Mixtape Wrapup (November)
By Legend & William E. Ketchum, III
Zion I - Search and Seizure Mixtape [click to listen]
To model itself after mixtapes released decades ago, even though Zion I’s Search and Seizure Mixtape has 17 songs, it’s only separated into two songs: Side A and Side B, as it was also released on limited-run promotional cassettes. Thankfully, format wasn’t the only note Zion I took from their predecessors: the tape flows so naturally that you wouldn’t need the skip button anyway. The rapper/producer duo of Zumbi and AmpLive offer remakes of songs by the likes of Santogold, Public Enemy and more, and each track comes off naturally: highlights include their interpretation of P.E.’s “Rebel Without A Pause” and the Mickey Factz-featured “MGMT vs. MGMT.” With AmpLive’s fantastic interpolations production-wise and Zumbia’s rhymes that capture the aesthetic without losing what already makes him dope, Search and Seizure is a gratifying mixtape. Let’s hope their album, The Takeover, is just as efficient when it drops January 27.
Kanye West - Sky High (DJ Benzi/Plain Pat) [click to listen]
Kanye remix albums have to be a rarity in Hip Hop. Mainly because his acapellas are never out there like that (unlike his big brother Jay-Z). The Kickdrums start the tape off with "Good Morning" featuring newest G.O.O.D. signee Big Sean. I'm not sure where he fits in on the track, but he seemed a little out of place. The Nick Catchdubs remix of "Champion" fit perfectly. Almost to the point where you could forget what the original sounded like. "Electric Touch" is something refreshing as well. The way DJ Mighty Mi (of Eastern Conference fame) flipped that MGMT sample was nice. The Benzi "refix" on "Impatient Boy" is a good club mix of the smash Estelle record. As far as Hip Hop goes, this is anything BUT that. This is a club/house remix of anything Kanye. Most Hip Hop fans will probably be taken back by this because its not your usual soul sample we're used to hearing from Yeezy, but on some Pop ish, this might bang in the club.
B.o.B. - Who The Fuck is B.o.B.? (DJ Scream) [click to listen]
Who the fuck is B.o.B. [click to read]? He’s the future of Hip Hop. Excuse the seemingly hyperbolic statements, but after one listen to the ATLien’s new mixtape, it’s easy to see why T.I. [click to read] snatched him up as the newest artist on his Grand Hustle label. Throughout this 24-track opus, B.o.B. shows that he’s literally the total musical package. He combines clever, substantial rhymes with infectious hooks and a fluid, agile delivery that makes his material digestible. And his self-produced beats are refreshingly full, meshing booming bass with melodious synths, guitar licks, or whatever he needs to make it work. “Double Bubble” and “Service With A Smile” are addictive, carefree odes to whips and fellatio, while “Eastside Tales” sees B.o.B. lamenting about issues in his hometown. He can play the teammate, as well: “I’m Dat Nigga” sees him and T.I. battling for best verse kudos (it’s closer than you’d think), and “Fuck You” pairs B.o.B. with Lil Boosie to denounce naysayers over an incredible instrumental that shifts between a bluesy strings-and-harmonica combo and pounding keys. If B.o.B.’s album is as complete as his mixtape, everyone will know who he is this time next year.
Sheek Louch, Extinction - Last of a Dying Breed [click to listen]
This writer has always written off Sheek Louch [click to read] as the black sheep of The L.O.X.; not the worst member of a rap crew by far, but so inferior to Styles P [click to read] and Jadakiss [click to read] that he’d never be relevant enough to hold my attention for a solo effort. Extinction: Last of A Dying Breed doesn’t do much to disprove these assumptions. His blunt, simplistic rhyme schemes work best when they’re the foil to his groupmates’ multi-layered bars, as seen on the Jadakiss-assisted “Get Money”. But elsewhere, his charisma can only do so much to mask his paper-thin rhymes and equally bland production. Die-hard Sheek fans may be happy to hear new material from their beloved underdog, but I’m not impressed.
