If Wilmington has musical royalty, then Fuzz Jackson and McClain Sullivan should be wearing crowns.
Jackson, who also goes by Fuzz Jaxx, is a veteran Wilmington rapper who's been a force on the local hip-hop scene since the '90s. Sullivan is a Brooklyn-based, former Wilmington indie soul singer who, with Jackson, toiled in iconic Port City jazz/hip-hop combo The Organix during the 2000s.
On Sept. 8, the longtime collaborators — now a duo called Fuzz and Mac — released a lush new album, "Heide Drive," produced by Joe Latterner of Wilmington hip-hop act MindsOne, that blends hip-hop and R&B into a tasty, head-bobbing mélange.
Backed by Wilmington DJ and producer RizzyBeats, Fuzz and Mac will play an album release show Saturday, Sept. 12, at midtown
rock club Reggie's 42nd Street Tavern. (Doors at 7:30 p.m., cover is $10.)
"We back at it again/ We tryin' to make history/ We ain't tryin' to make friends," Jackson raps on spine-tingling single "Two States," dropping pop culture references to everything from metal band Megadeth to slack-jawed movie "Deliverance."
Sullivan's vocals are pristine, her understated cool the perfect complement to Jaxx's heady rhymes.
"Commander" has a neo-soul vibe reminiscent of North Carolina legends The Foreign Exchange (whose producer, Nicolay, lives in Wilmington) while "Half Step" shows off Sullivan's jazz chops. "Reep" is a drop-dead banger featuring guest rapper Tron, while "Juno" funks things up a bit.
Overall, it's an album that's long overdue but right on time, easily one the best records ever released by a Wilmington duo. Go ahead and crown Fuzz and Mac the king and queen of the scene.
Now, let's see what else is going down this weekend.
Weekend weather outlook
We'll get another taste of summer this weekend, with highs near 90 each day. Decent chance of daily as well, lows in the lower 70s.
Go | See | Do
Festival season kicks off this weekend with not one, not two but four Wilmington-area festivals. Plus, we've got movie screenings, a wide range of live music, a well-known touring comic and more. Link to full list below.
The Dish with Port City Foodies
Food writer Allison Ballard has a list of 10 local sandwiches you should try. Plus, a list of the Wilmington area's oldest restaurants, and don't forget to vote for your favorite taco spot.
Getting to know Floodplain Books
It's Wilmington's buzziest and most influential bookstore despite not having a brick-and-mortar location. We sat down with owners Wiley and Mallory Cash.
News you can use
A locally shot ABC series gets some star power in advance of its season two premiere. Plus, how the cancellation of Wilmington's biggest fall festival could impact downtown.
The socials
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John Staton is the arts and culture reporter at the StarNews. You can reach him at jstaton@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: A new album from Wilmington's musical royals, plus your weekend
