Mac Lethal

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Mac Lethal
Birth name David McCleary Sheldon
Also known as Mac Lethal, Uncle Mac
Born July 25, 1981
Origin Kansas City, Missouri
Genres Hip hop
Occupations Producer, rapper, radio host
Years active 1998–present
Labels Rhymesayers Entertainment, Black Clover Records
Associated acts Sage Francis, Grieves & Budo, Atmosphere, Spose
Website maclethalshows.com

Mac Lethal (born David McCleary Sheldon) is a rapper from Kansas City, Missouri, of Irish descent.

Contents

Biography [edit]

Mac Lethal was born David McCleary Sheldon on July 25, 1981.[citation needed]

In 1998, he won several rap battles against local emcees from rival Kansas City high schools,[1] and began to generate a buzz amongst the very small, tightly knit Kansas City underground hip-hop community.[1] Mac entered the emcee battle at Scribble Jam hip-hop festival in August 2001 and took second place in the finals. He returned in 2002 and won the competition, and took second place in 2004.[1] Sage Francis would later take Mac on the Fuck Clear Channel Tour in 2004.[2]

In 2006, Mac founded Black Clover Records with longtime friend Jeremy Willis, who had been running the Datura Label.[3] Mac Lethal hosts Black Clover Radio Hour on the Kansas City alternative station 96.5 The Buzz. It has aired every Sunday night since 2006.

In November 2011, Sheldon released a video on YouTube of him rapping over the beat to "Look At Me Now" while he prepares a dish of pancakes in his kitchen. The video became a viral hit and got millions of views in a matter of days and led to interviews on websites like CNN and the Washington Post.[4]

Sheldon is also responsible for a Tumblr feed called "Texts From Bennett", in which he purports to divulge text message conversations between himself and his cousin Bennett. Although some have questioned whether or not Bennett is a real person, Mac insists that the conversations are 100% genuine.[5]

In 2012, Sheldon worked with ad agency McKinney in Episode 1 of AMC Network's The Pitch. McKinney's winning campaign idea, "Freestyle Breakfast," features Sheldon rapping about the breakfast sandwich toppings available at SUBWAY restaurants. The episode also shows Sheldon freestyling at a meeting with SUBWAY's marketing team.

On February 18th, 2013, Sheldon's son Rockwell Carlin "Rocky" Sheldon was born.

Albums [edit]

Debut and early EPs [edit]

After catching the attention of Hip Hop Infinity creator Jay Seagraves via his Moon Thinker EP, Mac Lethal released his debut album, Men Are from Mars, Porn Stars Are from Earth, through HHI Recordings, a record label offshoot of Seagraves' now defunct website. Mac Lethal followed with a mixtape titled The Love Potion Collection, which was originally sold through Hip Hop Infinity and came with a free copy of an early version of The Nine Situations EP. Included on The Love Potion Collection were two versions of "Pass the Ammo," an anti-war screed.[6]

The Love Potion Collection [edit]

After signing to Minneapolis-based Rhymesayers Entertainment in 2004, Mac Lethal turned in what he thought was to be his debut album for that record label. However, following the death of his mother, he took a new approach to making music.[citation needed] He scrapped that version of 11:11, releasing some tracks as the Love Potion Collection Volume 2, and began re-recording. In 2006, he released a third album in his Love Potion series, written while on tour in Canada with P.O.S. Love Potion Collection 4 contains songs that did not make it on the final Rhymesayers' released 11:11.[7]

11:11 [edit]

Mac Lethal's Rhymesayers debut album, 11:11, was released on October 9, 2007.[8] After going on tour with Atmosphere in late 2007, he embarked on another tour in support of the album in early 2008 with fellow Black Clover Records artist Grieves. His song "Sun Storm" from 11:11 was played on America's Best Dance Crew.

Irish Goodbye [edit]

Mac Lethal's album Irish Goodbye was released on December 31, 2011.[9] The album consists of 14 songs. Mac Lethal states that Irish goodbye means "you just leave the bar without telling anybody goodbye" and he explains that's what he is considering doing with his rap career in his song The Parlour. Lethal has released a number of youtube videos and demo's meaning this is unlikely.

