Curren$y has always maintained a relentless release schedule. The New Orleans emcee is certainly one of the responsible parties for blurring the distinctions between albums and mixtapes with his several-projects-a-year quota. This is obviously something not lost on Spitta; his first official album was called This Ain’t No Mixtape. Several years later, it seems clear that some of his most highly regarded work has since come packaged in the form of free releases.
One of the things that has made Curren$y’s output not feel oversaturated is the calculated partnerships he’s built with sound-specific producers for individual releases. His utility as a rapper may not be in his versatility—though he does show a consistent willingness to play with and switch up his flow—but in his reliability. No matter what producer he has teamed up with that day, Spitta has established a surefire and signature, laid-back but driven delivery. And while Curren$y’s lyrics rarely stray from weed, women, booze and cars, his continual self-branding, Jet Life, has established an expectation for fans that this is what he’s about.
In 2012, shortly before releasing his first major label debut in The Stoned Immaculate, Curren$y told HipHopDX that it felt like his first “studio album.” The difference between a project like The Stoned Immaculate and his collaborative efforts with single producers is clear. And while Curren$y managed a balanced final product with Immaculate, many would argue that his finest moments come in the less feature-heavy and more cohesive records he’s released as a duo with Monsta Beatz, Ski Beatz, Alchemist (Covert Coup) or Harry Fraud (Cigarette Boats).
Unfortunately, Spitta’s latest mixtape release fails to find the balance and cohesion he did with his first Warner Bros. album. If anything, New Jet City reads like a cautionary tale for the woes of obligatory features and trying to do too much at once. There are certainly moments on New Jet City that are quintessential Curren$y. And, to be fair, his cadence and delivery never stutter here and always sound on point. But the mixtape sometimes feels like a major label signee trying to cover all the bases. In some ways all of this makes New Jet City a more accessible project. With features from Rick Ross, Jadakiss, French Montana and more, there is plenty of potential here for Curren$y to build from towards an even more commercially successful second major label release.
Thankfully, Curren$y hasn’t compromised his ear for fine production. Still, and this is in light of his established record of making particularly unified sounding projects, there’s a slightly patchy quality to the tracklist. The mixtape opens up well with Curren$y rapping over a largely unadulterated and simple loop for the title track. Statik Selektah’s production and nuanced drums on the second song, “Clear,” featuring Jadakiss, are a standout on the mixtape. Throughout however, the finest moments expectantly come when Spitta flies solo. The features don’t all feel forced. But even for someone who rarely leaves his comfort zone, “Bitch Get Up” featuring Juvenile and “These Bitches” featuring French Montana both end up feeling a little stale. New Jet City closes with the same beat it opens with except instead of another Curren$y solo verse “New Program” finds Young Roddy with all the shine. In the end, it’s a nice effect to fade out to, and conceptually, it feels like Curren$y is aiming to open up the same door he has for himself for the whole Jet Life Recordings roster. There are several tracks worth any Curren$y fan’s time on New Jet City but just as many worth glazing over. If 2013 is anything like the last several years, there will be plenty more Curren$y material to talk about at the end of the year.
DX Consensus: “EP Worthy”
This review is terrible…”Unfortunately, Spittas latest mixtape release fails to find the balance and cohesion he did with his first Warner Bros. album. If anything, New Jet City reads like a cautionary tale for the woes of obligatory features and trying to do too much at once.” this whole mixtape is hard, sounded like an album Idk what this reveiwer is talking about but you can defintely play this whole thing through, the juve joint does not sound forced and you should do your research, french and curren$y have collaborated before so trust me that wasn’t just some track he felt he had to do because dude is on right now. You might want to take a second listen though because this is most likely going to be the best tape to drop this year…
co-sign
It went hard to me…
this was better than the album
no shit. stfu. your fucking horrible at reviews. this dudes sound slike hes waiting for a nother god forgives i dont type shit stfu. this mix tape is flyer then most tapes out. there was no tracks worth skipping over, and you wanna hate on a juvy feature with curren$y just being a real g and showing some new Orleans love? gtfoh.
VERY solid release from Spitta…
French montana is the only blemish on this record. Otherwise this is a free album with retail quality. Same as always with Curren$y.I’d rather hear more jet life features, but this record is hot.
I’m starting to think Spitta puts French on songs to pay homage to Max B. He can’t actually think that ‘tard can rap.
stupid ass review this is clearly free album status
Nah, this shit is smoked out and rushed.
Baby come to bed. I need my back rubbed.
spitta killed this. no skippers on there either
This mixtape was dope as fuck. As for forced features, the only 1 on the mixtape that id say was forced is that wack ass waist of 2 million dollars Trinidad James. That muthafucker sucks. Hes just a drug dealer who sells drugs to rappers. He has no talent when it comes to music. He should have had Fiend on that song instead. That’s pretty much all this mixtape was missing. And as for French Montana he sucks but him and spitta have done music before.
jay, you tried curren$y. over critical ass
definately better than the album
highed up just enough for the…
Reviewer is confused. No doubt, this is a free album.
this is the first project i ever heard from curren$y. hands down a free album. this shit is dope to ride and smoke to.
i cant remember the last time i read a record review that had such an off-target sense of the impact of a project. obv the author’s opinion is his own….but the overwhelming opinion ive experienced about this tape from my own impression to that of my circle of freinds/peers to that of the blog circles i follow = nothing but glowing reviews and hype about this. its almost a seamless end to end banger. for my money, i can even handle French just fine….the only real hiccup for me is Trinidad. other than that its coast to coast head nods. so im baffled by this review like everyone else.
I’ve been listening to this mix tape for over a week now, and I don’t get the feeling that the features drag this mixtape so far down. Curren$y is still spittin on every track. Don’t hate on The Jet Life!!!
blaze nd listen to the most dope sound to your ear drums
I like Curren$y some good songs needs less features.
good mixtape
Audio Dope
never disappoints
ayyyy doeeeee #JETLIFE
Could have been wayyyy better than that