By Legend & William E. Ketchum, III

Chamillionaire - Mixtape Messiah 4 [click to listen]

Just in case anyone thought Chamillionaire [click to read] was going soft since his last album Ultimate Victory [click to read] was profanity-free, he sets the record straight with the intro to Mixtape Messiah 4. “If I ain’t the king of mixtapes, you a damn liar,” he taunts before utilizing his trademark hook-singing and authoritative flow to remind listeners of the flawless nature of the first three segments in the MM series. While there are lots of moments where he’s busy bragging about his success, there are still various instances of where he shows what got him there: “Roll Call Reloaded” sees him revisiting the previous song’s concept of dropping dead-on imitations of other rap superstars, and he tears apart his own renditions of songs like Crooked I’s “My Dream,” Clipse’s “20K Making Brothers On The Corner,” and Nas’ “Hero.” Add a couple commercially viable offerings, two tracks where he holds his own alongside fellow Texans Slim Thug and Trae, and an entire disc of bonus songs, and MM 4 sounds more like an album than a mixtape. But then again, that’s to be expected. Even though Chamillionaire admits that his last album fell victim to the sophomore slump on “The Real Thang,” it looks like he’s back on track.

Curren$y - Fast Times At Ridgemont Fly [click to listen]

The "Hot Spitta" is back again with another tape this month as he tells us about the Fast Times At Ridgemont Fly. He's been very consistent the past months with this mixtape series, I can't lie. Curren$y is on the grind. He's always willing to try new things (ie. "Modern Day Hippie"). Title track "Fast Times" featuring Mr. Marcelo is that ride out music that thumps hard down the block. I think Spitta hit it in the head when he said "...know I sound over beats, so Breezy" because that's the first thing that comes to mind when the "Navigation Pimpin'" beat drops. He even snuck in a track for Brett Favre to celebrate the Jets' acquisition. Have that bad broad "Roll Your Shit," and cruise to some Spitta shit.

Theo - The Rebirth [click to listen]

What's really good in Rhode Island? Nothing really comes to mind. I can bet your average American can't point it out on their geography quiz. Its one of the original 13 colonies thought, and from Providence, comes Theo with The Rebirth. The mixtape is a good backdrop for good music and "Good Morning America" is a nice starter where Theo spews that "Hip Hop Down To The Socks." Catch him on the Dilla, "Dillageance" instrumental with the swag up. He even trades bars with Skyzoo [click to read] on "Keep Doing Your Thing" over that uptempo Kris Fame production and "High Life" with J.A.M.E.S. Watts is smooth and bouncy. Theo's definitely got that ride out tape that goes well when you're "Riding Down The Freeway." The Rebirth proves that it doesn't matter where you're from, good music can't be denied.

Ced Hughes - What Up Tho?! (Plain Pat) [click to listen]

What Up Tho?! "Mr. VA" is upon us with a refreshing listen, considering the state of music lately (the game is shifting). Seems like artist are stepping their game up and going harder with each release. Creativity is at an all time high. "The Virus" is one of those records. Ced goes on and makes references to every Hip Hop website and blog you've visited in the past. Chances are, he probably put you on to some you didn't know. "Juke Joint" is that uptempo soulful, gospel vibe that is reminiscent of Gnarls Barkley. The title track is more than funky with that deep synth banging out the speakers. He switches the pace on "Blame It On Ced" and gets personal on us. Overall, this mixtape is another breath of fresh air to an oversaturated genre of recycled ideas and rhymes. Looks like the future holds something different than expected. Follow the same formula and it might be your "Ode To Doom."

Mickey Factz - The Leak Vol. 2: The Inspiration [click to listen]

This writer has completely ignored DXnext alum Mickey Factz’ [click to read] music up until this point, but the New York emcee’s work ethic is undeniable. His constant online leaks have kept his online presence consistent, and rapper after rapper is offering his own rendition of his track “Incredible.” As solid as it is, The Leak Vol. 2: The Inspiration doesn’t properly capitalize on his hustle: he’s letting too many others cash in on his groundwork. Much of Inspiration has cameos from others: a track with Drake and Travis McCoy opens up the tape, and the likes of Tanya Morgan [click to read], Cool Kids and Fresh Daily make appearances as well. These tracks are all dope, but it’s just too much to sift through before you get to Mickey himself. Once you do get there, though, the results are positive: “Live Water” sees him flipping a Lauryn Hill track to tell a love story with H2O as its theme, the 9th Wonder-laced [click to read] “Good Money” is a well-executed ode to greenbacks, and Mickey describes different types of exhilaration on “Rush.” Mickey Factz is a talented emcee, especially when it comes to crafting conceptual songs: it’d just be a bit better if he placed more emphasis on himself. Continued on page 2 »