1. Amerigo Gazaway – Yasiin Gaye: The Departure (Side One)
I almost feel bad putting this tape at number one. This is really not even fair. I even think that this tape has been taken down from most sites for copyright violations. How are can you compete with the combination of an all-time rap great with an all-time soul great? But you know what? This is the best tape I heard all month, so I’m putting it in the top spot. Like The Grey Album or James Drake, this is an unauthorized mash-up, and it’s a good one. Amerigo Gazaway is the production genius we have to thank for this project, he’s even promising a follow-up called The Return (Side Two) at some point. This is really inspired stuff. “Inner City Travellin’ Man” meshes Def’s “Tarvelin’ Man” with Gaye’s classic “Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)”, and my favorite track “Two Worlds” combines Mos and Kanye’s “Two Words” with “It Takes Two”. (DOWNLOAD)
2. Curren$y – The Drive In Theatre
Curren$y is probably the only stoner rapper who sounds great a cappella. He’s a lyricist without the boring beats and the ten-dollar-words. He’s a rap game Goran Dragic, a guy who is not properly recognized by the game at large but is fiercely defended and promoted by his fans. This is what, his 20th good mixtape? It’s a rap cliché to say that your project is “a movie”, but Curren$y really pulls it off. Great films don’t just tell a good story, they create an entire world and drop you inside of it. The Drive In Theatre is a beautifully detailed piece of escapism with moments of gritty realism cutting in (like highlight “Grew Up In This”). And that’s all just the storytelling, Curren$y also curates a rich set of beats, flush with soundtrack horns and syrupy strings. These are some of the best beats you’ll hear all year. (DOWNLOAD)
3. Supastition – Honest Living EP
Supastition is one of the most relatable rappers I’ve heard while writing this column. I love a lot of Kanye’s music, but I’m pretty sure I have almost nothing in common with the guy. So it can be refreshing to hear someone rap from a familiar perspective. The whole tape is produced by Croup, whose retro sound reminds me of 9th Wonder. (DOWNLOAD)