Chamillionaire - Mixtape Messiah 5 [click to listen]
It’s confusing how underrated Chamillionaire [click to read] is, despite his list of industry achievements: not only is he one of the most technically skilled young emcees from the south, but he’s also got a pair of Grammy awards under his belt for his Billboard-topping single “Ridin,” and he’s built a reputation as one of the most consistent, prolific mixtape artists out there. The latter is further solidified with his latest offering, Mixtape Messiah 5. Track after track fails to disappoint: he murders the instrumentals to T.I.’s “Swagger Like Us” and Young Buck’s “Drivin’ Down The Freeway” just as well as their original emcees did, and he and singer Chalie Boy collaborate for a fall-out hilarious remake of Jazmine Sullivan’s “Bust Your Windows.” Original songs like the rapid-fire “Keep Hating Part II” and the punchline-laden “Act Right” showcase his palette of talents as well. If you’re going to keep sleeping on Chamillionaire, go ahead—but you don’t know what you’re missing.
Hipsters Need Soul Too (DJ Graffiti) [click to listen]
The whole “hipster” movement in music, in this writer’s opinion, is horse-shit: not only are the qualifications of the category so vague that they aren’t very effective, but more often than not, the categorization overshadows the music. Fortunately, my fellow Michigander DJ Graffiti agrees with me: on the intro to his new Hipsters Need Soul Too mixtape, he quips, “as long as your music is as tight as your jeans, then we’re tight.” He proceeds to deftly place songs by “hipsters” like Mickey Factz [click to read] and Cool Kids alongside the likes of John Legend and Andre 3000 [click to read], Devin The Dude [click to read] and others to drive home the fact that everyone is a part of the greater picture of Hip Hop. While the quality of the music is already official, it’s Graffiti’s sequencing that really does the job here, as his organization of the songs, skits, and interludes makes for a truly skip-free experience. Add unheard tracks from J Dilla, Buff1, Black Milk and others; a couple of dope remixes; and an oldie here or there, and you have a sleeper candidate for mixtape of the year.
Evidence - The Layover Mixtape (DJ Skee) [click to listen]
Aside from The Hamiltonization process, DJ Skee [click to read] been kind of silent as of late. If you've been sleeping under a rock for the past couple months, Evidence [click to read] has been steadily working on The Layover EP [click to read]. Skee vowed to "only dropping classics" as far as mixtapes go, and The Layover Mixtape is a definite prelude to what you will hear on the album. The title track is a crazy way to start off the tape. No matter which way you "Tip The Scale," you can't deny Ev's presence on the mic. Coming from the west coast, it's a breath of fresh air. The ode to California aka "Beautiful Day (Remix)" has to be one of the standouts on the tape. Not so much for the track itself, but for the unity the track represents. Coincidentally the very next track explains it in the opening line with "Beats like this bring sets together." It's been a while since Hip Hop has seen that type of love between artists. Round that out with "Whom The Bells Toll" and this has to be one of the best west coast mixtapes thats come out this year.
YungDre tha H.o.P.E. - Love Me Or Leave Me Alone (DJ Young Mase) [click to listen]
YungDre tha H.o.P.E.—the latter of which stands for Historically Oppressed People Everyday—lives in Atlanta, Georgia, but he was born and raised in Saginaw, Michigan, and his latest mixtape, Love Me Or Leave Me Alone, sees him revisiting his roots in the mitten. Dre enlisted Detroit’s Aphilliates DJ Young Mase to host the tape, and his nimble, enunciated flow is clearly more Midwestern than it is southern. Even though Love Me is more remakes than original material, he alternatively steals the show and assimilates accordingly: his puppy love verse fits in perfectly on the remix of Alicia Keys’ “Teenage Love Affair,” and he and Stacaholics cohort Evil annihilate the instrumental to 50 Cent’s “The Mechanic” on “Boyz N Da Hood.” But when he finally uses original material, he gets down to business: the album-closing “All My People” features him addressing his fellow Saginawians on wax just as candidly as he would as if he were still on Genesee Street. The title of YungDre’s new mixtape gives you two choices, but after giving it a listen, you won’t want to leave him alone.
