Let Me Tell You Bout This Country Shit

Big K.R.I.T. - ReturnOf4Eva (2011)

Big K.R.I.T. comes off older than he is on this tape - often seeing himself as a mentor for younger rapstars - but I guess 25 is pretty old these days. The mixtape has high production - heavy bass on some tracks begging you to bump krit while you ride, and some tracks that just sound plain beautiful.  It is never ring-tone rap, but he interchanges dirty south music fit for the radio with slower ballads that often end up being the highlights of the album.  Sometimes he raps about the usual -- how he’s made it, fuck the haters, how bumpin’ his sub is when he rides... sometimes he talks about heavier stuff such as unneccessary black on black violence, or friends that he’s recently lost.  He may be cliché at times, in fact, he is cliché most of the time -- but he is honest about who he is, never seems fake, and at times he can be quite compelling.  And when he is - damn does he sound smooth.

I haven’t listened to any other Krit mixtapes - which I regret, because I wish I could better contextualize this tape.  But at the very least, it lets you know that I’m not just fanboying when I say this is my favorite mixtape released this year.

Standout Track(s) -
Another Naive Individual Glorifying Greed & Encouraging Racism 

Song is all in the title.  K.R.I.T.'s deepest and probably best song on the album, and it's enticing all the way through -- starting with a sample from a Spike Lee movie blending smoothly into the delicious instrumentals behind K.R.I.T's voice.  Reminds me of Wale's The Kramer, not as poignant, better beat.

Dreamin'

Interesting Note(s) - 

The best guest spots on the mixtape are on a remix of a previous K.R.I.T. track - Country Shit.  Ludacris and Bun B come on for the remix.  I love me some Luda.

Grab the Mixtape here