Artist(s): R.A.P.P. Quelle
Album Name: After The Art: We Are Up Mixtape
Year of Release: 2010

Overall Rating:

Most mixtapes are filled with DJ cuts and slices with overbearing DJ's screaming at the mic biding for the attention of the listener as much as the emcee. This was NOT the case for R.A.P.P. Quelle's latest mixtape release, After the Art: We Are Up. Quelle's ability to weave words together as well as the mixtape more closely resembling the track flow of an actual album make this mixtape a good addition to the collection.

The mixtape starts with the eerie song from Pirates of the Caribbean 3, almost making the listener wonder what he means from that. Are WE as Hip Hop the pirates singing our song to the death pursuing perpetual voice in the music market? Nonetheless, the mixtape moves on to the next track resembling the usual shout outs and long intros traditionally seen.

As the first real cut begins with "Why Be Afraid," I couldn't help but think of DMX and his gritty yelling on the mic. R.A.P.P. Quelle does this, but with a twist of his own that stands him apart a bit from DMX. It's more than obvious that Quelle is not your average rapper, and his lyrics alone help him a lot of the way along with tracks like "The Enigma is All Me" and "We Are Up (Light Up Remix)"

Tracks like "Forgot About Wishing" using the airplanes instrumental showcase some of his heart in this music when he states, "I pray none of these words get lost in translation / Hopefully you get every bar that I'm saying." He makes it obvious he has no plans of stopping.

There are some downsides to this mixtape which really accounted for most of the loss in points. One major point is that Quelle's delivery really doesn't range out well. He's pretty much screaming most of the time or at least sounding like he is. The texture of his voice should be a bit mellower on some tracks and lacks that drop in tracks like "All the Way Up" and "PSA."

ALBUM RATINGS
Production:
Lyrics:
Mix:
OVERALL: