Mixtape Wrapup (July)

Ludacris - The Preview (DJ Drama) [click to listen]

In his first release since 2006s coming of age disc Release Therapy [click to read], Ludas [click to read] prepping listeners in style by teaming up with DJ Drama [click to read] for The Preview. In a surprisingly well-rounded effort, the mixtape sees Cris showcasing the maturity that he did on his last effort, and the charismatic, carefree nature of his early to mid-career work. While listeners may be let down that Politics As Usual doesnt use the seminal Jay-Z instrumental, he still uses the beat to Young Bucks Buck In Here to give an enthusiastic cosign to Barack Obama and an equally engaging diss to right-wingers. On Stay Together, he disappointingly reminisces about the entertainment industrys failed relationships. Meanwhile, Ludacris kills 2 Kings with so many punchlines and beat-riding skills that youd wish that he were on the original 3 Kings with Slim Thug, T.I. and Bun B. Sho Nuff Revisted sees him using the beat from the southern classic Tela and 8Ball track to floss and pay ode to his predecessors. Aside from Lil Fate, all of his DTP cohorts also have incredible verses: Shawnnas verse on Smokin Big Kill oozes swagger, and Pinky Shinin sees Small World easily outshining his label head with impeccably-delivered internal rhyme schemes. Keeping up with the tradition of Ludas previous albums (aside from Release Therapy), there are even great skits here: Ordinary Negroes turns John Legends hit song into an acapella literal take of Love In This Club. If Ludas upcoming album has him in a zone like he is here, Hip Hop heads are in for a pleasant surprise.

Lil Wayne & Kanye West - From Another Planet (The Empire) [click to listen]

You really thought The Empire would quit after Weezy F. aired them out? Wrong. Instead, the great agitators of the mixtape community deliver a suggestion that celebrates the creativity of two of rap's biggest voices on the same tape. From Another Planet, packaged with The Empire's top-notch cover art, features first a Wayne side then a 'Ye side, then back to Carter. If cassettes were around, this would be cool. Since they're not, it's a bit disappointing that there's no interspersing here. However, joints like Kanye's "A Million And One" freestyle or Lil Wayne's brutal delivery on "Throw It Up" make this a sure pleaser to both the older and younger listening communities. The Carter III [click to read] inclusions may come as an open-palmed slap in the face of the superstar for calling 'em out, but The Empire has far from fallen.

Cassidy - Its Your B-Day Mixtape (DJ Green Lantern) [click to listen]

With last years B.A.R.S. [click to read], Cassidy [click to read] made a point to make more reflective music after going through jail time and a nearly-fatal car crash. But his new mixtape with Green Lantern sees him and the deejay both celebrating their birthdays (July 7), so its only fitting that Cass celebrates another year by returning to the cocky, punchline-heavy bars that earned him his reputation. While the mixtapes eight tracks (minus the intro) amount to a lean half hour of listening, its a reasonably solid listen throughout. Amnesia and Money Come Fast see him spewing the hardnosed rhymes hes known for, while Cassidy uses Was Up Wit U to chastise disloyal hustlers, quipping, If I gave you a penny for everybody thats friendly, and I gave you a nickel for everybody that missed you, and I gave you a quarter for all your supporters, and gave you a dollar for every one of your riders, youd probably be lucky to live with five dollars. In One Year And Out The Other uses a trio of oversaid street soliloquies to display his chronic disobedience, and Enemies Closer see him going toe-to-toe with his foes on the streets. Naysayers of B.A.R.S. should be careful what they wish for, as Cassidys hood sense is back in full effectmany of his narratives and talking points are befuddled with unnecessary gangsterisms. But fortunately, this mixtape is short, and the Philly natives abrasive, scowling vocals and sharp delivery keep things interesting for as long as they need to be.

Snoop Dogg - The City Is In Good Hands (DJ Drama) [click to listen]

The City Is In Good Hands sounds more like a mixtape than one of DJ Dramas Gangsta Grillz releases has in recent memory. His stamp on a project is usually synonymous with an artist going their hardest on every track, but Snoop Dogg seems to be coasting throughout much of this effort. Dont get it twisted: Snoops silky, relaxed-yet-menacing flow is still on display here, but when his already relatively generic lyrics are dumbed down even more, his style over substance approach isnt as engaging. Thats not to say that Good Hands isnt a solid effort: the funky, synthd out production here is spellbinding from top to bottom and it perfectly meshes with Snoops steez, and guest stars like Kurupt, Western Union and Warzone all hold their own when given shine. And when Snoop does go in, the results are undeniable: Fresh Like Me sees him cockily strutting down the blue carpet while giving a description of his California streets, while The Lookout sees him giving advice to the soon-to-be-incarcerated T.I. Ridaman takes a dare to combine A Childrens Story and the Spiderman theme and somehow succeeds, with a head-nodding beat and Snoops comic book narrative of a hood superhero. For these twos better work, see Snoops Blue Carpet Treatment [click to read] and DJ Dramas other Gangsta Grillz tapes.

