Walking up the steps of Phatty McGee’s seemingly average home in the outskirts of suburban North St. Paul everything was so normal--normal house, normal neighborhood, normal dog yapping as I knocked on the door. The only things that appeared to be out of place were the cars parked unevenly in his driveway. Both had “Loonatix Productions” proudly painted across the back in fancy white script. As I entered his house I crossed the threshold between normality and what Phatty McGee would later call the dwellings of “a new genre” of music. Loonatix Productions, featuring the combined efforts of two core musical groups, Ruthless and Playaz Lounge Crew, has been defining and redefining itself for almost a decade and has finally found its place in a smoke filled haze of creativity, determination and pure energy.

Their studio at the back of the house was at one time an old garage, but has since been remodeled and decked out with all the latest equipment and enough space for ten or so group members, friends, and groupies to hang out. Beer and smokes in hand, they discuss Ruthless’ latest cd “Strawberry.” Mereness and Dirty D of Playaz Lounge Crew experiment with beats in the background. The scene is reminiscent of a high school party with all the bad kids hangin‘‘ out in the garage, only underneath the chatter and chill sessions a lot more is brewing within the five young men who together make up Loonatix Productions.

I sat down with Phatty McGee, Professor Fresh and MC Rentz of Ruthless and Dirty D and Mereness of Playaz Lounge Crew to talk about their craft. With self produced beats, lyrically unique flows, and an energetic performance style, the boys of Loonatix Productions are truly a triple threat. Their style might be categorized as a hybrid of underground hip-hop meets melody “and a pinch of punk…just a pinch,” Phatty McGee jokes gesturing like a gourmet cook who has just added the secret ingredient to his masterpiece meal. “Hype-Hop,” as Mereness calls it, “is all about getting the crowd excited.” The members of Loonatix Productions come from all over Minnesota and bring with them a blend of the sounds they grew up hearing and the creative innovations we are now seeing throughout the hip-hop scene--a combination that has been fan-approved and landed them gigs throughout the Twin Cities.

Ruthless is preparing for their cd release party and the anticipation is killing them……or maybe it’s the promoting. They are their own street team, bookers, promoters and managers. Beyond the help of a few select friends, the group handles all of its business affairs alone. “We are the hardest working indie-label in Minnesota” Phatty McGee asserts with nods of agreement from his team. The group isn’t egotistical, they’re just well aware of the importance of taking their musical passion into their own hands. Although the local scene may be comprised of artists “looking out for themselves” as Dirty D and Mereness agree. The guys of Ruthless and Playaz Lounge Crew are like brothers. They work together on almost every project they do and seek guidance and advice from each other as their ideas grow. If egos do appear, “there’s always somebody else to put you back in line” Phatty McGee explains of his group members.

So what does this group of overworked friends and business men do in their spare time? Upon asking the question they all looked at me like I had lost my mind, then looked at each other hoping someone could think of the last time they did something non-music related. “I’m… an athlete…”” Professor Fresh says breaking the silence and creating a wave of loud laughter between the three of them… “No… I’m not”” he admits with a smirk. They all agree whole heartedly that family and music are the two driving forces in their lives but beyond that they have little time for anything besides jobs and the occasional meal.

Ruthless and Playaz Lounge Crew have performed at nightclubs and bars throughout Minnesota and recently concluded a national tour. With intense beats and strong lyrics, they easily stand out in the crowd. But even the hardest rapper has to give it up for his fans. Whether they’re playing a last minute bar gig or a sold out show, they know the power of their audiences, “You gotta’ find that one person in the crowd and do it just for them” Professor Fresh says of performing. Although they agree that nothing beats large crowds and screaming fans, they never suggest fame is their primary goal. In fact they seem to embrace the underground scene and appreciate the local artists and audiences who keep Minnesota hip-hop fresh. They, just like any hip-hop enthusiasts, have certain expectations when at shows and have been left unfulfilled, “I want to make going to shows fun again…I want it to be exciting.” Dirty D says as he describes the slight head nods he sees when attending concerts and the full out jumping and singing along he would like to see at his own.

Loonatix Productions has managed to bring the excitement back into hip-hop. Their beats and flows force audience members onto the dance floor and reflect a sense of fun-loving carelessness that only the underground can accurately represent. Hype-Hop, Hybrid Hip-Hop, however you chose to label their sound, MC Rentz sums up the goals of their ambitious style best; “I don’t want our music to be heard…I want it to be felt.”

Check out Loonatix Productions and get a hold of their latest CD at www.loonatix.net

--By Shirani Jayasuriya