It just seems like in the indie music game, you conform or you’re not relevant to the movement these days. Within the past couple of years more artists have switched their whole persona up just to “fit” into the cookie-cutter mold that corporate music America made for them. But, of course, there are those few solid individuals who step forward with the “This is me” attitude all while giving the finger to the industry. Within the past two weeks two artists, which I put into my own category I’d like to call “Ready to Blow and Go” (no homo) , have released the second coming of a long awaited mixtape/album series to the public. Mr. Snapback Shawty himself….TMG’s own…Ambassador of Swagg…Starrz and the intellectual…anapestic (score 2pts for using an old SAT word)…tell it like it is Ty Gudda. The Skyy Jones series as well as the Complex Mind series after being released was definitely accepted by many on the scene. Problem was…both artists at the time were making hot singles and still trying to find their grove/swag/mojo/niche whatever you want to call it in my eyes. But I will be brutally honest, with both of these projects; you can see that the short break both artists took really knocked them back into THEIR OWN music reality and not the one that everyone else followed. Don’t get what I am trying to say? Cool, keep on reading and I promise you will get it by the end of this review.
Starrz….what else can I say lol The word in itself describes this young talented ball of chaotic humorous energy, that somehow makes it cool to be sought after by the women, respected highly by majority of his peers and yet still poke fun at himself, his crew and their antics. The second installment of the Skyy Jones series, Skyy Jones 2, Starrz takes you on the magical journey of …well…umm…the life of Starrz aka Skyy Jones. From beer pong, house parties and drunk girl on girl on guy bathroom action With his college-like party anthems like ‘ Fun’ and ‘D.B.I.M.B (Drunk Bitches In My Bathroom). To soul bearing confessional style ballads of fame versus sacrifice and the stress of not knowing what’s next in his life and career in ‘Red Cup Addiction’. This mixtape is the ish! Well at least I personally feel as though out of the 21 tracks (including bonus tack ‘Rich Nigga Diet’) 19 of them are worth pressing that Loop/Repeat button on my iTouch. Yea, this is where Baltimores Kimora gets kinda honest. Ok, the track ‘ UUghhh’=hate it. This is the type of single where there is no grey area, ya hate it or love it flat out. Personally, I feel as though there are enough “Maybach Music” massacres floating around the DMV scene, if not lame remixes of ‘Tupac’s Back’ (substitute Tupac with your average rinky-dink non-meaningful rapper name) being posted on everyone’s Facebook page daily. Now I won’t say that lyrically it sucks, but concept-wise and beat-wise…you can have that back sir. Next single on my “Skip” list, ‘Froze’. Ok ok ok, cute concept, but you ever hear a song where the person who was featured was either way off with the pitch or just threw the song completely off, yea well play this song and tell me what you think. And the sad part about it is that the singer on the track actually sounds like if he was to sing another song he would be great! I just think this was a bad case of wrong singer, wrong song. The mixtape in a total: I personally would give it 8 out of 10. I love to see personal and artistic growth in these indie artists.
And I really don’t think anyone has more of a testimony of growth than Starrz. From being that cookie cutter artist that never stood out in a crowd, to making the crowd rock with him. Starrz is definitely on the road to stardom and the only reason he isn’t looking back.
Hot Tracks to definitely bump:
• ‘Be the 1’-beat switch club banga of love in the club, Starrz style :)
• ‘Blake Griffin’-swag on the hardwood! Hot single, basketball metaphors flipped round to describe how awesome it is to be Starrz
• ‘Snapback Shawty’- the first single off of the mixtape; was the teaser to the mixtape that had everyone anxious; Hot Line: “…Gone check my fit/Jordan’s black and white/yea they match my bitch”
• ‘All the way G’-straight shittin on ‘em in this one; Hottest Line: “..I’m a fame giant/I do it big bitch/Lane Bryant/It was all a dream/livin like its juicy/die behind these bars/living like I’m bootsie..”
