Riff Raff SODMG – Deion Sandals (Youtube, 2012)

The rap game’s Julio Franco continues what has become a weekly series of new videos with “Deion Sandals”. In what maybe one of Riff Raff’s funniest efforts yet, the tragically short song finds Riff Raff slap-boxing with penguins and turning down large-chinned floosies because they bear a striking resemblance to Jay Leno. He does all of this while wearing a pair of batting gloves, and presumably, toe-less footwear.

Khris P, hailing from St. Louis, Mo., supplies us with a visual for “No Limit”off his upcoming release Yes which is due out at the end of the month. Content-wise, an obvious homage to No Limit Records bigging-up the “bout it, bout it” phrase – a hood lifestyle centering around keeping it real — into a modern day party cut. While lyrically bringing nothing new to the definition of the phrase, the sedateness is highly present yet the amplified delivery makes this a fun ride. The theme incorporates trill tendencies, which may come off as trendy, but the polished production values, especially during the hook where for a few seconds is ethereal, separates Khris from his contemporaries. An entertaining basic video overall. The song slaps hard and because of its content is accessible to new and old fans alike of the influences, such as Mystikal, represented here. Follow his twitter @khrispkream for more.

No Jumper is proud to offer you an exclusive single by Finess The Great featuring Western Tink, produced by Curtiss King, who’s worked with Ab-Soul and Kendrick Lamar of TDE. It’s a crunchy, soulful Southwestern track inducing severe head nodding and more importantly representing California to the fullest, but we all can relate to the mantra of struggling while humbly working hard toward success.
Click link below to listen/download.
Finess the Great feat. Western Tink – Problems (Bounce) [prod. by Curtiss King] by nojumper

“Okay Cupid” is the latest offering from one of our favorite songstresses, Kitty Pryde, produced by one of our favorite producers, Beautiful Lou. Though this may seem like a strange combination at first, the pair offer a surreal little number about adultery, drunk dialing, and inner-lip tattoos. The young Princess presents her usual tongue-twisting, self-loathing raps, before she breaks down into song near the end, singing the chorus to Frank Ocean’s “Thinking About You”. Lou’s translucent beat allows Kitty to further flutter forwards, until the song abruptly ends with an adorable little giggle tacked on the end.

• Heems – Nehru Jackets – You Have to Ride the Wave
• Lil Ugly Mane – Mista Thug Isolation – Serious Shit
• Tony Yayo – El Chapo 2 - RazorBlade
• Wooh Da Kid – Strap-a-holics 2.0 (Reloaded) - Death Around the Corner
• Young Dro – We Out Chea - Gettin to da Money

Starlito – For My Foes

For My Foes is not only a four-song EP, but it’s also a Musical, which stands as a design to what hip hop projects in 2012 should be like.  Short, free, and fashionable projects, to say the least.  Ones that satisfies the consumer in-between major-projects and performances.  Anyway, as one of the strongest and most-well seasoned veterans in the game, comfortably running the independent circuit, this project is gravid.  The lyricism and originality delivered here are surpassing.  For example, “Three girls but I’m seeing double / so I might need six rubbers / This little nigga just ran off with the sack / he think he’s Chris Tucker,” on “Follow the Drip.”  Which, in my opinion, is clearly superior than Meek Mil’s “House Party,” especially, on a street-level. Overall, this project is high quality and a must-hear/see.  A great introduction to those who aren’t familiar with him and even greater for those hoping that 2012 is the year he breaks out on a national level. - Humble

Follow the Drip

Future – Astronaut Status

This isn’t Future’s best mixtape, but that doesn’t stop it from being one of the more exciting projects this year. The somber “Deeper Than The Ocean”, with its Spanish guitars (courtesy of the Dungeon Family’s Rico Wade) and self-reflective chorus, maybe the best song Future’s recorded. It’s obvious throughout Astronaut Status that Future is exactly where he wants to be in his career. Elsewhere, on “Birds Take A Bath”, Future takes casual trap-rap topics, and expands on them in a grand fashion, crafting an operatic chorus that will stay in your head for days. Though this isn’t Future at his best – the rapping itself is a step down from True Story and Streetz Callin’ – it maybe his most ambitious. - Yayo

