Reviews: October 2007 Archives
Fifteen years making blend mixtapes man, that's huge. Most of you cats reading this haven't even been driving for 15 years and some of you are barely 15 years on this planet. Silva Sir-Fa is the epitome of longjevity in this mixtape world...and he did with blends. Congratulations to that man and thanks for giving the world and blend fans everywhere their theme music for so long. You know what you do now? You go right to www.silvasirfa.com, sign up for the mailing list, stay connected to what he's got going on and hit up the store for those classic blend CDs; nothing like directly supporting a mixtape legend and keeping the legacy going.
This is what you would call the "best of" DJ Silva Sir-Fa. All the best blends done by the man over the years, project after project. I give the man props for even attempting to put a CD out like this. It had to be one of the hardest projects he's every done. There is no way you can take 15 years worth of work and extract the best blends and fit it into a 74 minute CD...a daunting task to say the least. With that said lets listen to The Rise of DJ Silva Sir-Fa.
Priest Forever sets the project off. The lost art of the custom freestyle done for the DJ. I miss those days man. Fiona Apple and Stevie Wonder lend vocals as well. One thing you can hear from when the first blend (Talib Kweli - Listen) starts is the energy. You might say to yourself "how can you hear energy?" Pick up the CD and you'll know what I'm talking about. That Hell Razah freestyle from Pay Day Mix 26 is crazy. Three beats flipped and Razah spit: "It be the devils advocate in the Acura be acurate"...ahh the word play. We used to talk about "Highway" blends a lot on here and that Eric B & Rakim with Chubb Rock blend is exactly that. If you don't dip out on the highway while this is playing then you're a fuckin' zombie and I can't help you. I don't know how many of you are familiar with his "Clash of the Titans mixtape series but you need to pick those up. The "Fast Car" blend is special. I don't say that about a lot of blends either but the intricicys on this blend will fuck your head up. I could say the same thing about the "Party & Bullshit" blend. The vibe of that joint is so visual with that piano you can picture Biggie in some old smoky jazz club with the suit on sweating his ass off. My favorite part of the whole CD was the fact Silva Sir-Fa rocked Lu Lu's "To Sir With Love". Crazy joint to switch up the flow of the project and then to seamlessly follow it up with Wondress' rendition of the same song a.k.a mixtape flip..."To Sir-Fa with Love"...straight classic. DJs don't do shit like this anymore man. I hate T-Pain's "Bartender" but with that Rahzel loop behind it he made it sound fresh as hell. I want to be mad at it but it's too funky. That N.O.R.E freestyle was smoked out man, I was fucking with it tho...that's a crazy ass dude right there. Please peep "So Sick I Can't Say Goodbye". Sir-Fa got Ne-Yo and Mike Jack battling back and forth trading verses on a blend...shit is next level. I'm gonna do something different right now...tracks 39 thru 43 are just absurd to the point where I have to put them on the Trap House IPod indeffinetly. Good peep it...highlights over on that note.
There's really not much else to say on this project. It def needs to be apart of your collection if you're a mixtape head. You def have to admire the skills tho: beat on beat blends, beat matching blends of all Silva Sir-Fa's classics, abstract blends, r&b blends, and some exclusives freestyles. Do remember to hit up his website: www.silvasirfa.com, show your support and let that man know you appreciate what he's given the game in the last 15 years.
Remo is back up in the mutha fucka. I've had this joint on blast for about a week now...off and on and one thing is evident to me and stands out beyond anything else I noticed on this project: Remo's song writing skills have become a force to be reckoned with. Honestly I like the last project better as a whole complete mixtape...front to back...beginning to end. But, on "One Hit Away" it's evident that Remo literally is one hit away from going to that next level. You know the level I'm talking about...hit record, radio rotation, MTV/BET featured visuals and all.
