Tale of the Tape is here, once again, to keep your ears clean and your mind sharp from the best and the worst of the (mix) tape scene. And this week, it just reminded us that it, like the relationship between Kanye and the media, it was all good just a week ago.
Why was it just all good? We start off with an uninspired Leak, and then wonder if it really is Just A Mixtape. We then get a reapplication of Hamiltonization, a visit from a couple of Dirt Merchants, and find out about the will of Boston.
Lil Wayne
The Leak 6
D.O.A
Every once in a while a Hip-Hop head can hear an artist teetering off the edge to the land of over saturation. Wayne crossed that line a while ago, but DJ’s seem to not get the message. The Leak 6 not only proves that everything Wayne spits on is not gold, or even decent for that matter (“So Fly”). Even if you got some exclusives from somewhere, some just aren’t worth putting out (“Hot Revolver”).
Mack Maine
Just A Mixtape
One & Done
Young Money affiliated artists have been getting some heavy buzz lately. Artists like Drake and Nikki Minaj have had their fair share of the blogs, magazines, and interview attention. It makes Wayne seem like he has an ear for young talent. However to bring a screeching stop to all the positive buzz comes Just A Mixtape. Mack Maine doesn’t inspire anyone with lackluster freestyles (“Mack Maine Adresses”), forgettable songs (“Man Cry”), and over used concepts (“No Panties”). Frankly, this should be passed over like every other tax write off.
Charles Hamilton
The Best Of The Hamiltonization Process
Peep It
Charles Hamilton has had plenty of time on this column. The eccentric Harlem based resident’s Hamiltonization Process has brought the world, or at least the internet, a glimpse of him in his best (“Brooklyn Girls”), worst (“Loser”), and more often than not, odd (“Lacey Duvalle”). DJ Skee has bundled this all up to deliver to people a collection of the man’s work. If you liked him before, and wanted to get a glimpse of just who this guy is, then look no further.
Dirt Merchants
Show Me The Way
Heavy Rotation
Coming from California’s capitol are the Dirt Merchants. Their latest project, the first in 4 years, Show Me The Way, is a good, albeit short, collection of work to prime listeners in as they prepare a sophomore LP. They seem to be a group that works together well in tandem (“Show Me The Way”) and can really hit with beats and rhymes (“Prime Time”) in that California style (“Northern Cali”). Hopefully it won’t be another four years until something new comes out.
JTheS
My Will
Heavy Rotation
Boston is a strong music scene. With acts like Termanology, Statik Selektah, and Big Shug, it’s a wonder why they haven’t received that blow up treatment other cities are getting. JTheS, which stands for Jake The Snake, has recently released My Will. This tape has the ability to turn any Hip-Hop head into a fan with solid backbone of boom bap (“Oil”), mixed in with good production (“In And Out”) and solid rhymes (“My People”). Don’t sleep on this one.
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