Mark Steele’s a long way from when he first exploded onto the scene with his ESPN SportsCenter anthem “Greatness.” Since rising in the ranks, working with the likes of Rapsody, Raheem DeVaughn and having the esteem of calling 9th Wonder his mentor, the North Carolina emcee will soon return with a third studio album in the form of It’s Been A Minute to follow up on 2016’s sophomore outing Almost Time.
But just before that arrives, he has come through with his latest tape Before A Minute. Hosted by DJ Wade Banner, the mixtape features Mark hopping over backdrops that include Khalid’s “Location,” Jay-Z’s “Imaginary Player, and Outkast’s “Elevators” as he gives listeners a taste of his resume with pointed freestyles and skilled delivery.
“It’s Been A Minute deserved a warm-up, a pre-game, an opening act, so I made sure I gave it all bars,” Steele offers up of the new effort. “And DJ Wade Banner gave it that true authentic mixtape feel, with real blends and cuts.
“Plus, we both talking that talk. It’s impossible to not be excited about the album after running this mixtape back.”
It’s Been A minute will arrive on October 12th and is currently available for pre-order. Until then, you know what to do.