Weekly Wednesday Review: Lupe Fiasco - Food & Liquor 2: The Great American Rap Album Part 1

In the last six years, it's hard to find a rapper that has had more ups and downs than Wasulu Jaco (known to the rest of the world as Lupe Fiasco).

If you're even just a casual follower of hip-hop, you know the story by now.

Lupe began his career with the widely acclaimed Food and Liquor.  F&L was a masterpiece for Lupe in two senses of the word.

On one hand, Lupe showcased his abilities as a lyricist in the creative sense, producing songs such as "Kick, Push" about the life a skater to "He Say She Say", which details the struggles of a child with divorced parents.

The other hand showed that Lupe was also an incredibly introspective artist, who examined society's problems through music.  "The Instrumental" is a great example of this, as Lupe discusses the problem with Americans' addiction to television by referring to it as "the box" and how much it influences our everyday speech.

With hip-hop still being heavily influenced by artists (or should I say "garbage") like Lil John and Paul Wall (this was an age where Mike Jones could release a top 20 single), F&L was a breath of fresh air, even causing the likes of Jay-Z to proclaim Lupe as hip-hop's "next vanguard".

Lupe followed up F&L with another strong effort in The Cool, which was more of a concept and darker album than the first.  Still, Lupe was also able to stay fresh for his fans with hits such as "Superstar", "Paris, Tokyo" and "Dumb it Down" (I personally enjoyed The Cool more than 2007's Graduation, which garnered 24324x more attention).

Just when it seemed Lupe was destined to conquer the hip-hop realm, however, his ego became his greatest enemy.

After the release of The Cool, Lupe proclaimed that he would retire after his next album, LupE.N.D.  This turned out to be false (something I thought the entire time) and Lupe backed out of his "retirement" to work on his next album, Lasers.

The album was doomed from the start, as Lupe campaigned for nearly two years against his own label, Atlantic, claiming that they wouldn't allow him to express his own creativity due to the desire to sell records.  When Lasers was finally released, it was met not only with harsh reviews, but an angry response from his dedicated fan base.  An album that fans had waited for over four years was muddled with commercial production and an attempt to go more mainstream.

Lupe also found himself in even hotter water, when he proclaimed that President Barack Obama was a "terrorist" for not meeting his promises of the 2008 election and that Lupe wouldn't vote in the next election (the album was a huge disappointment, but this was the statement that made me speculate that Lupe could have lost it.  Remember, the timing of this announcement was only 2 years into the Obama presidency and Lupe sounded impatient and like a kid who didn't get candy in the checkout lane, to me at least).

All in the meanwhile, Lupe had recorded another album that didn't get the time of day (for obvious reasons, as I've mentioned above).  In fact, it's the one I'm about to talk about right now and the one that is the title of this post.

Food and Liquor 2: The Great American Rap Album Part 1
Lupe Fiasco
Atlantic Records
Release Date: September 25th, 2012

1. Ayesha Says (Intro)
Something that was missing from Lasers was this: an introduction/monologue from Lupe's own sister, Ayesha Juco.  As was the first two of her messages, this one is also interesting and is worth the listen if you want to throw this album on in full.

2. Strange Fruition ft. Casey Benjamin (Prod. by Soundtrakk)
Clearly Lupe saw the sign on the wall that he needed to pair back up with Soundtrakk (remember, this is the dude responsible for "Go Go Gadget Flow", "Superstar" AND "Paris, Tokyo", which makes we wonder where the hell he was during Lasers or if their was a rift between the two).  The production here is good, but not spectacular, and certainly not a beat that will stick with you long after the drums fade.  However, the lyrics on here are worth your time.  Lupe has widely been regarded as one of the better (I refuse to say best after Lasers) lyricists in the game today and he is on par here.  I'm not crazy about all the conspiracy crap he wants us all to believe, but I will admit he puts it more elegantly than any comment from Mitt Romney or most politicians (seriously though, the GOP totally wins the upcoming election if Romney just busts out a rap of his policies, that would be epic).

3. ITAL (Roses) (Prod. by 1500 or Nothin')
I was curious to see whether Lupe would decide to respond to his critics on this album, as he wanted to distance himself from Lasers as much as possible (for good reason).  Not surprisingly, however, Lupe fires back in this trumpet laden 1500 or Nothin' track.  Again, this was a beat that didn't have that extra omph (however the hell that's spelled) to make it memorable, but one thing it does is complement Lupe pretty well.  Lupe tries to make that stale argument we've heard every other rapper use since the hip-hop's beginnings that he feeds off the hate thrown at him.  The lyrics here are constructed well but the message is more of the same, leaving the track more of a dandelion than a rose.

4. Around My Way (Freedom Ain't Free) (Prod. by Simonsayz & B Sides)
Three quick things I'd like to point out before delving more into the actual message and lyrics in this one:

1. The artwork for this single is fucking brilliant.

2. How high were Simonsayz & B Sides when they tried making this beat?  This has to be one of the laziest efforts behind the boards I've seen since J.Cole tried to sell that "In The Morning" was not a recycled track off of The Warm Up.


3. Pete Rock has every right to be pissed and should be taking this shit to court as soon as humanly possible.

OK, that being said, Lupe absolutely destroys the beat given to him here.  If you aren't a hip-hop head, you will love this probably on first listen.  If you have actually heard of one of the greatest tracks to come out of the last 20 years ("T.R.O.Y." in case you had a temporary brain fart), then let this one grow on you like it did for me.  The messages in here are great, like this line here:

And we marvel at the state of heart of man
Then turn around and treat Ghana like a garbage can
America’s a big motherfuckin’ garbageman
If you ain’t know, you’re part and parcel of the problem
You say no you ain’t, and I say yes you is
Soon as you find out what planned obsolescence is
You say no they didn’t, and I say yes they did
The definition of unnecessary-ness

It's one of the most conflicting songs I've heard in a while.  It loses mucho points for stealing, yes stealing, one of the greatest beats of all time.  Yet, the beat also makes Lupe sound really, really good, so I can see the argument for it as well.  Either way, Lupe did well here and even if he loses millions over copyright infringement. I think the price is worth it.

5. Audubon Ballroom (Prod. by Fatimes & Bullit)
Aside from the hook, which is awful, this song didn't do much for me.  If you want to spend some time analyzing the lyrics, you'll find some introspective shit, but otherwise, I found this track boring for the most part.  Then again, if I had heard this on Lasers, I'd have probably thought it was the greatest thing since Golden Tate's postgame interview against the Packers this week.

6. Bitch Bad (Prod. by The Audibles & Jason Boyd)
Another beat that is less than stellar, but here's a case where the production is supposed to take the backseat.  I loved the message on this and the writing here is extremely well done.  Lupe's flow may seem choppy, but after you watch the video, you get a better understanding that he's trying to tell a story, rather than rap one.  The "double entendre" line was also brilliant and while this isn't a song that you'll have on repeat in the near future, it's one that needs to be heard.  Definitely a topic that gets nearly zero attention and good to see Lupe had the sense to pick up on that.

