Cee-Lo – Stray Bullets
(Greg Street)
This dropped virtually out of nowhere, but it’s a welcome addition to hard drives and iPods nonetheless. Stray Bullets may be a mixtape, but it still sticks to Cee-Lo Green’s formula: not having a formula. The frontman of Gnarls Barkley and Goodie Mob (who make a great appearance here on “Night Train”) member rhymes, croons, and shimmies his way through 14 tracks about pussy (“Cho Cha The Cat,” feat. The B-52s), a boring music industry (“You Don’t Shock Me Anymore”), and more. Pair these topics with varied, genre-bending production by The Grey Area, and you have a mixtape that’s as schizophrenically satisfying as Cee-Lo’s musical sensibilities. On “Talking To Strangers,” Cee-Lo sings, “I may be strange, is that why the strangers keep talking to me?” With material like this, Cee-Lo will always have a crew of strangers supporting his music—and if that’s the case, maybe he’s not as strange as he thinks.
Donnis – Fashionably Late (DJ Ill Will, Clinton Sparks & DJ Rockstar)
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DXnext alum Donnis’ Fashionably Late mixtape with Clinton Sparks and DJ Ill Will lived up to its title with its delayed release, but it justifies its hype all the same. One of the more slept-on XXL ’10 freshmen uses a charismatic delivery to spit energetic braggadocio (“Yup,” “More Fire”) and narrate streamlined but vivid karmic tragedies (“Folk Tales”) equally well, conveying balance to those who may write him off based on singles and a sponsorship from clothing line 10.Deep. Other highlights include the truck-ready “Country Cool” remix with Yelawolf and Pill, and “Make It Home,” which laments on growing apart from loved ones while succeeding professionally. A great product from another one of Atlanta’s emerging voices.
Big Boi – Mixtape for Dummies: A Guide To Global Greatness (DJ X-Rated & DJ Eclipse)
Many Hip Hop heads were disappointed to find out that Mixtape for Dummies was a compilation of older Outkast material instead of brand new Big Boi offerings, but check out Sir Lucious Left Foot if that’s what you’re looking for. Even though this is clearly set up as a trip down memory lane before hearing Big Boi’s new solo material, the mixtape doesn’t only play Big Boi’s highlight verses from Outkast’s catalog. Instead, it showcases their usual teamwork through a rounded, perfectly-paced mix of the duo’s material. Big Boi is going for solo glory with his LP, but it seems that he maturely understands that Outkast is his brand as much as Dre’s, so there’s no need to leave out his partner-in-rhyme. If weeding through your favorites from the duo’s several classic albums is too tough, throw in Mixtape for Dummies and enjoy.
Gucci Mane – Gangsta Grillz: Mr. Zone 6 (DJ Drama)
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Recent Aphilliates collaborations with Talib Kweli and Big Boi were surprising, but with a Gucci Mane mixtape, you know exactly what you’re going to get: hard, whip-ready beats with simplistic, catchy rhymes. For better or for worse—depending on your opinion—Mr. Zone 6 sees Gucci sticking to the script. The usual subject matter is in full affect, as titles like “Cowards and Soldiers,” “Stove Music” and “Makin Love To The Money” speak for themselves. The lyrics won’t boggle your mind, but Gucci’s charisma and the infectious soundbeds make up lost ground.
Fashawn – Ode To Illmatic (DJ Green Lantern)
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With Ode To Illmatic, Fashawn does something that many of his contemporaries don’t: he makes a tribute with no strings attached. Fashawn doesn’t use this mixtape to simply rip Nas beats to show he can hang, and he doesn’t butcher the original songs’ concepts to showcase his own expertise. Instead, he tastefully inserts his own spin on a Hip Hop classic while still using the original song ideas, instrumentals, and even words and rhyme schemes—in short, he knows his place. Great examples are “CA State of Mind” and “One Love.” The former summates the turmoil in his left coast hometown in a way that was clearly inspired by Nas’ observations from his seminal ’96 LP, and the latter is a letter to an incarcerated loved one just like its predecessor. If Fashawn’s Boy Meets World debut was reminiscent of Nas’ ’94 intro to the game, this mixtape is even more eerie.
dead prez – Revolutionary But Gangsta Grillz (DJ Drama)
This pairing may seem unconventional, but this is exactly what DJ Drama’s Gangsta Grillz series is all about: the successful collaboration of two brands. RBGG succeeds because it represents DJ Drama’s ear-to-the-streets side as much as it does dead prez’ revolutionary, socio-politically-charged elements. All the relevant “industry” beats are here, but with dead prez’ twist: Lloyd Banks’ “Beamer Benz & Bentley” chorus is substituted with the names of black leaders “Malcolm Garvey Huey” (Malcolm X, Marcus Garvey and Huey Newton), and their remake of Drake’s “Over” speaks perseverance for change instead of career longevity.
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Chip Tha Ripper – Independence Day (DJ Steph Floss)
Chip Tha Ripper’s Independence Day mixtape didn’t get much fanfare, but it’s still an enjoyable offering from the Cleveland, OH emcee. The tape covers decent ground for a short 13 tracks: Chip uses “No Slack” and the Cudi-assisted “All Talk” to explain how actions speak louder than words, while “Baby Wuz Hapnin’” gives props to well-off women who do for self. The interesting, out-of-place surprise here is “Amerikaz Most Wanted,” where he and Lil B (yes, that Lil B) rhyme as a psychopath who kidnaps his girlfriend. Aside from that puzzling (yet enthralling) inclusion, Independence Day works with Chip’s digestible rhymes and synthy, energetic production.
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The Away Team – Independence Day (DJ Eclipse) [click here to listen and/or download]
North Carolina’s Justus League crew may not have the visibility it had during its heyday, but that doesn’t mean they ever stopped churning out heaters. Away Team—the duo of producer Khrysis and emcee Sean Boog—celebrate this year’s Independence Day with a mixtape of the same title that revisits their previous catalog. And thankfully, Away Team operates the way that the best production/emcee duos do: as a team. Khrysis’ thumping, sample-driven beats keep up the mixtape’s momentum, while Sean Boog’s straight-to-the-chase rhymes keep it grounded. Previously-released bangers make up most of the tape (personal favs include “Greedy” and the Sean Price-assisted “Psycho Ward”), but freestyles over Sean Price’s “Onion Head” and Little Brother’s “Watch Me” show that they haven’t lost it.
Big Boi & Rick Ross – Southernplayalisticmaybachmusic(Mick Boogie)
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Many mixtapes give emcees a forum to release material that wouldn’t make their albums, but others are showcases for DJs’ musical masterminding. Mick Boogie has never been short on creativity, and Southernplayalisticmaybachmusic is no exception. The idea is simple—mix Big Boi/Outkast instrumentals and vocals with Rick Ross’ rhymes, and vice versa. At its high points—Ross’ “Mafia Music” verse over Kast’s “Return of the G,” and Big Boi’s rhymes over Ross’ new “Super High”—both emcees sound completely natural over each others’ material. But occasionally, Boogie lets his ambition keep him from picking the verses and instrumentals that blend the best—mixing Ross’ verses from “Hustlin’” with Big Boi’s “Ghetto Musick” sounds forced. The tape has mixed results, but but listeners should be in good shape if they take their favorites and keep it moving.
