various artists - WMMG Presents Mania Takeover (Mania Music Group)

If you read my City Paper feature on Mania Music Group a few weeks ago, you may recall that they mentioned that October would be the "month of Mania," and they'd be releasing a new project or mixtape once a week for the whole month on their official website. I think the whole label is a bunch of cool, talented guys so I think it's great that they're putting out so much music and doing it in a kind of different and ballsy way, I just hope the gamble pays off and people really check these records out. This one kind of a low key mixtape, just throwing a bunch of industry beats on and letting all 3 MCs take their turn on each track, straight up spitting and goofing around, and it's kind of a good change of pace after all the kinda out-there stuff some of them did on the sampler. I'm looking forward to seeing what they drop next week, and the week after that, and the week after that.

Ron G., Kane and Midas - "Shook Ones Pt. II Freestyle" (mp3)
Most of the beats on here are more recent and/or obscure, but they start the tape off with a stone classic, and actually handle it pretty well. Ron G. really shines on here in my opinion, maybe because I hadn't heard as much of his stuff before as the other guys so I'm just starting to realize how good he is, his voice is kinda the same timbre as Styles P. but he has his own flow, his own way with language.

(photo by Dave Barreiro)

Labels: Kane, Mania Music Group, Midas, mixtape/album review, mp3, Ron G.