7. Lamborghini Angels (Prod. by Mr. Inkredible)
Here's the production I was waiting for.  This is the first time Lupe and Mr. Inkredible have paired up and listening to about 30 seconds of this has me praying they work together again, and soon.  By far the most up tempo song on the album, Lupe is also up to the task and again, he sounds very good over Inkredible's production.  The song, like every other on this album basically, is littered with political meaning, but the third verse is the one that really sticks out to me, particularly this:

With his crucifix inside his pocket said his mission is divine
Put his Bible on the bed and then he touched on his behind
Told him take off all his clothes and put your penis next to mine
Now the little boy think it's normal because they do this all the time
With no life inside his body now he finally think he's safe
But they cut off all his fingers while they piss all in his face

Lupe clearly has no boundaries on who he attacks, going after the church and American troops in about 10 seconds.  This is also one of the few songs on the album where you actually have to listen to pick up the meaning of what Lupe is saying.  He has a tendency to make things almost too simple to understand (how ironic is his "Dumb it Down" now?) and it's one of my major criticisms of Lupe.  That's not the case here.  In seven tracks, Lupe has officially produced more quality tracks than he did on the entire Lasers album.  That, in itself, is an improvement.

8. Put 'Em Up (Prod. by 1500 or Nothin' & Julian Bunetta)
Transitioning from the fastest paced song to one of the slowest, this will probably be one of his fan favorites from this album.  It's a good beat to unleash over and I expect there will be some sort of freestyle over this sometime soon, but it's also not something that's breaking any new ground.  I'm sure this will be a lot better live (as I've seen first hand with some of Lupe's tracks even from Lasers), it's just not doing much for me right now.

9. Heart Donor ft. Poo Bear (Prod. by Atlantic The Runners & Jason Boyd)
As shown in the production credits, this is clearly not a track Lupe had much involvement with (at least I'd hope so for his sake).  What's sad is that not only does this mainstream attempt ruin momentum for this album, but the chances I see this on the Billboard Hot 100 anytime soon are about as good Lindsay Lohan ever resurrecting her career.

10. How Dare You ft. Bilal (Prod. by Severe)
I skipped this one after about 15 seconds in.  Tried coming back to it, then repeated the same thing I did the first time.

11. Battle Scars ft. Guy Sebastian (Prod. Pro-Jay & Guy Sebastian)
If any song has a chance at getting radio attention, I feel its this one.  Surprisingly, this has a commercial feel but it doesn't sound terrible.  Sebastian does a great job with the hook and he probably outshines the host here.  The album has clearly shifted from the ultra-political first half to a more personal second half, which is relieving in a sense.  This may get some Valentines Day play, at least.

12. Brave Heart ft. Poo Bear (Prod. by The Runners & Jason Boyd)
I liked the introspect into his own career on this, and Lupe tears apart the second verse, so that's definitely worth mentioning.  The beat is also not awful, along with the hook, so I can't really complain about that either.  I just felt this song was missing something.  It reminded me somewhat of Big Boi's "General Patton", except that song really hit me when I first heard it.  Same with Eminem's "Till I Collapse", both songs that used a military march as a background.  It's kind of like Lupe was ready to throw a haymaker, but then decided to just throw a weak uppercut in a fight.  Still effective, but not a knockout.

13. Form Follows Function (Prod. by Infamous)
As with much of this album, unfortunately, the production is not anything special.  It is just good enough though, to keep me listening.  One issue I have with this album is its organization, as this is a song that could have possibly been the last one on the tracklist.  In that case, I think it would have fit perfectly.  Yes, it is the back end of the album, so it's hard to keep up the momentum from the first half, but great albums are ones that keep you engaged for the entire set.  It's like the film Hancock.  The first hour of that movie is fucking awesome, but the second hour is as stale as Spiderman 3.

14. Cold War ft. Jane $$$ (Prod. by 1500 or Nothin')
From the opening guitar riff, I knew this was going to be something special.  Everything, or rather everyone, in this song works.  1500 or Nothin' drops easily the strongest beat of the album and the stuff he uses for the hook is terrific.  Yet, Jane $$$ nearly outshines everyone here because of his stadium sounding voice on the hook.  I had been griping about how Lupe hadn't had something that really blew me away on this album, but he finally comes through in just about the last round.

Yes, this song is incredibly simplistic.  You only need to look at the lyrics once to understand the track's entire meaning, but regardless, the music here is so good that it overshadows the lack of metaphors or clever wordplay.  Lupe also sounds much more personal on this song, maybe more personal than anything I've ever heard him on before, and the beat complements his dedication to his friend extremely well.  It's not the best dedication song I've ever heard (or even this year for that matter, as Ab-Soul's "The Book of Soul" takes that honor by a mile), but it's still very, very good.

15. Unforgivable Youth ft. Jason Evigan (Prod. by King David)
It's hard to follow up a track like "Cold War", and it's clear this track suffers from a little of the hangover effect.  If this one had been earlier in the album, I think it sounds better, as it's not a bad track overall (although Evigan's hook is weak as shit).  Lupe's message, or argument really, is well constructed on here and it does fit with the overall tone of the album.  It's just definitely one I will be coming back to.

16. Hood Now (Outro) (Prod. by 1500 or Nothin')
A rare attribute that Lupe has over other artists I've listened to is his ability to make an outro I actually want to listen to.  Credit, this is based off just F&L and this particular case, but that's two more than I've listened to on any Kanye or Nas album of late.  1500's beat here is probably the album's 2nd best, even if it does get ultra repetitive.  I'm glad Lupe didn't just rap over the whole thing and actually added a hook, which sounds great, just don't know who is behind it.  I also liked the point Lupe tries to make, which is how countless items in our culture now is classified as "hood".  I'm guilty of doing this myself, but this is the culture we live in today in America.  Lupe just wants to remind us that the word is, and always will be, something the African American community will be attached to.

We took that hurt
Made it into song

This sums it up in just two lines.  One of my favorite tracks of this album and it leaves me with a much better taste in my mouth than most albums have this year.

Closing Statement:
So Food and Liquor 2 was not the album that will propel Lupe Fiasco back into the conversation of greatest rappers alive, in fact, far from it.  There is some good on here, even moments of greatness, but half of this album were basically fillers and I can't see this making my top five list, or many others, at the end of the year.  Some sites, like HipHopDX have looked at this more favorably because of the massive amount of lyrical content on here, and I don't fault them for that.  A great album, however, has much more than that. A great album not only has the lyrics to keep you thinking, but beats that unique to the artist and breaking new ground in one way or another.  A great album is well organized and keeps the listener's adrenaline pumping for the entirety of the ride, not just one or two big hills.  And a great album has some sort of connection between each of its tracks (I always revert to Only Built for Cuban Linx for this one).