Ransom - Pain & Glory 2 [click to listen]
It's no secret, Ransom [click to read] will eat you alive and de-skin your flesh on tracks. Pain & Glory is no different. If you're not from the street, this isn't for you. You can hear Ransom's frustration on the opening track. He paints a picture vividly on "Funeral." We all know Jersey is nothing to mess with. The streets are crazy. "Face Off" with Tony Yayo [click to read] and Cory Gunz has to be one of the standouts on the whole tape. No denial, Cory murked that beat and its a perfect example of what this mixtape embodies. That hard, street music that will pat your pockets. Which might be one of the things that brings it down. We've heard this from Ransom already. There's no real growth as far as an artist is concerned. Regardless, that bang bang Ransom is enough to keep the fans hungry. Stick with the same formula, because if it ain't broke, why fix it?
BONUS CUT: Lil Wayne - The Drought 6 [click to listen] vs. Dedication 3 [click to listen]
The tale of two tapes. The cosigned DJ Drama versus the industry hi-jacked "Empire could die twice, I don't fuck with that nigga" Drought 6. It's no secret, Lil Wayne is one of the only cats that can have the mixtape game in a choke-hold when he drops. Everyone switches up the gameplan when he comes. Dedication with DJ Drama made Lil Wayne the superstar he is today. Dedication 3 comes strapped with the Lil Wayne cosign plus the whole Young Money team gunning for peoples throats. Unfortunately, some of the best tracks came from Young Money (See: Drake on "Stuntin;" and Jae Millz on "Dick Pleaser") and those skits should leave people baffled. Don't get it twisted though, D3 has its bangers but how do they mount next to "Red Magic" featuring The Game or Nu Jersey Devil's "Different Girl" or "Eat You Alive" (all off Drought 6)? Granted that 50 Cent diss on "Lousianimal" is pre-Carter III (unreleased) and Curren$y on "First Place Winner" with Swizz Beatz should red flag another old collab that was unreleased. The tale of two tapes shows you where Weezy F. Baby IS and where he used to be. There will come a time where the unreleased material will cease to exist, but as of right now (D3 vs Dr6), score one for The Drought. I'm sure this wont be the last time the two face off.
Zion I - Search and Seizure Mixtape [click to listen]
To model itself after mixtapes released decades ago, even though Zion I’s Search and Seizure Mixtape has 17 songs, it’s only separated into two songs: Side A and Side B, as it was also released on limited-run promotional cassettes. Thankfully, format wasn’t the only note Zion I took from their predecessors: the tape flows so naturally that you wouldn’t need the skip button anyway. The rapper/producer duo of Zumbi and AmpLive offer remakes of songs by the likes of Santogold, Public Enemy and more, and each track comes off naturally: highlights include their interpretation of P.E.’s “Rebel Without A Pause” and the Mickey Factz-featured “MGMT vs. MGMT.” With AmpLive’s fantastic interpolations production-wise and Zumbia’s rhymes that capture the aesthetic without losing what already makes him dope, Search and Seizure is a gratifying mixtape. Let’s hope their album, The Takeover, is just as efficient when it drops January 27.
Kanye West - Sky High (DJ Benzi/Plain Pat) [click to listen]
Kanye remix albums have to be a rarity in Hip Hop. Mainly because his acapellas are never out there like that (unlike his big brother Jay-Z). The Kickdrums start the tape off with "Good Morning" featuring newest G.O.O.D. signee Big Sean. I'm not sure where he fits in on the track, but he seemed a little out of place. The Nick Catchdubs remix of "Champion" fit perfectly. Almost to the point where you could forget what the original sounded like. "Electric Touch" is something refreshing as well. The way DJ Mighty Mi (of Eastern Conference fame) flipped that MGMT sample was nice. The Benzi "refix" on "Impatient Boy" is a good club mix of the smash Estelle record. As far as Hip Hop goes, this is anything BUT that. This is a club/house remix of anything Kanye. Most Hip Hop fans will probably be taken back by this because its not your usual soul sample we're used to hearing from Yeezy, but on some Pop ish, this might bang in the club.
