Mixtape Madness #1: The Best Mixtapes of Last Week

In this day and age mixtapes worthy of attention and downloads are sometimes overlooked. So in honor of the mixtape hustle, we’re giving you the run down on some of the best mixtapes available each week. Here’s to Mixtape Madness!

Waka Flocka Flame, Duflocka Rant 2

BOW BOW BOW! Waka is at his rachet-est, screaming commands at you like some turnt-up drill sargent. The 17-song release is a raucous: trap-a-licious production, Waka’s signature punk-rap vocal delivery and guest appearances from Lil Wayne, French Montana and Gucci Mane.

Standout track: “College Girl”

Sasha Go Hard, Round 3

Round 3 shows Sasha throwing fists — some hard and powerful; others soft and weak. Fortunately, there is more of the former than the latter. “No Time” is a banger and “To The Girls” has quote-worthy lines for days. (Seriously, “Pussy real good make a ni**a do flips,” is fire line.) Winner of ‘The Go Hard Championship’ goes to Ms. Sasha.

Standout track: “To The Girls”

Casey Veggies, Life Changes

Veggies is onto something. His flow weaves through introspective and retrospective narratives, embracing his recently-achieved success, while looking towards the future. Changes, production-wise, is luscious. It’s simultaneously nostalgic and progressive. Sullen jazz guitar intersperses with cloud rap etherealness, resulting in consistent head-bangers.

Standout track: “Whip It”

Curren$y, New Jet City

Stoner rap is rarely, if ever, described as sophisticated. But Curren$y brings a level of sophistication to his light-up friendly tracks. Maybe it’s the soulful production that often accompanies his southern drawl. Actually, it probably is that and that’s what separates Curren$y from his peers. City proves two things: Curren$y is a consistent rapper and Juicy J will shout out Molly whenever possible (“Three 60”).

Standout track: “Bitch Get Up” feat Juvenile

Jae Millz, Dead Presidents 2

Holy shit. “Grew up round that Snow White bitch / ain’t seen no seven dwarves.” Millz seems to channel Get Rich or Die Tryin’-era 50 Cent, massacring beats with abrasive rhymes. He is expected to release his debut album some time this year. Until then, Presidents will surely satisfy.

Standout track: “Grind All Day”

The Underachievers, Indigoism

Upon first listen I felt The Underachievers had underachieved on Indigoism. I was wrong–they overachieve. There is a golden age rap aesthetic to the mixtape. From the jazz-friendly production to the vocals, nostalgia is essential to their sound. But it works: “We the new New York better protect your neck / When you lookin’ at the Gods take another step back.” Some songs are not as captivating as others, but Indigoism has enough jams to keep listeners interested.

Standout track: “Land Of Lords”

Con, King Con

Con beats his chest proudly throughout this mixtape. The result of eight months of hard work and perseverance, King Con is a low-key release that deserves more attention. Con’s vocals may take some time to get used to but fortunately, he seems to find his sound early on in the mixtape.

Standout track: “40 oz”

Gunplay, Cops & Robbers

Gunplay does not give one fuck — so much so that he does not care about the quality of his recordings. (Forewarning: this mixtape is horribly recorded.) But his apathy, as he’s come to realize, is what makes him so appealing. He’s relentless in his delivery, unrestrained line after unrestrained line. The nightmarish, horror movie synths only add to Gunplay’s menacing demeanor. Although somewhat awkward, his recording on DMX’s “What’s My Name” fully symbolizes who Gunplay is. A talk-the-talk, walk-the-walk badass who has a soft spot for Six Flags.

Standout track: “The Hard Way”

Lil B, Pink Flame

26 songs of #BASED-ness. That is all.

Standout track: “Go Under (Remix)”

Le1f, Fly Zone

Le1f’s eccentricity is intriguing. His deep-voice flow shifts between high-pitch rambles and gutteral, MC Ride-esque growls. Lyrically, Le1f is lackluster but songs like “Breezy” and “The Whip” indicate his potential. Fortunately for Le1f just about every beat on this mixtape kills. Minimalist club bangers, diet-trap hitters–production that outshines instead of accompanies.

Standout track: “So Fly” feat. Don Jones