CJ Fly- Thee Way Eye See It MIXTAPE REVIEW

New York has been absolutely killing the underground rap game lately. Artists such as Action Bronson, Smoke DZA, and ASAP Rocky, as well has his ASAP Mob, have brought New York back into hip-hop with strong releases and a signature gritty style. Of course the whole "Beastcoast" movement has really contributed to New York's comeback. The Underachievers, Flatbush Zombies, and Pro Era have been taking over the game with their very progressive and interesting approach to hip hop. Other then Joey Bada$$, none of the Pro Era members have stepped up to the plate yet and released a solo project. That is, until CJ Fly dropped this mixtape, Thee Way Eye See It. CJ Fly has really impressed me with all of his feature verses leading up to this, as he has great technical rapping skills and a unique voice. I was nervous for a whole project by him, though, as I feel he is a little one-dimensional. I still decided to give this a listen.

The first thing I noticed on this mixtape is CJ Fly incredible improvement on the mic. The guy is just a pure spitter, and he definitely has the perfect voice for it. CJ's deep, gruff voice makes him very interesting to listen to. As far lyricism goes, CJ relies mostly on clever wordplay, something he can do very well. Many of his lines on this mixtape make you go back and listen again, much like Pro Era teammate Joey Bada$$. Don't think this entire mixtape is wordplay, though, as CJ can also tell a story. The most prominent example of this is the song Eyetalian Frenchip. On this song, he talks about a love triangle he is involved in. He delivers this in a pretty cool way, rapping about his Italian girlfriend on the first verse and his French girl in the second verse. It was definitely an interesting listen. One other thing CJ does incredibly well is execute hooks. Many of his hooks are catchy and get stuck in your head. The hook on the song Tug-At-War is delivered very well, as well as the one on the song right after it, Ernee.

As far as beats go, this mixtape was just what you would expect from Pro Era. Rather than relying  on grimy, "street" beats, Thee Way Eye See It is filled with classy, upbeat, golden era, boom-bap instrumentals. Right from the get go, the Intro is covered by a very elegant piano beat that sounds fantastic. The song Left Get fuses many different sounds together to create something that comes off very smooth and well-made. The song Sup Preme sounds very relaxed and atmospheric, giving off a really cool vibe. Another strong part of this mixtape would be the features, which were chosen very well by CJ Fly. On the song Ernee, Dirty Sanchez comes in with such smooth flow and great quotable Ab-Soul kills it on Sadderdaze, delivering the lyriccsm we all know him for. The very popular Joey Bada$$ is on the song Sup Preme, and he jumps in with a super aggressive, very raspy delivery. It is definitely different, and makes the song fun to listen to. CJ even gets Erick Arc Elliot from Flatbush Zombies for the Outro, and he sounds terrific, delivering what is probably the best guest verse on this tape. Even hip-hop OG Phife Dawg makes an appearance on the track Seek Well, and it is simply awesome.

One very interesting feature this tape has is that some of the songs are complete two parters. The beat would completely change and CJ would suddenly be rapping over something with a totally different vibe. I really enjoyed this on the song Loco Motives, but not as much on the song Crew's Cunt Troll, as it felt kind of forced to make something epic and long. If I had any criticisms of this mixtape, it would be that some of the songs were way longer than they should've been, but that is pretty much it for things I didn't like about this project.

THEE WAY EYE SEE IT WRAP UP
+CJ has proven himself as a fantastic rapper, great flow and delivery throughout the tape
+Terrific lyrics, he has amazing wordplay
+Great beats, from relaxed to boom-bap to classy horn instrumentals
+Some of the tracks tell a story
+Really good feature verses from everyone
+Some well-written and executed hooks

Best: Tug-At-War, Ernee, Q&A

Worst: Still the Motto

CJ Fly- Thee Way Eye See It
8.8/10

Meek Mill- Dreamchasers 3 MIXTAPE REVIEW

Today, I'm bringing a review of Meek Mill's new mixtape, Dreamchasers 3. I just can't get into Meek Mill. I have always appreciated is aggressive rapping style, but I have never loved a project by him. He is pretty good at feature verses and I love how he has been creating beef with some rappers lately, but i can not get into a full project my Meek Mill. His debut album was alright, as was his first two mixtapes in the extremely successful Dreamchasers series. The second installment is actually the most downloaded mixtape on DatPiff's entire website. I thought that mixtape was okay at best, so how will the third one of the series go down with me? Will i finally enjoy a full Meek Mill mixtape?

