CurT@!N$ – Killer Tape (Tagless)
CurT@!N$ makes Ke$ha look like an English major with ampersands, exclamation points, and half uppercase, half lowercase lettering all just to spell out his name. His “Killer Tape” was released to a fair amount of hype towards the end of December, maybe because he flipped sick beats by established rappers the day they leaked and released his freestyle the next day. CurT@!N$ takes more of an album approach to “Killer Tape,” saving the sick beats for his consumption, and selectively featuring the recently Dr. Dre touted Kendrick Lamar. The dude’s flow is ludicrous; he brings the energy on every track similar to the ATL-afro stoner Ludacris back in the day when he was rapping about fantasies. He is calling out big time rappers such as Kanye West, N.E.R.D. and Cee-Lo Green (just to name a few recognizable beats). Don’t worry, he doesn’t try to take on “F—k You,” but that’s basically the takeaway message CurT@!N$ engrains in your brain. “Killer Tape” is likely an attack on the rappers controlling the game right now. He’s certainly D@V!D trying to slay Goliath on this 17-song mixtape. Goliath may have felt this stab but there certainly aren’t going to be any scars left over from this challenge.
Dope Lyric: “In the school of hard knocks, you Bueller, n*gga. I’m going all fat lace Puma, n*gga.”
Spin These: “Maniac,” “Gorgeous” and “Bro. Malcom”
Download “Killer Tape” HERE
Charles Hamilton – Where Is CH Process
Charles Hamilton hasn’t done much since “Brooklyn Girls” back in 2008, which was genuinely fun but more of a mainstream appeal than what he is putting out now. There are rumors floating around that Mr. Hamilton has been diagnosed with cancer (the blog post on his website has been removed since it was first posted). He quietly floats around the rap game and sporadically throws mixtapes into the ring without much build-up or follow-up and no videos. The guy must just be holed up in a house by day and the club by night. The shortest song on “Where Is CH Process” tolls in at a whopping 3:30, which is long by a lot of rap standards. This isn’t your average thug-tape or swag-flaunting-tape. Hamilton has an eclectic brand of hip hop that he dresses up in an argyle sweater vest and thick-rimmed glasses instead of BAPES and Jordans. Gregg Gillis (a.k.a. Girl Talk) didn’t produce this tape — Charles does all his own producing, but it sounds like it when you hear the Amy Winehouse snippets in “Rehab.” The sound quality distorts his voice in “Freshman Party” and it sounds like Iron Man is rapping about how freshmen guys think they are hot shit and making girls chase them. This song is definitely the highlight; great for that Morrison super-suite party – the bass hits hard and the chorus is easy to remember (“You ain’t got to know this song. Okay. Everybody know this song”). Don’t call this a comeback for Charles Hamilton because, in all honesty, he never really made it, but “Where Is CH Process” shows a marked progress in his sound.
Dope Lyric: “But I already have a prior conviction so I’m stuck with this she I mentioned prior to this one. She reminds me of my prior addiction, I feel her in my veins, I get high from her kisses.”
Spin These: “Pretty in Pink” and “Freshman party”
Download “Where Is CH Process” HERE
Curren$y – Return to the Winner’s Circle
If you thought Kanye West works hard, take a look at Curren$y’s 2010 discography (2 albums, one of which, “Pilot Talk,” received Best New Music from Pitchfork, and 1 mixtape) and his plans to release three albums in 2011. And in the middle of all this music he dropped “Return to the Winner’s Circle” on New Year’s Day. This certainly doesn’t compare to an album; these are probably songs left off his 2010 albums, but there are some bright spots on the mixtape. Curren$y isn’t your typical pot-smoking rapper — he may not have a song that doesn’t contain at least one reefer-ence and this continues the trend. “Moon & Stars Remix” features the smooth flows of Big K.R.I.T. and Killa Kyleon comes out of nowhere and tears the song apart. It’s clear that Curren$y is trying his hand at producing because a number of the songs have minute-long outros that are straight beats, the same ones he rapped over, just continued for some artistic reason, but an unnecessary waste of time. “Frost” thumps like a Southern club banger (i.e. Young Jeezy) which is out of Curren$y’s typical brand of hip-hop. The mixtape is chalk full of hip-hop your Momma wouldn’t want you listening to, but your bros might envy the sick beats and smooth flows of “The Hot Spitta.”
Dope Lyric: “From cradle to the grave might be a short walk real talk, it’s just a matter of ink.”
Spin These: “Moon & Stars Remix” and “Daze of Thunder”
Download “Return to the Winner’s Circle” HERE
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