Jon Connor- Best In The World MIXTAPE REVIEW

Today, I am doing a quick review of the new mixtape by Michigan rapper Jon Connor, Best In the World. Jon Connor is a rapper who can really spit, but that's about it. He's doesn't bring much in terms of lyricism or substance, but if you just want to hear someone who can just rap, he's the guy. Seriously, his technical skills are pretty impressive. Jon Connor is doing something pretty cool with this new mixtape, as he is rapping over all the most iconic and memorable Kanye West beats. Will Jon Connor do these beats justice?


Well, to answer my question at the end of the first paragraph, yes, he does. Jon Connor raps really well over all of these iconic instrumentals. It was awesome to hear such recognizable beats brought back with a fresh voice on top of them. Like I said, Jon Connor's lyrics aren't the best or most memorable, but he is still very entertaining to listen to. He will do a topical song or drop a nice punchline, but I feel like the point of this mixtape was to show off Connor's technical ability and the fact that he can spit over such amazing Kanye instrumentals. He goes over beats from each one of Kanye's seven albums, from College Dropout to Yeezus. It really is a tribute to one of the greatest musicians to come out in recent memory. I was really happy with the way he spit over a lot of these songs. My favorite here was Can't Tell me Nothing. Connor absolutely killed it over one of my favorite Kanye beats ever. His flow was great, he delivered the lyrics with a lot of passion, and he had some good quotables. I also loved what he did with the iconic Power instrumental. It was just a great freestyle verse and he rode the beat well. Some of the other best tracks here were We Don't Care, Black Skinhead, Barry Bonds, Flashing Lights, Jesus Walks, and Bound 2. The latter was particularly cool because of the way the beat was changed up a little bit from the original. Some snappy drums were added in to make it more suitable for Connor's flow. One thing Connor did on this tape that bothered me a little was when he would do the exact same flow that Kanye did on a particular song. Sometimes, he would randomly spit the same line on a song that Kanye did. It's a small complaint, but it was a little weird to hear that. Overall, its not a great mixtape, but I really appreciate Jon Connor for pulling off something like this. Not every rapper would just go ahead and spit over some of the greatest beats ever, much less do them justice. Connor did not ruin any great Kanye songs on this tape, and it was a pretty fun listen.

BEST IN THE WORLD WRAP UP
+Jon Connor does some of the best Kanye beats ever justice
+His technical skills are top-notch, he can really spit
+Great to hear these beats with a fresh new voice over them
-Feels like a collection of freestyles, a little repetitive by the end
-Connor's lyrics aren't too memorable overall

Best: Can't Tell Me Nothing, Power, Barry Bonds

Worst: 2 Words

Jon Connor- Best In The World
7.4/10

YG- My Krazy Life ALBUM REVIEW

 Now, it is time to review an album I was not excited for at all. I haven't been looking forward to this one, and was really hesitant on even downloading and listening to it. I am reviewing the debut studio album by Compton rapper YG, My Krazy Life. I do have a pretty good reason for not wanting to review this: YG is not a good rapper. To be honest, this guy just sounds like an amateur whenever I hear him spit. His flow is clumsy, and he doesn't have that much power or uniqueness to his voice. He is just uninteresting. I only decided to give My Krazy Life a listen for two reasons: the features, and the fact that this album was blowing up the internet with people praising it. I figured I will listen, and write an honest review. Will I actually like My Krazy Life?