The first song was titled I'm Leanin, and it was just a mediocre, typical, predictable Meek Mill song. I have definitely heard Meek spit better verses than the one that started this song off. Even Travis Scott came in and had a better verse than Meek. Travis spit with a consistent flow and nice energy on this song, but it wasn't enough to make me like this. The generic trap beat and Birdman's rambling at the end made this song even worse. The second song, Make Me, was honestly terrible. There's nothing I want to hear less than Meek Mill's bad singing voice on the hook here. It sounded corny, and just didn't work. Meek's verses were once again not as good as previous ones I have heard. Also, this song was far too long, as it had no changes throughout the song. This song was pretty awful. Dope Dealer was another forgettable song on this mixtape. The beat was one I feel like I have already heard on hundreds of songs. At this point, I'm most disappointed with Meek Mill's rapping here. All these verses are not half as good as stuff I've heard him spit before. On Dope Dealer, that doesn't change as Nicki Minaj don't really add anything to the song either. On Lil N**a Snupe, Meek did rap a lot better, with his signature aggression coming through hard. He sounds passionate rapping about his passed friend, Lil Snupe.

This mixtape continued to be lackluster, though. Ain't Me was just awful. I don't know why Meek Mill is using so much auto tune now, because he has a pretty good natural voice for rapping. I B On Dat was a little better, as I liked the hook for whatever reason, but the verses were just not memorable at all. Even Fabolous let me down on this song. The next song was actually called Hip Hop. This one was just boring. The beat was lame and didn't sound very polished. Meek rapped okay here, but it was still quite an improvement over other songs. Money Ain't No issue featured Meek Mill rapping pretty well, surprisingly. Future supplies a catchy hook as always, and my head was actually bopping on this song. Fabolous came through with a better verse at the end. This song was pretty good overall, and a highlight of this mixtape. The next track, We Ain't the Same was just a boring auto tune song. Heaven or Hell featured a really impressive vocal on the hook, and Meek had good energy on his verse. I have always loved Jadakiss, so his verse worked for me. This song was solid. This mixtape started to go downhill again after this, though. Fuckin Wit Me, My Life, and Rich Porter were all boring bragging tracks, even with a good Rick Ross verse in the latter. Right Now features an unusual lineup, with Cory Gunz and Mase on the song. Meek's verse was okay, Cory Gunz was alright, but this hook was terrible. Mase probably had the best verse, but it didn't save this song from mediocrity. The End, the closer to this mixtape, featured my favorite beat by far on the tape, with Meek rapping really nicely here. I wish more tracks on Dreamchasers 3 sounded like this.

DREAMCHASERS 3 WRAP UP
+Meek Mill raps with great aggressiveness on some tracks
+A few catchy hooks
-so many forgettable songs
-some awful auto tune
-Meek did not rap as well as I've heard him before for the majority of the tape
-only one beat that really caught my ear
-a lot of the songs sounded the same

Best: Money Aint No Issue, Heaven or Hell, The End

Worst: Aint Me

Meek Mill- Dreamchasers 3
4.2/10

Danny Brown- Old ALBUM REVIEW

I'm serious when I say Danny Brown is my favorite rapper right now. It took me a while to get into him, as I initially found him annoying and not worth my time. This all changed when I decided to check out his critically acclaimed 2011 album, XXX. I was so impressed with it and I really can't complain about one song on the album. It was nearly flawless. After this, I just started liking all his guest verses and he quickly became one of my favorites. His technical rapping ability is insane and he kills pretty much any feature he has. Now, we finally have the follow-up to XXX, with a new studio album titled Old. Did Danny come through once again two years after XXX?

