Mixtape Wrapup (August/September)

The Late Pass editon…

By Legend & William E. Ketchum, III

Nipsey Hussle – Bullets Ain’t Got No Names Vol. 3 [click to download]

For those that haven’t been paying attention lately, the west coast has had a pot of raw talent brewing the past year. While it simmers on the left, it hasn’t quite boiled yet. The movement is growing strong though, and people are starting to take notice. Nipsey Hussle [click to read] would have to be one of those on the forefront of the movement. In his third installment of the Bullets Ain’t Got No Names series, his goal is to show why Hussle is his last name. Part of the reason this tape should resonate so much in the times we live in is because of the way he paints street life. On songs like “Walk In My Shoes,” Neighborhood Nip displays that hustle mantra, remains apologetic on “Shed A Tear,” and even appreciates the music he creates, on tracks like “Rap Muzik.” Not only does he describe that world he grew up on, but the hand to hand street connect everyday people experience. The old west coast sound is prevalent throughout the project without straying away from the true element of the music its forefathers provided. California got that next generation “Strapped” up and ready to compete with every other region. In the hood, this might just be soundtrack to life in 2009. It’s payback.

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DJ Drama, Cam’ron & Vado – Boss Of All Bosses [click to listen]

With Cam’ron‘s [click to read] out of retirement parade earlier this year, we couldn’t expect him to stay quiet for long. This mixtape had been in the works for a couple months but undoubtedly, the power of the Internet put a halt to it with random leaks it faced in the beginning of July. After that moment, Cam’ron went back to the lab and re-worked the tape a bit to make it an even more official Gangsta Grillz presentation. Cam’ron doesn’t break any new ground on this one, besides the fact that it’s time for the new generation to get that shine. Boss Of All Bosses is essentially the introduction of Cam‘s newest protoge Vado. It’s a Harlem block party every track in. This definitely hits the underground, and Vado isn’t too bad on the mic game. While at times it might get redundant, songs like “La Bomba” and “The Baddest” hold the crown for the remainder of the tape. Even appearances from Rick Ross and Ma$e don’t seem too out of place and with beats from Araab Muzik, the tape doesn’t lack that sound. Lenox Avenue is still that danger zone.