By no means, however, is this a bad or even mediocre album.  I'm glad that Lupe worked hard to get this out as soon as he could to start the healing process from Lasers, as he desperately needed it.  I also give props to Lupe for sticking to who he is, being a great lyricist and someone who cares very deeply about social and political issues of today.  You will absolutely learn a thing or two by giving this a listen.   Lupe also does have some outstanding songs here: "Cold War", "Lamborghini Angels", "Bitch Bad", and "Hood Now (Outro)".

While it isn't even close to what F&L was, it is without a doubt a step in the right direction for Lupe.  I was worried if Lupe would ever be what he once was after Lasers.  After hearing this, I know he won't be the Lupe of 2006 ever again.  This is a new, or "version 4" as he calls himself in "Battle Scars", of Lupe and it's one that I will be excited to hear more from in the future.

The Verdict:
I'm going to recommend you buy this, but only by a smidgen.  If you have the extra cash, then I think it's worth a pick up, but if you've been eating Ramen for the last week, I think a burn will suffice.  This is probably Lupe's third best album and I don't expect it to sell very well.  Even still, there are some great tracks on here that you should definitely have in your library, so if anything, grab those because they are well worth the listen.

Danny Brown - XXX

Last year, the Odd Future movement dominated hip hop headlines.

The crew out of L.A. grabbed the attention of everyone starting with it's leader, Tyler the Creator, and their lack of concern for anything that people may have thought offensive.  The shock rap movement created a stir among a lot of hip hop heads, which was a polarizing argument in itself.  When is shock rap intelligent?  Is it even considered smart lyricism?  Should we be praising the OF gang for it's injection of new flavor to hip hop or criticizing everyone for giving a bunch of teens attention that should be reserved for artists who stick to the roots?

Odd Future didn't come from nothing.  Contrary to how horrible Tyler may claim his life was, he was enrolled in school his entire teen years and had a mother who was there for him.  Shit, the dude even had a job with UPS (that he's gone on record saying that it caused him to want to rap because he didn't want to end up like the rest of those he worked with).  So while Tyler certainly has things to be upset about and his life is far from perfect, his lyrics reflect a tormented individual, rather than a product of his environment.

Step in Daniel Sewell.  Sewell, a.k.a. Danny Brown, grew up in the slums of Detroit and like most African Americans residing in that area, he had nothing.  His father, who was 16 when Sewell was born, was there and was a house DJ, but had trouble paying the bills, as DJing wasn't (and still isn't, unless you're really good and can make some connections along the way) the most lucrative career.  Sewell grabbed inspiration from his father's DJing, but also from an unlikely source: Dr. Seuss.  His mother would read him the Seuss books as a young boy and Sewell began to try and talk in rhyme after hearing the latest story.

Sewell didn't have a mid-life "I should be a rapper" realization like some, as he wanted to be an MC from the day he could understand what one was.  He formed a Detroit based rap group called Rese'vor Dog and they released Runispokets-N-Dumpemindariva in 2003.  The album never got much attention, but it did give Sewell a look from Roc-A-Fella records.  A look was all it ever turned out to be however, as after Sewell went to record in a Roc-A-Fella studio in NYC, the rapper was dismissed as a candidate to sign.

After years of trying to get his name back on the underground artist watch, Sewell became friends with G-Unit's Tony Yayo.  Speculation swirled around whether Sewell would sign there, but he dismissed the idea almost as quickly as Roc-A-Fella did with him (and thank God he did).

So in 2011, Sewell finally found a home in Fools Gold Records (also home of Kid CuDi and Lil' B) and prepared for his debut release.  Yet, Sewell was unlike many rappers working on a start up record, as he was 30 years old at the time he recorded it.  I had never heard of Danny Brown until last year, and I'm guessing I'm in the majority there.  In fact, the only reason I did hear about him was that every time I'd enter the "Best Mixtapes 2011" into the Google search bar, Brown's XXX popped up.  I wasn't familiar with Brown and had no idea what to expect, but one day I got bored of listening to the Wu and Game's shitty R.E.D. album, so I gave Brown a chance.

Here's what I found..

1. XXX

The first time I heard this, I remember thinking "what the fuck am I listening to?".  I hadn't been familiar with Brown's obnoxious tone before, so for me, or really anyone hearing Mr. Brown for the first time, it took some adjusting to.  Once I got over the initial shock of this though, I began to actually try and figure out what exactly Brown was talking about, which turned out to be himself.  There's some good lines in this one (my particular favorite was "Sorta like Neo with them Matrix codes/I try to escape it hoping drugs a numb a soul) but what's most interesting is Danny himself.  Brown addresses the fact that he's "getting old and times running out" and you get some real insight into how fucked up this dude's life is.  This isn't Tyler bitching about everyone else or wanting to slap some bitch till she bleeds (which is kind of comical, just not honest), this is real and we are just hitting the surface of who really is Danny Brown. (I didn't even mention how the beat on this was pretty well done, but you don't even give it that much attention because of how interested you are in hearing Brown's story.  It may be one song, but that's already a terrific sign).

2. Die Like a Rockstar

The first five seconds of this song had my attention with the drum solo to kick things off.  Now, before I get to actually reviewing this one, Brown could've gone two ways with this at this point:

A. He falls into what I call the "Barker" or "Carter" trap, which is where the MC insists that he needs a sort of punk or hard rock instrumental that he can rap over, then subsequently believes that the track is "creative" or "unique" because of it (as seen with Game's "Dope Boys" or Wayne's entire Rebirth album).

B. He does what he ends up doing, which is sticking to his sound and using the drums as something to enhance the meaning of the track, rather than take away from it.  The beat for this is crazy as fuck and it's great because of that.  Again though, the star of the show is Brown's storytelling, rather than what supplements it.  He rattles off 13 different celebrities, including Brittany Murphy, a name I hadn't even heard since she died three years ago.  This shit was not only fun to listen to, it was pretty damn creative.  It's also consistent with who Brown is, because while the rockstar/celebrity mentions are cool, he isn't just randomly making a song about them.  He made it because he thinks it's actually how he will die.

3. Pac Blood

Brown is murdering the tape at this point.  What I really liked about this one is that Brown seems to have actually come down from his adderall for this one, and he shreds the two verses given to him, like these lines for instance:

One writing scriptures bringing tears to princess

Every time I indent, you can see the intent

Leave your mind bent, hanging on the every sentence

Have no apprentice, style uninherited

Laughing at you peasants cause my penmanship is excellent

Laughing at you peasants cause my penmanship??  Wow.  Not only has Brown proven to me at this point that he has a lot to say, but also: he's really fucking good at saying it.  Add to the fact that he has another stellar track of production behind him, and you've got the Daryl "WOW" factor moment for XXX. (Worth also mentioning: the hook for this is straight fire.  Yes, I said fire, and yes, I am still white.  But there's no other way for me to describe it.  When you say "make Sarah Palin deep-throat till she hiccup", you've got some serious swagger)

4. Radio Song

Tyler should be taking notes, because this is how you make a song about the incessant need for labels to have a single (actually, a better example would be GZA's "Labels", but I digress..).  I liked how Brown turned the hook into a parody and addressing how god awful most singles' hooks are.  His second verse is similar to "Die Like a Rockstar" as he uses numerous examples of low quality singles to back up his point.  The beat here isn't quite as good as the first three tracks, but put into the context of Brown's raps, it fits perfectly.  All I know is that whatever Brown has been drinking to get his creative juices flowing, I need some of that shit ASAP.