Upon listening to this project, I will admit I am impressed by the way YG put it together. Very similar to Kendrick Lamar's 2012 album Good Kid m.A.A.d City, this is a story of a kid growing up on the tough streets of Compton, California (or Bompton as YG calls it). He manages to tell these stories through the songs, and I like the way he does it. On My Krazy Life, YG was able to tell a dense, hood story while keeping the songs fresh and very, very catchy. I can not emphasize the word catchy enough. These songs just bang, as nearly all of them had my head bopping up and down the whole way through. The first song, BPT, is the perfect example of this. YG delivers the hook with tons of energy and the whole track is an awesome opener. I love how short the song is as well. The song right after it, I Just Wanna Party, was probably my favorite song on the album. I love how dark the track is, and it fits the story pretty well. YG is simply saying that even though people may be of different gangs, they can still drop all the violence and party sometimes. Schoolboy Q and Jay Rock stop by for some monster guest verses, especially Jay Rock, who fits this track PERFECTLY. Speaking of guest verses, they were awesome on My Krazy Life. TeeCee had a nice verse on Meet the Flockers, Drake killed it on Who Do You Love, and Kendrick Lamar, well what do you expect. He absolutely went off on Really Be.

Continuing the storytelling, things get a lot darker on the track Bicken Back Being Bool, which has a clever title that connects to YG's gang affiliation. On this track, what starts out as an average day with an homies ends up with a home invasion. I love the back end of this track, when the only sounds you hear are the guys robbing the house and an awesome, west coast throwback beat playing in the background. This song goes very smoothly into the next song, Meet the Flockers. YG's verse on this really details what breaking into a house is all about. It is a dark song, and feels really chilling. I love it. TeeCee's last few lines on this song transitions right into the hit single, My N***a. I have been hearing this song forever now, but I still love it. It's a feel-good track and the beat is an absolute banger. YG, Young Jeezy, and Rich Homie Quan's verses on this song are by no means good, but they sound fine if you just let go of everything and turn up to this track. The next two tracks lighten up the mood a lot on My Krazy Life, but I have to be honest. These songs were not good at all. I didn't get anything from them. Starting with Do it to Ya, this song really was terrible. All I have to say is that happy, piano-led love songs are not YG's lane. The next one, Me and My Bitch, was a little better, but still an underwhelming track. It was simply a little boring.

Luckily, YG really picks up the slack on the next few songs, but he is seriously helped out by his big-name features. The love story is continued on the song Who Do You Love, but I guess the third time is the charm, because he gets it right on this song. YG definitely sounds best on this darker production, and his rapping was actually solid here. The hook was so infectious, I could not get it out of my head. This song's execution was nearly perfect. Drake comes in for a great verse, highlighted by a series of nice lines. The next song, Really Be (Smokin and Drinkin), was another one of my favorites on the album. This one really sounded like a throwback, with its funky production and upbeat vibes. This seriously sounded like the type of song Snoop Dogg would have done in the 90's. It was only appropriate to get another L.A. rapper on this song, and YG chose the best of the best: Kendrick Lamar. Kendrick murders this verse, rapping with crazy aggression and his utilizing his incredible lyricism. This song was extremely fresh, and a major highlight on My Krazy Life. YG gets back to the storytelling on the next track, 1AM. This one was super dark and violent, as YG tells a tale of a crazy police chase after a stickup. The lyrics are vivid here and the track was very catchy at the same time. This album closes out with the emotional song Sorry Momma, and I felt it was a nice, fitting closer. While its not something I will be playing a lot, I can appreciate YG trying something different, and I could definitely feel his passion here.

Overall, this is my biggest surprise album of the year so far. Sure, YG doesn't have much technical skill. Also, DJ Mustard's production here was repetitive and unimpressive in my opinion. When you listen to this album very closely, it is just not good. This album is meant to be listened with a carefree attitude, and that is when it really shines. Most of these songs are very, very catchy and serious head-boppers. At the same time, it is pretty cool that YG was able to work the story into the album. Props to YG, because this was an excellent debut project.


