Mixtape Review:

Reviewed by Loose Cannon. ---------------------- Guess who’s bizzack peoples! While following a longer-than-thought hiatus we’re going to bring you more mixtape reviews, I’m talkin’ bout one of the south’s finest, T.I.P. He must be thinkin’ lately, “Jeezy you my dude and all, but I’m still the King of the South.” With all the love Young Jeezy has received from the mixtape Trap Or Die now up unto his smash debut Let’s Get It: Thug Motivation 101, it seems TI has been overshadowed as of late. Fear not with DJ Drama hittin’ us off with the one-two punch this New Year, The Leak is mixtape quality 101. The opener, “Drug Related” displays a much quicker flow from T.I.P., slithering through syllables nailing the mathematics of the drug trade. It’s been done before, but never like this. Production is smooth. TI and Bun B keep ridin’ dirty interesting again on the next joint, while the King gets humorous on “You Ain’t Fly”: “You outta be ashamed of that chain I’m makin’ fun of that.” Perhaps the highlight on the first half is “We Pimpin,” a classic rendition of Too $hort’s classics with grinding organs and the sleek vocals of Sleepy Brown. Going bipolar on your ass is “100 Yards.” This speaker-poppin’ epic, among other tracks, displays the grit of guest rappers like Young Dro, and the P$C, never really downgrading the tape’s quality in the grand scheme of things. Case in point: riding an old Just Blaze creation for Jay-Z, even the non-solo joint “Grand Hustle Radio” could be the tape’s best track. “I Told You So” shows off TIP’s storytelling skill and southern braggadocio; while “Do You Really Want Me” delivers the funk to the fullest. DJ Drama also made sure he had an infectious joint flooding Sirius radio (check out the Aphilliates on Shade 45) and that one’s “Ride Wit Me.” With quality like The Leak, heads will have no choice this year, TIP. The King is back.

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