You want that anthem? "I Bang". You've had to have heard this track before, if not you're not a mixtape head. The video is dope too. You want a ill posse cut? "Fresh" remix. Come on man, Stack Bundles, Ru Spits, SAS and Remo on a fly ass mixtape track. You want some commercial shit? "Oh Yea". Now this joint didn't impress me off the first listen but once you bump it that hook just gets in your head. Remo's rhyme was mad basic but it fit the beat so what else you expect. You want that well rounded track that got a concept, dope beat, real lyrics? "I Just Wanna". This is a single right here people, fuck what you heard. The ladies hear this joint it's a wrap. I could say the same thing for "Top 8 Maya"...the flow on the hook is borrowed but its fly and it's most def catchy. You want that raw emotion? "One Hit Away". Remo flippin' words like a vet while he lets you into a lil bit of his come up. My favorite joint on here is "Earnin". This track lets you really hear Remo's MIC skills. Cats have a hard time with making words work for them, I call 'em run on bars but Remo chooses his words carefully and he's literally saying more with less words. That's skill man. As far as the DVD goes, it's the perfect visual to compliment the CD. Shit is crisp and you get to actually see Remo doing his thing as well as identify with dude as he gives you a running comentary on each video. Its next level shit and it's how you build your fan base. 12 videos at a time too...damn that's work.
I've heard cats say that Remo isn't as good as his buzz would have you believe and you know what that's some bullshit. Are there cats with better MIC skills coming up in NYC right now? Most def, Remo isn't known for being super lyrical or for committing mass murder on the MIC either. What Remo is known for is being Remo and that alone elevates his status above and beyond the thousands of MIC frauds walking the streets of Gotham City. Add into the mix the fact Remo has been doing this for years, understands the inner workings of "the business", and put him self in a certain position in the industry; it's no wonder he succeeds. Don't hate...emulate and maybe you to can be a success.
Think Mobb Deep with the ability to spit knowledge. A-Alikes, a duo consisting of Ness and K, bridge a wide gap between empowering music and gangsta music on "The Hustler and The Hunted Part 2".
A Gangsta gospel that gets you nodding with hard beats, yet never unties its origins with Black people in this country and the current state of those living in the hood.
"Back to The Grind" is an inspiring track about the hustle of the artists over simple piano-laced track produced by Dr.Dre. The clever "Ducking from the Jake" samples the Nina Sky song produced by Cool & Dre, where A-Alikes switches up the chorus to fit their theme of choice; avoiding 5-0.
Duckin' the cops, not giving a fuck about the cops and hating the cops is traditional in hip hop music and it's also a recurring issue in "The Hustler and The Hunted Part 2". In doing so, it celebrates the guerilla spirit of the emcees. Alongside hating the police, the emcees highlight the wrong doings and injustice in the American legal systems. In-your-face lyrics tend to hit you over the head with political awareness.
Other tracks, like "Enemies" give advice about friends and foes and how to be weary of each, something many people can relate to.
The two most resonating tracks are "Something Horrible Happened" interlude where a woman emotionally screams into the mic about the lack of unity in the community; an interlude that everyone must listen to. And thereafter, the appropriately placed track "Timothy Stansbury aka Enuff is Enuff". The story of a young boy killed on the rooftop of a Brooklyn project.
All throughout the mixtape, empowering lyrics are heard and dope beats are knocking.
DJ Cinema is back at it again people. Don't fucking make me go in the Rapmullet archive and pull out a past review on ya'll. I'll do that shit and then I'll smack the shit outta you for being disrespectful for not being up on this shit. Besides Dr. Dre's album, what do you think of when you hear "The Chronic"? OK, yea man it's that blend music to smoke to, that shit to get you coughing like a fiend and your whole body goes numb...and a lil drool come out ya mouth on your shirt. That's what The Chronic does...let's see what some Chronic blends do to you.
"Payday" is cool as a fan. I don't normally fuck with Jimbo Jones but over "Dre Day" you can't go wrong. 50 sounds dope over this too.."your wife on the futon hugging a shitzo" Hahahaha, that line gets me every time. "Nothin' But A G Thang (2007)" is dope too. 2Pac sounds the best on this beat, I don't give a fuck he was made to spit on this beat. "Brooklyn Bullshit" got an ill vibe. Red Cafe owned this beat...it's his time to blow up a lil, go cop the Co-Op album people. Not fucking with Pap's verse used tho...def not his best bars. If you were told about a track featuring Biggie, Jay Z, Dr. Dre and Marvin Gaye you would be like "get the fuck outta here" but that's some shit DJ Cinema brings to the table. "Casanovas" is just that...mellow ass hook and all...get your pimp stroll on to this shit playas. The Commission Vol. 2 mixtape coming soon. I'm a huge fan of the movie The Mac. Had that shit on dvd as soon as it dropped. I wasn't too pleased to see Nelly on this joint but the way Cinema flipped the movie clips are classic. One of the illest blends this year so far. Goldie was the man hands down. "Sunglasses" is a fitting tribute to Stack Bundles. I fuck with this blend too. Concept wise Cinema brought all the illest verses together on "Lil Ghetto Girl". You got 2Pac with bars from "Brendas Got A Baby", Ludacris with "Runaway Love" and Saigon with "Pain In My Life". That is how you flip a blend concept.