The album starts off in a dynamic way with the intro, Side A. There was nothing wrong with this song, as Danny spit with precision and the hook was catchy as hell. The instrumental was pretty grimy and upbeat at the same time, making a great beat. The song was also perfect length, as it would have just gotten boring if it was any longer. The second song, The Return, sees Danny once again rapping in a lower, more normal voice, like on Side A. Whereas it worked in that song, I didn't like it as much on this song, Danny's low voice just didn't sound right on this beat, using a pretty slow flow. Freddie Gibbs was so much more fitting on it, as he destroyed Danny on this song, in my opinion. His verse pretty much saved the song and made it a standout. Freddie Gibbs definitely had the best guest verse on the album and he sounded fantastic on the hook. The next song, 25 Bucks, goes for a more atmospheric style, as the band Purity Ring was all over this song. Megan James sounded great singing on this song, and Danny really spit nicely over the beat. This song actually had a "mainstream hit" sound to it, as i could definitely see this being played on the radio. It sounds great and this type of song is where Danny Brown really shines. The next two songs are both pretty short, but still are good songs. Wonderbread had an awesome beat and catchy-ass hook, as Danny sounded like his usual crazy self. I actually wish this song was longer. Gremlins also had an interesting beat, but there was something about it I didn't really like. Danny flowed nicely here, but this song really had nothing great in it. It is still enjoyable, though. Next was Dope Fiend Rental with Schoolboy Q. This song is exactly what you would expect from these two MCs. Brash, raunchy, entertaining lyrics over a terrific beat. Danny's verse was good, but Q absolutely killed it with his appearance. He sounded full of energy and flowed relentlessly here. This song was definitely a highlight for me.

At this point in the album, Danny goes into a string of some more slower, sadder, more personal tracks. The first of these is the song Torture, which I loved. This song just felt honest, emotional, and real. The beat was grimy and fit the theme of the song so well. My favorite part, though, was the hook. It was awesome and the beat just stood out in such a fantastic way. This song was flawless. The next one, Lonely, was just okay. I didn't love it. The beat was nice and sounded really good, but Danny didn't impress me too much here, even though his lyricism was on point. I think I just don't like Danny on beats like this, cause nothing about this song really impressed me. I really did like the song Clean Up which came right after. It just sounds like a better version of Lonely, in my opinion. Once I really sat down and listened to Danny's lyrics on this song, you really get a sense of what this guy has been through in his career. This song was great and probably Danny's most introspective moment of the album. The album then switched up, as the energy came right back on the next song, Red 2 Go. This was just a classic Danny track, as he sounded energetic and had some hilarious lyrics. I loved the hook here, and the whole song was just fun and catchy.

The second half of the album started with Side B (Dope Song). This song was every bit as awesome as Side A, and I also think it was better. This song was very funny and very good at the same time. The beat changes in this song were awesome, as Danny always rode them right and the hook was catchy as hell. This song was pretty experimental, and it resulted in pure awesomeness. I loved this song. The next one was titled Dubstep, and this song was pretty good. The beat was definitely funky and Danny rapped pretty well here, as well as using some clever wordplay on the hook. This song had some nice energy to it and had a cool vibe overall.

The next handful of songs on Old were high energy, party tracks that featured Danny just having as much as fun as possible, and you can definitely feel it. This is perhaps most evident on the song Dip. This track was just a high-energy drug trip, an environment where Danny feels very comfortable. Catchy hook, fun verses, great beat, nothing to complain about. The next two songs on Old were possibly the weakest, in my opinion. Smokin and Drinkin just felt a little overdone, and Danny came off a little annoying in this song, but I did like the beat. Break-It was not much better, as it was just a typical Danny track that wasn't memorable enough to be as good as the other party songs. This song really featured nothing that made me think it shoudnt have been left off the album. Things do get better with the song Handstand, though. This could be the craziest, most unusual beat on the album. Danny is so crazy on this song it becomes hilarious, and the hook is awesome, especially with the beat drop. Way Up Here was pretty forgettable as it features one of the least interesting beats on the album and one of Ab-Soul's worst verses I've ever heard from him. This song was not very impressive to me, and felt like filler. Kush Coma, on the other hand, was a great song. The vibe was awesome and this was probably the best hook on the album. Insanely catchy with a very unique vocal here. Danny and ASAP Rocky's verses are perfect for the vibe of the song. I have no complaints, as I think this song is fantastic. Another amazing song closes out this album, Float On. This song goes back to the laid-back, relaxed vibe that a few songs earlier on the album had. Danny sounded great here, showing he can really rap in any style he wants and it will work. The female vocal on the hook was just so smooth and this song closed out the album in a great way.

