The Mixtape Column, Volume II—From Atlanta to Memphis to Chicago to the Bay

Here at Noisey, it is literally our job to tell you about music. Sometimes we tell you things about music you already know about, but sometimes we tell you about music you do not know about. Hopefully, The Mixtape Column, in which Features Editor Drew Millard talks about rap mixtapes, will do a bit of both.

Key! & FKi – FKeyi

Who are they?

Professional rap-men and production-men who have probably influenced your favorite rap music even if you don’t immediately recognize their names.

Why should you care?

This tape is meant to remedy the above, especially for Key!

What does this tape sound like?

Key! and FKi both hail from Atlanta, and theirs is a sound that feels aggressively of-the-moment, a product of minds molded by OutKast and Waka Flocka and Aphex Twin, weird drugs and Chappelle’s Show sketches. Key! raps and did that one really great song called

“Guess Who (Fuckin’ Yo Bitch),"

plus a bunch of other really great songs that you didn’t pay attention to because you’re a worthless hypebeast who doesn’t actually delve into the music they actually enjoy. Meanwhile, FKi is a production duo that specialize in bangers (they made Travis Porter’s “Make It Rain,” one of them produced Iggy Azalea’s “Work,” etc.). Together, this have created a good, short tape that is fun.

Critical Bias:

I got bored with my own writing here so I stopped. My boredom with my own writing should not be viewed as me denigrating Key! and FKi.

Hustle Gang – G.D.O.D. II Who are they? In this context, Hustle Gang is a loose conglomeration of artists associated with T.I.—namely the rappers Young Dro, Shad da God, Trae the Truth, the late, great Doe B, B.O.B., Travis $cott, Spodee, and the soul-EDM duo Watch the Duck.
Why should you care? Because T.I. is one of the greatest rappers of all time and you should feel blessed whenever he decides to rap words for your ears.
What does this tape sound like? Like a bunch of rappers in a room talking shit and trying to impress each other. G.D.O.D. II doesn’t really go beyond this goal, but that’s perfectly fine because it’s amazing to hear guys like Young Dro and T.I. and Doe B try to out-rap each other. Or maybe they’re just all trying to impress T.I., who, lest we forget, is The King. Because of this, every M.C. on the tape pulls his weight, leaving the beats as the only weak link here. But, eh, whatever, it’s not like you’re going to not download this if you are a fan of rap and hip-hop music.
Critical Bias: I have met T.I. He is very nice.

Brian Fresco & Tree – SoulMoney

Who are they?

Brian Fresco is a member of the Chicago-based Save Money clique that has spawned the likes of Chance the Rapper, Vic Mensa, and Alex Wiley. Tree produces and raps, is also from Chicago, and is the leader of the #SOULTRAP movement, which is comprised of Tree and some other guys.

Why should you care?

Because Tree is a great producer who creates unique beats that are full of emotion and nuance, and Brian Fresco sounds good over them. Jesus, I sound like I’m trying to sell a dishwasher over here.

What does this tape sound like?

Eh, it more or less sounds like a person who is not Tree rapping over a Tree mixtape. Not that that’s a bad thing.

Critical Bias:

I have only been to Chicago once, so I’m pretty sure I’m missing something.

Lil Lody – Da Street Bible

Who is he?

An producer-turned-rapper from Memphis who has worked with DJ Paul, Jeezy, Yo Gotti, and pretty much everyone who is anyone in southern rap.

Why should you care?

Because Lil Lody produced a song on a Young Jeezy album when he was 21, and you are 21 and reading this blog post. Also, because this mixtape features a dude named Reggie Kush.

What does this sound like?

Once hailed as the heir apparent to Lex Luger’s rattles and clanks, Lil Lody has decided to supplement his career as an in-demand producer with a signature sound (think ANGRY RAP, but in a delicate way) with a career as a slightly generic sounding southern rapper. Luckily for Lody, he sounds like a high-pitched version of Yo Gotti, who has one of the greatest voices in hip-hop. No matter how much Lody talks about finessing the plug in ways that are less entertaining than Migos, he still sounds thrilling. Here he expands his palate from simply “bangers” over and over, dipping his toes into sounds like Chicago’s bop movement and extremely raunchy R&B on the final track “I Know You Wanna.”

Critical Bias:

I always thought Lody was going to blow up as a producer, and he never really became one of those Mike Will or Young Chop sort of figures, so I might like this more than other people are going to.

C-Plus – Packramento

Who is he?

A rapper from Sacramento who’s worked with Ski Beatz, Iamsu!, Lee Bannon, and is probably less famous than he should be.

Why should you care?

Because if you’re in college and play this for the weird dude from Berkley who lives down the hall from you he’s gonna freak out and you’ll have a new friend.

What does this sound like?

Not gonna lie—I was drawn to

Packramento

because of its title, Pen & Pixel-indebted cover art, and the fact that Freeway and Tha Jacka—who themselves just released an excellent LP together, but if you give this a spin you’re going to find a great mix of slappers and mob music and oh, I don’t know, just listen to this.

Critical bias:

I played this for my girlfriend and she was like, “This sounds like Mac Miller.”

Drew Millard does this every other week. He's on Twitter - @drewmillard.