5. Lie4

This song interested me for a few reasons:

- First, Brown proves that he cannot avoid calling out those who have been haters in the past (which, from the sounds of Brown on this, it's amazing he held it in for this long).  He demonstrates that small Odd Future element here (you know, the only one OF has, not giving a fuck), but again, he is most certainly not OF reincarnated in Detroit.

- Which brings me to another reason I found this song appealing.  Brown uses his hook to show that he doesn't need to lie in order to make money.  He's already been signed, while staying honest to himself.  So he doesn't have to put out an image that he wants people to see, but isn't really who he is.

- Brown also shows that, while he is an incredibly talented writer and a sort of rebel to the hip hop industry, he is just like any other MC who gets signed and makes money.  He spends it and he spends it on everything else that most rappers do.

- Lastly, the production on this tape is oozing with goodness at this point.  The diversity from track to track has thoroughly impressed me and this one is no different.  I actually put this one at a party I hosted to see how the reaction would be (which turned out to be pretty damn favorable, reassuring me that Brown is certainly marketable).

6. I Will

A swift change from the raw, club induced beat of "Lie4", this one also doesn't disappoint.  Brown, this time, uses a track to talk to another girl (one that is obviously DTF) and, while this is a subject that has beat the dead horse so much that the horse doesn't even have a carcass at this point, he finds a way to put a creative spin on it.  Some of the shit on here just made me laugh out loud, and this song is actually just about Brown wanting to eat some chick out.  Amazingly, he's able to string together two verses about this one act and he does it without sounding repetitive.  This is another song that makes me further appreciate Brown's abilities.  He takes something that someone who isn't nearly as intelligent makes into a single or something that just sounds fucking stupid, and makes it his own.  There's a very select group of rappers who can do this (Q-Tip was one that immediately came into mind) and Brown is quickly convincing me he could be one of them.  And oh yeah, the beat is really good here too (and this has also stunned me, that I'm so damn interested in everything Brown has to say, I'm completely ignoring the production, which is arguably, just as good and creative as anything Brown raps).

7. Bruiser Brigade ft. Dopehead

It didn't take long for me to hear the nearly identical sound this has with "Lie4".  That was my first indication that this finally marks the first miss on XXX and the subsequent "BRUISER" and verses confirmed it.  I understood the point of the track, introducing Brown's crew and making a point that they're just about as nuts as he is.  It's just not a good track, period, especially after hearing for six tracks what Brown is capable of. (and Dopehead's appearance has to be one of the most irrelevant ones I've heard from a tape in quite a while, which is saying something considering how bad the majority of tapes are)

8. Detroit 187 ft. Chip $

I'll admit, when you look at Brown's lyrics for this, they're pretty good and Chip $'s verse isn't terrible.  I had two problems with this: one being that the beat is just too damn out there for me and it's not one that I want to keep bumping to after.  The other is Brown's delivery.  His over the top voice has been justified previous to this because he's been able to keep a steady flow going; that's just not the case here.  It's a shame too, as Brown with a little more focus could have made this into another gem.

9. Monopoly

OK, so if anyone has heard of Danny Brown in the last year, this is the song you would have heard.  It was listed on Pitchfork.com's top 100 songs of 2011, and for good fucking reason.  If Brown had directed this at a particular rapper, I'm sure more people would have noticed, because it would have just shit on whoever it was (or maybe actually shit on him, as Brown says "literally" on this).  This track isn't weird or attacking a subject: it's purely raw.  Brown doesn't use a hook, which may have been his best decision on the entire tape and his two verses had me having to replay this over and over again because of all the shit that I missed the first two times I heard it.  He also has a few lines on here that are just hysterical, such as the "drunk like Stallworth" one (which, as an avid sports fan, I've never heard mentioned on any rap song to date and I'd be surprised if it has.  Brown is either a really good researcher or he's just got a really good memory, because I think the only one that remembered Dante Stallworth getting a DUI and killing someone at this point, is Dante Stallworth and whoever he hit's family).  The beat, again, suits the track exactly as it's supposed to and I had no complaints about it whatsoever.  I've haven't forgot the past two missteps, but this definitely helps.

10. Blunt After Blunt
This sounded pretty damn similar to "Bruiser Brigade", and last I checked, that song sucked.  So yeah, this one does as well and the hook is just fucking stupid.  The video is sort of humorous (and was directed by A$AP Rocky, a friend of Brown), but that's about it.

11. Outer Space
I liked the attempt.  The beat is interesting to say the least, but in all honesty, it's just not that good.  Similar to "Detroit 187", it's constructed so that it sounds almost awkward with Brown's delivery.  As for Brown, he has a few good lines on this, such as "I've got them Penis Psalms for your Vagina Monologues" and "I keep that bitch wet, around you she's a cactus".  After I gave this a few listens though, I was bored by the third spin, and that is never a good thing.

12. Aderall Admiral
If there's a nickname that probably suits Brown more than anything, it's this one.  The title would suggest Brown would just go fucking crazy on this, but he's actually pretty focused.  Brown decides to not include a hook and instead goes with four, albeit short, verses.  While I wasn't crazy about the beat, I don't think it needed to be anything glamorous and it allows you to listen solely to Brown's lines, which aren't bad.  This isn't a home run like "Pac Blood" or "Monopoly", but I still enjoyed it all the same.

13. DNA
Who the fuck is this?  I almost took an hour searching to try and figure out if Brown just decided not to include the mention of a guest on this song, because it's a complete departure from how he's sounded to this point.  Yet, this is still Brown, and even off the aderall, he sounds good.  The production finally returns to something I can consistently listen to and I liked the hook on this.  Brown explains how he's not responsible for who he is, it's his parents fault.  I'm a believer of this, to an extent.  I'm not doubting Brown didn't have a fucked up childhood and it absolutely had a large influence on who he is.  But Brown was also 30 years young when he made this tape.  He's had other influences by now, so fully blaming his drug addictive personality on the rents may be a little exaggerated.  Regardless, I was a fan of this one.

