Throughout the early 2000s, rappers Twin-G and Gangsta Nutt both established themselves as strong voices in the Northwest rap game. According to Twin-G the two never had beef between them, but they did harbor a minor rivalry. In 2008 they put any doubt aside and teamed up to create a new duo called The Status. An album soon followed called The Status Is Active.

Twin remembers that Messy Marv happened to be in Seattle one night, leading to the song “Certified” which opens the album. The first time I heard “I Wanna Be Like You,” I got goose bumps from the children singing the hook. It turns out that they are Twin’s own kids, and “I Wanna Be Like You” is a powerful reminder that each of us is a role model to someone, for better or for worse. “Keep A B**** Broke” is a somewhat experimental-sounding departure from the typical gangsta vibe of the album. The track is rough and herky jerky, like a comical Flintstones car rolling on stone wheels.

“Sometimes I Cry” is an emotional look at how people can get trapped in the gang life from a young age. Two of the biggest singles from The Status Is Active, “Does The Hood Love Me?” and “Hoover Love” both appear together in a Youtube tribute video produced by Twin-G for his deceased friend George “Peanut” Hendricks. “Does The Hood Love Me?” features catchy singing in the chorus, and the song is a true classic. “We paid the cost to be the boss and never let up, cause banging in the hood is more than just throwing your set up,” raps Nutt. “Hoover Love” interpolates the classic Zapp & Roger song “Computer Love” for a groovy result.

Going on to establish himself as one of Seattle’s realest to ever play the game, Gangsta Nutt dominated the underground until his passing in 2021. Twin-G has also continued to make waves, including his 2013 project I Shouldn’t Be Alive, and he has become one of the true OGs in the 206 rap game. Written by Novocaine132