Artist: DJ Drama/T.I.P.Title: Gangsta Grillz: The LeakRating: 4 StarsReviewed by: Alejandro Mojado
The King of the South and his court have returned to the scene with a new mix-tape from DJ Drama. With the Atlanta based DJ now signed to Grand Hustle this is the first of many collaborative efforts to come. This time Drama and T.I. team up to bring us Gangsta Grillz: The Leak (Grand Hustle) featuring songs gleamed from T.I.’s upcoming album The King. The Leak is the first Grand Hustle release of 2006 and if this is any indication of what’s to come, we can expect Southern Hip-Hop to make a big leap forward. Over the last couple of years, T.I. has elevated himself to one of the best rappers coming out of Atlanta, let alone the South. This latest mixtape only adds to his repertoire of hot music leaving few with the ability to refute T.I.’s claim to the throne.
T.I., with his Pimp Squad Click along for the ride, take us on a 26 track journey through the A-Town with fiery beats, lyrics and hooks. The tracka on The Leak are off the chain, boasting production from the likes of Sleepy Brown and Manny Fresh. Sleepy provides us with “We Pimpin”, a track that consists of his tried and true formula that has made “pimp-singing” choruses a staple in southern music. With so much talent coursing through this mixtape it’s nearly impossible to say which track is the best or the most unique. One stand out is a song called “Do You Remember?” in which the Bankhead Ambassador explains what sets him apart from the rest: “I hear my hands to the Lord/ Yall record, I recall/ that’s how I know I’m realer than yall…” Lyrically, T.I. provides us with an onslaught of rhymes proving to us that he is indeed The King. Not only do T.I. and Drama enlist the lyrical talents of P$C but they also solicit the skills of Mike Jones and southern rap legend Bun B.
All in all, Gangsta Grillz: The Leak is a great way for Grand Hustle to start out the year. With original tracks and lyrics, this latest effort is a solid example of how a mixtape should be done. DJ Drama and T.I. demonstrate to us that they are a lethal combination who will provide hits that will keep the entire A-Town bumpin’ for a time to come and us why it’s always good to be down with the “King”.