Reviews: September 2007 Archives

Welcome AvE to the Rapmullet review section. Shout to Mad Ciphas Ent for the submission...cats putting in that work. AvE is from the Bronx and this here project is hosted by DJ S&S...yes my old school mixtape heads that's the real DJ S&S. His presence on here is undeniable...DJs take notes on how to host an artist mixtape.

You can hear right off the "intro" AvE can rhyme; the delivery is explosive. "Stand & Deliver" is the title track so to speak. The beat grew on me but the bars and hook are where it's at. "When I cook crack, yea it's usually on the Pro Tools / that's why my name rings like it's jewlery from the old school." This joint is def your do dirt music. "Somebody put me on cause I'm past due / honor roll flow, I'm on top of my class too / haters keep it quiet if ain't nobody ask you / for we catch you and hang you out the window like fast food...I'm that dude." Ahh man that "Coast to Coast" joint is my shit! AvE turned those beats into vegetables. "Give It to Me" sounded a lil forced with Melody on the hook but S&S brought the best out of that track with the ad-libs. "No Reason" is a beast of a track. I think we need a video to this one...beat is crack-a-licious and every MC goes in like there's piles of free money in the booth. Mickey Factz said.."fuck ya lady, you be eating out a tramp"...hahahaha. You gotta rewind "The Future"...Esso features and AvE adds a little of that witty fly shit to the BX.

I can't front, AvE pushing that quality product. Some MCs always push schwag aka mexican dirt weed, some MCs push that purp every now and then and some MCs consistiently push quality shit...thats AvE. Mixtape wise the project is bangin', S&S def held it down. Music wise AvE is like one break away man. I didn't hear a flaw in the flow, delivery or none of that shit so it's really just a matter of time and finding a way to challenge himself to get even better. He most def Stood and Delivered on the mixtape now we'll see if it's deal or no deal.

This mixtape hit me upside my head like brick. I wonder who else is sleeping on Jody Breeze? DJ Teknikz stay doing what he do...he is Gerogia's Muscle on the mixtape side of things. These two together on a mixtape can only mean one thing....Jody Breeze won't be a secret for much longer. Let's hope his label gets their shit together.

"Won't Let You Down" with Gorilla Zoe is that hit record. Both MCs got the flow of the future in the "A". The bars are far from deep but that shit sounds so good in the whip you should thank Teknikz for giving it to you early. I can't say I'm a huge fan of the patented Cool N Dre sound but they flipped it a lil different on "Lets Ride". You gotta rewind this shit man, it's a must if you're riding like I'm riding. The fucking hits don't stop people. "On Everything" got some pimpin' in it but what impressed me was the flow man...that shit is flawless like a bitch with a big ass and no pimples on the booty. I couldn't stop singing that hook!! Ok, so the original tracks on here are fire right, but what about the mixtape flips? All I'm gonna say is peep "Blow Out Your Fame" and "5 In The Morning". Teknikz got an ear for the beats that fit the artist man, that shit is evident. The best colabo and track to do your dirt to was "Hard Out Here". Trae laced his verse while Jody Breeze came thru and thugged your mother on his.

Every week I'm trying to roll with at least one down south mixtape in the ride but this shit right here isn't going anywhere for a while. As far as artist mixtapes go this how you wanna make 'em. You got a perfect balance of your quality original exclusive tracks, your mixtape flip freestyles and official colabo's with other quality artist. Add in Teknikz skills to the mix, that MIC pressence, some offical in the studio hosting from Jody Breeze and you got yourself a classic artist mixtape.

I'm telling ya'll, cats are stepping up their hustle in 2007. DVDs make money...bottom line. There not as easily ripped and uploaded to the net as your average mixtape. Having a foundation built right now as well as distibution outlet for the projects is sooooooo important. Cats are head and shoulders above the rest as far as hustle goes right now. We all know DJ Fade can blend, but can he bring that consistient hottness into the DVD game...we shall see.

