Looking to add to this month’s hottest releases, Chip Tha Ripper drops his latest tape entitled Tell Ya Friends. The smooth-flowing Cleveland rapper has brought forth another solid project, with features from Wale, Bun B, Krayzie Bone, Kid Cudi, and more. Tell Ya Friends also features high quality production from Lex Luger, Boi-1da, Hi-Tek, and Chuck Inglish, as Chip looks to follow up on his highly praised 2011 release, Gift Raps.
The opening track, “Good Evening,” is a microcosm of Chip Tha Ripper’s smooth signature style as he speaks on women, his city, sippin’ on syrup, and his favorite drink: Jameson. He raps about his rides on the hook, highlighting one in particular as he repeatedly lets it be known that his “Chevy sittin’ on 24s.” The song topics continue in this manner until listeners get a surprise on the Lex Luger-produced “Out Here.” Demonstrating his versatility, Lex provides the perfect instrumental for Chip to shine on. The beat, which strays away from the popular trap sound that Lex gained popularity on, still features Lex’s signature snare and bass, but slowed down and mixed with synths and strings that are audible enough to keep the beat laidback enough for Chip’s smooth flow.
Chip takes a different approach on one of the mixtape’s top tracks “25 Wives,” as he ponders what life would be like if he could have 25 wives (“If I got all ya’ll, there won’t be no sense in cheating). Not to be outdone, Wale jumps on the track and voices his thoughts on the possibility of having 25 wives in his life. In addition he shares that he enjoys a woman with a natural body: “Silicon b*tches got the confidence / but natural b*tches get all my compliments.” The Boi-1da produced track also features an eastern, almost snake charmer-type flute sound that provides a hazy, laidback vibe.
As the tape progresses, Chip is joined on the song “Stay Sleep” by Cleveland-native, Krayzie Bone, as Chip raps about being overlooked in the game, despite the popularity of his previous mixtapes. Krayzie Bone speaks to the city of Cleveland on his verse, telling the people to “Go get it and quit blaming sh*t on LeBron.”
Chip Tha Ripper’s Tell Ya Friends definitelyhas what it takes to be mentioned among the top releases of this year so far, even in a release-heavy month. The tape will also have fans anticipating the release of his album, Charles Worth, which is rumored to drop sometime this summer. In the meantime, Tell Ya Friends is impressive enough for listeners to share with their friends, just as Chip The Ripper had hoped, as he looks to continue to add to his underground buzz.
Maino 's "I am who I am"
Rating: 8/10
With his sophomore album The Day After Tomorrow set to drop on February 28, New York’s Maino has dropped his new mixtape I Am Who I Am, which is being called “the album before the album.” The statement is solidified by album-quality type tracks opposed to throwaways, in addition to features from the likes of Meek Mill, Lloyd Banks, Jim Jones, and Wale. Hosted by DJ Green Lantern, the majority of the tracks on I Am Who I Am features the “unstoppable” Maino rapping about his come-up and struggle to survive in Brooklyn.
DJ Green Lantern provides the introduction before Maino begins on the track “Rare Breed.” He lets us know his attitude immediately (“You know it’s hustle hard“), and he spends time shouting out more than a handful of people presumably from his Bed-Stuy neighborhood. He closes after stating that he’s a “rare breed,” ending it with a short sample from his popular single, “All The Above.”
The theme of grinding and coming-up continues on the next song, appropriately titled, “Last of the Mohicans” and features Push! Montana. Both MCs bring it on this energetic drum and guitar filled track as the tape’s intensity continues to rise as they rap about their past. Maino raps, “Any night could be my last night / out here scuffin’ up my damn Nikes” and that he was down to do anything to survive, whether it be robbing a bank or selling drugs. Although Maino’s music has helped push his life in a positive direction over the past few years, Maino is sure to remind us that he is “still grindin’” on one of the mixtape’s stand-out tracks.
On “Cream,” Maino announces he “Finally touched my first mill“, and takes the time to share that grindin’ pays off (“Diamonds drippin’ / parked the Bentley down in Fort Green”). The hook features a Rick Ross sample that loudly raps: “I’m about cream,” fitting perfectly with not only Maino’s verse, but guest verses from T.I. and Meek Mill as well.
As the tape goes on, bangers carry a solid mixtape that features Maino at his finest with his “hustle hard” mantra on full display. From the remix to “Let It Fly” (which features Ace Hood, Meek Mill, Jim Jones, and Wale), to the title track, “I Am Who I Am,” Maino’s lyrical content and delivery allow him to deliver bangers that not only sound great, but also motivate one to “hustle hard” and be “unstoppable” like Maino in their own life.
Emilio Rojas’ “Breaking Point”
Rating: 6.5/10
Back in 2010, Emilio Rojas had a buzz similar to the one he currently has, but it inexplicably took a nose dive and the Latin spitter was sent back to the drawing board. Now, among MMG rumors and his usual co-sign from DJ Green Lantern, Emilio once again seems poised to make a breakthrough to listeners everywhere with his latest mixtape, Breaking Point.
Emilio is at his best when he is at his most vulnerable. Honesty is something Hip-Hop fans adore, and Emilio showcases it well. The album opener, “Breaking Point” utilizes the ‘me-against-the-world’ style synths for Emilio to vent (“My Daddy learned she was pregnant and he so angry/ He tried to end it, I’m no stranger to coat hangers”), but he gets more personal on tracks like “Spic” and “Take A Good Look Around”. The first explores the hardships and racism suffered by Latin-Americans, and the second goes into detail about his lesbian sister. Emilio speaks about his trials and tribulations with an aggression that’s infectious, and every now and then that carries on to more shallow tracks as well. “Middle Finger” has corky synthesizer work and a Jay-Z sample (“Middle finger to the law”), and no matter how crude “Pussy and Cologne” is, it proves to be mildly catchy.
The other half of the album is unorganized and forced, though. It feels that Emilio Rojas has yet to find his lane in the rap game. “Blame Me” has Drake written all over it- from the soft hook, the vocals, the production, to the flow. “I Thought You Knew” sounds like a throwaway Rick Ross track, and tracks like “Classic” and “Realization” are both underwhelming. Very few moments on the project stand out. A song like “Pimpin” will be to your liking one play, but the next will lose your interest very quickly. This is something that plagues the entire mixtape.
Ultimately, the highlights on Breaking Point are not all that spectacular, and the rest of it is very bland. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly where Emilio goes wrong here. It’s obvious he has talent as a rapper, but some of his production choice is questionable, his hooks are sometimes corny, and his identity as an artist has yet to be established. There are lots of negatives in this review but after the first listen, you’ll think to yourself, ‘It wasn’t that bad’- and it’s not. However, Breaking Point has very little replay value. It’s not something you’ll remember in November.
