Rating: 6.5/10
Back in 2010, Emilio Rojas had a buzz similar to the one he currently has, but it inexplicably took a nose dive and the Latin spitter was sent back to the drawing board. Now, among MMG rumors and his usual co-sign from DJ Green Lantern, Emilio once again seems poised to make a breakthrough to listeners everywhere with his latest mixtape, Breaking Point.
Emilio is at his best when he is at his most vulnerable. Honesty is something Hip-Hop fans adore, and Emilio showcases it well. The album opener, “Breaking Point” utilizes the ‘me-against-the-world’ style synths for Emilio to vent (“My Daddy learned she was pregnant and he so angry/ He tried to end it, I’m no stranger to coat hangers”), but he gets more personal on tracks like “S###” and “Take A Good Look Around”. The first explores the hardships and racism suffered by Latin-Americans, and the second goes into detail about his lesbian sister. Emilio speaks about his trials and tribulations with an aggression that’s infectious, and every now and then that carries on to more shallow tracks as well. “Middle Finger” has corky synthesizer work and a Jay-Z sample (“Middle finger to the law”), and no matter how crude “P#### and Cologne” is, it proves to be mildly catchy.
The other half of the album is unorganized and forced, though. It feels that Emilio Rojas has yet to find his lane in the rap game. “Blame Me” has Drake written all over it- from the soft hook, the vocals, the production, to the flow. “I Thought You Knew” sounds like a throwaway Rick Ross track, and tracks like “Classic” and “Realization” are both underwhelming. Very few moments on the project stand out. A song like “Pimpin” will be to your liking one play, but the next will lose your interest very quickly. This is something that plagues the entire mixtape.
Ultimately, the highlights on Breaking Point are not all that spectacular, and the rest of it is very bland. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly where Emilio goes wrong here. It’s obvious he has talent as a rapper, but some of his production choice is questionable, his hooks are sometimes corny, and his identity as an artist has yet to be established. There are lots of negatives in this review but after the first listen, you’ll think to yourself, ‘It wasn’t that bad’- and it’s not. However, Breaking Point has very little replay value. It’s not something you’ll remember in November.