So, MB4 was sent to us for review; and initially, we had the usual, "Oh, here goes another white boy anthem rapper." We were definitely NOT expecting what we heard.
Artist(s): MB4
Overall Rating:
So, MB4 was sent to us for review; and initially, we had the usual, "Oh, here goes another white boy anthem rapper." We were definitely NOT expecting what we heard. What we found was a talented emcee that's gritty vocal sound most of these so-called "rappers" should take heed to.
With an album called, "White Boy Wasted," you would expect the usual regurgitated Beastie Boys swag, but MB4 presents his own brand of poetic fluidity with quality production that will definitely make some serious noise in the Hip Hop community. With features from the renowned Wyclef Jean, this artist has raised the bar and provided this game some QUALITY MUSIC that is worth more than just a simple pass through listen.
The track Wyclef features on called, "Grind" definitely gives us one of those update sing-song hooks, but the mixture of their vocals, delivery, and production make this a DEFINITE REPLAY TRACK. The progressions of, both, the music and wordplay work perfectly in this composition.
"Poison Dartz" has more of a Slaughterhouse feel, and MB4's lyrics are definitely not any less impressive. The only downside to this track is that it lacks some very important lower frequencies on the mix that make it lack some strength on the production end.
If there is any kind of artist that exemplifies what we here call BOOT SLAP RAP, this is it! Peep the tracks out below and watch out for this one!
R.A.P.P. Quelle - After The Art: We Are Up (Mixtape Review) on BootSlapRap.com | Home of the independant reviews and business.
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."
Some other things to mention are his selection of tracks, which I thought with his delivery, could have been a bit heavier to match his aggressive tone. Not all the beats matched him specifically, but worked out merely on the fact that he got lyrics for days. I would like to hear him on some heavy percussion, low-end drops and tracks that match more of his voice texture.
So, MB4 was sent to us for review; and initially, we had the usual, "Oh, here goes another white boy anthem rapper." We were definitely NOT expecting what we heard. What we found was a talented emcee that's gritty vocal sound most of these so-called "rappers" should take heed to.
Artist(s): R.A.P.P. Quelle