14. Nosebleeds
If anyone ever tries to argue that Brown is a "gay" or "emo" rapper who just impresses everybody because he's different but isn't actually that talented, present them with this song.  Brown clearly has a knack for storytelling, and here is a great example of it.  He talks about a young girl who becomes an addict to coke and can't get her life in control.  Yes, it's short and the song is straightforward (there's no clever use of metaphors to really tell the story), so some will call Brown out for that.  For me though, the wording Brown uses paints the picture very well and it's clear that he knows the effects of the drug ("face rushing, going numb, nipple hard on them breasts").  He also ends the song fittingly.

15. Party All the Time
Maybe Brown is just stoned out of his mind by now or he really is bipolar.  His low voice overshadows much of what you heard in the first 12 tracks and you have to really question if it actually is him laying down the lines (and really, it's unlike anything I've ever heard.  I've heard rappers change from record to record or have a track or two that isn't quite their traditional sound, but this is a whole new monster).  Production wise, things slow down as well.  The beat here is by far the most laid back of the tape and it sounds decent.  While this song is similar to the one previous, I think it's another good example of how Brown is not a one-dimensional rapper.  He can be fucking insane at times, and then you listen here, and he sounds like a pretty rational human being (and if you read a few of his interviews after doing this tape, you'll understand that even better).

16. EWNESW
There's been Motown influences scattered throughout this tape and Brown has said that a lot of his inspirations for his music comes from the dance and techno scene of Detroit, which explains beats for songs like "Lie4" and "I Will".  This one though, just bleeds of soul and sounds terrific.  While the beat is laid back, the subject matter certainly isn't, as Brown goes in depth on the different areas of Detroit he's lived in (my favorite line in particular had to be "ate a lunchable for dinner nigga, I ain't frontin'").  He details how he'd get caught up in crack houses or drinking 40's in brown paper bags or just driving around to just drive around.  Brown clearly has come from fucking nothing, which makes his rise all that more impressive.  Then again, we hear this story time and time again in hip hop, so if Brown thinks he's new to this (which I don't think he does actually), he'd be wrong.

17. Fields
The pattern of the "two song parlay" is here again, with Brown going further in depth on his upbringing and how broke he was.  This time though, Brown attacks more at how society fails to recognize the problems of a poor black community.  Take this set of lines for instance:

That why we all ways end up in prison instead of college
Living in the system working kitchen for chump change
Lost in the streets niggas playing that gun game
Where nobody wins just a bunch of mommas losing
Dead bodies in the field and nobody heard the shooting
We living in the streets where the options is limited
Cause its burnt building instead of jobs and businesses

It's not anything groundbreaking or really that new, but I still appreciated it all the same.  The beat was also good for this, resulting in another win for the Bruiser Brigade captain.

18. Scrap or Die

From the opening of this, I was anticipating aderall Brown to return, but no! It's the calm one and the "Scrap or Die" isn't a metaphor; he's actually fucking serious.  Usually you hear some example of how the dude has to sling a rock to make a buck, but here, Brown explains how he finds scraps of metal to make money when he turns it to a junkyard.  I've never really thought of this method of earning an extra dollar, but I'm sure Brown is not the first or last that had to use it in order to put food on the table.  So Brown, like "I Will", takes a subject we're all familiar with, but then adds a different perspective.

19. 30
Ahh, Aderall Admiral has made a return.  "30" provides a good closure to XXX and I'm glad Brown decided to end it the way he did.  The beat was all over the place, and while it wasn't horrible, it was hard to keep in rhythm to.  Still, that's not what is important here, it's Brown's story and that's what XXX has really been about.

Closing Statement: My first encounter with Brown has, needless to say, been an extremely entertaining one.  For starters, it really is a crime that more artists like Brown aren't noticed.  I'm willing to bet there's plenty of rappers out there who have about as interesting story to tell as Brown has, but we just haven't heard it, yet (I hope, at least).  However, while there may be a lot of MCs like this, I would find it hard to believe that there's another one quite like Mr. Brown.  His influences, lyrics, and style is unlike anything I've ever heard before and you should probably have your ears examined if you try and make a comparison of Brown to Odd Future (Brown is much, much more intelligent if you haven't realized this already).

Out of the 19 songs XXX has, I found 14 that I could listen to more than once and there were about 7 that were exceptional.  That's more than 1/3 of the tracklist, which is quite a feat.  This was also a tape that took some listening to so that I could get used to it.  There will be a lot of people that will be inclined to turn this off after one rotation.  But if you go through it again, you'll understand why this was consistently picked as one the best offerings hip hop had last year. 

Brown compared his sound and A$AP's to "the end of hair metal" in hip hop, which I think is a fair comparison.  He believes his music is more related to the transition between "hair metal" and "grunge" of the early 90's, which in terms of hip hop, is going from the "glam" to what it is now.  It's too early to tell whether Brown will truly make the impact on hip hop that Nirvana or the early grunge bands of the 90s did on rock (hell, we don't even know if Brown will stay alive long enough to see it happen if it does with his addictions).  Regardless, people started listening to Cobain and crew eventually, and if you're late on the Bruiser Brigade train too, jump on; it's one that you won't want to get off anytime soon.

The Verdict: Not for the faint of heart, or the faint of hip hop, if you're into largely mainstream stuff, then avoid this.  However, if you've got an open ear for something new, this will be something you absolutely have to have in your collection.  I said that ReturnOf4Eva or Cold Day in Hell may have been the best tape of 2011, before I listened to XXX.  After, I'd say it's a toss up, with Brown possibly winning solely because of how damn creative this was.  And oh yeah, it's free.  It's gotta be worth your time more at least than The Three Stooges or American Reunion, right?

Wiz Khalifa - Taylor Allderdice

Ahh, Mr. Cameron Thomaz has a new release (and this one's actually official).

We all know who Wiz is.  We all know the story on how he had a deal with Warner Bros. before being let go, only to build enough buzz as an independent artist until he released Kush and OJ, which was his breakthrough piece of work.

That's not what I want to focus on, though.  We know the story of how Wiz gained fame.  But what's the story been since he's become famous?

After "Black and Yellow" became a monumental success (even reaching #1 on the Billboard Hot 100) Wiz released his debut studio album with Atlantic Records, Rolling Papers.  While Papers did phenomenal from a sales standpoint (going double platinum is nothing to sneeze at), the album created a split between his underground and mainstream fanbase.  Not only did it ostracize the people who helped give Wiz his buzz to start with, but it also featured Thomaz straying away from actually rapping into more of a pop musician (as emphasized on "Fly Solo").

Wiz fans were left with a dilemma.  Would the same man that grew such avid support from the smoking community completely disregard his roots and sell out from here one?  Or was Rolling Papers just a hiccup in Wiz's overall discography?

Since Rolling Papers, Wiz has yet to make an official release, until now that is.  I have to admit, I was extremely hesitant to download this one after hearing most of the shit Wiz had recently been releasing and I had no reason to hope that he was going to ever come close to coming out with something like Kush and OJ.  In reality, I gave this a chance because: A. It's pretty much a sin if you don't at least give anything from Pittsburgh's music scene a chance (as I hail from that region) and B. 4EvaNADay needed to take a rest from my rotation, which opened up the door for this.