MY KRAZY LIFE WRAP UP
+The songs just bang; they are infectious and fun
+Great features who add A LOT to the album
+YG told the story through the music, have to respect that
+Fantastic hooks
-YG can't really rap, not much technical skill
-Beats were very samey and not very dense

Best: BPT, I Just Wanna Party, 1AM

Worst: Do it to Ya

YG- My Krazy Life
9.2/10

Ugly Frank- Bobby Hill MIXTAPE REVIEW

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Today, I'm reviewing the new mixtape from Ugly Frank, Bobby Hill. Tacoma, Washington native Ugly Frank is a member of the underground rap trio ILLFIGHTYOU. This group put out a self-titled mixtape last year that I absolutely loved. The beats were unique and creative, the tape flowed really well, and most importantly, the bars were on point. The three guys in the group could seriously spit, and the tape was kind of like an ongoing rap competition between Ugly Frank, EvergreenOne, and Khris P. Frank was probably my favorite out of the trio, so I'm pretty happy to see that he's the first one releasing a solo project. Will Ugly Frank be able to impress me with this mixtape?

As far as rapping goes, Ugly Frank is a crazy man on the mic. Literally. You never know what you will get with this guy. One second he is dropping incredibly smart lines, another he is spitting a line so vulgar, it's uncomfortable to listen to. I love listening to Frank's lyrics simply because of the unpredictability. Nonetheless, one word you can always use to describe him is memorable. While this guy can definitely carry a song, he did the best thing he could possibly do for a mixtape like this: he made it only seven tracks. With only two features here, Frank would not have had me interested with many more songs than that. Making it so short is something I can respect. In terms of technical skills, Frank is awesome. He will throw his voice everywhere and flow at many different speeds. Similar to his lyrics, he is unpredictable with his delivery. His voice might sound completely different on one track than it does on the other. On the song Gummi Worms, Frank sounds angry and it is cool to hear his voice in a more raspy tone. I love how aggressive he is on this track. On the other hand, Frank sounds a lot more calm on the song Ancient. It is very interesting to hear what kind of things Frank will do on a certain song, such as his singing on the song Frank Truise. The singing didn't even sound that bad, as it was very catchy and funny to hear. As far as features go, Frank only has two on here, the other two members of ILLFIGHTYOU. EvergreenOne pops up for a great verse on the song 90, and Khris P does the same on Ancient. Overall, Ugly Frank was just crazy on this tape in a few different ways. He solidified himself as one of my favorite rappers to listen to.

Just like on the ILLFIGHTYOU mixtape, Khris P handles all production on this tape. I really like this guy as a producer, and its mainly because of how weird his beats are, in a good way. It seems like he is always using the most unorthodox sounds that he can find. He has created a signature sound for himself, and that is something that every producer aspires to do. The beats on Bobby Hill are as odd as ever, and I love it. The song Leftova utilizes these ridiculous squeaking noises, and just when you think its getting obnoxious, these eerie synths pop up in the background. It adds a lot to the beat, along with the little percussion hits that come in. I love how this beat gets more dense as the song goes on. Another instrumental highlight on this tape was the song 90. This is one of Khris P's more traditional beats, but it still has its weird edge to it with the high-pitched synth line going on throughout the track. The old-school drums on this track sound great here as well. I really loved the beat on the album closer, PBR. This one felt really chilling and epic, as it just had everything. Drums, soft female vocal samples, and evil synthesizers in the background.  Khris P's production on this tape was exactly what I expected, and I have no problem with it. Khris P is easily becoming one of my favorite producers right now.

BOBBY HILL WRAP UP
+Ugly Frank is insane on the mic, in a good way
+This guy raps with so many different flows and voices
+Nice, short mixtape length
+Awesomely weird production, every beat is great
+Ugly Frank and Khris P have perfect chemistry
-Songs are very similar lyrically

Best: Frank Truise, 90, Ancient

Worst: Bossa

Ugly Frank- Bobby Hill
8.4/10

Vince Staples- Shyne Coldchain Vol. 2 MIXTAPE REVIEW

Today I'm reviewing the new mixtape by Vince Staples, Shyne Coldchain Vol. 2. Vince Staples has definitely become more well-known over the past year in the underground rap scene, and a lot of this can be attributed to his work with Earl Sweatshirt. Vince's connection with Earl, someone with a huge fanbase, has definitely helped with his increase in notoriety. Another reason for Vince's breakout is just his raw rapping skill. The guy can spit, as evidenced by feature verses, freestyles, and his mixtape that he put out last year with Mac Miller, Stolen Youth. Vince has a classic, west coast sounding voice and can flow with the best of them. With a lot more eyes on this guy than before, how will Vince's new mixtape play out?

