About Albert "Mac" McCluster III
Albert "Mac" McCluster III, has been involved in Hip Hop since the Golden Age of Sugarhill, Afrika Bambataa and the Zulu Nation. Raised in Toledo's central city and...
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About Albert "Mac" McCluster III
Albert "Mac" McCluster III, has been involved in Hip Hop since the Golden Age of Sugarhill, Afrika Bambataa and the Zulu Nation. Raised in Toledo's central city and Old West End, he attended Woodward High School. He was involved in Graffiti art with the Graffiti Wizards (Swade, Dee-Bo, Ahmad & J.J.) and the Kold Krush Krew as a rapper.
After failing to graduate from High School after being an Honor Roll student up to his Junior year. Mac became involved in various illegal activities at the height of the 80's Crack epidemic?in order to escape jail and the monotony of the streets, he finished summer school, got his high school degree and joined the Ohio National Guard as a Military Police Officer. Intrigued by travel and the benefits the military offered during the 1980's for a young black male, Mac joined the regular Army and left Toledo in March of 1987?never looking back.
Having requested European duty, Mac was assigned to Germany, where he would remain for much of his 13 year military career, with deployments to Panama, Kenya, Haiti, Operation Desert Shield/Storm, Bosnia and Kosovo.
Hip Hop has been his life's soundtrack. From listening to NWA in Quarry Heights in Panama, working as security for Run DMC in Garlstadt, Germany, sitting guard with 2Pac on a bootleg tape in Kuwait to head nodding with Jay-Z, NAS & Biggie in the clubs in Holland?no matter where, Hip Hop was there.
After leaving the military and remaining in Europe working as the Field Office Coordinator & Military Liason for the American Red Cross station at the US Army Hospital, Landstuhl, Germany. Mac participated in International Red Cross activities in support of the US Embassy bombings in Kenya, the attack on the USS Cole, as well as support of refugee centers and deployment centers for the Kosovo security mission.
He established himself and his company 3BMP (Three Blind Mice Productions) in Kaiseslautern, Germany, where he provided security for clubs and promoted events.
He returned to the US in 2000 to establish BOUNCE Magazine USA ( www.bouncemag.de ). As US editor, he established a network of contacts throughout the US entertainment industry. By 2004 he had accepted the position of editor in chief of the Hip Hop website www.hiphopdx.com.
As editor of HipHopDX, Mac drew the industry's attention and ire with the publication of several articles and investigative pieces:
-Jay-Z Slaps Girl Backstage (Article/Video)
-The Greatest Story Never Told (The Source: Benzino & David Mays)
-Who Wrote Lean Back?
-Game vs 50 Cent
Mac has been featured in The Source magazine article attacking online Hip Hop outlets and webzines such as HipHopDX ("Editorial Opinions" August 2005 Issue) and was a winner on the NBC syndicated game show "The Weakest Link". He set a record as winning the lowest amount in the history of the show, $1,450.
Mac has had the opportunity to meet and/or interview:
Presidents George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George Bush Sr., Madelyn Albright (former Secretary of State), Jesse Jackson, Rev. Al Sharpton, Julian Bond, Kwasi Emfume, Jay-Z, Talib Kweli, Common, Guru, DJ Premier, Eminem, 50 Cent, Game, Ja Rule, Irv Gotti, DMX, Suge Knight, OutKast, Ludacris, Dave Chappelle, Donnell (I'm Rich) Rawlings, Sean Combs, Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Cee-Lo, Young Buck, Young Jeezy, Akon, Lyfe and many other politicians, celebrities and known figures.
