By The Honorable Adam Thomas
What's good people? Welcome back to the realest mixtape review on the internet, Tale Of The Tape. I already know that most of you clicked on the link to see the verdict on Dedication 3.
Chill out Stans, from here on out called “Carterettes”, I got that on display this week, so get your propaganda and hate ready. We also got tapes from West Coast upstart Nipsy Hu$$le, New Jersey’s own Ransom, DJ Whoo Kid, and the Cuban Julio Eglesias, Pitbull. You got to love me.
Nipsy Hu$$le
Bullets Ain't Got No Name Vol 2
Heavy Rotation
You know a rapper has a different quality when The Game gets on the radio and doesn’t diss him. Nipsy Hu$$le is probably the only rapper ever to have that distinction, and he definitely shows why with Bullets Vol 2. The kid really validates his grind with tracks like “Thuggin”, ”Never Gonna Change” or the “Bullets Remix” where he works with The Game. The tape is mixed a little rough, but hey, that only works for the street persona this cat lets on. This may just be the next best thing out of LA, but we will know for sure when The Game disses him.
Lil Wayne & DJ Drama
The Dedication 3
Peep It
If you are a mixtape professor like The Honorable One, you have listened to The Dedication series. These tapes were the stamp that put Gangsta Grillz on the map, gave the South mixtape game a solid shove, and pushed Wayne into a different level on the Hip-Hop artistry chart. Since then, most have hated or loved him.
The Dedication 3 won’t change anyone’s opinion on the man. It also won’t add to his prestige much either. Like Tha Carter III, Wayne shines when he lets the listener in on his personality. This really happens on the ends of songs and skits, where he talks his smack in the booth. There are dope tracks on this one as well, like his duet with Toronto transplant Drake (“Ransom”) and Nikki Minaj (“Still I Rise”), but mostly, the Dedication 3 is safe.
The Dedication series is getting worse as time goes on. Between auto tune, standard song premises and basic punch lines, Weezy F is playing for scale. Still, it’s better than most of the filth floating out there, but for a Dedication tape, this has me feeling in a way son.
Ransom
Pain & Glory 2
Peep It
Prior to this week, the only things I knew about Ransom is that he was from New Jersey and he flipped on Joe Budden like a flapjack. Did you know this guy has talent? He proves he isn’t just an honorable weed carrier with tracks like “Face Off” and “Law & Order”. Even if there is some wack sauce with that “Gimme The Loot” remake called “Opposites Attract”, Ransom proves he just may have a place in the rap game with Pain & Glory 2.
Pitbull
Free Agent
Peep It
There are two rappers that held down the Latino side of Hip-Hop after Big Pun passed. One being Fat Joe who may have done it with Pun’s Rhyme book. The other, Pitbull, worked a region that sparingly had the spotlight (Miami) and did it big on an independent record label (TVT). It’s no question who had the tougher road.
Now that Mr. 305 is a free agent, he has released a mixtape to celebrate the fact. Free Agent shows he hasn't lost a step, especially with that unique Latino flavor he throws on tracks (“Duffle Bag Boy”, “A Millie”) and his own (“American War”). The only real problem happens to be the DJ Noodles. There is too much “DJ Khaled” going on with the tough talk over the tracks. We want to hear Pitbull not you. Thanks.
Notorious BIG & DJ Whoo Kid
Night Of The Living Dead
Heavy Rotation
It is hard to go wrong with Big Poppa on a blend tape. B.I.G is such a monster on the microphone, and every single DJ worth his music collection has listened to his rhymes enough to get the timing down. The differences between most blend tapes that feature Mr. Wallace are the theme and the rappers he is featured with. In Night Of The Living Dead, Whoo Kid solidifies his status as a technician by blending other artists ranging from Nas (“Halloween”) to Scarface (“Nightmare On Elm Street”) all around the scary movie motif. It’s a little late for Halloween, but this one is worth keeping around until the next one. So keep those clever Obama masks within reach.
Tale Of The Tape 11.19.08
Tale of the Tape 11.19.08