The Cool Kids - Thats Stupid: The Mixtape (Mando Fresco) [click to listen]

Considering the cult following theyve accumulated over the past couple of years, The Cool Kids havent released much material to back it up. Before the release of this mixtape, they had only released The Bake Sale [click to read]. Thats Stupid is short as well, with a sparse six songs and a playtime of less than 20 minutes. But quality outshines quantity here, as the six tracks all showcase what The Cool Kids are known for: sparse, trunk-rattling beats under flossy, stylistic hipster rhymes that snugly adhere to the '80s aesthetic they respect so much. To be fair, the Cali-meets-Michigan duo is more talented than naysayers give them credit for, as their verses feature more complicated rhyme schemes and clever punchlines than those from the average swag rapper. But if you arent a fan already, this wont make you one. And if you are, then this undersized collection executes like a small fry from McDonalds: good, but leaving you hungrier than you were in the first place.

J The S - When In Rome [click to download]

This mixtape is a little older, but the latest effort from Boston/New York emcee J The S, When In Rome, offers solid, no frills Hip Hop. Solid, song-appropriate production paired with vivid, efficient lyricism give J The Swhich stands for Jake The Snakethe fundamental tools needed for mixtape success. Homie works best under peer pressure: Kilograms (I Know) features J outshining west coast staple Ras Kass [click to read] with lines like, Yall be snitchin, like its cool to rat/the only time I drop a dime is when I lose my sack, while Pump sees his second verse rivaling closing bars from more popular up-and-coming New Yorker Skyzoo [click to read]. Js got solo songs that stand on their own too, though: the highlight is Dont Hear Me, which narrates a man and a womans struggles with addictions to drugs and gambling. Jake The Snakes mainstream appeal needs refinement, as some of his hooks are nearly unbearable, and Chase Cutter falls on its face as a trite attempt at a club banger with a hood edge. Still, J The S is a passionate, bonafide talent on the east coast: and thats already enough to put him a step ahead.

6th Sense and Mick Boogie - Just Do It [click to listen]

Just Do It is a unique effort: 6th Sense and Mick Boogie visited the Nike headquarters in Portland, and they put together this mixtape in two days as an ode to the legendary sportswear company. As corny as the concept may soundespecially to an Adidas head like meits a fun, concise listen. Even though its only nine songs deep (minus an intro), the duo does a commendable job of keeping things versatile: the mixtape doesnt only have the expected odes to fly kicks (a Nike Boots freestyle, and the Lupe Fiasco and A-Trak assisted Me & My Sneakers), but odes to actual players, like Team USA and December 30 (King James), the latter of which slyly alludes to Jay-Zs song December 4th. While it doesnt necessarily work as a mixtape in the traditional sense, itd definitely be a good look as an insert to some Nike shoes or the soundtrack to a video game.

Kid Cudi - A Kid Named Cudi [click to listen]

A Kid Named Cudi, the new mixtape from the much-buzzed singer/rapper Kid Cudi, will leave you feeling just as empty as you do fulfilled. Lyrically, Cudi is no one to write home about, as the subject matter technically teeters between abstract nothings and generic pandering. But his singing voice is endearing, his rap flow feels as free as a 16-year-old taking his uncles Ferrari for a joyride, and his organic, multi-layered production is smooth enough to provide easy listening, but different enough to keep things interesting. And with that many things on his side, his verses sound as genuine and concrete as those than potentially more substantive counterparts. Production-wise, lyrically and even vocally, he dabbles in so many genres that its difficult to categorize him: but thats just the way he likes it. He seems to take pride in incorporating different musical elementsthe swagger of rap, the abstract breeziness of alt-rock, the surreal aura of electronicainto his own brand new melody, and it somehow works damn near every time. Check the organized rave feel of Embrace the Martian, and Cudi Get, which sees him rhyming over J Dillas Wild instrumental. You may finish the closing track Heaven At Nite and realize you dont remember messages from any of the songs, but its a hell of the ride on the way there.

Vic Damone - Talk of Southside (DJ On Point) [click to listen]

In the tradition of Das EFX, K-Solo [click to read], Redman and Keith Murray [click to read] comes Erick Sermon's [click to read] next artist: Vic Damone. And here, DJ On Point is right: Vic Damone knows what hes doing. Vocally, his rough, tumbling flow is eerily similar to Saigon, but his bars are keep him individualistic. He holds his ownnotably, both lyrically and vocallyalongside the likes of distinctive emcees such as Cassidy, Lil Wayne and Rick Ross, and he holds his solo songs together well also. The title track and Backshop Boyz see him spitting the trademark east coast braggadocio, while 4 The Ladies and Porno Flick actually made capable songs targeting the fairer sex. Vic Damone doesnt necessarily sound like game-changer yet, but hes got the talent and the voice to get there.

'90s Flava Volume 1 (Just Blaze) [click to listen]

Although he's quickly associated most often with Jay-Z [click to read] and Saigon [click to read], lest we forget that Just Blaze started his production credits working with '90s luminaries such as Killah Priest [click to read] and Buckshot [click to read]. That being said, the New Jersey native has deep crates - as his blog will show you. '90s Flava Volume 1 winds through obvious and familiar favorites, but what makes the journey all the greater is the attention to detail, and the detours to luminaries such as Grand Daddy I.U.'s "Something New" or L The Head Toucha's "Too Complex." Rather than sound like a greatest hits compilation, Blaze channels back to the unpredictability of a true party-rocker in the '90s, something that somehow, somewhere died in transition. R&B treats from Tevin Campbell and New Edition make the cipher complete, as we can estimate that based on what's in Justin's ear now, great things are coming in the lab.

Additional Reporting by Jake Paine.