Twan Mack’s lasting impact on Milwaukee hip hop

Milwaukee’s hip-hop community lost one of its most influential voices when Antoine “Twan Mack” Mack passed away on November 8, 2024. This interview with HYFIN’s Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow podcast, recorded July 30, 2024, is a profound testament to his pioneering vision and enduring impact on the genre. As the community prepares for a tribute concert at The Cooperage on January 11, 2025, Mack’s last recorded conversations offer invaluable insights into hip-hop’s past, present, and future.

From his earliest encounters with hip-hop in 1979 New Jersey to his emergence as a pivotal figure in Milwaukee’s music scene, Mack’s journey paralleled the genre’s evolution. “I got in on the ground floor,” he reflected during the interview. “Hip-hop was only six years old. When that happened simultaneously, I was moving to south New Jersey, which was about 30 minutes outside of Philadelphia.”

His formative years in Philadelphia, then hip-hop’s second city, shaped his understanding of the culture’s boundless potential. Immersed in a vibrant scene, young Mack absorbed influences from pioneering artists. “When I moved to Jersey, I got exposed to Kool Moe Dee, Melly Mel, treacherous three, Spoony G, Lady B,” he recalled, describing the foundation that would inform his artistic development.

Returning to Milwaukee, Mack began carving out his own space in the local scene. His early performances, including a memorable talent show victory at Vincent High School, hinted at his future impact. “Doc was like this sophomore going into his junior year. He was a bigger dude. And I’m this little dude in like sixth grade,” he remembered his collaboration with Maurice Beckley (Dr. B Royalty). “We did this performance at Vincent High School and won the whole thing.”

The 1990s saw Mack co-founding Kali Tribe, a group that would help establish Milwaukee’s presence in the national hip-hop conversation. Their achievements included becoming the first Milwaukee hip-hop act to receive regular rotation on BET. “We ended up doing some pretty remarkable things,” Mack noted, reflecting on the group’s groundbreaking success.

In his later years, Mack emerged as a passionate advocate for what he called “Adult Contemporary Hip-Hop,” a subgenre he helped define over the past decade. He explained that this vision wasn’t about division but evolution: “I just figured, based on everything else kind of sounding the same, I wanted to create a different lane.” He cited influences like Master Ace and Public Enemy as early practitioners of this mature approach to hip-hop.

Mack’s perspective on ageism in hip-hop was particularly incisive, informed by his domestic and international experiences. “Here in America, domestically, the ageism unfortunately has infiltrated the minds of many younger people,” he observed. He contrasted this with international audiences, where “you got people bringing their five, six-year-old kids to the show, and the kid in some cases knows the lyrics.”

His guidance for aspiring artists remained grounded in practical wisdom: “First of all, don’t let nothing stop you. Second, be honest with yourself. You have to be a student. I’m still a student.” This commitment to continuous growth characterized his approach to both artistry and mentorship.

Mack’s advocacy extended beyond music. As a spokesperson for Milwaukee’s anti-reckless driving initiative and a consistent voice for community engagement, he demonstrated hip-hop’s potential as a force for positive change. “I’m an ambassador for Milwaukee, for the golden era of hip-hop,” he stated, emphasizing his role in bridging generations and preserving the genre’s legacy.

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While recording this interview, Mack was preparing for hip replacement surgery, maintaining his optimism despite health challenges. “Sometimes you gotta step back so you can move forward,” he reflected, discussing his temporary pause from touring with Arrested Development.

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His vision for hip-hop’s future remained clear: “Treat it like jazz. Treat it like rock and roll,” he urged, pointing to genres where artistic legacy spans generations. This perspective encapsulates his lasting message: that hip-hop’s evolution need not come at the cost of its foundational values.

As Milwaukee’s hip-hop community prepares to gather at The Cooperage to honor his memory, Mack’s interview serves as both a blueprint and a challenge for the genre’s future. His passing marks the end of an era and a call to continue expanding hip-hop’s boundaries while honoring its roots. In his own words, “It’s about creating space for every voice, every generation, in hip-hop’s ongoing story.

This interview was edited for clarity and brevity