The intro to this DVD is the shit. Fade used the best part of the movie Belly to set it off and it's a fucking classic! "Back To Life" is the shit and when the actual video comes on I was open but then Fade brings in "Look What My Eyes Could See" and murded that shit...in a good way. "Shoulder Lean" got an upgrade beat wise on some thug shit. On the flip side tho, I can't fuck with "Country Grammer"...no matter what beat you put behind that shit. I was expecting more from the "Dwyk" blend. That "Simon Says" beat murked the energy the original has, shit was dragging man, had to FF that shit. Fade came back strong with "You" b/w "Scenario"...that shit is ride out music right there. The smooth shit was "1,2 Step" b/w "Because Of You"...gotta get the ladies involved in the mix too...good shit. The smoothness continues with "Lost Without You" b/w "Let Me Love You". Robin Thicke is a big white pimp. lol Fade on the cut was tight too. I've heard a lot of blends for "In The Air Tonight" but never a video blend of that shit. Fade had Crockett and Tubbs up in that shit too...classic Miami Vice with Mark The 45 King on the beat and Dre's "Deep Cover" on some beat on beat blend shit...crazy. I was fucking with that Beenie Man blend over "It's Me Bitches", shit was type fly. In the Hard to Earn section , Papoose and Cavlar did they thing with "Riot Music" but the classic was Remo Da Rapstar with "Just Say No"...that's a straight classic all around.

I give Fade credit man, he's got a well balance product plus I've seen cats bumpin' this in the weed spot the other day. If I had TVs in my ride I would be bumpin' it too. I think we might have to get a re-remix of that "Dwyk" blend tho. lol Other than that this joint is cool as a fan and filling the void in the blend game right now.

Who better to cook up something marvelous than DJ Shef. The Pittsburg mixtape prodigy is back to serve the masses a dish of that next level. My creative mixtape fans need to go to www.myspace.com/djshef and support to help keep these DJs doing what they do. I've been on fiend mode for that creativity; leave it to a DJ called Shef with a mixtape titled The Recipe to come thru to serve cats...I'll take a cheese omelet, extra order of home fries and the biggest glass of orange juice you can find along with this CD.

The jump off with local Pittsburg artist Boaz was a bold move. "Just For A Moment" is savage tho, plus Shef cutting it up only makes it sound better. "I got that flow that keep 'em coming like a coke addict." Boaz showing he's truly a booth bully burglar..."from the bricks to the burbs". The first blend to catch my ear or should I say hit me upside my head was "Its A Problem". Mad energy on this one, Styles, Beans, Jadakiss...all spit explosives. Shef gave Jeezy a whole other vibe with "International Players". Biggie road shotgun but it wasn't necessary. I had "Big Business/Straight To The Back" on instant rewind. T.I. and 50 on a track isn't a bad idea at all but it was the beat that brought out the best in both MCs. What do you get when you cook up AZ and NAS over and Alchemist beat? You get "Stuck To You" man. This is Pittsburg so you know it's gotta have some do dirt music. "Good Fellaz" with Sean Price is the theme music. If you can't flip a pack listening to this shit you need to go back to selling bean pies and the Final Call on the side of the road. If you're like me you miss Big Pun like crazy. Lyrically dude was eating catís whole...peep "Back Again" and you know why he "turned whole crews into vegetables". I actually got heated when I heard "Weatherman" cause Shef made me actually like Joe's and Wayne's verses from "Make It Rain". Never mind Stackbundles eats them both alive over that beat. The only blend that I really couldn't get into was "Dope Boy Fresh". I fuck with the south but this joint had me reaching for the FF with a quickness. Good to see "Talk To Me" get some burn too....best track off that Wiz Khalifa mixtape. I'm def the east coast over-doser so the last couple joints with Papoose on "Bang It Out" and Joell Ortiz and Big Noyd on "Night In My P's" had to be rewound.

I know cats are sick of me talking bout balance on mixtapes but shit if there's balance I gotta let it be known. Shef got the east and south covered on here man...like a champ. Not only that he's repping the home town, letting cats get proper shine all while letting the skills breathe. He didn't do every time out the box but he was beat-matching the blends back to back in some parts and that right there shows me he took his time and was perfecting this shit. To all you none creative mixtape doubters go take your pause tapes in the corner and nickel and dime each other...creativity always reigns supreme up in the mullet!

The thing is...you can't got wrong messing with Hip Hop classics. This was a perfect CD on my mini road trip today. I'm suprised I still know 90% of the lyrics to all these songs. That shit made a hour drive feel like 15 minutes.

Just look at the first three tracks..."RAW", "I Ain't No Joke", and "The Bridge Is Over". Big Daddy Kane doesn't get the props he should lyrically. I think a lot of cats remember him for that punk smooth shit he got on later in his career but he will eat you alive on the MIC...then dance circles around you. Hahaha, those days are gone in Hip Hop...damn shame too. Listen to LL's "I'm Bad" again. LL is so fucking hungry it's rediculous. The slang might be dated but LL sounds like he's ready to catch bodies. If you don't "oh shit" when you hear the begining of "Uptown Anthem" then you're either very young or you just don't give a fuck like Plies. The joint that really really took it back is the Skinny Boys with "Jockbox". I might have heard this a couple times coming up but it's one of those rare jewels you like to see on these type of mixtapes. I like how Babe ended the joint with "The Roof Is On Fire" too...another joint these kiddies couldn't name if they didn't have google.