B.o.B. - Who The Fuck is B.o.B.? (DJ Scream) [click to listen]
Who the fuck is B.o.B. [click to read]? He’s the future of Hip Hop. Excuse the seemingly hyperbolic statements, but after one listen to the ATLien’s new mixtape, it’s easy to see why T.I. [click to read] snatched him up as the newest artist on his Grand Hustle label. Throughout this 24-track opus, B.o.B. shows that he’s literally the total musical package. He combines clever, substantial rhymes with infectious hooks and a fluid, agile delivery that makes his material digestible. And his self-produced beats are refreshingly full, meshing booming bass with melodious synths, guitar licks, or whatever he needs to make it work. “Double Bubble” and “Service With A Smile” are addictive, carefree odes to whips and fellatio, while “Eastside Tales” sees B.o.B. lamenting about issues in his hometown. He can play the teammate, as well: “I’m Dat Nigga” sees him and T.I. battling for best verse kudos (it’s closer than you’d think), and “Fuck You” pairs B.o.B. with Lil Boosie to denounce naysayers over an incredible instrumental that shifts between a bluesy strings-and-harmonica combo and pounding keys. If B.o.B.’s album is as complete as his mixtape, everyone will know who he is this time next year.
Sheek Louch, Extinction - Last of a Dying Breed [click to listen]
This writer has always written off Sheek Louch [click to read] as the black sheep of The L.O.X.; not the worst member of a rap crew by far, but so inferior to Styles P [click to read] and Jadakiss [click to read] that he’d never be relevant enough to hold my attention for a solo effort. Extinction: Last of A Dying Breed doesn’t do much to disprove these assumptions. His blunt, simplistic rhyme schemes work best when they’re the foil to his groupmates’ multi-layered bars, as seen on the Jadakiss-assisted “Get Money”. But elsewhere, his charisma can only do so much to mask his paper-thin rhymes and equally bland production. Die-hard Sheek fans may be happy to hear new material from their beloved underdog, but I’m not impressed.
Chamillionaire - Mixtape Messiah 5 [click to listen]
It’s confusing how underrated Chamillionaire [click to read] is, despite his list of industry achievements: not only is he one of the most technically skilled young emcees from the south, but he’s also got a pair of Grammy awards under his belt for his Billboard-topping single “Ridin,” and he’s built a reputation as one of the most consistent, prolific mixtape artists out there. The latter is further solidified with his latest offering, Mixtape Messiah 5. Track after track fails to disappoint: he murders the instrumentals to T.I.’s “Swagger Like Us” and Young Buck’s “Drivin’ Down The Freeway” just as well as their original emcees did, and he and singer Chalie Boy collaborate for a fall-out hilarious remake of Jazmine Sullivan’s “Bust Your Windows.” Original songs like the rapid-fire “Keep Hating Part II” and the punchline-laden “Act Right” showcase his palette of talents as well. If you’re going to keep sleeping on Chamillionaire, go ahead—but you don’t know what you’re missing.
Hipsters Need Soul Too (DJ Graffiti) [click to listen]
The whole “hipster” movement in music, in this writer’s opinion, is horse-shit: not only are the qualifications of the category so vague that they aren’t very effective, but more often than not, the categorization overshadows the music. Fortunately, my fellow Michigander DJ Graffiti agrees with me: on the intro to his new Hipsters Need Soul Too mixtape, he quips, “as long as your music is as tight as your jeans, then we’re tight.” He proceeds to deftly place songs by “hipsters” like Mickey Factz [click to read] and Cool Kids alongside the likes of John Legend and Andre 3000 [click to read], Devin The Dude [click to read] and others to drive home the fact that everyone is a part of the greater picture of Hip Hop. While the quality of the music is already official, it’s Graffiti’s sequencing that really does the job here, as his organization of the songs, skits, and interludes makes for a truly skip-free experience. Add unheard tracks from J Dilla, Buff1, Black Milk and others; a couple of dope remixes; and an oldie here or there, and you have a sleeper candidate for mixtape of the year.
