Mello Mac

Everyone wants the best of both worlds. It doesn't matter which worlds, it's different for everyone, but two worlds of best experiences are usually better than one. Mello Mac has lived on both the East Coast and in the South while pursuing his rap career, familiarizing himself with the best of both worlds in what's dominating hip-hop right now. And his journey has been a valuable one. Born in Braddock, Pa, a small town outside of Pittsburgh, Michael Anderson Chancey a.k.a. Mello Mac wa...

Everyone wants the best of both worlds. It doesn't matter which worlds, it's different for everyone, but two worlds of best experiences are usually better than one. Mello Mac has lived on both the East Coast and in the South while pursuing his rap career, familiarizing himself with the best of both worlds in what's dominating hip-hop right now. And his journey has been a valuable one. Born in Braddock, Pa, a small town outside of Pittsburgh, Michael Anderson Chancey a.k.a. Mello Mac was musically inspired at a young age. His family used to play favorites like Earth Wind & Fire, Parliament Funkadelic, Run-D.M.C. and Rakim and a young Michael took a liking to those sounds, writing his first song at four. A few years later the talented kiddie saw the classic hip-hop movie, Krush Groove, and found his first love, rap music. Life in Braddock and Pittsburgh wasn't simple. "My little area ain't too big, but there was a lot of crime, a lot of murder, it was drug infested, it was rough," explains Mello. "We had gangs so we had to watch wherever we went or watch what color we wore. A lot of people don't know but Pittsburgh is actually kind of wild." But the streets never took control of Mello's life. As a teen the aspiring MC dreamt of making it in the music industry and began rapping on a karaoke machine. In 1996 Mac, then 16, hooked up with friends Ken Will and Big Meez to form the group the Corleone Family. They recorded together for the next two years before splitting. Mello and Ken then created a duo, the Don Breed and worked together for the next six years. Mello received a basketball scholarship to Lock Haven University and studied business while spending summers in Florida with Ken recording dozens of songs. In 2002 Mac graduated college with a degree in business management. With an unflappable determination to make it in hip-hop he went right back to music. "My whole purpose of getting my degree in business management was to learn how to run my own business," Mac admits. "Everybody was mad at me but I had my goals so I went straight back to this." After parting ways with Ken Will, Mello hooked up with Panama Records in 2005, although he never signed, he added more tracks to his catalogue and gained valuable studio experience. Mac put CD's together to sell to his friends and began performing original tracks like "Ice Cold" and "The Paper Boy" at local clubs and shows. "At that point I guess you can call it freelance," he tells. "I was making music and going out and performing it." The next year Mac, seeing that the South was the hip-hop hot bed, decided to relocate in the end of 2006 and set up shop in Atlanta. "A lot of people get caught up and they don't understand that people in the South live different then in the North 'cause I'm from the North and it's a whole new speed down here," Mello says. "It reflects in the music and I can understand why they make the music that they make." Since the move to A-Town Mello has been steadily working on his debut release, The Mello Mac Story. The album offers a disc full of certified bangers including the single "Grind on Me" a smooth sexy hit produced by and featuring Nesia Beatz. But being a successful MC isn't the only thing Mac wants. "I'd like to start my career so we can build this label up and hopefully get enough paper so I can just keep on moving," explains the future rap mogul. "I'm trying to be real big in this business. I wanna do everything that comes with the whole entertainment field. I always had dreams of owning my own label and being my own boss." Mello Mac puts a new twist on hip-hop. With experience in the game in two different regions and a strong drive to succeed overall, in addition to lyrical skills and overall talent, there is no doubt Mac will deliver!