Mahtie Bush is a Sacramento rapper, producer, MC and B-boy regarded by Submerge as "something of a Sacramento legend" for his work ethic and his role paving the way for a generation of Northern California MCs.[1] He is best known locally for founding the "Sac Hates Hip-Hop" movement, a public protest against Sacramento clubs and radio stations turning away from rap.[2]
At a glance
- Sacramento MC, producer and B-boy; described as a "Sacramento legend" and "hip-hop provocateur."[1][2]
- Founder of the "Sac Hates Hip-Hop" movement (2007), which earned him a feature in The Source magazine.[2][3]
- Member of the four-man Sacramento hip-hop group Alumni (with M.I.Geezus, Prhyme Suspect, KelCz).[4]
- Solo discography includes the mixtape Hate is Love Part II (2013), the album Child's Play (2014, his fourth studio album), and Backpackramento The Return (2017, his third solo album).[2][1][5]
- Released the EP No Days Off (2015) as a duo with fellow local MC Kham Raw.[6]
- Active through 2026, releasing music on the label 18th Victory.[7]
Origin and local status
Mahtie Bush is consistently identified as a Sacramento artist. Submerge repeatedly calls him "Sacramento's hip-hop provocateur" and a "Sacramento legend," and notes he has "hustled his ass off, paving the way for a whole new generation of Northern California MCs."[2][1] As of 2013 he lived with his wife in a new suburban home in the Natomas area of Sacramento.[2] His Alumni bandmates all attended Johnson High School (a Sacramento school) and met through local events such as KSFM's rock-the-mic contest and rap shows at the Colonial Theatre.[4] This origin evidence is explicit and consistent, making his local status clear.
Career and persona
Bush began as a B-boy before becoming a rapper; his Alumni bandmates recall him at 19 "sucking so bad" as a young B-boy trying to transition into MCing, and Bush himself agrees he "sucked for a very long time."[4] By the 2010s he was characterized as a calm and reserved person off the mic but "a demanding lyrical weaver" on it, and as a versatile MC ranging from battle raps to conceptual and abstract material.[4][1]
In 2007, Bush founded the "Sac Hates Hip-Hop" movement as a "knee-jerk reaction" to Sacramento clubs and radio stations that had quickly turned their backs on rap music, which put him in local papers delivering a dissatisfied "state of the city" address.[2][3] According to the Sacramento News & Review, the movement shone a spotlight on Bush that included a feature in hip-hop magazine The Source.[3] By 2013 his tactics had shifted from provocation toward emphasizing his work ethic and music, though he maintained that little had changed for local rap on radio, naming 98 Rock as the rare station playing locals and lamenting the loss of shows like The Future Flava and station 103.5.[2] He cited Chino XL as his favorite rapper and expressed admiration for Tech N9ne, Immortal Technique and "grimy" hip-hop.[2]
At the time of a September 2015 Sacramento News & Review profile, Bush was 33 years old (placing his birth year around 1981–1982), had a son, and had recently celebrated his bachelor party.[3]
Discography and projects
- "Backpackramento" — a 2010 track Submerge calls a Sacramento "anthem."[1]
- Hate is Love Part II (2013) — a 13-track mixtape hosted by DJ G.I. Joe (associated with Immortal Technique), described as hardcore "bangers" for rap purists; Bush wanted to revisit the Hate is Love concept partly because he admired DJ G.I. Joe's scratching, and to address more personal material about his family and upbringing. The first installment had been hosted by Chino XL.[2]
- Square (2013) — album by his group Alumni; see below.[4]
- Child's Play (2014) — his fourth studio album, an 11-track record Submerge reviewed as "risky, poetic and, at times, mildly frustrating," highlighting the battle-rap track "Let Go" and conceptual songs like "On the House" and "Blood Runs Cold," while critiquing weaker cuts.[1]
- No Days Off (2015) — a five-track EP recorded as a duo with local MC Kham Raw, with production from Flawless Trackz, DaSoulOLife and ADOTHEGOD.[6]
- Backpackramento The Return (2017) — his third solo album, released July 16, 2017, marking a return to his Bboy/Boom Bap roots.[5]
- Sounds on J St. (Feb 21, 2020) — released under the label Conscious Media Group, LLC.[7]
- Bush Can Cook (Sep 16, 2025) — released on the label 18th Victory.[7]
- Fresher Then Last Week feat. Mistah F.A.B. & GR8 (Mar 17, 2026) — released on 18th Victory.[7]
He also referenced an in-progress solo EP and the forthcoming Alumni project around 2013.[2] As of September 2015, according to the Sacramento News & Review, Bush was also working on an EP with Los Angeles rapper Chino XL and a separate EP with Reno DJ DJ Ethik.[3]
Alumni (group)
Bush is one of the four members of the Sacramento hip-hop group Alumni, alongside M.I.Geezus, Prhyme Suspect and KelCz.[4] All four attended Johnson High School (without knowing one another there) and met through local rap events.[4] The group first performed under the name the Rap Pack before settling on Alumni, and reunited after a roughly six-year hiatus to make the album Square, released in late October 2013.[4] Alumni held regular shows at Capitol Garage, Press Club and the Colonial, performed overseas, and found notable success in Tahiti making music for the soft-drink brand Orangina; they had also opened locally for acts including Nas, Little Brother, Mistah Fab, Grouch and Eli, and Chino.[4] Square drew on collaborators such as Stevie Nader and Mic Jordan, used director Alex Ramirez for its music videos, and earned the group a Sammies award nomination.[4] Alumni held a Square CD release party at the Blue Lamp on Nov. 23, 2013.[4]
Collaborations and scene relationships
Bush is a recurring figure in the Sacramento hip-hop community and appears across many local projects:
- He spat "verse after verse" on the track "Illicit" for the album Voice of Reason by Sacramento electronic duo Tel Cairo (7evin and Cameron Others), recording it on the spot as the duo built the beat. Tel Cairo's all-hands release show was at Midtown BarFly on April 4, 2013.[8]
- He appears on Century Got Bars' album 3 (2014), on the track "The End" with Luke Tailor, produced at AlienLogik's Elk Grove home studio.[9]
- He was listed among local MCs (alongside Mahtie Bush's name surfacing on Pandora) cited by Tribe of Levi as one of the few Sacramento artists with online presence.[10]
- He performed with Century Got Bars at All Stars Sports Bar in Woodland (April 26, 2013) and at the Sactown Underground/Freestyle Session NorCal B-boy jam at the Old Sugar Mill in Clarksburg (April 27, 2013), the latter promoted via Fresh and Fly Productions.[2]
- He has appeared at Century Got Bars' 3 release show at the Press Club (June 19, 2014) alongside Mic Jordan, Luke Tailor, Petro and others.[9]
- His mixtape Hate is Love Part II connected him to DJ G.I. Joe, Chino XL and the Immortal Technique orbit.[2]
Photography of Bush has been credited to Amanda Lopez.[2][1]