Deeper Than the Ocean

Lil B – White Flame

Lil B had a rough 2011, but he ushered in the new year with a return to Based freestyles and the eccentric nature that made us all love him with “Tiny Pants Bitch”. On what maybe one of his finest moments, B raps over a brooding Certified Hitz beat with some of his most convincing threats to date, letting his effeminate “bitch” persona shine brightly. The rest of the mixtape is the best combination of personal and fun tracks B has dropped since, at least, Blue Flame. The “Banga Luv” remix found within is a great continuation of the Gold House standout, and “BasedGod Fucked My Bitches” is possibly the most single-worthy B track since “Wonton Soup”. A great return to form that has already been expanded on by the Based God with God’s Father and #1 Bitch. - Yayo

Dirty Game

Chief Keef – Back From the Dead

I’m not going to get into much details as Yayo provided an in-depth review here.  However, let me just state that this is definitely the hardest, heaviest rap release since 2010′s Flockaveli by Waka Flocka Flame.  The lyricism is average at best, however, the raw, passionate and effortless delivery here is spectacular, backed by Young Chop’s production.  I’m still having trouble comprehending the fact that Keef is only 16-years-old and on house arrest as this music is almost “too gangster,” something you’d expect from a seasoned veteran.  Guess it’s a testament to how corrupt the Southside of Chicago really is.  Regardless, this tape is great and the music is unfuckwitable.  Bang Bang! - Humble

Everyday

Schoolboy Q – Habits & Contradictions

Schoolboy Q’s debut, Setbacks, was sadly overlooked last year, but he refused to let that happen again. Fresh off the heels of a scene-stealing verse on ASAP Rocky’s “Brand New Guy”, Q found himself with a new fanbase and a slightly altered attitude. Q was always the one with attitude in DTE, but on HNC, he’s taking heads. Whether he’s letting his hormones run wild on “Sex Drive” and “Sexting”, or describing some visually macabre stories of junkies and hustling on “Oxy Music”, Q brings the same level of intensity to each track. Even though Q keeps up the hostility throughout, perhaps the standout track is “Blessed”, a song that spills over with heartfelt raps from both Quincy and guest Kendrick Lamar. - Yayo

Nightmare on Figg St.

Thank you for reading.

Western Tink – Chillin Like a Civilian

With all the hype trillwave has been generating lately, it’s a shame that Western Tink is being slept-on.  A manic rapper embodying Austin, Texas’ lifestyles or hardships, in Tink’s case, supplies us with a mini-mixtape prepping us for the highly-anticipated Mobbin No Sobbin LP with frequent collaborator and producer Beautiful Lou, who, by the way, also hosts it. The intro-track, “Burr,” a catchy-song paying obvious homage to Southern legend Gucci Mane, is nothing short of an underground anthem right now.  Coincidentally, the second-to-the-last song, “Now or Nevar,” pays homage to West Coast legend Mac Dre and each authenticating Tink as someone who is rooted in both California and Texas, allowing him to possess the unique qualities of trill and mob-centric aesthetics.  The closing-song, “That Lyfe” proves this theory further as it features his Bay-area homies, Main Attrakionz and Shady Blaze.  However, layered in between all this are more left-field styles; ranging, for example, Jeremy Rose’s “Loft Music,” which originally appeared on The Weeknd’s House of Balloons for “Summerdonnasloft,” and Jamie XX’s “Beat For,” which originally appeared as the B-side to “Far Nearer” for “Get Ratchet,” all of which showcase’s Tink’s versatility as an artist.  The only knock I have against this tape is that some of the stronger-songs cut short.  Then again, this is a “mini-mixtape,” so that’s to be expected, I guess.  For now, though, the tape is just enough to hold you over until the full-length drops later this year. – Humble

