We’ve got some major releases by important artists and let me tell you, they’re all good. Here is what I got for you this week.
Royce Da 5’9’’ – The Bar Exam
One word comes to my mind when I listen to Royce’s new mixtape: hot. I’m not gonna lie to you, this material is so hot it burns your entire face like hot coals. In the intro to this mixtape it is stated, that Royce will show other rappers how it’s done and that the “Mickey Mouse shit” gotta end. Well, believe me or not, he does just that. The main impression you get from listening to this mix is that Royce still got it. There is some great rapping going on here, with flow shifts and good verse structure. Some words about 50 Cent and Eminem are being said… hear it yourself. You know how sometimes after listening to the first several tracks on the album you’re thinking the rest is going to be exactly the same? Don’t expect it from Royce. This is pretty diverse record, lyricwise and beatwise as well. DJ Premier and Statik Selektah got something for the mellow beats’ fans and for the hype junkies as well. So don’t let the smooth first tracks fool you, there is some bouncy stuff on the mixtape too. Overall this is a great thing to listen to if you’re waiting for Royce’s new album, “Street Hop”. I don’t really see any weak points in it, there are no tracks that will make you want to press fast forward and you won’t get bored listening, thanks to the diversity. It feels like Royce is just getting ready to do something really massive, we definitely haven’t seen all he can do yet. Give it a spin, but don’t burn yourself, because as I said, this shit is hot. Score: 9.
The Game – You Know What It Is vol. 4 Murda Game Chronicles
The Game sure is a busy man these days. The Compton based rapper spends his time hating on more and more people, dissing and obviously recording. This new mixtape is just all that put in audio format. There are a lot of different things going on on this release: the new diss tracks against G-Unit and Vida Guerra are there, as well as several remixes, including Akon’s “Gangsta Bop” and Diddy’s “Last Night”, there’s some freestyling and even a couple unreleased songs. Now, all the animosity and beef aside, the real question is; has Game progressed and evolved as an MC? Well, definitely his rhyming improved and his lyrical skills are better than before. This mixtape is an interesting thing that shows how media pressure can affect an artist. You gotta give The Game that, he knows how to use the hype around him. Overall Murda Game Chronicles are a good release, but they lack something fresh. I know it’s hard to expect something revolutionary from an artist that has an established style and flow, but this mixtape could use some more flavor. That said, there’s not much else wrong with it.
Score: 7
Most Definite – The best of Mos Def
Making a ‘the best of’ compilation of an artist like Mos Def is not an easy task. DJ Konflikt had to choose the best songs out of a collection of all at least 8/10 tracks. But somehow he did it, and did a pretty good job. Actually it doesn’t really matter what he chose. Obviously the most known and popular tracks like “Ms. Fat Booty” had to be there, but the others could be anything. Honestly, if I was to make a best of Mos Def I’d just put all his cds on one big disc. This music is something completely different than the other things out there. It takes you to another plane of existence, and music wise it’s at least one level above anything else. This mixtape definitely is not something that fully captures the genius of Mos Def, but it’s a great thing to listen to if you don’t know the man yet. The selection of tracks is actually pretty good. I recommend Most Definite to people who haven’t really listened to Mos Def yet. The only thing this release can do to you is make you want more and more and more. That’s just the kind of music you simply cannot ignore. You get 25 tracks that can be treated as a test sample of Mos Def’s skills and it works great that way. I wish I could give this mixtape a 10, but I can’t because it’s not anything new and the actual 10 would lose some of it’s power if I did. So 9.5. Listen to Mos Def people!
Score:9.5
Young Buck – Get Buck: The official mixtape.
With all the recent fuss around G-Unit it’s pretty easy to predict a soon death of this crew. However 50 Cent will deal with his soldiers, one thing is for sure: Young Buck doesn’t need to worry about his career. He has the most distinctive style of all G artists and this new material just proves that he already is a well established artist. This mixtape is full of good songs and fresh beats. Buck displays his lyrical skills with thumping bass in the background and everything sounds real smooth. The beats are actually a big surprise to me, because they are the perfect mix of hype and mellow, neither in excess. There’s even some reggae on this thing. I admit I was a bit skeptical about this mixtape before listening to it, but it took only a couple of songs to change my mind. You got the rest of G-Unit helping Buck out, and the song “Kill You” featuring Lloyd Banks is one of the best on the release. Every once in a while you’ll think you’re having flashbacks to “Beg For Mercy”, you’ll hear how much Buck is influenced by the Dirty South, and you’ll feel that really pleasant flow. With his last album and this mixtape Buck pretty much states that he will do just fine even if G-Unit turns to dust. So press play and enjoy this quality release.
Score: 8.
That’s all for now, but what you really should do is just browse through all the free mixtapes that are out daily. There is a lot of great stuff out there, but it’s impossible to review them all.
COMMENTS
Ha Ha first bitches. Neva really listened 2 Royce, Game can flow but he still a bitch, neva have & neva will listen 2 Mos Def, but Buck is da shit GGGGG-Unit!!!!
fuck it second but anyway those are some nice mixtapes im a big fan of mos def he got that hip hop flow,i listened to royce a couple of time he got a nice flow, young buck no question about that niggs gggg-unit and fuck game
Typical G-Unit Stan, You'll never listen to Mos Def?! Anyways, Good lookin out on the mixtape reviews.