Mix wise DJ Babe was on point, he got his cutting off a lil something as well as some quality mixing...nice balance throughout the project. Mixtapes like these def help fill a void in the game right now, maybe get these younger generation mixtape consumers to appreciate Hip Hop music at its so called purest. Then again maybe not, but hey theres no new Lil Wayne out right now so they got to cop something. lol

This is an im-potent mixtape series. Hahaha, bad joke but seriously how else can you flip the word potent? I'm not even gonna front, Diggz and Rated R make those mixtape that make you want to commit road rage. You know what I'm talking about. That shit when a dude cuts you off on purpose but there ain't even anyone behind you in the lane and you want to run dude off the road and pull his spine out through his mouth. Shit, I'd settle for a quick jab to a dudes throat or nose. Just to see them gasp for air or watch there eyes water up and nose bleed. Diggz and Rated R on that Road Rage music.

I know some cats shit on A-Mafia but honestly to me he picked up where CNN left off at in the mid 90's. The flow on "Before I Met Camron" is basic...but that's his style. He throws in some fly shit and just lyrically hits the block with cain. Someone said Havoc stepped up and is the lyrical one out of the MOBB and truth be told he BEEN stepped up a couple years ago. "Get Off My Dick" got that hunger to it...cop the Kush album and support dude regardless. The ass cheecks and loose pussy lips track of the CD was "Don't Wanna Talk" by 50 Cent. He needs to leave that "southern" twang/flow shit alone. This hook was so bad that Tone Loc is on the remix. If you ain't fucking with "Watch Ya Mouth" you're not hip hop....the WU! Masta Killa eat that beat alive too. The other track you need to have on steady rewind is Stack Bundles on "King Of The Soft"...."money taller than six midgets..." I love that shit. That Byrd Gang shit is growing on me man. "I Love My Bitches" is smooth cause Max B is on his game...simple as that. Saigon on that 9th Wonder joint is my shit. The word play is top notch...like nothing out right now and he gets a message out to the people too. I couldn't really fuck with the unknowns at the end but one cat that went in, to me at least, was "Fred Money" over the beat for "Criminology".

Diggz and Rated R doing what they do...don't be mad at it. Like I said above it's that Road Rage music...go snatch someone out there car and slap 'em up while this bumps in the background. Besides that the formula is concrete on here. I'm not fucking with every single track but the good far out weighs the bad and that right there far out weighs all the bullshit pause tapes these other DJs try to drop every week. The most im-potent thing tho is to keep this series going...the game needs it.

Suge White on that official Illegal Tender mixtape for the streets. I see cats borrowed the title for the DJ Lust mixtape but in all actuality its all promo for the movie. I can agree that some cats need to step up their "mixtape title" game these days tho. The star of the movie Rick Gonzalez is hosting which is a good look and I'm def checking out the flick off the strength of the trailer.

Mike Beck gets his 1-2 thing off alongsideTony Sunshine with "Momma Used To Say"; a decent jump off to the project. If there is only one track you rewind on here let it be "M.O.M.M.Y" by Stack Bundles...this is just classic. Starr is a freak on "Secret", plus she sounds good enough to eat. Honestly I can't fuck with Justin Timberlake and Talib Kweli on a track together....oil and water my friends, oil and water. "Don Diva" is that do dirt music. Cats lyrically spit acid on this track...classic theme music. "Gain" is a different sound for Ghostface...rhyming his ass off as usual. It's good to see "Where Da G's" on a mixtape. Bun B, Pimp C and Dizzie Rascal is a crazy collaboration. Beat wise "Don't Forget 'Em" is my shit, the rhyme is cool and Consequence did his thing but that beat is tight like pigeon punany. Prodigy set off the end of the CD with "I Know" and pretty much every track after this was that hard white. Cavlar came with that savage flow on the "Uncle Murda Diss"; nice little mixtape track for that ass. The other cat that went in seriously was Bucky on "5ft Felon". He kept it funky like dirty sock and corn chips all while giving you true murda music.

This has to be one of the most well-rounded mixtapes I've heard from Suge White. He attacked the project like how Spanish got tackled in the movie Old School. (I couldn't resist). Besides that he had a nice balance of new shit with some underground bangers. Now go see the movie!