Live N Let Die

Blue Sky Black Death & Nacho Picasso – Lord of the Fly

Lord of the Fly, the follow-up to the critically-acclaimed, For the Glory, by Seattle rapper Nacho Picasso and production duo Blue Sky Black Death, indicates hip hop’s still progressing well into 2012.  Continuing the aesthetics of their predecessor, where the synths are agleam, however, darker, is the perfect transition of cloud-rap into galaxy-rap.  Nonetheless, no catch-all terms are needed here, as the music is too original to be pigeonholed.  Anyway, Nacho Picasso is a complex rapper, displaying a wide-range of subject matter all deeply rooted in nihilism.  Although never striving toward pop-sensibilities, the songs are catchy on a level quality of rap of circa-2005 Lil Wayne.  By that I mean, a whole lot of non sequiturs, punch-lines, drug and pop-culture references, and just plain shit talking over some of the finest production available. - Humble

Staring at the Sun

Khalil Nova – Tha Black Layne Staley

There really isn’t anyone that sounds like Khalil Nova, and it almost feels like a disservice to his music whenever I try to attempt to describe it. Tha Black Layne Staley (named so because of how Khalil’s shrill voice sounds similar to the late Alice in Chains frontman) is Khalil’s most complete project to date. “Lemme See” is a futuristic strip club joint that finds Khalil seducing the ladies in the most distorted voice imaginable, making this both sleek and demented. “Tha Supreme Mantra”, one of the more popular songs from the mixtapes, finds Khalil heartbroken over a broken external harddrive, and the greater significance of what his music means to him. “Vaporizers” was the mixtape’s first single, and still stands as one of the most intoxicating songs Khalil has done yet, every bit as potent as the vapes it gets its name from. If you haven’t yet, you need to get this. - Yayo

Tha Supreme Mantra

Shady Blaze – The Grind, Hustle & Talent

Perhaps the strongest and most polished release from Green Ova Undergrounds’ Shady Blaze, who has recently emerged as one of the fastest and most-technically gifted rappers in the past decade, dropped this last Valentines Day (also known as Green Ova Day.)  Although consistency is lacking, The Grind, Hustle & Talent displays raw stardom better than any of his previous releases.  Whether it’s the fury of multiple-syllable, triple-time bars to melodious hooks reminiscent of Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, Shady leaves nothing on the plate, devouring beat after beat from himself, Ryan Hemsworth, and others.  The three guest-features: Noah23, MondreM.A.N, and Dinero Farrar each provide serious bars of their own, contrasting Shady’s style well.  As a whole, the 11-song project is relatively short, clocking in at about 36-minutes, making it an abrupt first-listen filled with some standout cuts that should be in rotation for the rest of the year, at the very least. - Humble

Intro Quick Time

Metro Zu – Mink Rug

To paraphrase Maxwell, who wrote a detail review of Mink Rug (which you can read here), Metro Zu is a group of rappers who mastered a weird hybrid of absurdity and brilliance. The album is nihilism at its highest quality backed by great, Southern production, which allow it to shine equally in its chopped and screwed format (which you can download here). - Humble

She Joggin

Big K.R.I.T. – 4eva N a Day

A concept album about a 24-hour window period of Big K.R.I.T.’s life and the prelude to his Def Jam debut, Live From the Underground, which is due out later this year, is respectable compared to his predecessors, albeit sounding similar. The lyrical content is high of humble perspectives and pimp philosophies and the jazzy and funky samples flipped into Southern, country knockers make this a respectable, coherent release.  The only drawback is that it’s a little long, drifting in and out musically, causing it to feel a bit boring and/or overproduced at times.  Although some standout tracks, the majority of it is mediocre.  Regardless, it’s essential enough to warrant the repeat listens and because of its coherence as a concept, it’s worthy of all the praise it’s been receiving. - Humble

Wake Up

Action Bronson – Blue Chips

Action Bronson and Party Supplies team-up and deliver us the most psychedelic rap project so far this year.  The 17-track mixtape of all original production features eclectic samples and slang abundant wordplay that is nothing short of impressive. Boasting no clear cut single nor striving toward commercial success, in a similar fashion of Danny Brown’s XXX (also, released on Fools Gold) is probably the most 45-minutes of fun we’ll experience this year. - Humble

Pouches of Tuna [ft. Roc Marciano]