Mr. Gudda on the other hand is a completely different story. A different breed of rapper, Ty Gudda’s style isn’t the flamboyant, flashy, style-setting, money, cash and hoes music the average listener is use too. With every new Ty Gudda single or mixtape that is put out, its him exposing and bearing his soul even more. Whether it be a ra
gs to riches story, true love where ya at? Song, missing a love one or just a letter of influence to his son, Gudda brings reality to the game like no other. His poetic styling’s is more of a refreshing then what you hear on the radio, its real life. Complex Mind Theory came at a great time in the indie music circle in Baltimore due to the fact that a lot of music right now is commercialized and ‘dumbed down’ for those summer time parties and club nights. You know what I mean. If it isn’t a ‘touch ya toes and gyrate’ or ‘bang bang shoot em up’ or ‘check shoe game nigga’ type song you do not get played on the airways or at any parties. But anyway, Complex Mind Therory 2 to me is just a smaller peak into the life and mind of Tyran Hill. The first installation of Complex Mind Theory (just like I said about Starrz) was only a mere skim across his thoughts, hopes and dreams…but it also showed that there was room for growth. Even though Ty wasn’t putting himself out there as the pimp daddy or tend setter, about a year or so ago his expression of his deep rooted thoughts were heard in certain songs as well as his published book of poems, but he wasn’t going in like he is now in Complex Mind Theory 2. Kind of like the quiet before the storm. I was on the fence of his last mixtape, Cupids Revenge, but I felt as though it lacked one thing…Tyran. The first track on Complex Mind Theory 2, Can I live, gives listeners that ole school feel not just with the oldies but goodies beat and production but his way of flowing. His way of putting everything on the forefront so there aren’t any surprises or so that listeners know of gp “this mixtape is all me, no filler music”. The next track that really stood out to me is LMAO. Now I heard this track way before the mixtape came out, but now ai get the really dissect it. The ultimate pimp slap to the cyber thug. Granted there are a lot of point that Gudda makes in the song…..addressing the cyber beefing and the ‘gangsta by association’ punks….female groupies on his jock…and trashing talking about his team. I honestly like the song, this is almost like the FB anthem. Lol (opps I mean LMAO ) The other song that I personally took to is Addict. Jesus, we have all had that first love that you just could not get enough of even after the break-up. SMDH takes me back. But just the honesty about his heartache and recovery from this “addictive” female is a relatable track amongst all ages and genders. There isn’t any way you cannot relate to this song. All in all, Complex Mid Theory 2 gets a 9 out of 10. I love the fact that Gudda is starting to put his true thoughts and experiences out there through his music. All while giving listeners a more than just a catch phrase, bangin 808 sounds or new off the chain dance.
Hottest Tracks to Bump:
Jus Landed
4 by 4
Personality
She Keeps passing me Bye
Starrz….what else can I say lol The word in itself describes this young talented ball of chaotic humorous energy, that somehow makes it cool to be sought after by the women, respected highly by majority of his peers and yet still poke fun at himself, his crew and their antics. The second installment of the Skyy Jones series, Skyy Jones 2, Starrz takes you on the magical journey of …well…umm…the life of Starrz aka Skyy Jones. From beer pong, house parties and drunk girl on girl on guy bathroom action With his college-like party anthems like ‘ Fun’ and ‘D.B.I.M.B (Drunk Bitches In My Bathroom). To soul bearing confessional style ballads of fame versus sacrifice and the stress of not knowing what’s next in his life and career in ‘Red Cup Addiction’. This mixtape is the ish! Well at least I personally feel as though out of the 21 tracks (including bonus tack ‘Rich Nigga Diet’) 19 of them are worth pressing that Loop/Repeat button on my iTouch. Yea, this is where Baltimores Kimora gets kinda honest. Ok, the track ‘ UUghhh’=hate it. This is the type of single where there is no grey area, ya hate it or love it flat out. Personally, I feel as though there are enough “Maybach Music” massacres floating around the DMV scene, if not lame remixes of ‘Tupac’s Back’ (substitute Tupac with your average rinky-dink non-meaningful rapper name) being posted on everyone’s Facebook page daily. Now I won’t say that lyrically it sucks, but concept-wise and beat-wise…you can have that back sir. Next single on my “Skip” list, ‘Froze’. Ok ok ok, cute concept, but you ever hear a song where the person who was featured was either way off with the pitch or just threw the song completely off, yea well play this song and tell me what you think. And the sad part about it is that the singer on the track actually sounds like if he was to sing another song he would be great! I just think this was a bad case of wrong singer, wrong song. The mixtape in a total: I personally would give it 8 out of 10. I love to see personal and artistic growth in these indie artists.