G-Spot is back and he's inspired again. He's got G-Mack ridding shotgun which is a great look for the south. This mixtape series is pluggin' along doing what a mixtape should...don't be mad at it figure out a way to get on this mutha fucka and reap the promo rewards.

"I'm Hood" is an anthem, G-Mack stays on that gangsta shit; nothing ground breaking lyrically but g'd up and 4-5th'd down. "Going Digital" by The Alliance kind of grew on me. See what a catchy, infectious hook can do for you...cause the concept as a whole is bland. Good to hear Streetz & Young Deuces on another "Dial Tone" remix. Spark Dawg doing his thing and getting all he can out that joint. "Pop Shake" was another catchy hook joint. I don't even really think then needed to rhyme, just repeat the hook like that for 2 minutes and their good for a quality ringle....I ain't mad at it. What do you do when your child goes nuts when "Soulja Boy" comes on the radio? You grin and bear it and under your breath call dude a corny mutha fucka...can someone say ringle again? I applaud David Banner for "So Serious". While I may not agree with everything he said his heart is the right place and he made some valid points. The sleeper track is The Duck Ryders with "Fuck The Other Side".

Is the South becoming only all about catchy hooks and beats? Honestly I don't think so but they are feeling the effects of the new Ringle Industry takeover just like the rest of the country...no one is safe from these major label diseases. The grind continues tho, keep on keeping on and keep being inspired by good music.

I'm glad to see the Riot Squad going extra hard with the music and the movement. The world of mixtapes will always remember Stack Bundles and his contibutions to the game. Now the Squad will have to step up and rep his memory to the fullest while taking what Stack had already accomplished to that next level.

Cau2g$ is one of the slept on MCs out the Squad which also makes him one of the most dangerous too. That intro was something serious...talk about setting a tone for the mixtape, damn. "Run Laps On 'Em" has that raw energy, that shit that leaves imprints in concrete. "Riot For Life" got so many raw lines...."I'm smooth, I make statues move"...shiiiiiit. I wasn't really diggin' the hook like that but the bars on "Flow Of The Century" is that hit the block with caine music. I mean is you're gonna sell some shit this is your theme music right here. As far as the mixtape tracks go...take your pick; "Farrock Star", "Who U Think Better" and "U Wouldn't Get Far"...all quality mixtape flips that you cop mixtapes for in the first place. Do make sure you rewind the Clinton Sparks produced "A Load Of Me". Now this is a hook I can fuck with, Cau2g$ laced this shit like a vet as well as spit explosives on the verse. "G's Go In" is pretty much self explanatory; crazy anthem for crazy ass cats. "Roll Call" is that lift you off ya feet music, that shit to put a dent in your chest.

Personally I needed the boost this mixtape gave me man. That Riot Squad vibe is too real, if you ain't catch the vibe then you're either really gay or you're not a hip hop fan. Cats just raw rhyming over raw beats...the true essence of this shit. Much respect.

WWW.MYSPACE.COM/CAU2G$

Just so you know there is def more to the Bay Area then "hyphy". That's were Balance and Big Rich come into play. A couple of lyrical cats who def keep it real on the MIC as well as stick you for you re-up...methaphorically speaking. Honestly tho I know what Balance brings to the table, he's a mixtape king for christ sake but I'm new to Big Rich. I can't see Balance fucking with someone not up to par so lets get it in already.

Just so we are clear, DJ Rick Lee is holding shit down like the vet he is, keeping the mix moving and the skills shinning on this project. I'm telling ya'll, one listen to "Bang 'Em Anthem" and you will be hooked and then say..."the Bay got bars!". Big Rich got bars especially. He all but stole the show with his verse on "Get Money". As far as the colabo's go "Crack Music" was strong like bull. Big Rich, Balance, Scipio and Glasses Malone on the same track is a serious problem; this joint def deserves some mixtape love. If you told me last week I would be bumping a track that featured Akon and Coolio I would have told you to get the fuck outta here but truth be told the track is crazy..."Nothing Changed". Balance is master of words man and that makes the flow that much more potent. Balance and Papoose on a track is a great fucking look...two mixtape kings getting it in on some bounce. My favorite joint tho...."Speakers On Blap". Man, the beat just highlighted the bars so lovely...this is that well rounded sound, chopped hook and all. Not only that Rick Lee mixed that shit righ into "Balance Is The Name" with precision. If you don't know that track I can't help you cause that track been the shit for a minute. The track that wraped it for me as far as Big Rich goes was "Back & Forth". Just like he said in the first line.."the flow so flawless" and that's the truth. "I'm Just Getting Warm" is the sleeper just for the fact it's at the end of the CD. This joint got mad energy, the anticipation of what cats are gonna say on that beat is crazy...I was hanging on cats lines like a fiend.

