mixtape maestro (2.0)

Drake and Nicki Minaj’s MVP mic turns and Lloyd’s candy-sweet hook on “BedRock” may provide some pleasant vocal accompaniment, but anyone with ears knows that the true star of the current Young Money smash is producer Kane Beatz.

His earworm-y, Playskool keyboard tinkerings is one of those beats that every rapper alive instantly wishes they could have had first (and one that, unfortunately, every unknown emcee and/ or singer alive looking for that big break will swipe for their bedroom-set YouTube “freestyles covers” for months come).

Of those handled by more…erm, established figures, we direct your attention to our two favorites so far: the around Christmas-leaked one from Wale (who we, somewhat sadly, enjoy a thousand-times more when he’s pushing something non-official album-associated) and a disappointingly brief turn at the bat from Twista, who, after oddly kicking things off with a “regular rap” style, makes the world right again with a quick re-adjustment to his signature, Speedy Gonzalez-like flow half-way through, landing in perfect tandem with the rapid pace of Beatz’ instrumental.

DL: Wale “BedRock (Freestyle)” (alt)

DL: Twista “BedRock (Freestyle)” (alt)

After spending the entire summer getting most of the country to sing along with their “so not for children” desire to boink every female on the planet, the over-sized Young Money clique finally get around to releasing a new single with “Bedrock”, and as a repeat of previous single “Every Girl”‘s winning recipe of radio-(and summer-)friendly production with horn-ball lyrics (though this time with a couple more YM employees and solo R&B crooner Lloyd added into the mix), and an upgrade from the previously leaked incarnation “Girl You Know” (that earlier take featured a slightly different Wayne verse and brief Young Money member Omarion horribly straining his way through an inferior hook), it mostly succeeds in laying the path for another full season of airplay domination.

Supported by a Kane Beatz-helmed…um, beat that’s damn near worth the price of admission alone, conjuring up this candy-coated sense of vertigo with it’s ear-tickling loop of rapidly tip-toeing keyboard/ synth work, “Bedrock” unfortunately gets off to a lame start with un-inspiring opening verse contributions from Weezy (definitely texting it in here) and Gudda Gudda, who comes up shamefully flat on at least two occasions (“I see me with her/ No Stevie Wonder” + “I got her nigga/…Grocery bag” = someone needs to retake Clever Rap Punchlines 101).

But following that introductory misfire, “Bedrock” quickly rights itself with good-to-great lyrical turns from Drake (“I love your sushi rolls/ Hotter then wasabi”), Tyga and Lil’ Kim sequel/ token female member Nicki Minaj (her squeaky voice may be edge-of-annoying, but damn if it doesn’t sound good hosting lines like “Maybe it’s time to put this pussy on your sideburns”) as well as the usually reliable Lloyd hiccuping “Call me Mr. Flintstone/ I can make your bed rock girl” in that weightless, “sixth member of New Edition circa ‘Candy Girl’” tone of his.

Hear the cut below, followed by “A.D.I.D.A.S”, a Soulja Boy-esque mixtape entry from Georgia rapper Travis Porter that was the original holder of “Bedrock”‘s contagious beat.

DL: “Bedrock” (alt)

DL: “A.D.I.D.A.S.” (alt)