^co-sign.....stan the man
That royce mixtape is serious- i just coped that shit- ya'll need to stop sleepin on dude and get that mixtape....
...Ghost1N... yo you dont know wat i listen too so dont act like you know me ok
and slugg120 you punk nigga so still using that picture you took of Micheal Jackson wile he was in your room you faggot get a life you punk nigga
I wasn't talking about you, Chad. I was talking about Trappa25_8.
IM BACC. MAN ALL THOSE CDs ARE GARBAGE ACCEPT MOS DEF. JUST LIKE THE 7 REASONS WHY HIP HOP AINT DEAD IN THE XXL MAG. WHAT A JOKE. BUCC FIRST WEEK SALES 130K LOL!
slugg120 — about 9 hours ago
^co-sign.....stan the man
you cant talk shit about anyone... Slugg120 is the biggest bitch on defsounds board
fuck you pussy
why the fuck would you put out a mixtape
around the same time of your album realease
thats how you know the buck cd is wak
hes tryin to pump it up with this mixtape
but the shit still aint gone sell
this show you how powerful g-unit and 50 is, even if they were to break up and do there own thing, these niggas is still paid and can still eat.
who else with a crew can say that, jay, snoop,nas,luda,
slugghomo120 is a p***y.
I got all these...the Royce joint is the best...the Mos Def one is hot too but I already got all them songs...fuck games shit, fuckin' cornball...and everybody's heard all them Buck songs already.
Good lookin on the reviews. Mos Def is the illest joint outta here. Bucks first week sales 130k LOL!!
murda game chronicles at least deserver a 8.5 or 9 if the doctors advocate got a 9...this mixtape shud get higher den 7...listen to the mixtape u'll c wat im sayin
The Bar Exam, damn never knew that nigga can spit so hard, Murda Game Chronicles as ausual always goooooood:D, Most Def ain't heard it but soon i will dl it, Young Buck i'mma gon' listen to it better be worth my time:D
the clean-up man mixtape by buck is wayyyyyyyyy betta
soldier story is a classic
GAMES MIXTAPE AND BUCKS IS CLOSE BUT I THINK THAT GAMES IS BETTER. BUCK HAD SOME REAL NIGGA SHIT ON HIS SHIT THOUGH.
Oka`y , now numbers...and most important fans don`t lie !!! look at Game`s and Buck`s downloads and ppl who been listenin` , don`t mind me , hate on..
Game and Buck tapes good, but Royce's tape beats em both this time, didnt think id see that happen. Course doesnt matter Mos Def jus rises above em all lyrically
Mos Def is better than all these guys.......none of them cant get that lyrical.
and i aint even lyin. go listen to his music.
yep...mos def magical like usual and Royce outdone himself wit it
Mos Def..Mos-definitly represents when he gets on the mic..the man is a lyrical genius and i dont think anybody is on his level..BROOKLYN
I ordered The Bar Exam about 2 and a half months ago(when it was supposed to be out like the end of Feb/beginning of March), and finally got it yesterday, and the shit was most definitely worth the wait. Please go check this out, shit is real Hip-Hop right here.
i should slap the shit out of trappa25_8 fuck you mean neva have & neva will listen 2 Mos Def.He talks about real shit don't fake gangsta shit like gunit
There's a lot of retards on this website.
I HEARD GAME DID A SONG WITH A RAPPER NAMED "DEADLEE"
THATS ALL IM A SAY ABOUT THAT
I gotta remind myself 2 check out that Mos Def joint!
Mos Def is one of the best rappers out there so the dude who got the first coment SHUT UP!!!!
^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ dido
Phatty Kid is the only retard on this website.
FUCK GAYME
Man,U all know nothing,Murder Game's hot.He told us before that Yayo's gonna flop and indeed he flopped.He smacked Jimmy Hanchman's 16 yrs old boy.Game also promised to show the world his dick if Lloyd Banks can sell platinum,and Banks didn't go plat.So I say Fuck gay-unit.Idiots buy 50's cd's only because he was shot 9 times,why is it a stunt that he survived 9 bullets?Game was also shot 5 times but he keeps it shut.2 Pac was also shot 5 times.The underdog's on top,hate or love it.50 diss more people to get attention,why don't he fuck with Snoop Dogg?He'll die in the blink of an eye.He's a coward.Don fuck with the don motherfucker.Nas,Jay and Game are on top.I'm Conso.
I've been down with Rap since Eazy E,Ice Cube,Jam master J,Makaveli,Biggie and Snoop.U who started with "in da club"ain't knowing nothing so"Shuuuut uuuuuuuuuuuuup.Conso again and again.I know how to value Hip Hop and 50's down,Game on Top.
Fuck Rass Kass,50 Cent,Gay hoe,Lloyd Banks,olivia,eminem,dr.dre,surge knight and lil eazy.U used to be favourite more especially Eminem and 50 cent,but u went too far by fuckin with Game,Jay and Nas.So I say to u"Imagine middle finger up".u ain't selling anymore.