I'm glad cats sent this joint in for review, shit was a breath of fresh air man...true story. It's just cats going in with the bars man on every track. I'm def gonna be checking for Big Rich now, he's got the flow to make some major music and along side Balance it's some next level shit. I think a lot of MC could take notice too. Here you got two lyrical giants sharing the spotlight putting a quality, timeless product out for the fans and they both win...that shit is rare in 2007 Hip Hop.

www.myspace.com/balanceskillz ~ www.myspace.com/bigrich

Lust is back up in this bitch like a champ, straight out the belly of the beast back in your CD deck with a fucking pile of crack for your ears. Ransom is hosting too? Get the fuck outta here! Ya'll other DJs on the east need to go tuck ya dick between ya legs and get back on that man-gina bullshit cause Lust isn't about to let you eat nothing. The tender is illegal, what you know about that?

"Heaterz" will be on rewind for most of you cats. I fucks with it obviously cause its Ransom and he's on that classic mixtape music. "Talk slick and you'll be MIA like the Dolphins"! Hahaha Ransom gets better with every verse. I got news for all the NYC MCs that think they got next...the New New York is from Jersey City! You know Lust gotta have some Byrd Gang shit too. "Roll Wit You" got hit potential with Max B on the hook. I know cats miss him; "Fat Stacks" just goes to show you the potential that Stack Bundles possesed. One cat you don't want to front on is Mysonne. Fuck Jadakiss on "Try Your Luck"...dude can hold down that shit by himself. As much as Akon annoys, the joint with 50 "I'll Still Kill" is a beast of a song...hit record all around. Big Lou does what it does on "Reunited". That's my joint right there. Big Lou eats MCs alive for fun. I've said it before and I'll continue to say it Remo is a problem. He lyrically slapped the shit outta ya'll on "Fire" and then took your bitches. The mixtape track on the low thats building up a buzz right now is "Die Young". Geolani, S-One and Montega doing it real large.

Dead ass real its just good to have Lust back in the streets doing what he do. The mixtape game needs more cats like dude to just serve the masses what they truely need. Not that watered down commercial hood hop cats pump out every week. That shit is for lames and lepers. Cats want theme music while they're doing dirt and Lust provides that exact musical soundscape.

What do you get when you take today's R&B hits and remix them over some of Hip Hops most classic sounds and break beats? Untouchable R&B 19 man. Would I normally listen to Fergie's "My Hump"? Hell no and big "get the fuck outta here" but...over a classic break beat most def. Props to Eggnice for keeping blend hope alive.

I've never been one to shy away from openly pop-lockin' in my ride or the middle of a crowded supermarket and with this joint in the IPod I found my soundtrack. I don't want to give away to many highlights so that it leaves most to the imagination and also when you cop the CD it's that much better. Let me just state if you're on that thugged out R&B type blends over classic gangsta music this is not a CD for you. Although that "Umbrella" joint at the end is crack-like. I love blends like that but I also fuck with some high energy R&B too. The first rewind came early for me. "Sexy Back" into "When I Hear Music" was classic. The fact Egg Nice got me listening to Fergie songs back to back to back is a testament to his skills. That's how you hold the listeners ear people. Not only is Egg Nice giving you today's R&B over the breaks he finds the time to lace a verse or two from the likes of Nas, Jay Z, Jadakiss and Lil Wayne in-between shit. The shit that fucked my head was 50 Cent's and Justin Timberlake's "She Want's It" being turned into an up-rock anthem. From this point on you'll be lucky to get 60 seconds of a track cause the shit is kept moving lovely like a true mixtape veteran.

Dead as real the first half of the CD might get lost on some cats just with the breaks. I mean if you ain't ever dug for records before or at least have some working knowledge of early Hip Hop you might sleep. On the flip side if you're busting head spins, windmills on the regular or like me as a part time pop lockin' fool, this is the must have CD of the year for you. The second half of the CD will def satisfy the regular "new school" blend heads. Regardless tho Egg Nice putting in work like a fucking beast. A mixtape like this isn't pulled off in one night with a bunch of mp3's ya dig? You got to know your music, you got know what sounds good and you got to have the skill to pull it all together and that's exactly what Egg Nice did on #19.