Soulja Boy & Young L – Mario & Domo vs. the World

Not surprisingly, Soulja Boy has enlisted Young L of the Pack for his third mixtape of 2012.  Fellow Pack member Lil B collaborated with Soulja two years ago, delivering one of the best mixtapes of their respective discographies.  However, where Pretty Boy Millionaires excelled in rawness, Mario & Domo excels in polished-vocals and higher production values due to Young L’s talents as one of the best young-producers in the game.  The 8-bit aesthetics of L’s beats complement Soulja’s disconnected flow very well, creating a fun atmosphere that is, perhaps, both artists’ defining moments up to this point – where everything seems balanced from lyrical-content to absurd ad-libs to beat-breakdowns, it all meshes together well into a wonderful, pleasurable listen filled with a handful of marginal hits of illustrious sounds and topics. - Humble

Trippple Chain Gang

Lil B – God’s Father

Lil B’s second-project of 2012 did not disappoint, to say the least.  The follow-up to White Flame, was highly-anticipated, after a ruckus of new music videos.  The most prolific rapper in hip hop is still no-less polarizing of voice than two-years ago, however, his acceptance is at an all-time high.  The 34-song mixtape is reminiscence of the first two Red Flames, where it’s best to listen in segments, with the absurdness and quirkiness are balanced with consciousness and awareness, making this arguably one of his most cohesive projects since I’m Gay.  The project offers plenty of anthems of imaginative, snappy and organic flows and sounds, which we all seek when listening to the BasedGod.  Everything is wholesome, as with every Lil B project, from the contemplativeness of “February’s Confessions,” to the broodiness of “Breathe Slow,” to the pondering of “Deep of Ass Thoughts,” to the musings of “Turned Me Cold,” the majority of this tape offers at the least something for every listener on one level or another.  I highly recommend this release, although be cautious of the long run-time and after you’re a tad-bit familiar with the songs, it’s evident that the gems are what makes this project so special and rewarding. - Humble

I Own Swag

Gucci Mane – Trap Back

Trap Back is like the true sequel to Chicken Talk, and throughout the tape, we find Gucci revisiting a lot of the themes that made that double disc classic. Whether he’s discussing the junkies that “finger-fucked his rims” on “Back In 95″, or recreating the chorus to Chicken Talk‘s self-titled Intro on “Walking Lick”, Gucci has returned to the darkest regions of Zone 6 with authority. Though I don’t think that Gucci is in his prime any longer – he truly did peak in 2009 – he has, at the least, returned to the more sophisticated, mature rap that he was practicing on 2010′s The Appeal. Grown Man Trap Rap? Trap Back doesn’t need some made up sub-genre to define its allure. This is Gucci Mane doing what he was born to do, and that’s rap well over the best production Atlanta has to offer. - Yayo

Back in ’95

Again, thank you for reading.  Join us tomorrow as we wrap it up with the final five as well as an inclusion of our honorable mentions.

Curren$y - Here

Apparently recorded in one day, this tape clocks in at 16-minutes.  The five-song EP is consistent, but, like its predecessors, never reaches the height of the Pilot Talk albums.  The beats on here: Fabolous’ “Lullaby,” Kanye West’s “Drive Slow,” Jay-Z’s “Bring It On,” Shyne’s “The Commission,” and The Firm’s “La Familia,” respectively.  It’s Spitta’s cool little homage to his East Coast influence, but there’s not much else on offer as far as lyricism goes.  Unless you’re the most loyal Curren$y fan, in which case you probably already listened, this is skippable. - Humble

Pay Attention

Green Ova Undergrounds - Diamonds of God

Green Ova Undergrounds, one of hip hop’s most prolific collectives, hailing from Oakland, California, coined us a new tradition for Valentines Day, properly titled “Green Ova Day.”  Diamonds of God is a 8-song EP featuring Squadda B, MondreM.A.N, LOLO, and Dope G, as well as frequent collaborator Robbie Rob, who delivers us something more reminiscing of their “old” style of hazy-sample-driven beats and lo-fi vocals, i.e. cloud rap – a niche they originated.  Although, initially it feels like a weaker release in their camp, it’s actually a nice embroidery of material.  Being one of the first releases to contain a noticeable presence of two of the lesser-known chapters, LOLO and Dope G, who each have plenty improvement as far as rapping goes, where their mic presence is weak somewhat as they’ve yet to feel all that comfortable in the booth, is still passable as a nice introduction to new fans, who are still digging up Green Ova releases from the past couple years.  Anyhow, overall it’s a quick, straight-forward compilation that revisits previous styles, all the while indicating their progressiveness, as a whole. - Humble

