DJ Kayslay - The Streetsweeper, Vol. 2 (CD)
Sound:
B Music: C+
Mixtapes
are always the hip-hop equivalent of Cannonball
Run 2: a large cast of fabulous characters with patchy writing and the
occasional phoned-in performance. DJ
Kayslay, the self-appointed "Drama King", brings us another set of
musical exclusives from some of hip-hop's biggest stars and up-and-coming
artists.
The
CD starts with a skit. Two anonymous MCs
freestyling in the park to overdubbed crowd applaused. DJ Kayslay interrupts furiously, chastising
other DJs for diluting the market while he was working on The Streetsweeper, Vol. 2.
Kayslay yells, "A freestyle session goes on in the park? I want in!" The skit ends with gunfire and screaming
crowds. It's unintentionally hilarious.
What
follows is an astonishing seventy-two artists on eighteen tracks. I can't possibly review them all, but I'll
clue you in on the highlights. Ghostface
Killah and Scarface team up well on the excellent opener, "Face Off". Obie Trice addresses the racism accusations
against Eminem on "I'm Gone". Newcomer Papoose impresses on his coming out
track, "Alphabetical Slaughter",
and Three 6 Mafia sample a Transformers TV
bumper (either Transformers or G.I. Joe, I can't remember) on "Who Gives A... Where You From".
Everything
else on here is okay if you like the individual artists themselves. As I said, it's an all-star cast (G-Unit with
50 Cent, Memphis Bleek, LL Cool J, Lil Jon, David Banner, Twista, Raekwon, and
others). Otherwise, you'll find it patchy
and monotonous. But then again, that's
what you get with mixtapes. Some wheat,
some chaff, some crap. Now, if you'll
excuse me, I have to go to the video store to rent Cannonball Run 2.
- Michael J. Farmer
