Music Pac Div Talks New Mixtape, Jordan History & Bad Day Jobs

(Left to right): Michael “Mibbs” Stevenson, Gabe “Like” Stevenson, and Bryan “BeYoung” Young

Today, Pac Div kicks off a nationwide tour alongside Asher Roth and Kid Cudi, which times nicely with the group’s sizzling free mixtape titled Church League Champions (download it here), which dropped last week. The 13-track collection is inspired by (but not bitten from) boom-bap and the flavor of the Golden Era. The trio—which consists of Like, 26, BeYoung, 24, and Mibbs, 24—developed a fan base over the last few years with a slew of eye-catching videos (”FAT Boys ‘08″; “Women Problems”) and head-nodding singles.

Pac Div stands out because it represents that perfect balance between so-called “hipster rap” and real rap—meaning, although they rock snapbacks and streetwear brands, the group still makes the kind of music that true hip-hop heads will appreciate. It offers the vibe that Souls of Mischief and Project Blowed used to put out—cool, Cali, fun lyrical raps. “Like anything, more quantity means less quality,” BeYoung claims. “In the end of the day, good food takes longer to cook.” While in NYC, Pac Div spoke with Complex about the new breed of West Coast rappers, their upcoming album, and several personal anecdotes (from break-ups to worst job experiences). Read on for the interview and check out their latest video along with key tracks off their new mixtape…

Music Meet Universal’s Newest Songstress Shontelle

Until Rihanna washed up on our shores, the success of singers from Barbados has been spotty. Where are you Rupee? But now, Rebel-One Management (the same folks who back Rihanna) are are hoping to duplicate their success with a new Bajan good girl by the name of Shontelle.

After writing the crossover hit “Roll” for soca singer Alison Hinds, 23-year-old Shontelle Layne signed a solo deal with SRC/Universal. Her forthcoming album, Shontelligence is expected to hit shelves this year, led by her cutesy ladies-anthem”T-Shirt.” This week, one of her inspirational tracks “Battle Cry” appeared on Yes We Can: Voices Of A Grassroots Movement, a compilation album for the Democratic National Convention. But with politics pushed to the side, we got Shontelle’s feedback on her modeling debut at fashion week, being obsessed with her labelmate Akon, and repping her country right. Get familiar by reading our exclusive interview below…