OLD WRAP UP
+Danny is a very fun rapper to listen to, and he has many different styles and flows
+Some very unique instrumentals, most sounded really good
+Really good variety, songs flowed well
+Catchy ass hooks on every song that had one
+Great features from Freddie Gibbs, ASAP Rocky, and Schoolboy Q
+The whole album is just such a crazy, fun listening experience
-Too many songs
-Some filler songs that could have been left out

Best: Torture, Side B, Float On

Worst: Way Up Here

Danny Brown- Old
8.6/10

Tyler, the Creator- Wolf ALBUM REVIEW

In my honest opinion, I think Tyler, the Creator is one of the most creative hip-hop artists to come out in a while. Tyler can tell stories, be funny, and be emotional through his music. He is very honest and I feel is personality is just so different from a lot of rappers. He is also a great producer, yet he doesn't make mind-blowing, layered, beats. He relies on more simple sounds but he has a way of making them sound very good at the same time. Tyler's first two albums, Bastard and Goblin, both really impressed me. I think the whole way the albums flowed was so creative and Tyler can just make damn good music. It took nearly two years for this new album to drop, so will it live up to the ridiculous expectations I have for it?

WOLF- This track opens up with a terrific piano instrumental mixed in with soulful singing that sounds beautiful. Tyler comes in with his typical attitude to start off the album. It then transitions into Tyler meeting with Dr. TC, a character from his first two albums. Tyler plays a character named Wolf who is being introduced to another character named Sam, who instantly is very mean and aggressive to Wolf. 9/10

JAMBA (FEAT. HODGY BEATS) - This beat is definitely unlike any other beat I've heard this another, with huge claps and weird farty synths. Tyler flows flawlessly over this. He also delivers some great punchlines on this song. Hodgy Beats drops a great verse here, rapping fast and rhyming with some real skill. I have no complaints, this song was so sick. 9.5/10

COWBOY- Tyler's lyrics get really introspective on this song, which is a huge change from the song before it. He raps over a pretty slow, laid-back beat that I liked. Once the piano comes in, it sounds great. This song gets a little boring, though. In the end, Wolf notices a very pretty girl and asks Sam who it is. Sam responds by saying its his girlfriend, Salem, and advising Wolf to "stay the fuck away from her". 8/10

AWKWARD- This song is yet another change of pace with Tyler writing a relaxing love song. I love how he adds a creepy vibe to the song with the pitch-shifted deep voice. The beat is perfect and sets the vibe nicely. The hook was so catchy and and my head-bopping all the way through. This song was pretty much perfect once Frank Ocean sang at the end. In my opinion, I think this song was Wolf reminiscing on a past love after seeing Salem. I might be wrong, but I truly think that's what this track was. 10/10

DOMO 23- another totally different style for Tyler here, as he comes with a high-energy, trap style beat. Tyler sounds awesome rapping here, with a pretty nice flow. Tyler also lyrically covers his career and his fans with brutal honesty. This track was very cool, and it was good to know Tyler can make songs like this. 8/10

ANSWER- A very relaxing and sentimental sounding beat starts this one off. This track was purely topical as Tyler goes over something he has gone over many times before: his dad. This time, instead of only hating on him like he does on songs like Bastard, he sadly admits that if his dad called him, he would answer. You can definitely tell the emotion on this song, as Tyler is conflicted about his feelings for his father. The singing on this track sounded great and this was a fantastic song. 9.5/10

SLATER- I have to admit, this is not one of my favorite beats on the album. It sounds somewhat lazy and there is not much going on, in a bad way. Tyler's lyrical content was not great here either. Frank Ocean completely saves this song and makes it an awesome listen. He absolutely kills it, singing beautifully. 8/10

48- Another topical track here, as Tyler decides to delve into drugs. He does this in a really creative way, taking the persona of a drug dealer. As the song goes on, Tyler starts to realize the very negative affect his product has on people, as the drugs are sometimes even killing them. This is just such a cool song to listen to, as Frank sounds great once again on the hook. 8.5/10

