Earlier this year Game released "Purp & Patron" and "Purp & Patron: The Hangover" in total it was over 50 tracks he released in just one week, every song ranged from quality to great, and as I've told several people since hearing "Purp & Patron" it was the best Hip-Hop album or mixtape I'd heard since Kanye's "Late Registration", between those two mixtapes and 2010's "R.E.D. Files" Game has been killing Hip-Hop lately, and at least in my eyes, has become the best rapper Hip-Hop has.
After releasing "Purp & Patron" earlier this year, a mixtape so good most rappers would hang it up for the rest of the year if not longer, Game announced an official date for his "RED Album" which had been pushed back several times, for various reasons, but before we finally get the "RED Album" on August 23rd, Game released the mixtape "Hood Morning" also known as "Candy Corona's" yesterday. Normally I get myself in trouble when my expectations are too high, and after "Purp & Patron" my expectations for both the "RED Album" and "Hood Morning" were sky high, and I was not disappointed, and I will say, until proven otherwise, Game is the best rapper around right now...hands down.
A large portion of the mixtape was produced by Mars, who was part of the production group 1500 or Nothin' and his production is sick, the beats on this tape are crazy, some of the most unique I've heard in a while, for everyone that asked my why I considered the last Wu-Tang album's beats boring, listen to this mixtape, this is what good production is supposed to be.
The mixtape has 20 tracks, 19 of which I would call great, only one didn't work for me, not that it was bad, just boring. Believe it or not, as great as the songs are, most of them are songs that weren't quite good enough for the "RED Album" which if thats the case, this "RED Album" should be insane.
Since this is Game, and since he's Hip-Hop's best right now, Im going to do a track by track review.
1) "HoodMorning" (produced by Mars)
A great opening track that sets the tone for the tape, the song uses the beat from Kanye West's "Good Morning", Game going over Kanye's beat works well.
2) "Drug Test" featuring Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg (produced by DJ Khalil)
Dre and Snoop on the same track again? Just that is a good enough reason to listen to this track, throw in some strong verses (with a unique flow on this track) and a crazy beat from DJ Khalil, this is another great track.
3) "Can You Believe It" featuring Lil Wayne and Birdman (produced by Lifted)
Most songs with Wayne on the track are going to be quality, and this song is no exception, Game and Wayne work well together anytime they are on the same track.
4) "Mr. West/Money & Power" (produced by Che Vicious)
This is the best track on the mixtape, I hate the word epic these days, its way too overused, but there is no other word for this song, it is epic, from Game's lyrics to the beat from Che Vicious, to the breakdown in the middle.
5) "Monsters in my Head" (produced by BOI-1DA)
This song was leaked a couple of months ago, its a really great song, Game has an almost 2Pac flow in this track, after the first 4 tracks are up tempo this one slows the tape down, not in a bad way though, its a great song
6) "Wow" featuring Gucci Mane (produced by Mars)
The best thing I can say about this song it makes Gucci Mane listenable, thats an accomplishment by itself.
7) "25 to Life" (produced by Mars)
A cool track, Game (as he does from time to time) slips into his story teller mode, once again, really cool production by Mars
8) "Out of Towner" (produced by Terrace Martin)
One of the other really great songs on this mixtape, Game takes us back in time to 1996, being an out of towner in New York, the beat on this song is sick.
9) "Standing On A Corner" featuring B.O.B. and Wiz Khalifa (Gun Roulet)
If this were an album, this would be the big radio hit from the album, it has a very radio-friendly sound, I'm sure Wiz and B.O.B. might have something to do with that.
10) "Grave Yard" featuring Sam Cooke (produced by Mars & Point Guard)
Grave Yard, is a laid back track, but very good, this is another of the best tracks off the mixtape, with a smooth hook from Sam Cooke, and some pretty cool production.
11) "The Town" (produced by Mars)
This is Game in "The Documentary" meets N.W.A. mode, this song is as "Gangster" as Hip-Hop gets, another stand-out on this tape.
12) "Uncle Otis" (produced by Mars and Point Guard)
The single off of the mixtape, Uncle Otis is another classic diss track, and nobody does it better than Game, Game takes aim at Jay-Z among others. The one criticism I have of this diss track is Game takes aim at Big Sean, Big Sean is so new that it seems like an easy target.
13) "InfaRED" (produced by Cool & Dre)
Another Stand-Out, the beat on this song is just sick, it has a 70's Action movie feel to it and Game's verse is great, he even talks about his tendency to name-drop, something that his haters have complained about many times.
14) "Change Your Life" featuring Black Wall Street (produced by Mars)
This is a quality song, and Game's verse is great, however this kind of seemed like a song more to get Game's Black Wall Street group on the tape.
15) "Red" featuring Red Man (produced by Cool & Dre)
A good song, although to be honest, somewhat forgettable
16) "I'm On" (produced by Mars)
This song also has a radio-friendly feel.
17) "Ace of Spades" featuring Paypa & Joi Starr (produced by Mars)
Even "Red" which is kind of forgettable is a really good song, "Ace of Spades" however isn't forgettable, its just boring, still not a bad song, I just lost interest half way through.
18) "F*cked Up" (produced by Mars)
This song is really cool, the production by Mars has almost a southern rap feel to it, its something to hear Game rap over that kind of beat.
19) "She Wanna Have My Baby" featuring Trey Songz
This was the other song leaked a few months again, another strong song, that once again has a radio-friendly feel to it, Trey Songz isn't bad on this track, which is really saying something because I've never been that crazy about him
20) "Rough" featuring Yelawolf (produced by Jim Jonsin)
Another Stand-Out closes out the mixtape, "Rough" finds Game in Hip-Hop Conscience mode, the beat is understated and samples Pearl Jam's "Black"
Overall Game once again delivers another brilliant mixtape, at this rate Game is going to be entertainer of the Year, three mixtapes so far this year, all are amazing, and better than most rappers albums, and this is the music Game chose to give away, there is no telling how good the "RED Album" is going to be, I guess well have to wait until August 23rd to find out. But for now we have "Hood Morning" and thats definitely good enough.
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