There are a couple blends I didn't highlight cause you got to discover those on your own. I wouldn't say the whole project based on one specific concept. I mean the title is The Chronic and it's a collection of well executed mini concepts held together by well placed interludes to give you as a whole....The Chronic. It sounds simple but the bottom line is DJ Cinema put in work and it shows.
I've been bumping this all weekend man. Shit is crazy. I pulled up to the weed spot with this joint playing, had mad cats fiendin' for a copy. "Sorry my brother...you got's to get your own." I got my lil $20 sack and bounced. If you don't think Stack Bundles and Tha Riot Squad have a cult like following you're an asshole. Ain't no fluff and "B", radio type bullshit on any release they ever put out...just that rawness, that pure hip hop music for the block. You gotta love this shit!
Wait till you hear "We R". Stack Bundles man, it gets no better right now. Nod your head to this or get fucked up...it's like that. "Lookin" is that rewind track. This beat right here is the epitome of hustling off the beeper music. Bynoe and Cau2g$ were born to spit on "Riot Jack". Jacking all classic beats...shit Bynoe on "Ain't No Half Stepping" is enough alone. "R.R.S" is that Riot Squad energy you fiend for...syringe sold seperately. "Bundles!" is a straight classic mixtape flip. Cats reppin' they homie like no other. If you're still not fucking with Bynoe and Mary J. Blige on "Pain" I don't think you're a hip hop fan...and that's the truth. The track cats were going nuts over at the weed spot was "I'm Telling U". Shit is kinda mellow but by the second chorus cats was singing that shit. Ransom slide thru to lace a verse like only he can do too. "When I was young fuck a Tonka truck I used a shank for toys"...that's Bynoe going in on that track. I got the Bose joints in the ride so you know this shit sounds good as hell too. One track I couldn't fuck with was "Hate Or Love" with Hot Rod. This shit was kind of bland and honestly Hot Rod ain't that hot on the MIC. The "flow of the century" Cau2g$ leaves you fiendin' with "Concrete Jungle".
Go support these cats man, for real. Projects like this is one reason I fuck with mixtapes. I'm a blend head to death but ain't nothing like getting an all artist mixtape that cats are sleeping on as you're theme music for a month. Especially when its Tha Riot Squad. One thing with every single Riot Squad mixtape is there is a track for everyone. I don't know one person who has listened to one of there joints who doesn't come back and say "yo, such and such is my shit!". This project is no different.
It is most def time for some new Block Muzik. Where are all the east coast DJs at? Damn shame if you ask me. Cats wanna drop best of Lil Wayne mixtapes now and internet compilations with $$ in their eyes. You're all lame. DJ Rhude stands for something while ya'll fall for whatever is hot at the moment. See DJ Rhude mixtapes are a lot like Rapmullet.com. We don't do it for the money we do it for the love of the game. Cats are some what financially stable which affords you the luxury to do what you want to do and do it how you want to do it...creative freedom is a beautiful thing.
