Stalley – Honest Cowboy (Mixtape Review) DX Consensus: “EP Worthy”
There comes a time when the latest buzzing, blue collar, “grind until I make it” rapper becomes a glaring paradox: he makes it. When he makes it with perhaps the most puissant posse in the industry, that paradox becomes much tougher to shake. It’s what Ohio product Stalley faces on the heels of dropping his debut LP for Maybach Music Group. After all, how can an emcee that thrives off of DIY hustle survive with label mates that boast about spending six figures every night?
It begins with honesty—something that’s lost far too often in the culture of free, Internet mixtapes. “My raps tell a lot about where I been…where I came from,” Stalley spits on the intro track of his 2011 tape, Lincoln Way Nights (Intelligent Trunk Music). He’s not lying: while Stalley lacks the braggadocio of Rick Ross and the charisma of Wale, he compensates with a penchant for storytelling and a vow to keep it real. That vow is the premise for Honest Cowboy, Stalley’s fifth mixtape and second in as many years for MMG. With a title derived from fascination with his father’s work on a ranch and a poignant black-and-white vlog series to hype the project, Honest Cowboy was expected to be another breath of fresh air in a summer full of them for Hip Hop. For the most part, it doesn’t disappoint.
Honest Cowboy kicks off with “Spaceships & Woodgrain,” a woozy song about night cruisin’ that invokes Pharcyde and Outkast in its first verse. Backed by twinkling keys and rolling bass, the intro track sounds like it could’ve been dropped two decades ago.
“I pilot the Apollo, roll through the projects / Gold on my neck, that’s the code of respect,” he raps as spacey guitar kicks in. That momentum carries into the mixtape’s second song and lead single, “Swangin,’” a six-minute shout to codeine and candy paint. Stalley’s love for old school whips is no secret, and with the help of Scarface, he’s able to kick vivid lyrics that exceed his years and his hometown.
“Uncle Bun and Scarface, the reason why my car laced / With a detachable Alpine face, fifteens and loud bass,” Stalley says. It’s not often you find a five-verse cut on anything these days, let alone a free mixtape.
There are moments when Stalley thematically takes a step back, such as when he raps about stacking bills (“Samson”) or the tried and true cliché that his mistress is Mary Jane (“The Highest”). But it’s tough to ignore the lyrical intensity and Stalley’s improved pen game. Stalley’s at his best when he’s able to be observational, and it becomes apparent just how much a dose of maturity has helped his songwriting.
You can make a strong argument that Stalley outshines ScHoolboy Q on “NineteenEighty7.” The pair form a cinematic West Coast duo that rolls down Sunset Boulevard over a sax and creeping keys. Meanwhile, Stalley displays further versatility on “Raise Your Weapons” and “Long Way Down”—two consecutive sociopolitically-jarring standouts. On the former, Stalley raps about discrimination over his tattoos and his Muslim faith, leading a charge for respect from those that won’t listen. Forget “Intelligent Trunk Music.” This is just intelligent music, plain and simple.
At 30 years old, Stalley has the insight of a veteran and the enthusiasm of a rookie. Honest Cowboy, despite its brevity, is his most complete project to date, showing that while his blue collar subject matter might be behind him, that’s not what makes him a respectable emcee. It’s the honesty, something we can only hope rides with him for a while as he grips that Maybach woodgrain.
Very pleased with this mixtape. Stalley always delivers quality music and this tape is no exception.
will be bumpin this for a while,great mixtape with quality production and raps
good
This Mixtape was just what I needed, so dope
‘Swangin’ doesn’t sound too good.. Is the tape any good besides that song?
its MMG so its sucks
Solid !
Tried listening to dude but i just find him soooooooo boring.
I totally agree, I feel like I just want it to end.
DAMN
HES DOPE
a felt asleep listening to this dude
His mixtape is dope and the production is bangin throughout the cut.
A great mix of concepts, beats, and lyrics. Great hip hop punch lines also
zz
for the longest time i avoided listening to Styley cuz of his beard and he was on Maybach Music Imprint. but duke is dope. soulful midwestern/southern style hip hop, not that ratchet/turn up nonsense.
I didn’t listen to Tupac because he was bald.
Gucci Mane is the realest rapper and heres why.
– all other rappers rap about being gangster shooting and killing but they havent done it.
– Eminem raps about killing he hasnt.
– Jay z raps in open letter about sending shots he hasnt.
– T.I. snitch to the feds
– Young Jeezy was never bmf
– 50 Cent snitch and was never in jail but a youthcamp
– Game was never a banger but lived the life of his brother in his lyrics
– Nas Escobar never sold drugs
– Ice Cube never was a gangbanger
– Dr Dre never was a gangbanger
– Snoop was never a crip
– 2pac was a ballerina and never sold drugs after he become famous he was doing some stupid stuff like beating and shooting at people because he though he could get away with it. Without Suge Knight 2pac was just a skinny motherf*cker.
– Mobb deep are the biggiest cowards in rap they are short as midgets and keep talking this g sh*t but never did g sh*t.
– Most of the rappers rap about stuff they havent done yet you all support them and say its real rap.
– When rick ross does it you all claim he is fake and say its fake rap.
This shows that hiphop fans are hypocritical and all these real hiphop fan wanna be’s are just some unjustified haters whose opinions are just as irrelevent as the swag fag rapper fans.
BIG GUWOP KILLED A MAN HE WAS A DRUG DEALER BEFORE RAPPER HE HAS STREET CREDENTIALS HE IS THE ONLY RAPPER THAT RAPS ABOUT FACTS THERE FORE BIG GUWOP IS THE REALEST RAPPER IN THE RAP GAME AND THATS A FACT!
getting caught doing crimes all the time dont make you the realest nigga in rap it means you’re a fool and a terrible criminal/gangster.
the realest niggas are the ones who got away with their dirt
DJ Quik mixed it. That’s the only nice thing I can say about Stalley.
Stalley is awesome. Super smooth. Great lyrics.
Just smashed it with this release. Love it. Production bang on. Lincoln and American Dream have their moments, but this is a cohesive, powerful step forward. Stalley has suddenly slipstreamed passed my other favourites to lead the playlist.
Sorry, forgot to vote with my previous comment.
forgot to cast vote with comment
Another artist I did not put on my blog because Stalley is an established artist and I foucs on small name artist but I really enjoyed this.
BTW you can visit my blog at
GreatFranksPlace.blogspot.com
greatness
I had downloaded this mixtape about 3 weeks ago and didn’t really listen to it with a great deal of attention till about a week ago. I have not stop listening to it since then. It’s lyrical engaging and the production is clean. I look forward to hearing more from this dude because he has not reached his potential by far.
Stalley is a real MC, keeps it real! mixtape is quality!
peace and fuck ymcb whatever it is!
This shit goes and Stalley never disappoints.
Album worthy! BaNG!!!
Classic
best album of the year!!!!!!