COLOSSUS- Lyrically, Tyler talks about his fans here. He does this in a way very similar to Eminem's song Stan. He raps from the point of view of an obsessed fan who idolizes Tyler in every way. Near the end of the song, Tyler impressively raps a conversation, going from his own point of view to the one of the fan. Everything said in this song is sadly true, showing Tyler definitely knows what his fans are like. This song was entertaining, as it is full of great lyricism. 8.5/10

PARTYISNTOVER/CAMPFIRE/BIMMER- Tyler decides to combine three short songs into a seven minute medley here. The first song, Partyisntover, comes with a dramatic, detailed instrumental that sounds great. Tyler uses some basic lyricism here, but this song is definitely a show off of Tyler's improved production skills. Campfire also has a very unique beat, but this one has some better lyricism, and just sounds very cool, as Tyler can always put a really odd vibe into a song. The children's voices and singing voice at the end sound really interesting on this song, and it works. Bimmer is definitely the best song of the three. The upbeat production sounds fantastic here. Tyler uses some pretty corny lyrics, but I love his flow over this beat. Once Frank Ocean comes into this song, as well as the epic piano, the track becomes just amazing. Bimmer was pretty much perfect and I wish it was a full song honestly. Overall, these three songs featured amazing production and they just got better with each song. 9.5/10

At the end of the whole song, the album story continues with Sam talking to a friend. The friend tells him he saw Sam's girlfriend, Salem, hanging out with Wolf down by the lake, as expected, Sam is very angry and pretty much wants to beat up Wolf.

IFHY (FEAT. PHARRELL)- This production starts off very eerie but just gets more epic as the song goes along. The drums bang hard and the synths are just so odd, making the song incredibly unique. Tyler's lyrics on this song sound so passionate as he details the conflicting feelings of a relationship that are making him insane. I  personally think this song is actually from Sam's point of view, as he details how much he loved Salem and how angry he is at her now after hearing she as hanging with Wolf. Tyler sounds crazy on this song and the whole vibe is amazingly unique. Tyler's idol, Pharrell, stops by to provide some fantastic singing. His part is so relaxing and the song becomes incredible at that point. This song was simply stellar and I still get chills when I listen to it. At the end of this song, Wolf and Salem are indeed hanging out at the lake and talking about Sam. Salem says he ran away because "some shit happened back home". 10/10

PIGS- In this song, Tyler goes into the Sam character's life back home, just like what Salem was talking about at the end of IFHY. Tyler raps here from the point of view of Sam in high school. Sam was just a troubled kid who couldn't get anything right and pretty much hated everyone. This leads to Sam shooting up his school. Tyler puts this into the song brilliantly, with screams, ambulance noises, and gunshots in the background during the third verse. Tyler shows Sam as a guy with some crazy, conflicted emotions in the third verse. This song comes off insanely creepy, messed-up, insane, but most of all, genius. 9.5/10

PARKING LOT (FEAT. CASEY VEGGIES & MIKE G)- A very jazzy instrumental starts this song off. I was not really feeling Tyler's rapping as much on this song. His flow sounded a little off to me, but he did have some good lines here. Casey Veggies' hook was very catchy and works really well on this song. Mike G has the next verse, and he totally kills it. His smooth voice matches the song perfectly and his flow was just so on point. Unfortunately, this song felt a little empty after the string of amazing songs before this. At the end of the song, the friend who was earlier warning Sam about Wolf and Salem hanging out, tells Wolf that Sam is after him and that Sam wants to kill him. Wolf simply says "not if I get to him first". 8.5/10