Is Taylor Allderdice another "pop rap" showing, or is it closer to Wiz's underground side?  Here's what I found...

1. Amber Ice
Using the same beat as Curren$y's "Job" from his mixtape Verde Terrace, Wiz introduces himself over a lazy hook of "Getting paid is just a regular thing to us...floating away, floating away."  While I think Spitta destroyed this beat and had the superior song to this one, I almost had to do a double take when I heard Wiz actually rapping.  Seriously, I've barely heard even that from the Taylor Gang captain in the last year, so that in itself, is an improvement.  The interview at the end is a theme throughout the tape, where Wiz drops a few doses of insight into his feelings each track.

2. California
OK, so let's get this straight at this point before I continue to review any further.  If you hate Wiz, you're gonna hate everything on this tape.  You'll complain about his lack of content diversity and some weaker rhymes.  However, if you like the Kush and OJ Wiz, then keep reading, because that's how I look at Wiz and that tape was the sole reason I started listening to him.  Kush and OJ is interesting to bring up here, because this track sounds like a cut that could maybe have made it on that tape (and that is a very, very good thing).  Wiz talks about his superstar life and smoking trees, as usual, but the beat complements him well and these are the types of tracks that gained Wiz his underground support before he sold his soul to Atlantic (sorry, but I'll prove my point on that later).

3. Mia Wallace
Named after the Uma Thurman's character from Pulp Fiction, which the track has nothing to do with, this is another solid cut from Mr. Khalifa.  The beat here is unbelievably smooth and Dumont does a terrific job with his sampling.  What's interesting is that while Wiz and Spitta are extremely similar at times in which beats the rap over and their lyrics, this for some reason, seems to suit Wiz much better (could be just because Wiz just sounds lazier, which works well with the tempo of the song).  What I really liked about this track though, was the feelings of Kush and OJ it evoked, while standing on its own as a track from Taylor Allderdice, not the former.  Wiz's verses about his celebrity lifestyle with his "model wife (Amber Rose)" is exactly why Kush and OJ was so successful.  It wasn't anything breathtaking, but it was fun to picture his life and dreaming is never a bad thing.  I can definitely see this one being played as the weather gets warmer.

4. Guilty Conscience
A swift change from the low-key tempo of the first three tracks, this is Wiz drawing more from Prince of the City rather than Kush and OJ.  I'm not a huge fan of Sparky Banks and I think it's an absolute joke when Wiz tries to convince us how "hard" he is (2pac was a gangsta.  So was Scarface.  Wiz?  Not so much).  It's not horrible, but it's not a track I'll be coming back to anytime soon.  However, I was glad I stuck around long enough to hear Wiz admit that Rolling Papers was fucking shit (even if he didn't say it in those exact words).

5. Mary 3x
Cardo brings Wiz back to his comfort zone: weed.  It can get really freaking repetitive, but for any of his Taylor Gang smokers (which is basically all of them), they'll appreciate this one.  I will say one thing: the dude is super consistent about his affinity for Mary Jane.  "All I need is Mary, Mary, Mary, I ain't fucking with no other drug."  At least we know Wiz is only high on one thing (we think).  And I'm pretty sure rappers were smoking dope in videos before Wiz claimed he did.  Just saying.

6. O.N.I.F.C.
The title of his next album "Only Nigga In First Class", Wiz pretends to rap or tries to convince everyone else he is, but in reality, the dude is just saying random shit before going into his hook, which is simply "one night, one night, one night".  I know I've heard this beat somewhere and this is a slowed down version of it (although, for the life of me, I can't think of what song it's actually from).  Otherwise, Cardo and Sledgren's beat is the only reason I gave this track a chance, as it sounds pretty good.

7. Nameless ft. Chevy Woods
For some reason, I pictured Woods as a feature as soon as I heard the hook.  Maybe it's because the topic is literally the exact same the last time I heard him jump on a track with Wiz ("Star of the Show").   Or maybe it's because Wiz is just so fucking predictable to this point.  Regardless, Dope Couture's beat here is one of the tape's best and it continues the trend of stellar production.  Let's face it, Wiz has never been a great or even good rapper for that matter.  But when he's backed by good boards, he's actually enjoyable to listen to, and that's the case here.  Also, for once, liked Wiz's voice on the hook as it doesn't sound that terrible.

8. Never Been Part II ft. Amber Rose & Rick Ross
You knew Ross would be on this as soon as that gay ass "Maybach Music" tag came on.  To be honest, this sounds like a beat straight out of a SNES Super Mario game.  Not to say that it's horrible, and Wiz actually drops one of his better verses on this, but I just wasn't as big a fan of it as the other ones I had heard.  And of course, Wiz couldn't resist throwing his fiance on for a worthless few "I've never been this high" section.  Ross raps about nothing, which is pretty on target for him, but he doesn't take anything away from the track.  It's decent, just not a song that really jumps out at you.

9. The Cruise
Big Jerm's beat, a producer who both Wiz and Mac are fond of working with, is another good one for this track.  The hook is decent and although Wiz attempts to sing, and fails, he can't take away from the overall sound of the track.  Again, Wiz pretends to rap, but it's probably too much to ask for him to actually do what everyone thinks he does for three consecutive tracks.  Wiz's second verse is better than his first and I somewhat enjoyed this track for the most part.  It's nothing spectacular by any means.  With production like this though, it's hard to rip apart the track too much.

10. Rowland ft. Smoke DZA
Jerm is back on the boards again and doesn't disappoint.  This is the first spacey beat of the tape, but it sounds really really good and it complements Wiz well.  The hook is alright and I was glad to see DZA get an appearance (which I thought was about fucking time considering DZA probably smokes just as much or more trees than Wiz does).  My only complaint is that Wiz doesn't come back on to drop a third verse, because the track didn't have to be cut that short.  Oh well.

11. My Favorite Song ft. Juicy J
Here marks the first of three consecutive tracks that Wiz brings on fellow stoner and Three 6 Mafia veteran, Juicy J.  You may remember Juicy being featured on "In My Car" in 2010 with Wiz, which was a personal favorite of mine from Khalifa.  The beat here is more closely resembled to "Guilty Conscience", but it's toned down just a tad, which is enough to make it listenable to.  It actually makes Juicy J sound better than Wiz when I listen to it, but both do a decent job over Rob Halladay's production.  There's something missing from this track though, and while I can get through it, I can't see this being one in my rotation two weeks from now.

12. T.A.P. ft. Juicy J
Wasn't really feeling this.  Taylor Gang fans will probably blast the shit out of this and make it seem like Wiz is a real motherfucking G (in the words of Eazy-E).  But if you aren't drinking the Taylor Gang kool-aid, you'll probably skip this one just like I did.