Fuck the World II

Ski Beatz – 24 Hour Karate School Presents Twilight Zone

The third installment of the 24-Hour Karate School series, under the misleading Twilight Zone title, flew under a lot of radars compared to its predecessors.  However, a drop-off from its predecessors, still featuring the regular ensemble of rappers like Curren$y and Stalley, as well as a few new names such as Da$h and Retch, whom provide the vocals to the stand out intro track, “Didit4thegreen,” is actually not that bad overall, although, it gets worse as the album progresses.  It’s a typical Ski release, since reemerging a few years ago, where the live instrumentation is crisp; it never truly goes anywhere.  The rapping is acceptable, even on the Mac Miller solo-track, but it’s not too original and each track comes off as leftovers from better Ski projects.  Probably the most surprising moment of the album is from upcoming rapper, C-Plus, who spits lines referencing Lil B, which is cool somewhat.  Besides that, though, it’s forgettable music, for one reason or another. - Humble

Do It 4 the Green

Mondre.MA.N - MC Illin

When I first heard of rumors of Squadda B quitting producing, I was crushed, as he’s one of my favorite artists on the boards.  However, MondreM.A.N is not too shabby either.  Mondre’s soul-driven samples are guaranteed head nodders for the dazed and hazed rapper’s laid-back, ethereal flow.  Albeit at 21 cuts, it can be a tedious and monotonous listen lacking Squadda and the rest of Green Ova, you’ll find some fine cuts and the line “I’m a Apple nigga, with mac hands” at least.  Otherwise, if cloudy-beats and drugged-out vocals aren’t your cup of tea, this is skippable. - Humble

Laptop

Ski Beatz, Cam’Ron, Vado & McKenzie Eddy - Blu Tops

Ski Beatz enlists Cam’Ron & Vado, two of Harlem’s finest, as well as BluRoc’s R&B singer McKenzie Eddy, for an attractive five-song EP.  Each track is bass-cloggy and dizzy; “Blu Tops” is Ski’s best rendition of dubstep.  While there’s obvious chemistry between Ski and The U.N., it’s Eddy who makes this project forgettable somewhat, with hooks too frequent and too Estelle-like.  Add to that Cam and Vado’s coasting on recycled rhymes wearing thin by the latter half, and you get wasted potential. - Humble

Blu Tops

SpaceGhostPurrp – God of Black Vol. 1

Purrp’s had a long journey from Blackland Radio until God Of Black Vol. 1, and it shows in the music. God Of Black finds a much more mature Purrp, one who is still telling hoes to “Suck A Dick” while making Prince-inspired odes to beautiful goddesses on “Black Diamonds Pearls”. The Purrp found on God Of Black is a more refined writer, but unfortunately it is lacking the mischievous nature that was found on Purrp’s earlier tapes. “Don’t Give A Damn” is probably the closest thing to recapturing that Blackland magic here, but it maybe fitting that possibly the best song on the mixtape is Metro Zu’s Purrp-assisted “Mink Rug”. Purrp’s still got a bright future ahead of him, and God Of Black serves as an attractive detour along the way, but it’s obvious that potential he’s shown is not fully formed yet. - Yayo

SXXX V DXXK 2012

Deniro Farrar – Destiny. Altered

Deniro Farrar, hailing from North Carolina, is on my most-watch list for 2012, after being recommended this tape littered in production from my favorite beatsmiths, such as: Keyboard Kid, Ryan Hemsworth and SKYWLKR. As well as a supporting cast of upcoming and reemerging talents, such as producers: Nem20, Silky Johnson, David Heartbreak, and rappers: Shady Blaze, SL Jones, Big Pooh and ST 2 Lettaz (of G-Side), complimenting Farrar’s deep-voice and slow-flow.  After devouring all that, it’s refreshing to know, in the wake of trillwave, there are Southern rappers engaging in socially-conscious subjects like relationship pressures, however, never on no simp shit, and afflicted upbringing’s that humbles the listener.  Overall, the tape supplies serious star potential and hit possibilities.  For instance, if “Rich Ass Nigga” was extended, I find no reason to why it wouldn’t find minor success in the underground club circuit.  Moving on, the eclectic array of sounds offers plenty for a wide-selection of listeners, although, being 22-songs long, it does make the listen, on a whole, somewhat tedious and fragmented. Nevertheless, the stand-out tracks are forces to be reckon with and should catch enough interest to allow his next project to not fly-under so many radars.  – Humble