Evidence - The Layover Mixtape (DJ Skee) [click to listen]
Aside from The Hamiltonization process, DJ Skee [click to read] been kind of silent as of late. If you've been sleeping under a rock for the past couple months, Evidence [click to read] has been steadily working on The Layover EP [click to read]. Skee vowed to "only dropping classics" as far as mixtapes go, and The Layover Mixtape is a definite prelude to what you will hear on the album. The title track is a crazy way to start off the tape. No matter which way you "Tip The Scale," you can't deny Ev's presence on the mic. Coming from the west coast, it's a breath of fresh air. The ode to California aka "Beautiful Day (Remix)" has to be one of the standouts on the tape. Not so much for the track itself, but for the unity the track represents. Coincidentally the very next track explains it in the opening line with "Beats like this bring sets together." It's been a while since Hip Hop has seen that type of love between artists. Round that out with "Whom The Bells Toll" and this has to be one of the best west coast mixtapes thats come out this year.
YungDre tha H.o.P.E. - Love Me Or Leave Me Alone (DJ Young Mase) [click to listen]
YungDre tha H.o.P.E.—the latter of which stands for Historically Oppressed People Everyday—lives in Atlanta, Georgia, but he was born and raised in Saginaw, Michigan, and his latest mixtape, Love Me Or Leave Me Alone, sees him revisiting his roots in the mitten. Dre enlisted Detroit’s Aphilliates DJ Young Mase to host the tape, and his nimble, enunciated flow is clearly more Midwestern than it is southern. Even though Love Me is more remakes than original material, he alternatively steals the show and assimilates accordingly: his puppy love verse fits in perfectly on the remix of Alicia Keys’ “Teenage Love Affair,” and he and Stacaholics cohort Evil annihilate the instrumental to 50 Cent’s “The Mechanic” on “Boyz N Da Hood.” But when he finally uses original material, he gets down to business: the album-closing “All My People” features him addressing his fellow Saginawians on wax just as candidly as he would as if he were still on Genesee Street. The title of YungDre’s new mixtape gives you two choices, but after giving it a listen, you won’t want to leave him alone.
Ransom - Pain & Glory 2 [click to listen]
It's no secret, Ransom [click to read] will eat you alive and de-skin your flesh on tracks. Pain & Glory is no different. If you're not from the street, this isn't for you. You can hear Ransom's frustration on the opening track. He paints a picture vividly on "Funeral." We all know Jersey is nothing to mess with. The streets are crazy. "Face Off" with Tony Yayo [click to read] and Cory Gunz has to be one of the standouts on the whole tape. No denial, Cory murked that beat and its a perfect example of what this mixtape embodies. That hard, street music that will pat your pockets. Which might be one of the things that brings it down. We've heard this from Ransom already. There's no real growth as far as an artist is concerned. Regardless, that bang bang Ransom is enough to keep the fans hungry. Stick with the same formula, because if it ain't broke, why fix it?
BONUS CUT: Lil Wayne - The Drought 6 [click to listen] vs. Dedication 3 [click to listen]
The tale of two tapes. The cosigned DJ Drama versus the industry hi-jacked "Empire could die twice, I don't fuck with that nigga" Drought 6. It's no secret, Lil Wayne is one of the only cats that can have the mixtape game in a choke-hold when he drops. Everyone switches up the gameplan when he comes. Dedication with DJ Drama made Lil Wayne the superstar he is today. Dedication 3 comes strapped with the Lil Wayne cosign plus the whole Young Money team gunning for peoples throats. Unfortunately, some of the best tracks came from Young Money (See: Drake on "Stuntin;" and Jae Millz on "Dick Pleaser") and those skits should leave people baffled. Don't get it twisted though, D3 has its bangers but how do they mount next to "Red Magic" featuring The Game or Nu Jersey Devil's "Different Girl" or "Eat You Alive" (all off Drought 6)? Granted that 50 Cent diss on "Lousianimal" is pre-Carter III (unreleased) and Curren$y on "First Place Winner" with Swizz Beatz should red flag another old collab that was unreleased. The tale of two tapes shows you where Weezy F. Baby IS and where he used to be. There will come a time where the unreleased material will cease to exist, but as of right now (D3 vs Dr6), score one for The Drought. I'm sure this wont be the last time the two face off.
