can’t say that the 17 beats of the 17 songs are “Super average” I agree with the reviewer “the level never go under average” wish is totaly different than the whole album is average. I will not talk about the music but only about the beats like you do. To me half of the album is really really dope and beats sounds like i love (sounds like primo, pete rock or 9 wonder). I’ve listen the album in loop 10 times…..it’s impossible to wrote “average” if you have listen to the BIG SHUG beat, BE EASY beat, Warning beat. May be it’s an european point of view but to me it’s a good and real hip hop album and not just a compilation of songs. And it’s 50% due to Jean Maron’s talent.
        I’ve never heard of them before I read this review. All i can say is that I wasn’t dispapointed to pay 9.99 euros for that album.
        Once again it’s just a matter of opinion. But to me you can’t judge an album withtout dropping some songs “title” and tell 17 songs are garbage except if you haven’t listen to the album.
        Did you buy it ? else where did you listen to it ? on iTunes ….not sure that 20 sec of a song is enought to judge a full album.
        Peace from germany

      2. I just miss to tell that if i took the time to wrote this long answer it’s because this review made me buy the album. And I thanks the reviewer because I discover an album that bring me pleasure. It’s definitly not the album of the decade but i would love to know what are the favorites albums of the people who don’t love this kind of music “souljha boy ???”
        I was more disappointed when i used to buy the buckshoot Krs one album or last NAS. As i’am german Im more focus on beats than lyrics.

      3. LIke I said, it has that classic boom-bap/Premo style. But the beats he put together aren’t that great. There are a couple that are pretty decent, but alot are basic as hell and get maaaad repetitive..Just not that good.

    10. I wouldnt go as far to say that the beats were terrible, but the emceeing stood out most to me. And especially this nigga mDot. Beats weren’t brutal, but the lyrics overall dominated the whole effort.
      “work harder, burp lava, speak the truth, verse hotter, first gotta, reach the youth, ”

      that shug, dot jean maren track is heat

    11. Personally my favorite joint was Street Knowledge, I was feeling Kool Sphere’s verse reminded me of sum vintage G-Rap flowing nice with G-Rap on the hook. I only wish Kool G Rap would have spit a verse as well.

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