So I got a little treat in the inbox and it’s from an artist that I haven’t heard much from before. Dude is on DreamVille so he gotta have some heat. I’m curious about a few things and that’s will he sound like J.Cole, if not has he found his voice, does his sound blend right in with all of the monkey say monkey do shit that’s out today, and finally can he make me a fan. This should be interesting so let’s get into it.

High
Part demonic and part spicy. I like how the piano keys provide a foundation for the rest of instruments.

“old vice, new temptress”

You can tell straight out the gate that he possesses some lyrical talent. He uses some metaphors that make you think about what he just said. All in all a pretty decent intro. Kind of a mood setter.

Mook II ft. Hemdi
The introduction kind of threw me for loop. His flow is fast but the beat was kind of choppy. He took his energy to the next level and left the beat behind. It definitely took the beat a while to catch up.

“I box through life like Cus was involved, Muhummad Ali, the iron Mike-ness”

This is definitely a song that I would let play if I’m listening to the album but I wouldn’t be in a rush to listen to it.

Stronger

My shoulders immediately started to bounce when that bass came in. I like how a portion of the first verse is personal. He speaks on missing his homies and how he still looks at old pictures.

“only f#ck with athletes and if u ain’t one then she take off like a track meet”

This track is a banger that you could bump in pretty much any setting where you chillin out at.

Dying Fast ft. Angela McCluskey
The synths in this joint are on point and the bassline provides the melody for the lyrics. I enjoy the background vocalist, I have no idea what she is saying but it sounds just right. The bridge was perfect with his voice kind of drowned out. The song format is what stands out to me the most for this song. Two choruses back to back, well the bridge was pretty much in between. The verses were short and sweet. Excellent!

Love Souvenir
This particular song is a bit slower than the previous songs. I think that this is a song that will have to grow on you. It’s like you basically have to surrender your ears and let the words come to you.

Lit ft. J.Cole & KQuick

He gives us a glimpse into a night where he met a woman that he had a one night stand with. It was definitely a drunken night and it matches the title of the song. I enjoyed the bridge with the vocalist and with J.Cole talking.

“another shot of henne so I’m faded asking how long does this drug fame be lasting”

Amazonian Queen
I like that intro with the vocals harmonizing in the background. This song was mostly about trying to hook up with a woman that he considers to be a queen. Short but sweet and the fade out at the end of the song was just right.

Cousins ft. J.Cole
The production is just so groovy! The pace of the song is fast and the verses keep up with the energy injected by the beat. That classic Cole World chorus, smh.

“cousin in jail again, asking for bail again”

I think that Cole shined on this song, his verse sounded so personable. He sung about reconnecting with his cousin who was once incarcerated and now wants to get back on his feet trying to persuade Cole to help him, to be there for him. The synths and drum loop just added that extra umph to make that song so excellent.

Black & Blue
Whoa, another person getting on that “I Am God” beat by Clams Casino. I like how Bas’ flow was slow and he didn’t rush his lines. He sped up the flow at the right points too.
I kind of wish that he would have left this beat alone. The verses were mostly about bragging and shit. Nothing spectacular about the song.

Shorty Baby
I was initially turned off by how the song started off. The bass line added a little bit more to the song but I think that this song is lackluster overall. This is one of those songs that is probably a filler. The lyrics remind me of something that French Montana would rap about, not much to it.

Pinball
I wonder who is on those keys. The yelling in the background blended pretty nicely with the bassline. Again the lyrics are kind of blah. Not quite sure why this song is called Pinball for. Definitely a skippable track IMO.

I Ain’t Da One
I’m not sure why the intro sounds like something Selena Gomez would do. At this point I’m getting frustrated especially knowing that the quality of the songs could be better. I’m not quite sure what he was trying to do with the song. Even if this is a radio friendly song, I don’t that it would appeal to many people. Skip!

That’s My Story
Uh oh, I got my hopes up. The synths are playing right now so I can see that something special could happen.

“I ain’t talking pebbles, when I say I’m oh so faded”

I feel like he is trying to pump the original energy back into the album through this song. I’m going to say this is a failed attempt to re-establish control of the flow of the tape.

Attica
This song has an interesting intro to it. The sounds remind me of something from the Twilight Zone. When the bassline and the whinig sound come in, I get to thinking about Big Krit’s productions. The lyrics in this song are a bit reflective. In some of the lyrics he sounds a little regretful or remorseful. I like how the horns are used to maintain the energy level of the song. The message sung by the vocalist at the end of the song was carried out very well.

Lows
I like how he takes a line from one of previous lines and makes a chorus out of it. Another thing that I enjoyed while listening to this song is the drum pattern. It has that funk feel to it but it’s more reserved.

Fiends in Hamsterdam ft. Jota
What is this shit? The use of the strings in this production was a total fail. It’s definitely a hard song to listen to. The only thing I like about this song is the sound clip at the beginning of the song. Otherwise SKIP

Conclusion
I was so full of hope and I was lead to believe that I wouldn’t be disappointed, WRONG! I’m not sure what happened near of the end of the project but I felt that most of the latter half of the tape could have been left off. I’m glad this mixtape was free because I don’t think I would have wasted my money on a 50% good album. So I recommend you listening to some of the songs online and decide what songs you actually want to keep. The best songs he had were made with producers who brought something different to the table. He could learn a few lessons from Jay-Z, meaning that if you can’t do the chorus yourself or you know that you won’t sound right on it then get someone who can. The best verses were the ones where he was very personable and gave you a glimpse into his life and history. I think that his niche is rhyming to the women. I can’t promise that I will actively search for more of his music but I won’t pass over it if I come across his future work.