Search no further. The cure for the common hit-that-was-hot-but-now-it-gets-on-your-nerves-cause-radio-played-it-out is here. Kill Billboard Vol. 1, produced by the Lab Techs, is a nice compilation of last summer’s hottest singles, remixed with beats that give new flavor to stale hits.
The Lab Techskilled several of Hip Hop and R&B’s hottest producers Dr. Dre, The Neptunes, Timbaland, Scott Storch, Just Blaze, Jazze Pha, and Kanye West with new versions of Encore feat.Eminem Dr. Dre & 50 CentDrop it Like it’s Hot (Snoop Dogg feat. Pharrell) Soldier (Destiny’s Child feat. T.I. & Lil Wayne) Headsprung (LL Cool J) Breathe (Fabolous) Go D.J. (Lil Wayne) Selfish (Slum Village feat. Kanye West) White Tee (Dem Franchize Boyz) & Thief’s Theme (Nas).
On most tracks original artist vocals are bought out by new Lab Tech production. Nas‘ verse on Thief’s Theme is highlighted by a funky-techno, neo-soul beat that gives the track a groove God’s Son never intended. Fabolous never sounded more ghetto on Breathe, and Lil Wayne spits like never before on Go DJ. Best of all, underground verses by The Game and Ludacris on Stomp (Young Buck) over a piano-laced bass line make you do that ohhh shit thing with your nose.
However, your fast-forward button will come in handy, as some producers apparently die harder than others. I could have also done without a ridiculously bad rendition of White Tee. Plus, remixes of Karma (Alicia Keys) and 1,2 Step (Ciara) are unfortunate blunders on an otherwise tight mix.
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For the most part, these remixes give a fresh feel to familiar joints; crisp beats sprinkled with uncharacteristic accapella riffs. What was hype is smooth, and what was chill is crunked up. Lil’ Jon is conspicuously absent from the hit list, but the Lab Techs promise to get him on Vol 2.
Complete with guest cameos by the Lab Techs, clever sampling, and a couple of clever interludes, Kill Billboard, Vol 1 makes last year’s hits worth a spin, again.
