On this day, Dec. 12 in hip-hop history...

2000: Field Mob, the rap duo out of Albany, Georgia made up of Shawn "Shawn Jay" Timothy and Darion "Smoke" Crawford, took their place in Hip-Hop history on December 12, 2000, when they dropped their major label debut album 613: Ashy to Classy through MCA Records.

613: Ashy to Classy boasts features from Mr. Keith, Suthern Klick and more, and packed in plenty of social commentary with a healthy dose of Southern bounce. The 13-track album spawned the hood classic "Project Dreamz," but other fan favorites include "Dead in Your Chevy," and the smooth "Crutch."

The reason this debut was particularly monumental was because it was the first Southern album to be released on a New York based label, MCA Records, which has since closed-up shop. This release opened the doors for hardcore Southern hip-hop to be more easily accessible to all regions. To some, 613: Ashy to Classy was considered a sleeper hit from the group, but managed to peak at number 35 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart, and ended up on many music critics' year end "best of" lists.

Field Mob's critically acclaimed debut studio album helped to introduce the Dirty South duo to the rest of the world, and paved the way for 613: Ashy to Classy's 2002 follow-up, From that Roota to tha Toota, which peaked at number 33 on the Billboard 200 and is certified gold by the RIAA.

MCA Records
MCA Records
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