mixtape maestro (2.0)

“Live Your Life”’s lyrical encouragement to not let all the negativity cramp your style was nice and all, but let’s not be foolish. The main source of this record’s appeal had little to do with T.I.’s positive spewings and all to do with Rihanna’s ice queen warbles, the larger-than-life pop production and that damn “Dragostea din tei” sample.

So with that being said, it’s not all that surprising that with a lacking of all those aforementioned elements, garage-pop-ster Just Jack’s recent Live Lounge acoustic cover of the tune falls a bit flat (or maybe it’s simply because his consonant-omitting accent just feels totally awkward in place of T.I.’s fluid flow).

Psst…anybody else feel a need to hear some Steve Miller Band’s “The Joker” now after those guitar bits…or is that just us?

DL: “Live Your Life (TI Cover)” (alt)

Uncategorized acoustic, cover song, just jack, paper trail, rihanna, T.I., UK rap

You know you’re one of the hip hop world’s top dogs when everyone is scrambling to remake or reconfigure your records while they’ll still dominating the airwaves. Below, check out a couple recent instances of artists putting their own unique spin on T.I.’s 2008 double-dose of smash, “Whatever You Like” and “Live Your Life”:

-First up, head on over to Paste Magazine and peep California singer-songwriter Anya Marina serving an acoustic rendition of “Whatever You Like” that makes the over-played bouncer sound fresh again.

Reincarnating T.I.’s sing-song flow with her delicate coo and low register moans, the straight-forward cover (she retains it’s male perspective) is all kinds of cute, making us wish that she could do an entire album’s worth of these Lilith Fair-ian-styled rap remakes (until then, check out her non-T.I.-associated, yet still fine, tunes on her latest album, Slow & Steady Seduction: Phase II).

-Next up we have R&B-pop newcomer Mateo, whose recent mixtape release Underneath The Sky crafts engaging romance tales over beats both new and familiar (808s and Heartbreak is swiped from twice). Of the five cuts featured, the track making the most noise around the blogosphere is “Get Out Of My Mind”, which sees him divulging the difficulty of getting over an ex atop the instrumental to T.I.’s “Live Your Life”.

“Stay out my door/ And I’ll be just fine,” he asserts to his own lingering memory of the former lover. But that’s easier said than done, especially since he’s unable to even shake off the imagined scent of her perfume, much less the heart pangs he still suffers for her.

Download the rest of Sky here and become acquainted with even more excellent displays of Mateo’s dreamy pipes and vivid pen game (Mixtape Maestro’s favorite, the mesmerizing love ballad “Oooh N Love”, quickly positions this cat as one threat Ne-Yo should really be watching out for).

DL: “Get Out of My Mind/ ‘Live Your Life’ Freestyle” (alt)

Uncategorized acoustic, anya marina, cover song, freestyle, mateo, paper trail, T.I.

T.I. and Ri-Ri’s “Live Your Life” might not have yet reached that point where if you hear it again you’ll shoot yourself in the head, but it’s coming dangerously close. Enter Dallas Austin, who thanks to this beefier remix of the chart-topper, pushes that imminent moment a little further in the future.

With heavy drums and blaring synths, this “turn it up to 11″ take pushes “Life” to stadium-size proportions (which, honestly, is only slightly bigger than every other T.I. single).

DL: “Live Your Life” (alt)

Uncategorized Add new tag, dallas austin, paper trail, remix, rihanna, T.I.

In which Jones “swagger”-jacks TI (who had, in turn, “swagger”-jacked M.I.A., who had ultimately swagger-jacked The Clash) all for the sole purpose of re-polishing his tireless complaint against the swag-lite emcee, especially ones who blasphemously mix Gucci belts and Louis Vuitton scarves (Jay, how dare you!!!).