"I have led a very blessed life in the short time I have been here on this wonderful world we live in. I have been able to do things, travel, see and meet people that the normal person probably never will. I want to bring a taste of what the world can offer to our youth?to start a spark" - Mac McCluster
For online information Google: Albert McCluster III
Experience/Positions Held
1987-1992: US Club Operations, Management, Promotions
Chico's Lounge & The Galaxy Discotheque, Bremerhaven, Germany
Northern Lights NCO Club, Lucius D. Clay Kaserne, Garlstedt, Germany Memories Discotheque, Bremen, Germany
1993: Event Promotions
The 13th Hole Lounge, Anniston, Al
Event Promotions, Chicago Bulls Three-Peat NBA Championship
Party, NCO Club, Ft. Clayton, Panama (all proceeds benefitted the Joint-Force Central Command BOSS (Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers) program)
1994: R&B Artist USHER, 1st EuroTour, The PepperMill Heerleen, The Netherlands
Nike Three on Three Basketball Tournament, Schinnen, The Netherlands & Mons, Belgium
1995: Various European Artist Concert Promotion/Marketing, Atlantic City Discotheque, Heerleen, The Netherlands
1996: Event Promotion/Set Design AAFES African American Fashion Show, AFCENT (Armed Forces Central Europe)
1996-1999: Event Promotion, Video Production
Clubbin' Video Program, Image Discotheque, Landstuhl, Germany
Clubbin' Video Program, ZOOM Discotheque, Kaiserslautern, Germany
Various European Artist, ZOOM Discotheque, Kaiserslautern, Germany NOREAGA: Eurotour, Kaiserslautern, Germany
Snoop Dogg/No Limit: Eurotour, Ludwighafen, Germany
1999: Event Production End of Summer Jam 99, Geelterswoog, Beach Resort, Kaiserslautern, Germany
1999-2005: US Editor BOUNCE Magazine Europe www.bouncemag.de
2000-2001: Producer/Promotions Manager "The Energy Zone" TV Dance Show FOX36/WB5
2004-2005: Editor In Chief HipHopDX www.hiphopdx.com
Present EDITOR/PUBLISHER "DEPTH MAGAZINE" , PR/A&R SlumLord Music Group
LOCAL/REGIONAL (Events of note)
Joe Jackson's Hip Hop Boot Camp, Toledo, Oh
LYFE 'S.E.X.' Video Shoot, Toledo, Oh
SHAWNA DTP Party, Toledo, Oh
Flow From The Glass IV, Toledo Sports Arena, Toledo,Ohio
Listening Party Radisson Hotel: Sik Da Don Sikosa (SlumLord Music Group)
Release Party: Lyfe (Sony/Columbia), Blueprint Lounge, Toledo, Ohio
CD Release Concert: Sik Da Don Sikosa/Bonecrusher, Headliners, Toledo,Ohio
112 CD Listening Session, Club Red, Detroit, Michigan
Anger Management 2, Ford Field, Detroit, Mi
Outkast, State Theatre, Detroit, Mi
Ludacris, State Theatre, Detroit, Mi
Trillville, Pontiac, Michigan
Kanye West, Fox Theatre, Detroit, Mi
Angie Stone, St Andrews, Detrot, Mi
Floetry, State Theatre, Detroit, Mi
Gangstarr, Fox Theatre, Detroit, Mi
Common, Fox Theatre, Detroit, Mi
R. Kelly, Fox Theatre, Detroit, Mi
Eminem, Ford Field, Detroit, Mi
Hip Hop Summit, Fox Theatre, Detroit, Mi
David Banner, Fox Theatre, Detroit, Mi
Chingy, Fox Theatre, Detroit, Mi
Knocturnal, Fox Theatre, Detroit, Mi
International/National
Juvenile, Atlanta, Ga
Three 6 Mafia, Minneapolis, Mn
VH-1 Hip Hop Honors, NY, NY
BET Awards, LA Calif
Billboard Hip Hop & R&B Awards, Atlanta, Ga
Radio One Music Conference: Sikosa, STR8 Caine, Majic Juan, SLMG
Suge Knight, Tha Row, LA, Calif
Winner, Weakest Link Game Show, NBC Studios, Burbank, Calif
Talib Kweli, House Of Blues, Chicago, Ill
LL Cool J, Navy Pier, Chicago, Ill
DMX, The Palace, Chicago, Ill
Kanye West, The E Club, Chicago, Ill
Common, The E Club, Chicago, Ill
International Hip Hop Festival, Karlruhe, Germany
World B-Boy Championships, Hamburg, Germany