One band, one sound. 3MB (3 Man Band) is the collective name of the trio of Mega Ran; nerdcore pioneer, Teek Hall; 2X Phoenix AZ Rapper Of The Year; and G1ToTheRescue; Billboard charting producer/rapper/vocalist.
The name 3MB is inspired by the WWE wrestling trio of the same name; a short-lived gimmick befallen three mid-card wrestlers just looking for a break. The gimmick: a boy band, who spent more time getting beat up than actually singing their hit songs. Since the dissolution of the faction, two of the members have gone on to be World Champions, while the third has built a successful career as a bit player. Today, the legacy of the Three Man Band lives on in a wrestle-rap project by Mega Ran, Teek Hall and G1ToTheRescue.
3MB the rap group is composed of three Phoenix, AZ-based rappers and performers who share an equal love for pro-wrestling as they do for great beats and challenging hip-hop music from the soul. The three are transplants from rich musical towns: Ran from Philly, Teek from Detroit and G1 from Chicago; all bringing their distinct soul and sound to the project. The three met over music and have since bonded as friends then later family, through podcasts (The top-rated Mat Mania Podcast) and multiple collaborations that have been placed in television, wrestling rings (AEW Wrestling, New Japan Pro Wrestling) and video games (Austin Creed’s UpUpDownDown Channel and AEW’s Fight Forever).
Mega Ran might be the most unlikely success story you’ve ever encountered. An emcee, producer, author, DJ and podcaster, Ran is probably the first name you think of when you mention “nerdcore hip-hop,” the DIY subgenre associated with raps about video games, anime, comics and more. After becoming a foster parent, The Guinness World Record-holding rapper recently went left of center with a children’s album release “Buddy’s Magic Toy Box” (2023) that debuted as the #2 Kid’s release behind Spider Man: Across The Spider-Verse.”
With over twelve full length albums to his name over an 18 year career, highlights include the cult-classic Black Materia (2011) and its many follow-ups; RNDM (2015) and appearances on some of the top video game soundtracks of recent memory including Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge and Mortal Kombat 11 and it’s sequel Mortal Kombat 1.
After years of honing his talent on the underground in a breeding ground of dope MCs– Detroit Michigan, Teek Hall moved to Phoenix, AZ with one thing on his mind – standing out. With his signature gruff delivery and sense of humor, Teek quickly rose up the ranks in the Arizona hip-hop scene as a member of a groundbreaking group, then used that momentum to propel his art to new levels. Teek has collaborated with some of the best producers on the underground to create musical projects that have pushed the boundary of what can happen when the street meets the beats.
After rhyming and making beats in Chicago for years, Brennan “BJ” Faulkner, aka G1ToTheRescue got his official start producing and laying vocals on the Mega Ran and Bag of Tricks Cat release “Emerald Knights 2” in 2018 and never looked back, dropping beats that execute on a technical level, marrying soulful chops and banging 808s. G1 is also a talented songwriter and rapper, and gets to flex those skills on the big stage on the first 3MB project.
Only time will tell if the 3MB group album will create stars that rise to the top of the card and bring home the gold, but if the first single “SmackDown 99” is any indication, the group is here to stay.
The self-titled 3MB album will be released this October on Old Soul Records/RandomBeats.
Touré Masters is using his art to help others be more comfortable with self-expression, and plans to teach listeners the importance of being open minded. He works to encourage people everywhere to chase their dreams but always keep focus on their education. The power in music is obvious, and Touré is using those powers in the way he feels is the right way.
As a staple of the Central Florida scene and a stalwart on Rolling Loud since its inception, the artist known as Gat$ has been steadily carving his own path since 2012. Known for both his cinematic flair and genre-bending tendencies, the multi-hyphenate has shared the stage with artists such as Denzel Curry, Danny Brown, and Freddie Gibbs. After a long battle with sickle-cell anemia that required he take considerable time off from performing, Gat$ re-emerged in Los Angeles with a renewed sense of purpose, landing spots at SXSW and headlining his own wrestling-themed festival Gat$amania alongside Smoke DZA.