Normal [edit]

Mac Lethal announced via his Facebook page that he would be releasing a new album titled "Normal" in 2013. Little is known yet and Lethal has said he doesn't have a set release date yet but he 'is working hard' on the album. He has announced the name of one song confirmed to be on the album, "Blood Red Ocean". From what Mac has posted so far it is clear 'Normal' is shaping up to be one of his favourite albums he has made. "This is the album we've always wanted to do: carefully written poetry.."

Discography [edit]

Albums [edit]

  • Men Are from Mars, Porn Stars Are from Earth (HHI Recording, 2002)
  • 11:11 (Rhymesayers Entertainment, 2007)
  • Irish Goodbye (Black Clover Records, 2011)
  • Normal (Black Clover Records, 2013)

Mixtapes [edit]

  • The Love Potion Collection (Black Clover Records, 2003)
  • The Love Potion Collection 2 (Black Clover Records, 2006)
  • The Love Potion Collection 3 (Black Clover Records, 2006)
  • The Love Potion Collection 4 (Black Clover Records, 2007)
  • The Crown Prime Rib Mixtape (Black Clover Records, 2008)
  • The Love Potion Collection 5 (Black Clover Records, 2009)
  • Syntax presents Mac Lethal's Insomniac Stash Volume 1 (bootleg)
  • Black Clover Presents Aged Barrel Series 1: Original 11:11 (Black Clover Records 2009)
  • Black Clover Presents Aged Barrel Series 2: Moonthinker (Black Clover Records, 2009)
  • Blood in the Water Mixtape (Black Clover Records, 2010)
  • The Love Potion Collection 6 (Black Clover Records, 2010)
  • North Korean BBQ (Black Clover Records, 2011)

EPs [edit]

  • Moon Thinker (produced by The R.E.) (2001)
  • Nine Situations (produced by Nezbeats (2003)
  • Women of Scribble Jam (vinyl) (2004)
  • Digital Love Potion EP (2008)
  • The Fred Phelps EP (2011)

Black Clover Special Reserve [edit]

  • Black Clover Presents: Special Reserve Volume 1 (Black Clover Records 2008)
  • Black Clover Presents: Special Reserve Volume 2 (Black Clover Records 2008)
  • Black Clover Presents: Special Reserve Volume 3 (Black Clover Records 2008)
  • Black Clover Presents: Special Reserve Volume 4 (Black Clover Records 2009)
  • Black Clover Presents: Special Reserve Volume 5: Town (Black Clover Records 2009)
  • Black Clover Presents: Special Reserve Volume 6 (Black Clover Records 2009)
  • Black Clover Presents: Special Reserve Volume 7 (Black Clover Records 2009)
  • Black Clover Presents: Special Reserve Volume 8 (Black Clover Records 2009)
  • Black Clover Presents: Special Reserve Volume 9 (Black Clover Records 2009)
  • Black Clover Presents: Special Reserve Volume 10 (Black Clover Records 2010)

References [edit]

  1. ^ a b c "Mac Lethal". Last.fm (February 11, 2009). Retrieved August 31, 2011.
  2. ^ "Fuck Clear Channel Tour". The Wake:Fortnightly Student Magazine. 
  3. ^ "The Future of Midwest Hip Hop". High Plains Reader. 
  4. ^ [1]. cnn.com (December 5, 2011). Retrieved December 6, 2011.
  5. ^ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/02/texts-from-bennett_n_1126264.html
  6. ^ Foundation Dev. Rss.pitch.com. Retrieved August 31, 2011.
  7. ^ Aaron Ladage "Eleventh Hour Mac Lethal gets happier and mixes up some Love Potion while awaiting his international debut". Pitch Feature. December 7, 2006.
  8. ^ 11:11 amazon.com
  9. ^ Irish Goodbye

External links [edit]

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mac_Lethal&oldid=554535524"