Starting with the beats, Shyne Coldchain Vol. 2 features some of my favorite production out of any project i have heard this year. The beats are varied, dense, and sound very smooth. Each and every one of them sounded like they really took the time to make it sound as good as possible. A lot of the production on this mixtape is done by famed hip hop producer No I.D., and he really killed it on this collection of beats. One instrumental that he did which really stood out was on the song Locked and Loaded. This one featured a great mix of some unorthodox drums and a repeating vocal sample. It was a serious head-bopper and was also very unique. The vocal samples were something that No I.D. utilized on a few of these beats, and he did it to perfection. On the song Turn, he chops up the sample in an awesome way and makes it blend with the bass and drums. It was a fantastic beat. My other two favorite beats on this album were made by Evidence, on the songs Progressive 3 and Trunk Rattle. Progressive 3 is probably the most subtle beat on this mixtape, as it just features a very clean singing vocal going throughout, with some soft drums complimenting it. I loved the beat because it had a clear vibe to it: chilling and raw. It is a simple beat, but it really sets the tone for the mixtape being the first track. Trunk Rattle, a much more traditional beat, was very memorable. The drums were very catchy and the high-pitched piano keys just added to the vibe. The beats on Shyne Coldchain Vol. 2 were fantastic, and I wouldnt complain about any of them. No I.D. and Evidence did a great job here.

Now it's time to talk about Vince Staples. This guy has consistently wowed me with his feature verses, but I honestly felt he didn't sound nearly as good on Shyne Coldchain Vol. 2. This is not to say Vince did a terrible job. He had a handful of highlights on this tape, from the catchy hooks on Locked and Loaded and Trunk Rattle, the personal lyrics on Nate, and the raw emotion he had in the song Earth Science, Vince had some good moments here. There is no denying this guy's ability to rap, as he can seriously flow and has a great voice for rapping. I think Vince's voice is his strongest asset as a rapper; it is such a classic West Coast sounding voice and it doesn't really sound like anyone else. As far as lyricism goes, Vince has a pretty good line here and there, but he didn't really say much here that stuck with me. My main problem with Vince, though, is how monotonous he becomes. He really doesn't change anything up throughout this entire mixtape, and while it was only 10 tracks, it still became a little boring. While sometimes this would be fine, Vince ruins it by having absolutely no features on this mixtape. I almost couldn't handle this guy on 10 solo tracks. It got a little too dull. This tape really could have benefited by features by guys like Earl, Domo Genesis, Mac Miller, or others whom Vince has worked with in the past. I thought the lack of features hurt this project a lot. Vince's delivery also didn't sound as fiery as it usually does, and I felt Vince was a little too laid-back on this tape at times. Don't get me wrong, Vince can really spit, but I was a little dissappointed by the way he did it on this tape.

SHYNE COLDCHAIN VOL. 2 WRAP UP
+Incredible production
+Beats sounded unique and fresh
+Vince has undeniable talent on the mic
-Really could have used some rapping features
-Vince's rapping became a little monotonous

Best: Progressive 3, Trunk Rattle, Turn

Worst: Shots

Vince Staples- Shyne Coldchain Vol. 2
7.6/10

Freddie Gibbs & Madlib- Piñata ALBUM REVIEW

Today, I  am reviewing the new collaboration by Indiana rapper Freddie Gibbs and critically acclaimed producer Madlib, Piñata. It is a massive understatement to say I have been excited for this album. I literally could not wait for it. The reason for this is pretty obvious: Gibbs is an excellent MC, Madlib is an excellent producer. Both of these guys have made a positive impact on the rap game; Gibbs has released several great projects, and Madlib, well known for his 2004 collaboration album with MF DOOM, Madvilliany, has a reputation has a creative, forward-thinking producer. Now, this dream collaboration is finally happening. Will Piñata deliver after all the anticipation?