And I really don’t think anyone has more of a testimony of growth than Starrz. From being that cookie cutter artist that never stood out in a crowd, to making the crowd rock with him. Starrz is definitely on the road to stardom and the only reason he isn’t looking back.Hot Tracks to definitely bump:
• ‘Be the 1’-beat switch club banga of love in the club, Starrz style :)
• ‘Blake Griffin’-swag on the hardwood! Hot single, basketball metaphors flipped round to describe how awesome it is to be Starrz
• ‘Snapback Shawty’- the first single off of the mixtape; was the teaser to the mixtape that had everyone anxious; Hot Line: “…Gone check my fit/Jordan’s black and white/yea they match my bitch”
• ‘All the way G’-straight shittin on ‘em in this one; Hottest Line: “..I’m a fame giant/I do it big bitch/Lane Bryant/It was all a dream/livin like its juicy/die behind these bars/living like I’m bootsie..”
Mr. Gudda on the other hand is a completely different story. A different breed of rapper, Ty Gudda’s style isn’t the flamboyant, flashy, style-setting, money, cash and hoes music the average listener is use too. With every new Ty Gudda single or mixtape that is put out, its him exposing and bearing his soul even more. Whether it be a ra
gs to riches story, true love where ya at? Song, missing a love one or just a letter of influence to his son, Gudda brings reality to the game like no other. His poetic styling’s is more of a refreshing then what you hear on the radio, its real life. Complex Mind Theory came at a great time in the indie music circle in Baltimore due to the fact that a lot of music right now is commercialized and ‘dumbed down’ for those summer time parties and club nights. You know what I mean. If it isn’t a ‘touch ya toes and gyrate’ or ‘bang bang shoot em up’ or ‘check shoe game nigga’ type song you do not get played on the airways or at any parties. But anyway, Complex Mind Therory 2 to me is just a smaller peak into the life and mind of Tyran Hill. The first installation of Complex Mind Theory (just like I said about Starrz) was only a mere skim across his thoughts, hopes and dreams…but it also showed that there was room for growth. Even though Ty wasn’t putting himself out there as the pimp daddy or tend setter, about a year or so ago his expression of his deep rooted thoughts were heard in certain songs as well as his published book of poems, but he wasn’t going in like he is now in Complex Mind Theory 2. Kind of like the quiet before the storm. I was on the fence of his last mixtape, Cupids Revenge, but I felt as though it lacked one thing…Tyran. The first track on Complex Mind Theory 2, Can I live, gives listeners that ole school feel not just with the oldies but goodies beat and production but his way of flowing. His way of putting everything on the forefront so there aren’t any surprises or so that listeners know of gp “this mixtape is all me, no filler music”. The next track that really stood out to me is LMAO. Now I heard this track way before the mixtape came out, but now ai get the really dissect it. The ultimate pimp slap to the cyber thug. Granted there are a lot of point that Gudda makes in the song…..addressing the cyber beefing and the ‘gangsta by association’ punks….female groupies on his jock…and trashing talking about his team. I honestly like the song, this is almost like the FB anthem. Lol (opps I mean LMAO ) The other song that I personally took to is Addict. Jesus, we have all had that first love that you just could not get enough of even after the break-up. SMDH takes me back. But just the honesty about his heartache and recovery from this “addictive” female is a relatable track amongst all ages and genders. There isn’t any way you cannot relate to this song. All in all, Complex Mid Theory 2 gets a 9 out of 10. I love the fact that Gudda is starting to put his true thoughts and experiences out there through his music. All while giving listeners a more than just a catch phrase, bangin 808 sounds or new off the chain dance.Hottest Tracks to Bump:
Jus Landed
4 by 4
Personality
She Keeps passing me Bye
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