Rhude has Sky Zoo sitting shotgun this time and rightfully so. He consistently hits you with that Block Muzik but with a purpose...a message...and some fly shit mixed in. "Never Sleep" got that soul, that music you can touch, feel and relate to. I'll say it again and again..."Smile" is the best song 50 Cent put out this year. Bout time a DJ showed love to "Saved". Saigon is slept on with the word play but best believe he can string some ill ass words together all while getting his message across. We need the beat for "Survival In the City" to leak so we can get some proper mixtape flips of it. The Lox version is cool but that beat is too dope to be wasted just on them. Picture and ill story being told over that shit not just some shit talking Lox music. Saigon needs to flip that beat proper. How come "Dumb It Down" isn't getting mixtape burn? The beat is crazy and Lupe is saying something. What, cats don't like to think hard when it comes to Hip Hop? I think Grafh's bars were lost on the beat for "Victory". He was saying some ill shit but the beat just didn't cut it. I'm actually excited to cop the new Jay Z "concept" album. I'm not however a fan of "Blue Magic"; beat was ehhh. I see Geolani still making the rounds with "Let My Tape Rock"...might just be mixtape track of the year...you never know. The horns got me open on "Ride Out"...good to hear a Ron Brownz again; Sky Zoo catches a body on this joint too. Don't sleep..."Blow My Mind" is a hit record waiting to happen. Normally I would give Swizz a hard time (pause) but this hook is crazy; let's see if Styles can work this record properly. Surprisingly "E=MC2" was on rewind for a minute. I'm not a huge J Dilla fan but Common spit acid on that joint. Two MCs you need to be checking for is Donny Goines and Freddie Gibbs. Gibbs was in Rapmullet's first "Come Up Section" way back when and he's steady doing his thing. Why Ransom gotta be on the end of the CD Rhude?? Lol, I'm playing but damn if "Duffle Bag Boy" and "Flashing Lights" aren't some of the best bars on this whole CD; the punch lines are heavy weight man.
Honestly I don't have to say anything else. It's DJ Rhude, it's the Block Muzik Mixtape Series and if you don't know the shit speaks for itself. Now go cop it.
It's time to get our blend on people. VOS and Simon Sez back to bless the blend less fans of 2007. Cats know I despise Lil Wayne....but a good blend is a good blend. You can blend the sound of me taking a healthy shit after some late nite Taco Bell with some dope beats and if it sounds good it just sounds good. Let's see Lil Wayne and me taking a healthy shit....hmmm one in the same!! Seriously tho, I'll let Wayne live thru the rest of this review.
Now on to the music. For the slow cats this is a blend CD where Lil Wayne is blended with that east coast music and 50 Cent is blended with that down south. "Dope Man" got Lil Wayne sounding comfortable on some east coast shit. Now you know I don't usually fuck with Wayne but the "Automatic Weezy" blend is funky like dirty sock and corn chips. VOS flipped this joint type lovely. I say lovely cause Robin Thicke was on this joint and the skills were breathing heavy on this one. The two beat blend Simon Sez laced on "Kneck Of The Woods" is that classic blend CD music. Tear open a dutch and do what it do off this one. I don't care what you blend with "I Go By The Name" that shit is just a wack track with a wack flow. Shit was redeemed on "The Boy got Dollars"...classic beats will get you over everytime man. Let's see how they do with 50. I haven't heard the beat for "Ha" in a minute but Simon Sez pulled it off on "21 Questions". I'm diggin' on VOS chops a part of the verse and flips it to make another track...def a unique blend formula and it holds your ear. Case in point..."Coming Out Your Stereo". The blend is hard body and the cuts are on point. With 50 Cent using that down south flow he does so much Simon Sez captures the essence of that shit with joints like "Get In My Car". Bout the only blend that was a hard listen was "Clock Work Wanksta"...I can't stand that "Clock Work" beat and on top of that you got "Wanksta" which by itself would have sounded better.
Cats def pulled off the concept well. I think Lil Wayne section actually was actually better blend for blend. Let's be honest 50 Cent on the decline and a blend can't save him...only brand new mixtape music. Wayne on the other hand sounds better blended to me. He still has some far out, wack ass, no sense making bars. Couple reasons why I fuck with this CD...DJs letting the skills breathe proper like, the execution of the whole thing was done well, and you got some memerable cuts that cats will undoubtedly be bumpin' for a minute and some change.
Now for the slower mixtape people of the world...The Superfriends consist of DJ Mars, Bobby Black and DJ Skillz. This is the essential Ne-Yo reMixtape people. Ne-Yo most def does his thing on the R&B and songwriting side of things. It's good music people...enjoy that shit.
