Various Artists
Mitten Militia Mixtape
Vol. 2
NEI Records
TASHERRE D' ENAJETIC is back at it again biggin' up the best hip-hop talent in Michigan on this solid underground comp. All 22 tracks boast some of the mitten's finest undiscovered MC's, from Grand Rapids, Port Huron, Ann Arbor, Highland Park and beyond; D' Enajetic dug deep and laid down a solid mixtape that's a bit more well-rounded than Vol. 1. Hot tracks include, Nick Speed's "Those Things," Invincible's "Eulogy" and Fat Killahz "Get Ya Paper." Freestyle vet Mu rips it
on "Ass Whoopin" and Composition drops a jewel on "Midnight Ride." If you can find this comp, cop it. underworldradio.com
Detroit Summer presents ...
Breaking Ground Mixtape
THE MOTLEY Cass Corridor crew is still up to their ol' revolutionary ways, this time producing a blazing hot mixtape filled with some of
the most gifted musicians-activists in Detroit. Of course this comp is highly slanted toward the eclectic side with tracks switching from gritty hip hop to poetry, jit music, IDM, folk and Bedouin electronic. Produced by one of Detroit's best-kept secrets, Sterling Toles, the Breaking Ground Mixtape is a beautiful reflection on the D. Each track is a standout, but Al-iqaa's "Get John Crunk," Platinum Pied Piper's "Detroit Winter" and Ta'raach's "Hey" bring the funk home, boy.
DJ Graffiti
Certified Bangers Vol. 2
Bling Free Records
WHAT ELSE needs to be said about the A-1 quality of DJ Graffiti's mixtapes. A staple in the mixtape game for years, his Bling Free series is one of the best in the country. This time, Graf returns on some grown-man shit offering a mixture of both underground and unreleased hits that should thump the eardrums of every hip-hop head. As always, the blends are airtight, the selection is ridiculous, and the shout-outs are kept to a minimum. A list of standout tracks would eat all this space. If you like pure hip hop you can't be disappointed. It's that simple.
Dynomite
The Dynomite Project: Detroit Style
(Self-released)
FOR THE FANS of D-town hip hop, old-school Dopeadelic alum Dynomite has a new project for the streets that will put a permanent cheese grill on your face. The rhymes are crisp, the beats are, well, dope, and the subject matter let's you know homeboy isn't settling for mediocrity. What's amazing is how Dynomite's throwback style of rapping makes the shit sound brand-new. Cuts like "P.I.M.P.S." skewers Motor City wannabe pimps in a way that's inescapably funny. It's refreshing to see an ego-free project made for everyday people.
Jonathan Cunningham is a freelance writer. Send comments to [email protected]
