MIXTAPE REIVEW: Chance the Rapper- Acid Rap
Hip-Hop has been experiencing some kind of Renaissance as of late. After ringtone-rap and trap rap dominated the late 2000’s, there’s been an overwhelming amount of legitimately good Hip-Hop since the turn of the century. The West Coast gave us Kendrick Lamar and the Odd Future gang, New York gave us A$AP and Pro Era, the South brought Big K.R.I.T., and even Detroit gave us Danny Brown. And the most shocking part is that most of these artists have at least some mainstream appeal. Ain’t it grand?
The one place that hasn’t really experienced the turnover however has been Chicago. In fact, Chicago has experienced a kind of anti-renaissance. The closest Hip-Hop capital to my home in Milwaukee has had a dark shadow lurking over it the past few years under the name of Chief Keef. Negatively impacted by murder and plagued by mediocre music (“Young chop on the beat!”), this new wave of Hip-Hop has yet to hit Chicago. So, when Acid Rap dropped earlier this year, everyone from Hip-Hop heads to Pitchfork to Indie rockers were treating Chance the Rapper like some kind of messiah.
Chance has a very distinct, high pitched delivery that can be grating. Of course, weird delivery has been common lately (Danny Brown), but Chance’s delivery can sometimes veer into obnoxious territory. With Danny, the delivery matches the production and vibe. Here, Chance’s off-kilter voice can contrast a bit too much from the old-school R&B production. However, there are times that the deliver works perfectly. Cocoa Butter Kisses is a perfect example of this. On first listen, the chorus seems lame and the deliver bland (at least compared to the ridiculous delivery of the first two tracks). But after a few listens, it becomes one of the standouts of the album. It’s a really great track (Also, it’s weirdly comforting to see Twista is still rapping). Now, the delivery in a few spots (Like that intro…) can become overwhelming, but eventually it settles into place.
The production here is what truly stands out. Funky, smooth, and clean, it harkens back to Kanye’s earlier days. Which isn’t at all coincidental, since this entire album is indebted to that era in Kanye’s career. There are times where a smooth beat is ruined by a lame chorus or overwhelming vocals (Or both, in the case of Juice). But sometimes, the production and delivery interlock into something truly magical. This almost happens in the intro, but it really happens on the smooth and sweet Lost, which also shows how great Chance’s voice is for weird out-of-pitch choruses.
This mixtape is a solid break-out for Chance. The production if fantastic, his persona is fully evident, and the guests are mostly well utilized (Except for a weirdly mediocre Action Bronson feature). Plus, underneath Chance’s voice, there can be some really hot delivery (going up with Childish Gambino on Favorite Song). He’s got some nice fast tracks and some nice slow tracks, and he can get introspective. This mixtape is solid (Not phenomenal, solid), and alludes to a bright future ahead for (The really young) Chance.
Summary: It takes a while for his delivery to settle, but the production on Acid Rap is stellar, and Chance’s vocals do have a thin veil that reveals a solid MC with a whole lot of potential.
Choice Cuts: Cocoa Butter Kisses, Pusha Man, Lost, Favorite Song, Chain Smoker
Leftovers: Nana, Smoke Again, Juice
3.5/5
Download Acid Rap here.
ALBUM REVIEW: Big K.R.I.T.- King Remembered In Time
Big K.R.I.T. has a lot of things going for him. He has 3 amazing mixtapes under his belt, a pretty stellar (albeit incredibly underrated) debut album, several great guest verses (Including the best verse on 1Train)…plus he’s easily one of the best producers around. He produces all of his own music, which is probably what makes all of his projects so aesthetically cohesive. While 2012 was a very busy year for K.R.I.T., he has already come back in 2013 to drop yet another mixtape. And, in my opinion, it’s his best project yet.
Big K.R.I.T. has really revitalized southern Hip-Hop as a creative area. Associated with Lil Wayne and bad ring tones, Southern rap suffered in the late 00’s, but K.R.I.T.’s first mixtape, K.R.I.T. Wuz Here dropped in 2010, and things seemed to change. While Waka and Gucci and 2 Chainz still control the South, K.R.I.T. shows that generalizing all Southern rap as mediocre is a bit misguided. K.R.I.T. has gotten bigger with every release, with bigger names on his tracks (Bun B, Ludacris), and King Remembered In Time feels like his most grandiose project yet.
After the relatively guest-free 4Eva N a Day and the more “Summary/Generalization” feeling of Live From the Underground, K.R.I.T. delivers bigger samples, more interesting instrumentals, and a different aesthetic. The projects from last year felt very dreamy and dark, inducing a feeling of nighttime (Even though 4 Eva N a Day is about the whole day). This album brings more wild production, making everything a bit more lively. Even tracks like the gorgeously introspective R.E.M. have a sense of energy to them. Plus, there are changes in the production (Those organs on King Without a Crown, the M83 sample on Multi Til the Sun Die) that integrate well, and don’t feel tacked on.