RUSTY- I was very excited for this one as Odd Future's three heaviest hitters, Domo Genesis, Tyler, and Earl get together for a song. A chilling beat covers this song which honestly sounds like some golden era Wu Tang production. It was just made for rapping. Domo starts this off with the best verse I have ever heard Domo spit, by far. He sounds hungry, aggressive, and tough as hell here. He somehow raps effortlessly at the same time, rhyming with crazy skill. Tyler then spits HIS best verse ever, in my opinion. His lyrics were incredible here, getting introspective and looking back on where he came from. His verse was full of amazing lines and brutal honesty. Tyler's verse was pretty much the rapping highlight of the entire album for me. Earl finishes this one off with the usual Earl verse, with crazy wordplay and nice flow. Tyler ties the story into Earl's verse by yelling from the point of view of Sam at Earl. He even ends Earl's verse with a gunshot, killing him. Sam was so mad about Wolf hanging out with Salem that he shot and killer Wolf's friend Earl for revenge. This song was easily the highlight of the album and possibly the best song I've heard all year. 10/10

TRASHWANG- Tyler provides another awesome change of pace with a sick trap beat, but of course, the beat has the Tyler vibe to it. He brings on the non-rappers from Odd Future to spit some hilarious verses. Nakel Smith's verse was just awesome, and Left Brain's hook was ridiculously catchy and well done. Jasper, Taco, and Tyler spit some usual, joke verses, which were funny nonetheless. The crown jewel of the song, though, was Lucas's verse, which was legendary to say the least. I also loved the way the beat progressed near the end of the track. This song was hilarious the whole way through and i was really entertained by it. 8.5/10

TREEHOME95- This song literally could not have been more different from Trashwang. This song was a super peaceful, relaxing jazz song featuring piano playing and production from Tyler and singing from Coco O. She sounded really good on this, and the production was just fantastic, as it was layered and showed Tyler can make more than just hip-hop. The hook was good and Erykah Badu sings really well on this song. This song, Tyler shows just how much musical talent he really has. 9/10

TAMALE- This was probably the weirdest beat on the album, but it actually sounds sick on this song. Tyler's flow was absolutely crazy here, and he sounded like a really good rapper on this track. The hook was also awesome, and the whole track brought some great energy. I loved the oddball vibe of this song, and it was definitely unique. At the end of the song, Wolf, now messed up mentally after Sam has killed Earl, gets caught jacking off and gets taken to Dr. TC. 9.5/10

LONE- Tyler brings a very relaxed beat here, but it honestly sounds a little samey at this point. It is still fantastic, but there were some beats very similar to it on the album. Tyler is all honesty on this song, as he lets out his problems to Dr. TC from the point of view of Wolf. He actually gets into the death of his grandmother in great detail on this song. This song was definitely an appropriate end to the song, as he was very personal and introspective, just like the rest of the album. At the end of the song, Dr. TC pretty much wraps up the album as Wolf ends the album on a cliffhanger talking about Sam. 9/10

WOLF WRAP UP
+Ridiculously creative story told through the songs
+Tyler gets really introspective and personal with lyrics
+Tyler stepped his flow up quite a bit on the album
+Production was absolutely stellar
+Every song had a different vibe and topic
+Great features

Best: Awkward, IFHY, Rusty

Worst: None

Tyler, the Creator- Wolf
9.7/10

Drake- Nothing Was the Same ALBUM REVIEW

Drake is simply the most popular artist in all of hip hop. Whether you like it or not, you know this is true. For all types of reasons, this guy's name is always being mentioned. He did not even release anything in all of 2012 yet he stayed quite relevant. With that being said, I have always been a fan of Drake. I really enjoyed his last album, Take Care. The main reason I liked it was probably its variety. Drake pretty much did everything there, taking from lots of different types of hip hop, and elements of R&B. Now, Drake is finally back nearly two full years later with Nothing Was the Same. What will Drake do on this new album?

The first song on this album, titled Tuscan Leather, really hyped be up and it had me believing this would be album of the year. This song was simply stellar. I loved the initial beat and Drake was really lyrical, spitting with charisma and emotion. The song seriously got good once the beat switched up into this hard-hitting, head-bopping beat that sounded awesome. Drake's verses were full of quotables throughout the song. While this song was a bit too long, it is still one of the best songs Drake has made to date. I even somewhat liked the second track, Furthest Thing. It is by no means as good as the first song, but it is tolerable and I enjoyed the hook here. The third track is Started From the Bottom and I don't really have to say anything. This song has dominated 2013 and for good reason. It is catchy as hell, has a great beat, and Drake sounds hungry and determined here.

