The city of Brockton, once a booming industrial town, has long been overshadowed by Boston, its bigger, richer neighbor to the north. But things are changing. Brockton is affordable, growing and more diverse than ever. Adding to the excitement, the city is home to the most promising rap collective out of Massachusetts in years, Van Buren Records.
A strange mix of “Pray For Haiti” by Mach-Hommy and “Twerkulator” by City Girls blares out of a couple cars as they pull up to a drab gray building on a Friday evening. Rappers Saint Lyor and Jiles step out, as does designer Shelby. Then come Lord Felix and Meech Bold and Luke Bar$, and the producers Andrew Regis and Ricky Felix. These are eight of the 13 members of Van Buren Records. VB, for short.
Fact 1 about VB: Their brains are practically…