"Aint Think Bout You" is smooth. Ne-Yo most def got that Mike Jack vibe going on with that one and the fact they brought in the original Mike Jack joint "Baby Be Mine" just proves that. Honestly tho, who can fuck with Michael Jackson from the early 80's? "Lets Chill" was smooth too; blending Ghostface's "Chez La Ghost" on some beat on beat live shit. No lie Ne-Yo sounds good live...usually live cuts sound horrible but dude def sings his ass off. "Stay" got a knock to it tho too. On the flip side...the "Sexy Love" blend was kind of tired. The second beat opened it up a lil bit but the first beat didn't capture anything form the vocals. Blend wise "So Sick" was that shit...that's how you keep the vibe alive from the vocal and thug it out a lil bit. "Girl On Girl" is my shit...no literally girl on girl action is the wheel. Lol, but the blend was cool too, def need to rewind this one. On the songwriting tip..."When Your Mad" is classic. That shit is honest, catchy and he gave the people some shit they can relate to. That's how you write a song.
On the mixtape side of things this joint packs a punch. It's short and to the point; no bullshit filler just hits blended well for the most part with some live cuts added for good measure. With so many DJs doing Hip Hop artist mixtapes and just using album leaks and over used internet cuts it's refreshing to hear some DJs take an over-used mixtape concept and add their own style to it. Give you the hits from the artist in a way that doesn't fuck with the original music but in the end just adds to it...compliments it and that's really how shit should be done.
So long G-Unit Radio mixtape series. It's been real...most of the time. I had someone ask me how I felt about this mixtape series ending being a sign of the death of mixtapes. "Are you fucking serious", I said. Mixtapes aren't going anywhere man. You know who (pun) is dead tho? The "exclusive" mixtape DJ is dead. I called it back at the end of 2005 with the death of the exclusive track and now in 2007 the exclusive DJ is dead. Think I'm lying? You're favorite "exclusive" mixtape DJ knows it's true. They would never tell you that their #'s are way down cause they all lie but best believe their #'s are at all time lows. Compilation jockeys people, that's who you got now. It's like when all these cats are saying the record companies need to follow a new business model the same holds true for the "exclusive" DJs...you need a new model! The internet leveled the playing field and if you don't adapt you will be slagin' burritos at Jesus Taco in no time.
On to the music. Honestly the best thing about this mixtape is the skits. Cats got a sense of humor and it shows. That T-Pain intro is classic. If I don't hear "I Get Money" ever again it will be too soon. Where was Chris Rock on the "So Serious" UK remix? 50's english accent is gay like him in that picture holding dildo's with a smile. "Family Matters" was dope. This is that flow that seems to escape 50 on his last two albums. "Coke Life" got me open tho. This a heavy rewind track so don't front; Banks eat them all alive. There is a reason why the original version of "Officer Down" didn't get put out there "originally"...its wack. The two best songs 50 and G Unit put out this year..."I'm On Some Shit" and "Smile". If his album resembled these two tracks at all he would have been O-K.
Is this mixtape special...no. Is it average...yea in some spots but it's still cop-able. Dickshitman needs to put out solo joint I think. Now that I think of it, good riddens to the G-Unit Radio series. Maybe now 50 Cent will get back on that "No Mercy No Fear", "God's Plan", "50 Cent Is The Future", Automatic Gunfire" type shit. Wishful thinking but hey you never know. Fuck it, Banks just needs to drop some new shit and feed the god damn steets already!
Question. Is Ohio the next state to blow up in Hip Hop? I'm sure most would say "get the fuck outta here Chew". Don't think it can't happen because when you actually dig deep in this hip hop world instead of being "force fed" by the labels, radio and mass media...you find that the talent pool is deep in that area. It's not only MCs, its DJs, producers and entrepreneurs as well.
"Catch The Beat" is on of my favorite tracks so far this year just for the simple fact it sounds like nothing else out right now. The flow is basic, bars are witty and compliments that beat like a fat chic in a lil as hooptie. Don't let this hook get stuck in your head either case you will be doing that shit all day. "What the fuck is that smell? / Oh yea I pooted / my stomach is bubblin' / I have to take a shit ummm / where is the nearest toilet or corny rapper to shit on." I'm telling you this track is just some fun shit to listen too while you nod your head. "I'm Fitted" is a flat out hit. That classic Cleveland sound right there too. I mean content wise Chip is dropping brand names ect but the song is all about being fly so fuck it...enjoy that shit cause the picture painted is ill. "Cigarillo" and "I Got 5 On I" are classic mixtape flips. Chip owned that "Umbrella" beat for "Cigarillo", he def made that shit his own. The freestyle for "I Got 5 On It" got some jewels in it too. "Old Face, New Bitch" is another mixtape flip but Chip got his story telling off on this one. Honestly this is becoming a well rounded artist mixtape. I hate the song "Ay Bay Bay" but Chip turned that shit out like a stupid white girl with no money and a fat ass. "Ain't No Way" is the flip so rewind that shit man. The Kickdrums slide thru to lace "Keep On Pushin'". Straight soul music people and perfect for Chip's laid back style. DJ E-V got his blend on with "Money Money"...perfect joint to fit the theme of the mixtape.