Dublin

Gunplay – Bogota Rich

As great as Gunplay is a rapper – and that’s certainly great – a lot of people felt like he could never top last year’s smash “Rollin’”. Right off the bat, Gunplay set out to smite those who dismissed him as a one-hit wonder with lead single “Jump Out,” a DJ Speedy produced banger that finds Gunplay exploding out of the gate like he was strapped with C4. Even though Bogota Rich is the prequel to his highly anticipated Bogota album, it still bolsters 7 new tracks and a wide range of freestyles. “Low Life” explains Gunplay’s entire appeal, and when he compares himself to “human methadone,” it really is hard to argue. Even the freestyles, where he borrows instrumentals from his MMG cohorts, are torn apart by Gunplay’s spastic flow. A worthy prequel to a much greater project that has yet to be realized. - Yayo

Jump Out

Robb Bank$ – Calendars

Robb Bank$, an extreme social-media rapper, is an angry young-man sometimes. Albeit, is fascinating, nonetheless.  Obviously inspired by rappers such as Lil B and ASAP Rocky, as well as the hipsterdom of tumblr (his twitter handle is @tumblrgod, after all, which is hilarious and polarizing, in itself.)  Anyway, after you get past all the Cadie (from MTV’s Skins) audio-bites and trillwave aesthetics of screwed-vocals and illustrious subjects over a variety of somewhat-known beats, you’re left with a surprisingly lyrical project layering between self-awareness and cult-references.  At the end of the day, he’s a Florida rapper, who is self-described as “savage,” who is either going to end-up into obscurity or become the next big thing. Decide for yourself. - Humble

Finer

Fat Trel – Nightmare on E Street

Nightmare On E Street is certainly Trel’s most polished project to date, as well as his most varied. As last year’s “Rolling” indicated, Nightmare certainly sticks to its ecstacy-driven theme with plenty of bass-heavy club-driven tracks to fuel the trip. As good as April Foolz Day and No Secrets were, both felt like extensions of the personalities who inspired them (Waka and Wale, respectively), where as Nightmare finds Trel as a fully-formed artist, one who is clearly making music for himself. “Time Of Her Life” or “On Top Of Your Girl” could crossover with the right promotion, and showcase Trel’s diversity, as well as his pop-sensibilities. For those who want the same Trel who wrecked Lex Luger’s beats last year though, songs like “Geetchie” and the Slutty Boy posse cut “Bros” both provide some of the hardest-hitting rap of the moment. - Yayo

Geetchie

Thank you for reading the first installment, check-back tomorrow for the second installment of another 10 releases we like.

Akumasanti chopped & screwed Khalil Nova’s Tha Black Layne Staley for our second premier of this mixtape. Definitely worth grabbing this today, as Nova’s space vortex-aesthetic sounds even more extraterrestrial when slowed to a crawl.

Like it or not, lately Soulja Boy has been on his grind. 2011 was arguably his best year, cranking out nine mixtapes from January to December. His most talked about effort, Juice set the new tone of Soulja’s image from the ‘Crank Dat’ dancer to this new skinny, heavily tattooed rapper (as if that’s a new thing) talking about zan and lean and sporting a ‘high right low left’ haircut. A few other notable mixtapes from that pinnacle year would be 1UP, Bernard Arnault and Supreme, and Soulja looks to be sticking with the streetwear theme on this new tape.