After a pretty solid first three songs, this went downhill really fast. Wu-Tang Forever had a very odd title, but it did sample a Wu-Tang song. This just was just kind of bland. Everything sounds fine, from the beat to Drake's rapping, but he doesn't do anything new. This is the story for the next few songs. While they are decent songs, I have heard Drake do all this already, making them boring. Own It was just okay, as I am not that big of a fan of Drake as a singer, and the song never went anywhere. Worst Behavior had a really good beat, but I didn't love Drake on this song. He was trying to be more aggressive here, which I don't think he is very good at doing. The song sounded pretty good overall, though. From Time was next, and this just went on too long, in my opinion. I enjoyed Jhene Aiko's beautiful voice on the hook, but the piano beat wasn't anything new. This song had a cool story and concept, but it just sounded boring.

Hold On, We're Going Home provided a nice change of pace for me. Not that it was anything different, but something about it was just so much more catchy than the others. It was more upbeat and Drake sounded a lot better singing. The beat here was also fantastic. Drake did a great job picking the singles for Nothing Was the Same with this song and Started from the Bottom. Connect was the next song
here, and I thought this song was far too long. I think at this point, . Drake is a bit too emotional for me. He always raps about the same thing and it all sounds the same. I just want some variety like on Take Care, but I'm not getting any variety from Drake here. On the next song, The Language, Drake raps pretty nicely, but I wasn't feeling the hook that much, and he is rapping about the same stuff. 305 To my City sounded exactly like the others, and Too Much brought something a little different, but I still can't get into this for whatever reason. The closer is a two-parter with Pound Cake and Paris Morton 2. Pound Cake was definitely the best beat on the entire album. It sounded fantastic and very smooth. Drake and Jay-Z rapped beautifully over it, and this song sounded very well made overall. On the other hand, Paris Morton 2 was just boring, and a fitting closer for an album that was this repetitive.

NOTHING WAS THE SAME WRAP UP
+Some pretty good atmospheric production
+When Drake raps, he sounds good
+some good stories and lyricism
-no variety
-was really boring overall
-many songs were too long
-could have used some features
-not nearly as good as Take Care

Best: Tuscan Leather, Hold On We're Going Home, Pound Cake

Worst: 305 To My City

Drake- Nothing Was the Same
6.9/10

Ace Hood- Trials and Tribulations ALBUM REVIEW

Personally, I find Ace Hood as one of today's more tolerable mainstream rappers . He is just one of those tough, hard-nosed southern rappers who have skills perfectly fit for trap-style beats. I have never actually sat through a whole album by this guy, though. On the other hand, I usually really like Ace Hood when he has a feature verse. Will Ace Hood's finally impress me now with his fourth studio album?

After opening with a surprisingly soulful and religious intro skit, Ace starts the album with the title track. A pretty nice trap beat starts this one off, and it goes so hard. Ace shows a lot of personality here with some pretty impressive lyricism. Another hard-knocking beat is on the next song, Another Statistic. This song has a more laid-back vibe, and Ace raps with a less energetic delivery. This one is pretty generic overall, even though Ace showed some more good lyrics. I definitely wish there were two verses here instead of three, because it just gets boring. Meek Mill shows up on the next track, Another Rollie. I think this beat was pretty good, as it brings some energy and is just catchy. Ace has a pretty bad two verses here though. I was not feeling them as much as his verses on the first two songs. The hook is awful, too. Meek Mill then comes with a solid verse, but I overall didn't like this too much. We Outchea is the next song, and the hook is undeniably catchy as hell. The instrumental is really upbeat, and I wasn't feeling it, but Ace does rides it well. Wayne's verse is pretty bad overall, but his flow is pretty solid. This song was pretty much a catchy radio hit and nothing else.

The next few tracks on this were pretty much a total mixed bag. We them N****s  was very bland, and I didn't like it much at all, even with the pretty good production. The next two tracks feature some pretty big name R&B singers, with the first being The Come Up. This track was great pretty much just because of Anthony Hamilton, he kills it whenever he shows up on the song, and the beat was pretty epic. The next song was called Rider and this one was pretty stupid. Chris Brown is just obnoxious and lame on the hook, which is a shame because I enjoyed Ace's verses and the beat. Ace Hood gets pretty "inspirational" on the next two songs with them being titled Hope and Pray for Me. Hope was pretty good and it had a relaxed beat with some nice piano in there, and the hook was good. I was not really feeling the hook on Pray for Me, and the verses really weren't anything better than some earlier verses on the album. The beat was also generic, and not too interesting.