On all 17 tracks here, Freddie Gibbs brings toughness, energy, and he just sounds like a thug. He has one of the most recognizable voices in rap because of how raspy and raw it is. He will immediately catch your ear when he starts rapping because of his awesome delivery. There is not one moment on Piñata where I feel like Freddie Gibbs is boring on the mic. This guy is an incredibly talented MC. He has many different flows that he uses, but he always manages to stay on beat, which is no easy feat considering how dense the Madlib beats are. Lyrically, Freddie Gibbs will consistently spit lines that stay in my head, and his lyrics are just so memorable. He has a lot of topical tracks on this album, with Knicks (basketball), High (weed song), Lakers (ode to Los Angeles), and Harold's (a chicken spot in his hometown). Gibbs will always have you listening hard to what he has to say. He even devotes one track, Real, to dissing Young Jeezy, in which he sounds aggressive as ever. On the song Shitsville, Gibbs goes ridiculously hard, riding the beat with ease, flowing quickly, and angrily delivering the hook. I love the way he raps on this song, and it is one of my favorites on the album.

One thing I was extremely anxious to hear on this album were the features. I can safely say that they came through on this album. Starting with Danny Brown, who is fittingly on the song High, he brings so much to the track, rapping in the upper register of his voice and flowing with insane speed. Ab-Soul fit the song Lakers perfectly, and he sounded good on that smooth production. Freddie Gibbs didn't just work with up-and-comers on Piñata, though, as hip-hop veterans Raekwon and Scarface kill it on Bomb and Broken, respectively. Gibbs has Odd Future representatives Domo Genesis and Earl Sweatshirt on the song Robes, and they both have solid verses, especially Earl, who brings his signature wordplay and laid-back flow. The most R&B influenced track here is Shame, where BJ the Chicago Kid beautifully sings the hook; this song is undeniably the smoothest on the album. Finally, a major highlight  was the monstrous posse cut, Piñata. First, I will give credit to Domo, G-Wiz, Casey Veggies, Sulaimon, and Mac Miller. These guys all had nice verses and made this a good posse track, but two verses here really stood out, and were miles better than all those: Gibbs himself and Meechy Darko. Gibbs had a crazy delivery here, and just sounded furious. It was awesome. Meech was my favorite verse on the song, just because it was Meech doing what he does best. He sounded eccentric, wild, and threw his voice everywhere. I can definitely say he had the best feature verse on Piñata. The features on this album were perfectly selected and I enjoyed each and every one of them.

Now, it is time to show love to the genius behind all these songs: Madlib. His production on this album was stellar. I thought every beat on this album was unique and forward-thinking. Plus, they all sounded clean, smooth, and polished, It really felt like Madlib worked hard on these beats and made sure they sounded perfect. Every single instrumental sounded different on this album, and each one went for a different vibe. Robes and Shame worked soulful samples into the beat to create something relaxing and delightful. On the other end of the spectrum, Scarface and Shitsville were both high-energy, commanding beats that matched Freddie Gibbs' aggression on the tracks. I appreciated some of the old-school beats here, because they were throwbacks, but with modern twists. Knicks, Broken, and Piñata were all examples of this. Madlib also incorporated some crazy synth sounds on this album. Songs like Deeper, Uno, and Bomb all had some wacky synthesizers that sounded like something I had never heard before, but they had this cool, chilling, vibe that I really loved. There were two beats in particular, though, that stood out above all the others because of how amazing they sounded. The first is Thuggin. This song had an incredible string riff that came in and out of the track and it just sounded pristine. It came together with some soft drums to make something very light and peaceful, but it also had energy to it. It was a fantastic beat. My favorite instrumental here is Harold's. This beat was beautiful. The high energy claps made the beat a major head banger, and the main synth was just amazing. This beat was so upbeat and happy, and I could listen to it all day.