Now, before you dive into a Soulja Boy tape, you must ask yourself 3 important questions. “Where am I?” Your surroundings are VERY, VERY important, as DeAndre Way is known to come out of nowhere with both bangers and sleepers scattered around in his works. You may not want to be in a public library or watching your nephew at the park in case a ‘Zan Wit That Lean Pt.2′ type song comes on and forces you to hit that jig, though you may not want to be in a heavily niggafested environment in case a boring or soft “Zan Wit That Lean Pt.1″ type song comes on. The second question you must ask is, “Am I ready?” The exact thing you must be prepared and ready for is debatable, but it is still a very good thing to ask. You do not want to be caught off guard in a serious situation by a Soulja Boy song. The first time I heard 30 Thousand 100 Million, I was talking to my mom on the phone and I had to hang up on her. I couldn’t take it, it was two different worlds at once. Do not mix the swag world with the real, it’s like taking both pills in the Matrix. The third and final question you must ask is, “Am I biased?” If you are expecting lyrical genius by Soulja Boy, you are in the complete wrong spectrum of the web and are probably using internet explorer. Soulja Boy is to be listened to for fun, laughs and getting turnt up to and those things only. Soulja Boy will never be an anticon artist, do not expect anything like that from him.

The first song of Obey features Juicy J and Chevy Woods, which leads the expectation that ‘oh, Soulja Boy is going to impersonate Wiz on this one’. Yeah, not really. It’s the same typical “ocean gang or drown and _______” type bars. Chevy’s unsatisfying chorus doesn’t do the song any justice either as well as his easily forgettable verse. The complete savior of the track is Juicy J, with his trademark braggadocio and “mmmhmm”‘s giving the needed vibe that the song should have started with. The third track ‘Savage’ kinda sets you up for some sort of diamond in the rough type track, until you hear “bitches all on me/i’m a bitch magnet” and “pussys so wet yeah pussys so moist/pussys so wet for a rich niggas voice”. So yeah, at this point I was ready to give up.  The following tracks are easily equated to the term ‘booboo garbage’, it’s hard to even get through most. The beats are just.. not good. The rhymes are just… not good. This tape is just.. not good. This is until you hear “Life”, which starts with just the sounds of a heart monitor and sleigh bells. Then an ambient-ness occurs and Soulja Boy seemingly drops everything he’s been talking about before and just.. raps. No screaming or stealing, just spitting. It’s actually a quick reminder to the Soulja of 2010, where he began to distance himself from dancing. ‘Life’ is definitely the song that will stop you from deleting this shit all together, if you get that far. The following track includes The Game, which leads you to ask millions of questions such as, “why the fuck is The Game rapping with Soulja Boy?”, “why the fuck is The Game okay with being on a track with Soulja Boy?”, “did Game just have nothing to do that day?”, etc. Game is the last person you’d expect to rap with Soulja Boy, which is probably a leading factor to this song eventually sucking. The two Chief Keef tracks at the very end of the mixtape can either be skippable, (“3Hunna” remix was on Keef’s recent and better tape Back From The Dead as was “Say She Luv Me” without Soulja, but it’s better that way) or keepers just for the fact that Keef is on them.

In conclusion, don’t get this unless you just want two or three songs or just want to say you’ve listened to every Soulja Boy tape. Obey isn’t as disappointing as you’d expect, since his mixtape before this, ‘50/13‘ wasn’t all that great either. It was way better than this though, make sure to pick that up if you need some listenable Soulja in your life.

- Marquis

TKO Capone (feat. Lil Rich) – Swaggin’ N Yo Girlfriend (Self-Released, 2012)
- Yayo

TKO Capone continues to emanate from Chamillionaire’s spirit with this syrupy slow jam, another leak off the heavily anticipated Duck Season Vol. 1. Capone’s melodious rapping is absolutely perfect here for the late-night grooves presented to him, and even though this is clearly intended for panty-dropping, Capone spends most of the track focusing on himself, with his absurd punchlines. At one point, he talks about cutting off his haters, using the docking of a pitbull’s ears for the simile. There really isn’t anyone who thinks quite like Capone, and that unique sense of humor is what makes Capone stand out among his crowd.

Capone’s brother, Lil Rich, is introduced here, and he has the same rapid-fire delivery that Capone employs. Even though Capone totally owns the spotlight here, Rich makes an impressive debut, and he’s certainly one of the better rappers in Capone’s entourage. Back-up singer Malachi also adds a lot to the song, harmonizing with Capone on the chorus, and hitting some ridiculous high notes that’re the only thing that keep you from sinking into Capone’s sludgy backboard rattler.