{"id":38083,"date":"2017-06-14T19:00:00","date_gmt":"2017-06-14T19:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/merryjane.com\/nef-the-pharaoh-merry-jane-playlist-takeover\/"},"modified":"2017-06-14T19:00:00","modified_gmt":"2017-06-14T19:00:00","slug":"nef-the-pharaoh-merry-jane-playlist-takeover","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/merryjane.com\/music\/nef-the-pharaoh-merry-jane-playlist-takeover\/","title":{"rendered":"Nef The Pharaoh\u2019s MERRY JANE Playlist Takeover"},"content":{"rendered":"

Most of the world was introduced to Nef The Pharaoh via his 2015 track “Big Tymin<\/a>.” Referencing Birdman and Mannie Fresh’s old Cash Money duo, the hit was an anomaly because it was a reverent New Orleans tribute delivered by a 19-year-old from Vallejo, CA, a Bay Area city about 25 miles north of Oakland. Despite that, there was never any doubt about Nef’s regional cred.<\/p>\n

First guesting on a track<\/a> by Vallejo titan E-40 in 2014, Nef soon signed to the icon’s Sick Wid It label, popped up on songs alongside Bay mainstays like Philthy Rich, Mista F.A.B., J. Stalin, and Too Short, and appeared on the Bay Area episode of Viceland’s Noisey series. Nef’s music clearly pulls from the rich landscape surrounding him, but “Big Tymin” wasn’t an out-of-character move– dude’s love for classic-era Cash Money runs deep.<\/p>\n

Since blowing up nationally, Nef’s toured with G-Eazy and released a few mixtapes and EPs, the latest of which is April’s Chang Project<\/em><\/a>. The guest-heavy, 15-track tape was spontaneous, created during a marathon 48 hour studio session, but you wouldn’t know it unless Nef told you.<\/p>\n

Next up is a debut album, entitled Big Chang Theory<\/em>, but before that arrives later this year, Nef found the time to gift us a playlist and phone in for a bonus interview. Read about his favorite music and the making of The Chang Project <\/em>below while cranking a few of his recent favorites.  <\/p>\n