Freddie Gibbs & Madlib- Piñata
+Gibbs sounds focused, aggressive, and raw; all while having fun
+Some awesome storytelling tracks
+Features added a lot to to the album, and were perfectly selected
+Madlib's production was smooth and every beat sounded incredible
+Insane variety in the beats
+Gibbs and Madlib have undeniable chemistry; great pairing

Best: Harold's, Thuggin, Deeper

Worst: None

Freddie Gibbs & Madlib- Piñata
9.7/10

Rick Ross- Mastermind ALBUM REVIEW

Rick Ross is undoubtedly a boss in the rap game. The guy owns his own record label, has put out six studio albums, and is one of the most recognizable rappers in the world. Personally, I like Rick Ross. He can really put together a good verse, and some of his lyrics end up sticking with me. My one problem with him is albums. I have not really been interested in a lot of his projects. I feel Ross just can't put together a consistent full-length album. Will his new album, Mastermind, change that?

In terms of rapping, Rick Ross just sticks with what works for him. Ross has his own style and will instantly catch your ear when he's on the mic. This, of course, is because of his unique, gruff delivery. He will always sound tough and commanding on a track. The first song where I was really feeling Ross's delivery was Drug Dealer's Dream. Ross sounds gritty as hell on this track, and I like his slower flow on this song. He really makes sure you hear every word. While Ross isn't a horrible lyricist and he will have a nice line every once in a while, it is all about delivery for him. There were only a handful of solo tracks on this album that I like, but luckily, Ross has a whole lot of features on Mastermind. His chemistry with other rappers is evident on these songs. Devil is a Lie, which features Jay-Z, is just a fantastic song. Ross spits hard on this one, and Jay's verse is better than anything on Magna Carta Holy Grail. Speaking of which, there were some other surprising guest verses here. Meek Mill on Walking on Air, Young Jeezy on War Ready, and Lil Wayne on Thug Cry were all shockingly excellent with their verses, especially Jeezy, who added a whole lot to what would have been an average song. One memorable one was Kanye West on Sanctified. While I was expecting a lyrical Ye verse, he came out with a lot of hype and energy. I felt he matched Ross in terms of delivery. I enjoyed his verse. The last guest I have to talk about is The Weeknd. I'm not the biggest fan of this guy, but he totally killed it on In Vein. He takes over most of the song, but I was fine with that. Overall, Ross was his usual self on this album. Luxurious lyrical content, and a gritty, tough delivery. What made the rapping on this album better, though, was the features.

In terms of production, I think Mastermind is a huge step up from Ross's other projects. While it wasn't anything really different or unique, it was just better. The fancy, elegant instrumentals were my favorites on this album. Fortunately, there were a whole lot of these. Rich as Gangsta, the first song on this album, had a fantastic beat. The clean drums and repeating vocal sample sounded awesome here. The Devil is a Lie was another great beat, and this one might have been the most luxurious on the album. It just sounded like royalty, and was perfect for Rick Ross and Jay-Z. The Scott Storch produced track, Supreme, had a simple beat, but one that was absolutely perfect for Ross. The fancy horns meshed perfectly with the snappy drums, and it sounded great. Sanctified, a track produced by Kanye West, had a soulful, old school Ye feel to it. The Betty Wright sample worked well, and Kanye made sure to incorporate some hard Chicago drums into the track. There were some beats, though, that were just not fit for Ross. I didn't think Mafia Music III was a bad song, but it didn't work for Rick Ross. BLK & WHT and What a Shame were the other lackluster tracks for me. Other than those, though, the beats on Mastermind were pretty good. As far as the instrumentals on this album go, I can't really complain about any of them. They just work.

MASTERMIND WRAP UP
+Ross does what he does best; tough raps about his rich lifestyle
+Ross sounded more focused overall
+Features are what made this album good, there were some surprisingly great ones
+Luxurious, elegant production that was perfect for Ross
-Some very skippable tracks
-Ross is just not a good lyricist at all

Best: Devil is a Lie, Supreme, In Vein

Worst: BLK & WHT

Rick Ross- Mastermind
8.4/10