BlocBoy JB to release new Tay Keith-produced mixtape; 'Blocumentary' series debuts

Two of Memphis’ top hip-hop talents are set to release a new project together. Rapper BlocBoy JB will release a new mixtape, “Bacc 2 Da Bloc,” executive produced by star producer Tay Keith.

The album is set to come out Jan. 26 on Yo Gotti’s CMG label.

BlocBoy and Keith — longtime collaborators and boyhood friends who grew up together in Raleigh — have dropped a pair of singles over the past few months, including the recent “M.E.M 2 Jacksonville (feat. SpotemGottem)” and “Day Day N Craig,” which pays homage to Ice Cube's and Mike Epps’ iconic characters from “Next Friday” and “Friday After Next.”

MEMPHIS RAP: These 5 pioneers of Memphis rap helped pave the way for city's current hip-hop renaissance

MEMPHIS IN MAY: After an eventful 24 hours, BlocBoy JB delivers big at Beale Street Music Festival

The release of “Bacc 2 Da Bloc” will be accompanied by an online documentary series called “Blocumentary.” The first episode debuted this week on YouTube. In it, Keith and various other rappers — including Yo Gotti and Clay “Krucial” Perry — talk about BlocBoy’s past and future.

“Me and Bloc been working on this s*** for the past year or two,” producer Keith says of “Bacc 2 Da Bloc.” “The point of it is to show people like Bloc still at it."

“I feel like this is me, back to the old me, back to the basics,” BlocBoy notes of the forthcoming mixtape.

MEMPHIS RAPPERS TO KNOW: Clay 'Krucial' Perry III moves from behind the board to behind the mic

MEMPHIS MUSIC IN 2021: Tragedy and triumph: A look back at the year in Memphis music

Keith — who was born in South Memphis, lived in East Memphis, then Orange Mound and Raleigh — got his start working with BlocBoy JB in 2017, producing his multiplatinum smash single with Drake, “Look Alive,” and the viral dance hit "Shoot."

Keith was already making a national impact with his production even while finishing up classes as a college senior at Middle Tennessee State University in 2018. He would go on to serve up hits for Drake ("Nonstop"), Eminem ("Not Alike"), Lil Wayne ("Hasta La Vista"), Migos and Cardi B (“Type S***”) and Beyoncé (“Before I Go”). Keith’s work on Travis Scott's "Sicko Mode" (a track Keith co-produced) hit No. 1 on the charts and also got nominated for a Grammy.

In addition to his run of early Keith-produced singles, BlocBoy has continued to work steadily, having released nine mixtapes since his debut in 2016 and a studio album, “FatBoy,” for Interscope in 2020. He’s also continued to rack up features, guest appearances and collaborations, including a series of singles with fellow Memphis rapper NLE Choppa and tracks with CMG label mates Yo Gotti and Moneybagg Yo.

Although none of his recent singles since have generated the excitement of “Look Alive” or “Shoot,” the reunion with Keith on “Bacc 2 Da Bloc” looks to reestablish the 25-year-old rapper.

“I definitely fee like he's super focused,” says CMG label head Yo Gotti in “Blocumentary." “I think he feel like he got a point to prove, which I think is a good thing. But I also think he’s proved his point.”

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: BlocBoy JB to release Tay Keith-produced 'Bacc 2 Da Bloc' mixtape