13. The Code ft. Juicy J, Lola Monroe, & Chevy Woods
Juicy J's verse and his "bouncing through the club like Tigger" is worth listening to.  Other than that, most of this song is pretty fucking forgettable.

14. The Grinder
Ahh, now this is back to what I hoped to hear from Wiz.  Cameron drops his best verse of the entire tape and Jake One's beat is the perfect one for him to do this over.  It's a short track, but again, this is a track that can showcase that Wiz is not merely a "pop rapper" (and that he can actually rap, for that matter).  This track is also one I couldn't have envisioned on Kush and OJ for some reason.  That's a good thing, considering it makes Taylor Allderdice it's own tape, not just OJ 2.0.

15. Brainstorm
A track that fits exactly where it's placed, Wiz does another good job behind the mic.  For once, he actually raps about something worth 15 seconds of your time.  Yes, weed and cash is still a major part, but he gives a little more insight into what's actually going on his mind (which apparently, is just thinking about his next drink and joint.  Not really too surprising).  Cardo's beat is OK for the most part, it's just unfortunate Wiz didn't take full advantage of the subject line here.  He starts out promising, but then lets up as the track wears on.  Could have, would have, should have.

16. Number 16
Dumont again with another fantastic beat.  Damn.  In fact, this one is probably one of the best I've heard Wiz over in a while (or at least since "Mia Wallace").  Wiz sounds good on his two verses and this song would have catapulted into one of my favorites of his, if only he didn't fucking ruin it with the "away a a a a a" that gets annoying as shit.  It's a shame, because Dumont's piano keys and jazzy feel is a terrible thing to waste.  While Wiz doesn't completely do this, he keeps the track short and lets his dumbass hook be the lasting impression you get from the song.  Still, I'll take this shit any day over "No Sleep".

17. Blindfolds ft. Juicy J
Khalifa decides to end his tape with another feature from Juicy J, and fortunately, this one is the best sounding of the four they record together.  Harry Fraud does a nice job production wise on this and its a beat that suits both artists to their styles.  The hook is honestly not horrible here either, which is saying something after hearing the crap I've heard for most of this tape.  The subject content, again, is nothing new.  But it's hard to complain when the beat is this good and the fact that neither Wiz or Juicy do anything too drastic to fuck it up.  My feeling after though, is: that was it?

Closing Statement: I always like to start with the bad before the good, so let's get that out of the way first.  For one, Wiz proved, once again, that he's extremely one dimensional and that if anyone was hoping he'd start actually rapping consciously, well, you've got as much a chance of seeing that happen as anyone picking Norfolk State over Missouri this year (which is basically 1/1,000,000).  There are also some pretty terrible songs on this tape, such as "Never Been", "T.A.P." and "The Code". So by no means is this anywhere near what we just heard in 4EvaNADay.  Wiz also needs to stop kidding himself that he can sing (just as Eminem should do the same) as his hooks remain a serious weak spot in the rapper's forte.

That being said, as someone who played Kush and OJ until my ears nearly bled, this was a huge relief to listen to.  Taylor Allderdice is no Kush and OJ, but it is similar and there are glimpses that Wiz is still capable of coming out with something that anyone will want playing in 70 degree weather.  Wiz also addresses that he did compromise for Rolling Papers, which was worth the 10 minutes to download the tape as it is.  Add in that there are some pretty fucking smooth songs on here, like "Mia Wallace", "California" "Number 16" and "Rowland", and that leaves you with an actually decent tape to listen to.

The Verdict:  Like I said, this is no Kush and OJ, but its a major improvement over anything Wiz has released in the past 12 months.  That being said, I wouldn't recommend this to everyone, for if you aren't a Wiz fan in the first place, it's probably not worth your time.  However, this is a must have for any person that calls themselves a member of the Taylor Gang and I'd be hard pressed to tell anyone to avoid downloading this to kick back and chill to in the upcoming months.  Wiz may not be back to where he was in 2010, but this is certainly a good start.

Big K.R.I.T. - 4EvaNaDay

Haven't hit the blog in forever, due to being incredibly busy, but I got the urge to review this one as it comes from one of my favorite new artists.  I'll add more of a background later, but in short, this is Big K.R.I.T.'s third mixtape and the follow up to his critically acclaimed Returnof4Eva.  Here's my gut reaction to what I heard.

1. 8:04 A.M.
Intro...

2. Wake Up ft. Willie B
I'm not going to lie, the "wake up" shit in the background was not a good first impression as it annoyed the fuck out of me.  Krit sounds good on the hook and the saxophone is a nice complement, but he just sounds too sleepy on this to even make out half of what he's saying.  "Rise and Shine" was far superior to this opener.

3. Yesterday
Using a sample of 2pac's "Bury Me A G", Krit does a solid job behind the boards to make this a heartfelt and smooth track.  Delivery wise, Krit sounds much more awake than in the first track and that's a good thing, as his lyrics are pretty well written.  Make note though: Krit uses "Yesterday" as a metaphor for multiple things, not just someone he loves.  His first verse actually refers to his childhood and life before starting to make it as a musician, which is new to me, considering every rap artist seems to fucking hate their life before seeing green.  My only surprise with this is that it was placed so early in the mixtape.  I'd have expected this much, much later, and it is kind a mood dampener.  Just saying.

4. Boobie Miles
Wasn't crazy about transitioning into this particular track, but then again, this is a piece of work that Krit gave us for free, so he probably doesn't give a shit about what sounds good to transition to (or maybe he does, who the fuck knows).  Of course, if you're any sort of a fan of Krit, you would have heard this one already, and not much else needs to be said except that it still sounds great and that it's just another showcase of Krit's incredible abilities as a producer.  (Which I think, at this point, is obvious that this is where his true talent lies in and I think most would agree as well)

5. 4EvaNaDay (Theme)
"Theme Song 2.0"?  That was my first thought as soon as I heard this one.  Both tracks are extremely similar production wise, with this being slightly more up tempo than the first one.  While this was something that I didn't like, I couldn't help but still like this song because this is where I truly love listening to this dude.  This is the kind of U.G.K. or Outkast shit that I hope to hear anytime I hear new material.  It also was a track that grew on me the more that I listened to it.  So while it is no "Theme Song" (seriously, that shit is one of the highest played songs of his on my iTunes), I can deal.  Can't wait to bump this when it gets warmer, I can tell you that.

6. Me and My Old School
YES.  This, this made the entire tape worth the 10 minutes it took to download.  I can't express how much I wanted to just drop everything I was doing and listen to this for a solid hour when I first heard it.  While Krit isn't really rapping about anything groundbreaking, this is the kinda shit that makes me think of Southernplayalistic or that famous 90's sound that came out of the south.  The beat here is fantastic and the hook is excellent.  I love that Krit consistently keeps the legends that influenced him in his mind, even after he's started to get hype.  I also could have completely seen this on his previous tape, but I'm glad I he saved it so that I could blast the shit out of it now.  The skit with "MJ, that boy set the record for the most points in the playoff, 63," also gave me a laugh at the end.