The next song is the insanely popular single, Bugatti, which is just such a banger. I love this song and its relentless energy so much. You also won't find a hook this awesome anywhere on the album. Rick Ross delivers a good verse as well. This song is awesome overall and the highlight of this project. I wasn't feeling the next track, How I'm Raised, that much. The beat sounded like several other beats on the album and the auto-tune on this track was awful. Ace's regular voice just sounds so much better. My Bible was the next one, and this was probably my favorite beat on the whole album with some soulful samples mixed in nicely. Ace's lyricism was really on point and his flow was pretty impressive. I was feeling everything about this track. The next song, Mama, had a similar vibe to it. This was a topical song about his mother and it just sounded really passionate and emotional. I have come to the conclusion Ace Hood sounds the best over these type of beats rather than trap beats. He sounds great on this, as he flowed well and delivered some great lyrics. This closer was too long, but it definitely was a highlight anyway.

TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS WRAP UP
+Ace Hood is actually a really good rapper overall
+His lyricism was on point for a lot of the songs
+Fantastic last two songs
+Variety
-Too many stupid trap beats that sounded the same
-Some lame guest verses

Best: Bugatti, My Bible, Mama

Worst: How I'm Raised

Ace Hood- Trials and Tribulations
7.5/10

Action Bronson- SAAB Stories MIXTAPE REVIEW

I would definitely call Action Bronson one of my favorite rappers. The guy is entertaining, hilarious, and a great MC. He has been making noise in the underground for a while now, getting guest features on numerous albums and releasing projects with producers Party Supplies, The Alchemist, and Statik Selektah.. He keeps up this trend with SAAB Stories, a new mixtape completely produced by Harry Fraud. I have yet to really be disappointed with anything Bronson has done so far, so will his newest mixtape change that?

72 Virgins is the first track, and I love it. This beat is layered and the guitars sound amazing. Bronson comes with his usual great verses, and Big Body Bes does a pretty funny interlude. Great track to start this off. Triple Backflip, the second track, has a beautiful beat. It is nice, relaxed, and definitely smooth. Bronson sounds great on this, flowing really well here. Action Bronson continues to be a hilarious lyricist on his songs. The next one, No Time comes in with this heavy boom-bap beat. It hits hard and my head started bopping immediately. The hook is so catchy and Bronson delivers more nice verses here. This song is fun and I love Bronson on these types of beats.

The Rockers is the next song here, and this is yet another nice beat from Harry Fraud. Bronson's flow is really solid here and I enjoyed his verse. This song actually features Wiz Khalifa and I didn't mind him at all. Wiz has a really good verse and rides the beat nicely. The next track, Strictly 4 My Jeeps, is just such a banger. The beat hits so hard and just sounds sick. Bronson kills the hook and I liked his short verses. The next track, Alligator, had possibly my favorite beat on the tape so far. Bronson once again provides a great hook, which he has done a great job doing on this tape. Before the third verse, Harry Fraud changes the beat completely to a much slower, more atmospheric one. This was not nearly as good as the one before, but it keeps the song interesting. The closer, Seven Series Triplets, featured a beat just made to spit over which develops nicely throughout the verses. Bronson delivers a very good verse to start this off. Prodigy then comes in and his voice sounds really good over the beat, but I don't really like his flow. His voice, though, is enough for the verse to be good. Raekwon, as always, sounds great. his raspy voice sounds awesome and his flow was very solid. He probably had my favorite verse on the song and ends the tape perfectly.

SAAB STORIES WRAP UP
+Bronson brings fun personality as always
+His lyrics are hilarious, but he can be deep
+Great feature verses
+Amazing beats, can't complain about one

Best: The Rockers, Strictly 4 My Jeeps, Seven Series Triplets

Worst: No Time

Action Bronson- SAAB Stories
8.6/10