The attitude K.R.I.T. gives off in his delivery and lyrics is also a change. There seems to be some new self-awareness in the music, with K.R.I.T. worrying less about being the South’s underdog, and more about being the top dog. Of course, it doesn’t actually come across as egotistical, but the awareness shown, both in the production and lyrics, gives the tape a sense of credibility. In fact, I hate calling this (and his other mixtapes) mixtapes, because the execution of ideas, production, and delivery here is better than half of the Hip-Hop albums I hear every year.
His lyrics, as usual, range from intense, bragging bangers to introspective ballads. On both, he displays an equal talent of writing great lyrics. Plus, his hooks here are actually pretty nice, something that’s hard to find in a lot of Hip-Hop releases. K.R.I.T. never comes across as bored either, since he bring a passion to every song that feels unchallenged everywhere else in Hip-Hop.
Even the guests work here. Trinidad James gives a surprisingly solid verse on My Trunk, Wiz Khalifa also delivers a nice verse on Only One. The only guest here that I think takes away from any of the album is Future on that odd interlude that feels more like an unfinished song. Really, everything falls into place, regardless of how odd it sounds on paper. The M83-sampling finale is a weirdly powerful moment, one that feels like a massive mountain, which gives the album a huge (and pleasing) ending.
I’ve enjoyed all of Big K.R.I.T.’s tapes so far, and this is no different. In fact, this is probably my favorite project of his thus far. While it doesn’t have that concept-album feeling that he nailed on 4 Eva N a Day, it brings some stellar songs to the table, and there is basically no filler. A fantastic mixtape, and even a fantastic album.
Summary: Stellar production, great songs, and a fantastic MC- Big K.R.I.T. delivers again in one of his best projects to date.
Choice Cuts: R.E.M., Meditate, Shine On, Multi Til the Sun Die
Leftovers: Just Last Week
5/5
You can download the mixtape here.
MIXTAPE REVIEW/BLOODBATH: Kitty- D.A.I.S.Y. Rage
Note: My emotions got the best of me, so if the writing of this seems “Unprofessional”, I apologize. However, giving you a well educated and articulated review of this mixtape is A) Not worth my time B) Me lying to you. I’d also like you to know ahead of time that this review relates to the music she makes, not her personally. This is not a personal attack, just an attack on something that attacked my senses. Thus, here is my completely unedited review of Kitty (Formerly known as Kitty Pryde’s) new mixtape, D.A.I.S.Y. Rage.
I loathe Kitty Pryde.
Not personally. I loathe her as an act. At some point last year, she dropped her “Breakout” track, OK Cupid. While I think Lil B’s shtick is (Sometimes) hilarious, everything about Pryde’s music just angered me. She takes Lil B’s low quality rapping and cloud beats, lathers it in “Look how cute I am!” lyrics, obligatory cool references, and “Hipster-Pandering” (I mean seriously, the PBR drinking is pushing it a bit hard, is it not?). I hoped that this was a one track, one time thing. But then it wasn’t.
She dropped a mixtape, the horrendous Hahaha, I’m Sorry (The name of the mixtape along angers me). It was full of OK beats with Kitty “rapping” over them. OK, I should probably remove those quote marks. I don’t really have anything against her technical ability. She’s not exactly a bad rapper. I mean, sure, she’s sometimes drowned out by her production, but she can have some slightly interesting flows (They kind of came out on the final track).
But that’s it. The vocal infliction she gives to much of her rhymes comes across as weak and whiny. She’s trying to be cute and sexy, but she comes across as a winy 5 year old talking about sleeping medication and…well…that’s about it. I can’t hear what she’s saying half the time. The beats are the one redeeming quality to some of her music, and while drowning Pryde out might be a good thing, it really prevents what she’s saying from being said. Sure, this might be a new “style”, this quiet talky thing that Pryde’s made a name of. But I don’t like it. I don’t like it one bit.
As I’ve said before, this is basically ripping a page out of Lil B’s book and making origami with it. The nice cloud beats and lazy rapping is there. But instead of having deadpan, humorous qualities, it replaces that with “Sexy and Indie!”. And it doesn’t work. She lacks any charisma (Or at least a charisma that works well with the music), and comes across as aggressively insecure. I mean, in all of her videos and concert clips, she just kind of stands around awkwardly. I mean, sure, I’d love if some good hip-hop came out that wasn’t pumped full of testosterone and braggadocio . The catch is that the emcee has to have something else interesting, either in what they say or how they say it. PRYDE HAS NEITHER OF THESE THINGS.