7. 1986
Just as things were really picking up, Krit drops this.  Is it horrible?  No, but after I just heard what Krit is capable of, it's disappointing.  The beat wasn't as smooth or catchy as previous ones and while I like a guitar riff sample here and there, this didn't seem like the song for it to work.  Two tracks in six that are a miss?  This early in the tape?  I'm a little surprised (and that shows how high Krit sets the bar for his listeners, most of the time I'd be fucking thrilled with 2/3 of a tape being that good).

8. Country Rap Tunes
Krit makes sure that, while there are bumps in the road, he never steers off of it and this is a perfect song to bring things back to where they should be.  A more laid back and lyrically based track than "Me and My Old School", but it still sounds great.  I just complained about the guitar sampling, yet here, it fits much better and it didn't take away from the beat, but enhanced it.  Krit also sounds good on the mic here, which is always a plus.  Overall, I walked away wanting to play it again, always a good sign. (and what the fuck is this with rappers using phone ring tones during a skit? Pac Div did the same thing on "High Five")

9. Sky Club
It's been a while since Krit made a song for his smoking buddies, as this was one thing missing from ReturnOf4Eva, and he comes back to the green scene with this.  Stoner songs can be hit or miss, but this one has still kept my attention after multiple listens and I think his fans will really appreciate this one.  A good song, but I couldn't help but ask: is this low tempo the theme of this tape?  Did Krit want to tone things down after Returnof4Eva?

10. Red Eye
I fucking love this song.  Plain and simple.  Krit lays down just one verse, but it's one of the best I've seen him write in any of the music he's put out so far.

I settle for less so when I'm tired of stress

I go through with the motions pretending I'm at my best

Fall victim to flesh, I live to be fresh

But this ain't what I expect because my life is a wreck

It's hard to listen to a lot of love songs because half the time I don't take them seriously.  Krit has also not made a song to this point that evoke these types of emotions either.  Yes, you had "The Vent", but this feels deeper on a different level.  Krit also flows so damn well on this and he will keep your attention.  I feel that he wrote this one while he was also recording with The Roots for Undun, as the tone and sampling fits closely with something you'd hear on Undun.

11. Down & Out
It really does blow my mind how this guy can be so fucking consistent.  I was worried after "1986" but again, Krit pulls together a string of stellar songs, capped with this.  Another more laid back, slow moving song, but that takes nothing away from how great it sounds.  Possibly my favorite beat of the entire tape (actually it pretty much is) and while the hook isn't spectacular, nothing could really sound that bad with the production behind it.  It also showcases a track that I can't see any other southern MC doing but Krit.  Every time I tried to picture Andre 3K, Big Boi, Big Bun, or really any other rapper related closely to Krit, it just didn't come out as natural as it does with Krit.  The bass makes owners of subwoofers proud and it's got a great southern feel to it.  The tape could end here and I'd be satisfied.

12. Package Store
Using a more up tempo sample from the same one he used for "Dreamin'", Krit has some good messages on this (mainly being the bad influences that kids in the south are around).  However, I really could never get into this one, mostly because the entire time I listened to it, I just wanted to pop "Dreamin" back on.  It also is the second song on here that sampled a song from Returnof4Eva, something that I got frustrated with (being that most of the beats on that tape were dope as fuck and it's hard to listen to them reformed when the original always sounded the best).

13. Temptation
You can tell by this point that Krit is fully aware he won't make shit on this tape (obviously indirectly he will, idiots).  I liked that I finally got to hear something a little more up beat and the hook was catchy as fuck, but the song was just boring for the most part.  Wasn't really too much of a fan for this.

14. Handwriting
Ahh, a song that was properly placed.  To me, this is right around where K.R.I.T. would have placed "Another Naive Individual Glorifying Greed and Encouraging Racism", so while the subject matter isn't nearly as in depth, the sampling is similar, although this one is considerably better.  This one talks more about all the shit Krit has to deal with on a daily basis, and surprisingly, it's refreshing to listen to.  Seriously, I always hear about rappers on the good days, the good life, you know that bullshit.  Can't a man bitch once in a while?  Good track overall, though.

15. Insomnia
The "help me sleep" sounds kind of ridiculous, but again, this is another home run on the production end.  It's got more of an 80's hair metal background and it complements Krit's delivery nicely.  Krit basically describes how getting laid is how he is able to sleep, so subject wise, it's close to Krit's message on "Money on the Floor".  I gotta admit, I wouldn't have given this another chance if it weren't for the production being so damn good (and playing this one in front of everyone may not be your best move once it hits the 3:00 mark).

16. 5:04 A.M.
Outro.

17. The Alarm
OK, so some people have already jumped on this song as being "one of the mixtapes best".  I'm not one of those people.  The "do you believe?" sample gets repetitive as fuck for one and the entire time, I waited for a bass to drop and I never got one.  So what if Krit's message is good?  His beats are really what attracts me to his music and Krit hasn't gotten good enough behind the mic for me to warrant my full attention to his lyrics or delivery.  The "WAKE UP!" shit also pissed me off.  I would have just ended it with "5:04 A.M.", but that's just me.

Closing Statement:  First thing's first, before I express my complaints with this tape, let me make this clear: this mixtape is still very, very good.  However, with expectations so high from his previous two tapes, it's no wonder that Krit's latest effort was bound to disappoint me in some way.  Krit, for one, made the mistake on this tape on not putting his up tempo tracks to lead off the tape (although there weren't many to begin with) and it didn't build the anticipation for the rest of the work like "Theme Song" or "Country Shit" did.  Krit also had a couple missteps due to re-sampling work he's already done.  I enjoyed "4EvaNaDay" as much as the next guy, but I couldn't help but think every time I listen to it that I'm just hearing a reincarnation of "Theme Song".

That being said, there was much more good on this tape than bad.  "Down & Out" and "Me and My Old School" are fucking fantastic and I'd argue they're two of the best tracks I've heard from Krit yet.  I also loved "Red Eye" and "Handwriting" which were much more serious in tone.  As artists release new material, I look for them to evolve, and "Red Eye" is a perfect example of that.  I just don't think Krit could've released that two years ago (and I could be wrong, but that's just not the feeling I took away from it).  I felt this tape was also a little more laid back than the first two and it seemed more deep as well, which separates itself as being a different work of art than either of his first two tapes.  So while I wished that I could have got more like "Time Machine" or "My Sub", this will do just fine.

The Verdict:  Are you kidding me?  There's absolutely no reason you can't take 10 minutes to go and download this.  Krit has not only established himself as one of the best young rappers in the game, but he's beginning to make a case at being one of the best period.  If Live From the Underground is a culmination of this and his previous two tapes, I'll die happy.