But it’s Jim who clearly needs to be stopped after hearing this inferior take on Tip’s star-studded posse cut. Beyond a mildly appreciable re-manufactured beat (Bye-bye, bouncy shuffle; Hello, ominous street grind) and a typically killer (albeit a bid misplaced) Twista sixteen, “Swagger From Us” offers little justification as to why we should want to hear that sole M.I.A. line looped three hundred more times:

-Original “SLU” feature Lil’ Wayne pops up again here for the jump-off verse (what is he, like some hip hop double agent?) which, while thankfully doing away with his painful Auto-Tune obsession, ends up being another file in his increasingly bulging “fine, but needless, cameo” folder.

-Jones might kick off his portion with a quasi-SNAP!-worthy schoolyard sniff (“I don’t know what corner they from/ We from them corners that do it/ On my corners we make swag/ And we sell it to y’all…”); but, alas, it still holds that he doesn’t hail from the corners that teaches cats how to rap good.

-Then, there’s the much-talked about Byrdgang/ Dipset signee NOE, a quite promising Baltimore up-and-comer who delivers some good lyrical stuff here, yet remains hampered by the hard-to-ignore fact that he SOUNDS JUST LIKE JAY!! That unfortunate aspect of his mic presence takes even more wind out of Jones’ “SFU” sail, as it only re-presents the question of who’s actually swag-jacking who here?

Some advice for Jim? Give up this losing battle once and for all and stick to focusing on something that’s actually working in your favor.

DL: “Swagger From Us” (alt)

Uncategorized jay-z, jim jones, lil' wayne, m.i.a., noe, swagger, T.I., the clash, twista

From the moment T.I.’s “Whatever You Like” first laid on ears, it was clear that it was going to be one of those records to get an overwhelming amount of mainstream radio spins (and thus become highly annoying in rapid time). Taking the widescreen sonic palette of previous Tip singles and pushing it to bubblegum pop-rap heights, the sing-song ditty landed as a sort of sister-like entry to Weezy’s “Lollipop” (especially with both being helmed by producer Jim Jonsin).

Re-tooling it’s cool, molasses pace for easier club floor accessibility, dance beatsmith Alan Astor underlines it with a quicker thrust while bedazzling it with even more synth layers and a celebratory mood, perfectly prepositioning the tune to become a no-brainer, strike-of-midnight New Years Day DJ staple.

DL: “Whatever You Like (Alan Astor Remix)” (YFH)

Uncategorized Alan Astor, dance remix, paper trail, T.I.

TI. Kanye West. Jay Z. Lil’ Wayne. Together on the same track!!??!! Atop a M.I.A. “Paper Planes” sample!!??!! We know we’re a bit late on this, but it still seems just too damn good to be true. Alas this box office blockbuster of 2008’s hip hop hierarchs is real, and to bite a bit off the voice modified words of Kanye: “It’s the shit and the urine”.

Of course, if you want be nit-picky, you can moan over West and Weezy’s waaaaay past tiresome T-Pain-isms, how annoying the MIA loop gets after awhile, or the fact that until TI pops up for his rightfully track-owning final verse, the rhymes previously dropped feel a little anemic. But come on, don’t act like hearing this pow-wow of adored tastemakers doesn’t give you a knot in your jeans; and we’re not talking about the kinds of “knots” that “jockin’ jockin’” Jay Z is referring to either.

Uncategorized jay-z, kanye west, lil' wayne, m.i.a., paper trail, posse cut, southern rap, swagger, T.I.

When you’re a major rapper facing federal weapons charges and isolated under house arrest for months, it’s highly expected for your new recordings to be your richest material yet. For the stellar “No Matter What”, T.I. shines with a bravura performance filled with enough inspiring resilience to leave you in silent awe long after the tune’s fadeout.

While no one could question the swaggerific emcee’s skills and unwavering status as one of the top guest star picks in the game, T.I. had definitely lost some of his hunger on 2007’s T.I. vs. T.I.P., a middling set full of regurgitated attitude and based around a tired split-personality concept. This latest offering, from the upcoming Paper Trail, thankfully finds him re-focused and sharper than ever.

