Melt Exclusive: Squadda B
Reclined on his couch in Oakland, Charles, a.k.a. Squadda B, appears to be at peace, and, beyond a doubt, he has earned this posture. He has survived his decade-long journey through underground rap-stardom, relational strain and the inevitable pitfalls of fame, and he has come out on top, redefining his relationship with his craft.
Charles’ rap journey began in high school with his friend Damondre (later, Mondre M.A.N.). They formed the pivotal rap duo “Main Attrakionz'' and took the internet by storm with their first mixtapes Zombies on Tha Turf and Main Attrakionz Hip-Hop, later releasing the classic 808s & Dark Grapes mixtape series.
An early collaborator of Clams Casino, their carefree flow meshed with his and others’ atmospheric beats to create a fusion which represented a turning point in rap history. In fact, many of today’s popular rap sub-genres, especially in more niche internet circles, can be easily traced back to the advent of Cloud Rap in the early 2010s.
Charles is not remiss of his influence on modern music, but he expresses this with humility. Still an avid listener of hip-hop, he’s amazed at how their vision has developed.
When asked if he sees cloud rap’s influence in rap today, he said, “Absolutely. That's the coolest part about it. I mean, we were fans who just made music and we always had a dream to make money off of it, but [we were] more like just fans who did it… [I would have been shocked] if you told me when I was 20 that we were going on to that”
He also expresses an admiration for the new avenues artists have created:
“So I'm proud. I'm proud of everybody. I don't think [rap’s] too oversaturated or anything; I feel like there's more lanes open than ever.”
A large part of their influence stems from their commercial success, which allowed them the opportunity to work with artists such as Danny Brown (on “Cloud Skatin” off Blackberry Ku$h) and A$AP Rocky (on “Leaf” off Rocky’s first mixtape, LIVE.LOVE.A$AP). The duo soared from the Bay Area rap scene into a record deal with Warner Brothers, going on multiple tours and even performing with another dynamic rap group: Public Enemy.
However, time brought distance between the pair, and, as the group’s drive began to stagnate, so did their creative output. In 2015, shortly after the release of their second studio album 808 and Dark Grapes III, the group split, and Charles was left with a monumental task: sorting out a life away from Main Attrakionz.
Shortly after, he joined the Green Ova South collective with Pepperboy and Young God, and Charles continued to be creatively productive, releasing multiple tapes with the group before they disbanded in 2020. Despite having to adjust to a lower level of public visibility, Charles kept returning to the studio and reflects fondly upon this time in his life.
Eventually, after a couple years of continuing to hone his craft, Charles had managed to maintain a network of collaborators on the West Coast. One of these collaborators also worked frequently with Danny Brown, the groundbreaking artist behind Atrocity Exhibition and the critically-acclaimed 2023 project with JPEGMAFIA, SCARING THE HOES.
Although Danny and Charles had worked together in earlier years, they had been separated “through the lifestyle” but had still seen each other at shows and across the internet. Through his collaborations, Charles got the opportunity to work with Brown’s collective The Bruiser Brigade, and things took off.
Since then, he’s been splitting his time between Detroit and the Bay Area, collaborating with the collective in the Midwest and his own network on the West Coast. He recently produced an album for J.U.S., “Third Shift”, and they’re working on a second installment. He also reported that he’s working on an album with Shady Blaze. another member of the Green Ova crew, and is working on a project with Dream Beach, a Detroit-based electronic music producer and DJ.
In comparison to the Bay Area scene, Charles loves the “24/7” aspect of the Detroit area.
“Things are kind of open all night out there…it's a real party vibe out there. You’ve got to make your own party vibe at this point out [in Oakland]. It's just a little different than out here, so I'm able to go out there and just work and not stop.”
Through this process of rejuvenation and reinvention, Charles has, in a sense, returned to his roots musically, honing in on what he did best with Main Attrakionz while still finding ways to fit into his niche with different collaborators.
“I'm pretty much just reinventing everything that I felt like I was really good at throughout my career. At this point, I feel like I mastered a lot; I experimented with a lot of different sounds. Right now I'm just zoning in on my favorite aspect of all of it and giving it to you nonstop. I've got a lot of good energy around me, a great range of artists to enjoy the sounds with.”
Through a winding and storied career, Charles has maintained his unique sense of purpose and creativity, and, in finding a new artistic home with the Bruiser Brigade, has his sights set on intense creative output within the next few years.