I don't think Chip The Ripper is the most lyrical cat out of Cleveland but what he brings to the table is a confident, laid back flow with a MIC veterans delivery. He has fun on the MIC, his concepts are cool as a fan and he posses that "star" appeal. Couple things stand out to me on here and help Chip do what he do. The first is the beats, the production is virgin tight and Chip def knows what works for his "sound". The second thing that stands out on this project and made it what it is...is the mixtape flips. Beat wise Chip kept it current with "now" R&B joints and he made them his own...adding his own hook and style to the shit. Cat's think they need to spit on those hard ass beats but it's the R&B joints that get you shinning. Kind of like how 50 came up in the game...hmmm maybe a lil foreshadowing right there. You never know man.
So now that the hoopla over the battle of the egos is over, we can sit back and simply enjoy the music. Quite honestly, the notion of ever comparing the two was always out of whack to me. They're two completely different artists, with a different sound and a different agenda. Fiddy wants to scare the shit out of you, menacing you with tech nines, while Kanye wants to make you envious as hell with his fly kicks and Ralph Lauren lined closet. Who would've thought that mixtapes co-starring these two would ever surface. Well, today's the day.
DJ D-Real is jumping on the 50 vs. Kanye battle-bandwagon and put together an extensive play list of the artists' hits (and misses), back to back. Some blend quite nicely...others, not at all.
DJ D-Real starts off Disc One with "Can't tell Me Nothing" and blends into "Supposed to Die" by Curtis, which works. D-Real lets the 'Yeezy beat rock for a bit under 50's vocals. The next two tracks, I'm not too sure of. D-Real tries to blend "Everything I Am" into "I'll Whip Yo Head." Starts off feeling good, but mid-way it becomes confusing and your tempted to just skip ahead into the song.
While I appreciate the mixtape, I wish there was a logical rundown of the songs. Having a song like "Heard Em Say" and then "Disco Inferno" doesn't make sense to me. Very jarring. It's like the highlight tracks of both 50 Cent and Kanye West were haphazardly thrown onto a CD.
But I won't be all negative because all in all this mixtape carries many classics from both men.
Fuck what you heard DJ 2Mello runs the Rapmullet R&B review section! Welcome Rapmullet to the DJ 2Mello section of the website. Hahaha. You can't deny 2Mello and his grind this year...that alone is a 4 tape classic. I don't know what it is man, DJs and their R&B mixtapes never find there way into our hands...scared money don't make money tho...or at least get some shine.
I love the title to this mixtape..it's bold and it's a challenge to cats. It also pushes the DJ, in this case 2Mello to greater heights because with a statment like that you have to deliver each and every time till you retire. You gotta dig that intro too the skills are breathing. I just got to peep Raheem DaVaughn's album the other day, dude is a true R&B artist. "Woman" is smooth, you def need to peep his music. It's good to see Alicia Keys got some new shit out too. "No One" is slowly getting some burn around the country. She's got that adult contemporary genre on lock tho. I'm not really diggin' those making the band 4 cats. "I Want You" is like getting the store brand nancho cheese chips instead of the real deal Doritos. 2Mello goes in on that PSA...the king of kings. No lie that Mike Jack joint "Mamacita" is kind of fly. Mike actual sounds decent, he might have a hit on his hands depending on who supports it. Mahagani got me open with that "DJ" joint. Yea the beat got a used sample but the shit is smooth. Lydia Caesar got a nice mixtape flip with "Stronger"..my daughter was rocking out to this like the wheel was just reinvented. Ja Rule on any R&B track ='s wack to me...I'm sorry but he ain't coming back. Christian Alexander could have rocked "Too Fine" without him. I-15 on "Lost In Love" is the sleeper track. 2Mello breaking acts like no other.