Refusing to feel defeated by his current situation (“Facin’ all kinds of time/ But smile like I’m fine/ Brag with such passion/ Shine without trying”), “No Matter What” sees T.I. holding strong for the sake of his family, friends and fans while dishing out stern warnings to detractors (“Revenge is best served as a cold dish/ And suckas will get served/ Better know this”) and thwarting the advances of T.I.-wannabes itching to claim the spot he has no plans on vacating. If you thought this was the end of him, the hook firmly asserts otherwise: “I ain’t dead/ I ain’t done/ I ain’t scared/ I ain’t run/ But still I stand/ No matter what”.

While he’s not choking back tears here, the song is weighted in heavy emotion, be it from his relating of a spiritual strength (“Wonder how I face years and I’m still chillin’?/ Easy, let go and let God deal with it”), the regret-tinged apology to his worried followers or the Danja-handled beat, which melts howling guitar riffs and electro bits into a melancholy, organ-drenched midtempo. Yeah, he might say he’s in no danger of fading from his rap perch or only passively concerned about his impending trial, yet listening to the record, it’s hard shaking off the feeling that there’s not a simultaneous purpose occurring here, like the rousing speech he’s delivering is doubly representing as parting words of some sort.

Whatever it’s purpose, it’s the most powerful cut he’s dropped in a minute, and it promises Paper Trail to be a return to his top-notch heights.

DL: “No Matter What” (YFH)

Uncategorized danja, paper trail, southern rap, T.I.

First things first, Lil’ Wayne deserved the Best Male Hip Hop BET Award last week over TI, but I digress. The ATL “King” marks his return after a huge 2006 with his new album, T.I. vs. T.I.P., which supposedly revolves around the tired “split personality” concept rappers seem so fond of every now and then. Looking beyond that move and the boring lead single “Big Shit Poppin’”, the album does have some interesting guest spots attached (Jay Z, Nelly and Wyclef are on board), including some scene-stealing mic partners featured on the tracks below.

Just in case previous singles didn’t convince you enough that you didn’t know about him or “that”, TI dares anyone to once again step up and see what he’s got waiting for them on the menacing “Hurt” in which he threatens “You finna get hurt/ Murked/ Put ‘em in the dirt/ Boy you betta catch me first” with that ever-present sneer and Busta Rhymes by his side. Over producer Danja’s bristling mold of hyped horns and what sounds like the tortured cries of zombies emerging from their graves, TI and Busta get all WWE with equally brisk flows and unapologetic warnings. Surprisingly, it’s the staccato delivery of newcomer Alfa Mega that stands out the most. Partly cause you don’t have to try so hard to keep up with him, but mainly because he sounds the most scary. Huffing and puffing in fiery bursts, Mega chills your bones when he growls “we know where your family live” and talks about wearing ski-masks and kidnapping your children. All this, and in his final line he promises that we still haven’t seen him really snap. What more horror could he behold?

Aside from the collab with Jay Z, the most anticipated track off of T.I.P. is “Touchdown”, a duet with Eminem who also co-produced it. Not known for making many cameos, Marshall Mathers reminds of his missed twisted sense of humor (and the fact that all his beats aren’t so dark and foreboding) on this likable mood lightener. “Touchdown” celebrates the life of a rap superstar and the endless love they receive across the nation. While TI is playfully crass, apologizing to Oprah for his continued use of the hip hop expletives she hates (“Niggas, bitches and hoes do exist/ I’m just being honest”) and guaranteeing that a certain part of his anatomy will be in somebody’s daughter in every city he ventures, Eminem easily trumps him with his own adopted Southern accent and crazy dialogue about kids “lookin’ like they krumpin’” as he runs them over in his crayon-colored ride with windows tinted with what looks like tar. Just another day in Slim Shady’s “Adult Swim” world it seems.

Listen: “Touchdown”

Uncategorized alfa mega, busta rhymes, danja, eminem, southern rap, T.I.

