Rating: 8/10
Looking to add to this month’s hottest releases, Chip Tha Ripper drops his latest tape entitled Tell Ya Friends. The smooth-flowing Cleveland rapper has brought forth another solid project, with features from Wale, Bun B, Krayzie Bone, Kid Cudi, and more. Tell Ya Friends also features high quality production from Lex Luger, Boi-1da, Hi-Tek, and Chuck Inglish, as Chip looks to follow up on his highly praised 2011 release, Gift Raps.
The opening track, “Good Evening,” is a microcosm of Chip Tha Ripper’s smooth signature style as he speaks on women, his city, sippin’ on syrup, and his favorite drink: Jameson. He raps about his rides on the hook, highlighting one in particular as he repeatedly lets it be known that his “Chevy sittin’ on 24s.” The song topics continue in this manner until listeners get a surprise on the Lex Luger-produced “Out Here.” Demonstrating his versatility, Lex provides the perfect instrumental for Chip to shine on. The beat, which strays away from the popular trap sound that Lex gained popularity on, still features Lex’s signature snare and bass, but slowed down and mixed with synths and strings that are audible enough to keep the beat laidback enough for Chip’s smooth flow.
Chip takes a different approach on one of the mixtape’s top tracks “25 Wives,” as he ponders what life would be like if he could have 25 wives (“If I got all ya’ll, there won’t be no sense in cheating). Not to be outdone, Wale jumps on the track and voices his thoughts on the possibility of having 25 wives in his life. In addition he shares that he enjoys a woman with a natural body: “Silicon b*tches got the confidence / but natural b*tches get all my compliments.” The Boi-1da produced track also features an eastern, almost snake charmer-type flute sound that provides a hazy, laidback vibe.
As the tape progresses, Chip is joined on the song “Stay Sleep” by Cleveland-native, Krayzie Bone, as Chip raps about being overlooked in the game, despite the popularity of his previous mixtapes. Krayzie Bone speaks to the city of Cleveland on his verse, telling the people to “Go get it and quit blaming sh*t on LeBron.”
Chip Tha Ripper’s Tell Ya Friends definitely has what it takes to be mentioned among the top releases of this year so far, even in a release-heavy month. The tape will also have fans anticipating the release of his album, Charles Worth, which is rumored to drop sometime this summer. In the meantime, Tell Ya Friends is impressive enough for listeners to share with their friends, just as Chip The Ripper had hoped, as he looks to continue to add to his underground buzz.