DJ Scream’s Debut Album Will Feature Waka Flocka Flame, Future, 2 Chainz And More

With albums from Meek Mill and Rick Ross on the horizon, Maybach Music Group’s output in 2014 got even deeper with the announcement of yet another project. After officially signing with MMG back in 2011, DJ Scream announced yesterday (Jan. 23) that his debut album, Hunger Pains, will be released this Spring.

“I really just want everyone to know from my standpoint, I’m hungry. Everything I’ve accomplished in the past is something I’m thankful for and I appreciate the support, but I’m treating everything like it’s day one,” said DJ Scream. “When you look at the artwork, it’s a lot of emotion. You see young, hungry, starving kids. If you’re a producer, when we start our careers, our stomachs are just growling, almost in the literal sense. We want to be the best in our field, period.”

After releasing the album title and artwork via Twitter, fans quickly gave positive reviews regarding the album’s cover. After reaching out to an old friend and retired designer to come up with the initial cover, there’s still many more looks on the way. “We got some more art to go along with it, like a series of artists will go along with Hunger Pains,” said DJ Scream. “I’ll be releasing more covers and teaser artwork in the coming days. I’ll figure out which will be the official cover artwork.”

As expected, an all-star list of names will be featured on the album, and not surprisingly, it'll be headlined by the MMG roster, with Rick Ross playing the role of orchestrator, co-producer and visionary overseeing the project. It’ll also feature some of DJ Scream’s past collaborators. “If anyone knows my mixtape history, or even my radio history, you’ll see some of my close friends like Waka Flocka, Future, 2 Chainz, Migos who had one of the biggest mixtapes last year,” he said. “I got Young Thug, who’s one of the new upcoming superstars. That’s just a little teaser but anyone who knows anyone in the streets, whether it’s the South or West Coast or wherever, you can expect them to be a part of the project. If they’re hungry and they’re up for the job, expect them to be on there.”

When it comes to the beats, expect a heavy dose of DJ Scream’s HPG team, including DJ Spinz and several producers currently on the rise. He has cultivated a reputation for introducing the streets to fresh, raw talent, and that’s one of his goals with the album. “I think if anyone follows my mixtape career and what I’ve done in the streets, they kind of know I’ve always been a part of introducing the next wave to people," he said. "I think when Hunger Pains drops, people will fall in line and they can start working with some of the artists that I’m introducing. People will start to seek out some of the producers that I’m introducing. I think it’s trendsetting and groundbreaking for street music and hip-hop in general.”

Overall, things are looking bright for MMG, who are setting out to claim the spot as the top rap label in the game. “With the across the board goal, we’ve all spoken to each other and it brings us back to that hunger," he said. "Ross, Meek, Stalley, Tracy T, Fat Trel, Gunplay, it goes on and on. Nobody should be content; we’re all out here to compete for the championship every year.” —Michael Nguyen