While the best of Lil’ Wayne could mainly be found on mixtapes and Jay Z’s “un-retirement” was deemed disappointing when he decided to focus on his gray hairs, TI found love from both the over- and under-ground with a string of enviable singles and track-snatching cameos that asserted him as hip hop’s prime dynamo of today. A slick flow and larger-than-life productions has made up for his increasingly tiresome arrogance niche so far but with TI vs. TIP street single “Big Shit Poppin’” failing to keep up with his past beats, cracks begin to show in the rapper’s armor.

A perfectly acceptable track that’s in line, at least lyrically, with what he’s given us before, “Big Shit Poppin’” won’t have fans turning away in droves but it does put a spotlight on a relied-on gimmick that doesn’t have the same magic it once had. TI has told us over and over again how good he is, so hearing him stick to the routine once more is a cop-out move that sadly dulls this latest release.

There’s no interesting quotables or great chorus to latch onto and TI spends way too much time referring to old hooks. The true culprit here is producer Mannie Fresh who doesn’t give the rapper anything inspiring to play with. Yes, the ever-present guitar part makes this feel more like a song and less like a dope beat loop put on repeat and the boom-boom-clap bottom end will never lose it’s attraction, but TI deserves the kind of backing music that makes his retread boasts feel superheroic. Fresh’s Southern rap arrangement doesn’t have much of an identity on it’s own and TI ends up losing the support to be able to overlook him hitting a creative wall.

Being that this is marketed as a teaser track, TI’s presence as the current top dog is in no danger, but he’s either got to get back on board with DJ Toomp or really flex his lyrical chops on future joints if he doesn’t want to harm his recent golden streak.

Uncategorized mannie fresh, southern rap, T.I.

Every once in awhile the planets align just right and Swizz Beatz unleashes a banger that solidifies him as one of hip hop’s strongest producers. That time arrives once again on his reunion with Ruff Ryder’s First Lady as she gets ready to release her first album in five years. Behind “Tambourine”, Eve’s first single since she took a liking to memorizing scripts, Swizz ends up doing too well of a job, though, relegating Eve to the sidelines on her own comeback track.

A tasty club joint, Swizz pulls together a collage of busy sounds that hold together nicely. Loud sirens, click-clacking percussion and infectious vocal chants grab you from the beginning, pushing a party atmosphere that’s undeniably ear-friendly and hard to sit still to. Swizz feels like he’s having fun, tooting his own horn as he cut and pastes the layers in subtly tweaked formulas without ever messing up the song’s central bite.

As the production is so overbearing, Eve should’ve hit the ground running, but she barely registers, popping up here-and-there like she’s double-dutching and looking for a good enough opening to start doing her thing. Swizz’ delirious beat doesn’t afford her much breathing room and so when she does hit the mic, her contribution never truly affirms itself. It doesn’t help that she’s showing no growth since her last outing, stuck in amateur “no haters allowed” rhetoric that’s too simplistic to steal attention away from the track’s polyrhythmic soundbed.

Things fare much better on buzz single “Cash Flow”, a nice duet with TI that instills hope that the glare of Hollywood hasn’t completely blinded Eve from remembering the “pitbull in a skirt” she defiantly entered the rap game as. Swizz is on board yet again (sirens still intact), but here he takes more of a backburner role giving TI and Eve the space they need. Though she feels a little stiff in comparison to TI’s always effortless flow, she still drops sharp lines (“You can’t act crazy thinkin it’s a game/ But it’’s too clear gimmicks in yo lane/ Tricks, it’s ova/ This is my year”) that prove all is not lost.

“Tambourine” could’ve rightfully caused worry that one of the few likable female rappers out there had lost her touch, but the arrogant “Cash Flow” shows otherwise. Thanks to her return, we have more than the ladies from Crime Mob to look forward to in giving 2007 some much needed femcee perspective.

Uncategorized eve, female rap, swizz beatz, T.I.