It's safe to say 2Mello has perfected his formula. The skills; mixing and cuts are on point like they've never been...you can tell it's getting to easy for him now. That's a good thing though, it lets him drop easier and truly be the King of R&B mixtapes.
Is the east coast in the Rapmullet building? Are they still all crabs in a barrel? You better believe it! Let me ask you another question. What's the difference between hip hop beef and healthy competition? Answer: The state of Hip Hop in NYC. The ship been sinking in the east and guess what...there's only two life preservers left. One is a regular orange joint with a hole in the side, the other is iced out with two holsters, Gucci print with a secret compartment to hold your weed. Everyone is fighting for the Gucci joint not getting anywhere, sinking like a dead body in the Hudson River while the orange joint floats by itself on it's way down the eastern seaboard. Ahhh NYC is killing itself.
That "Put on Your Seatbelts" joint was kinda aight. The joint def got my attention. I think myself and everyone else in the free world would better off if we didn't have to hear "I Get Money" or any version of that song ever again! Red Cafe bodied Mims and Sean Kingston on the "Like This" remix. Fuck what you heard Red Cafe is a star on the MIC. That Remy and Raekwon joint sounded muddy to me, like it was recorded on the shitter. Is that the "Wipe Me Down" remix? Eewwwww what the fuck is Jadakiss doing on that joint? Trying to appeal to the south? Fuck outta here...just make good music. I'm fucking with that "Queens" joint. LL and Kool G Rap did their respective things. The real joints you should be checking for are Storm P and Remy on "Pick The Money Up", Slick Watts and Tom Gist on "Stop Hatin" and LG with "Brooklyn MCs"...classic joint right there. I would say "My City" and Laz's joint "Dream World" but you should already be up on those.
Blazita got a nice little series running with this one; def cop-able and def reppin' that home town. Until NYC can get over itself, stop the jealously, and stop biting each other all you will be getting is good spotty music every couple months. Too much filler and not enough killer going on in the city that never sleeps...props to Blazita for shining the light tho on cats that deserve it.
Welcome Drastic to the Rapmullet review section. If you've ever listened to a DJ G Spot mixtape then you most likely heard of Drastic as well as all the other top MCs in Cleveland doing their thing. Shout to G Spot holding down his area like no other. The Cleveland area as a whole has a tremendous talent pool of both MCs and DJs. What impresses me with all the MCs I've heard from there is they all have a distinct sound and co-exist in the same supportive region...that's an accomplishment in and of it self.
One thing I've noticed from all Cleveland based MCs...They rep their city like no other. Case in point with Drastic is "Believe In Cleve". I'm not a huge fan of the synth sound used in this beat but the flow on this track is where it's at. "No Cure (the sickness)" gets away from the heavy synth and injects some soul into the project. Drastic laid back on the track breaking down a nice concept for the ladies. The hook annoyed me at first but "Bucky Bounce" started to grow on me. It's really all in the flow on this one, Drastic got his words off too...the versatility continues. "Never Be A L.A.M.E" has potential man. I can already see a visual for this joint. This track right here is that well rounded joint...catchy, lyrical head nod music. Plus I see cats relating to this content wise. Hold up tho..."Fitted On Lean" got that potential too. Damn Drastic got some joints people. Yea on second though we need a video for this joint. This beat is crazy! "Reality bites / you either will, won't, or you might / and all that matters is the score at the end of the night"...spits Drastic on "Just Bars". If you only listen to one song to validate Drastic's MIC skills this is the joint for you. This is one of those tracks that other MCs can appreciate. The sleeper track is "Oh My" with Phoenix Jones...cats getting deep while displaying those verbal weapons.
One might ask does Cleveland have a distinct sound. They do....its lyrical, its grand production, its having fun on the MIC, its conceptual, its Cadillacs and it's a love of making good music they way they want to. This project right here started off a lil slow to me. I def would have taking some of the heat that was used in the middle of the CD and used it for the beginning. There's balance on here tho...that's balance within the flow and content too. You can hear it more as you get into the middle of the project thru the end. In that respect Drastic built you up sonically as each track gets better MIC wise and production wise. To me, when you're dealing with cats who are new to your music you gotta hold their ear from the jump so that you can lead them to that extra good shit and truly make them a fan.
The Market Place
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