Kitty Pryde brings on guests like Antwon, who really illustrate her insufficiency on another level. I mean, Antwon comes onto the beat with a hard-hitting delivery and OK verse. Then Kitty comes on, and it sounds like we’re watching a boxing match between a young Mike Tyson and Jodie Foster in Taxi Driver (Just go with it). It’s pathetic. And when there aren’t any guests, we’re treated with the displeasure of Kitty Pryde rapping for the entirity of a track.
When I can hear the lyrics, she’s saying things that aren’t worth my time hearing. Normally, she’s talking about casual use of Benadryl and being awesome. And regardless of what she’s talking about, she’s using a whispery “cute” voice. It’s the most grating Hip-Hop delivery I’ve heard since Biz Markie tried to sing. Except that was at least endearing. There is nothing redeeming or enjoyable or sexy or remotely likable about Pryde’s music (Save the beats).
And to the comments I’ll inevitably receive relating to “You’re taking the music too seriously”, I say this:
I know I’ve mentioned Lil B too many times already, but the comparison really works to show how his music can (sometimes) be effective and Pryde’s is not. Both of them are similar in that their music is horrible. Neither are exactly skilled rappers (Lil B for sure, Kitty Pryde not yet), and both rely on non-musical elements to get by. I understand this. Lil B tries to be funny. Kitty Pryde tries to be cute. The difference? Lil B’s music is bad and it makes me laugh. Kitty Pryde’s music is bad and legitimately angers and offends me.
This EP is awful, Kitty Pryde’s music is awful, and the feeling I got when I had the displeasure of listening to this EP…was awful.
Sorry for hating.
I feel hurt.
Summary:
Choice Cuts: Unfollowed
.5/5
Stream Dead Island below (OK, just look at the title of the video. Even that makes my blood boil). If you feel like hating yourself, you can stream the tape here.
MIXTAPE/EP REVIEW: Angel Haze-Classick
The wait for the next big female rapper has been full of ups and downs. Ever since Missy Elliott has been on hiatus (Which, thank heavens is almost through), we’ve gotten some artists that show a lot of promise. However, a lot of the fell a bit flat. After Nicki Minaj wowed us with all those fantastic guest verses in 2010, she took a 180 and practically became just another generic pop singer flaunting her OK singing and body more than her actual rhyming skills. Then in late 2011, Azealia Banks dropped 212, which was easily one of the best hip-hop songs of the year. However, all of her followup stuff has (like Minaj) been indulgent and poppy to obnoxious degrees (That Undersea mixtape? I mean, come on…).
However, I think the reign of terror is over. Because we now have Angel Haze. Haze has had quite the 2012 (Then again, who hasn’t?). Earlier this year, she dropped her Reservation mixtape (Which you can download here), which had some absolutely fantastic tracks on it. Now following that up, she brings a shorter, EP style mixtape. On this tape, Angel Haze raps over the beats of other rappers. However, unlike other mixtapes I’ve reviewed in this style, the beats that Haze picks make sense. On those other tapes, the beats were just others songs that were hot at the time. Here, Haze picks tracks that are both new (Bitch Bad) and really old (Cleaning Out My Closet). Regardless when the beats are from, all of them perfectly match what Haze wants to say in each song. For a mixtape like this, that’s the most I could ask for. But she goes beyond that.
I won’t get too much into Angel Haze’s flow, other than I absolutely love it. Whether she’s going really fast or going for something a bit slower and more aggressive, it’s mesmerizing. Haze almost feels like a female Nas, which needless to say is pretty exciting.
Each song has some really solid lyricism. The lyrics, much like her Reservation tape are personal and pretty aggressive. She uses the other beats to deliver both messages and personal stories. The most obvious example is the amazing tape closer, Angel Haze’s version of Eminem’s Cleaning Out My Closet. Her version covers her troubles with sexual abuse as a child. While it isn’t a “Pleasant” listen, as the subject matter is clearly dark, it really shows off some raw, powerful emotion. The track really shows off Angel Haze’s storytelling skills, her pure honesty, and her fiery flow. All in one song. Now that’s talent.
The one gripe I do have is that the mixing on the tape can feel a bit odd. However, that’s not the point. The thing that this tape has made apparent is that Angel Haze is “Realer” than all the other female rappers out there getting hyped. While many female rappers can’t stop talking about sugar coated mermaids and their genitalia, Angel Haze manages to show off what any female rapper…no…what any rapper, period, needs. Great lyrics, great storytelling, a great flow. Hell, comparing her only to female rappers is an insult. I can honestly say she easily stands among today’s best rappers.
Summary: Classick reaffirms the reasoning behind Angel Haze’s hype, utilizing beats of others to exhibit some fantastic lyrics and great rhyme skill.
Choice Cuts- Cleaning Out My Closet.
4-4.5/5
You can download the mixtape here.
Vantage Point Music 