By Odeisel and Diamonte R

Kanye West’s sound has changed over the years since 2004’s College Dropout. Although his albums deviate in style, the one constant has been the general praise and commercial success from Hip-Hopper and Pop music fans.

As fans await Kanye’s coming album Dark Twisted Fantasy they can consume the G.O.O.D Ass Mixtape for free. Featuring everyone from Common and Talib Kweli to Lil Wayne and Kid Cudi, the mixtape has thirty tracks and an almost too expansive musical landscape. The one thing that stood out about this mixtape more than anything else is just the diversity. As an artist of huge stature, Kanye has both a Hip-Hop and a Pop fanbase to satisfy and that range is reflected in the production on The G.O.O.D. Ass Mixtape.

The tape is not necessarily all about ‘Ye as there are tracks that are devoted to the talents of rapper GLC, crooner/musician Tony Williams, protégés Big Sean, Kid Cudi and Mr. Hudson.  Not all of the tracks are original.  Kanye/Rick Ross collaboration “Live Fast, Die Young” resides on the mixtape in remix form, as does Pusher T’s “Popular Demand,” and The John Legend/Roots remake of “Wakeup Everybody.”There are also live performances by Mr. Hudson (“Watch You Move”) and Kanye himself (“Power”).

Highlights include “It’s G.O.O.D. Music” (another pre-existing work )a posse cut featuring Consequence, Common and Talib Kweli. The track features sharp lyricism over crisp production and storytelling chops. Tony William is full of stellar soul on the energetic “You Never Know.” The 80’s are aptly homage on the Cudi/Kanye duet “Erase Me.” The easy guitar strums with Cudi’s vocals and the breaks add light fun to this faux ballad and Kanye’s closeout verse is full of flavor. “Whatever You Want,” featuring Big Sean has a very hypnotic, melodic sound that not only sounds great but also lends itself to good storytelling. Although shorter than three minutec, the song’s power is evident, lyrically and musically.

On the downside, there are a few tracks that just don’t come out good, among them is GLC’s best Killer Mike impression on “In It For Keeps,” the God-awful “South$ide Blood Cusin’” helmed by Taz Arnold and Major, and the tape lengthening pointless skits. The tape is also poorly arranged. If it had been arranged in artist order, or at least in a way that had some of the more jarring production eased into, it would have made listening to the tape more seamless

Overall, the sound of the G.O.O.D Ass Mixtape is is a return to the College Dropout era Kanye West with an added element of Emo Pop. This combination is suited to assuage a wide range of followers but has the added problem of providing a real continuity of sound. It never fully satiates either genre consistently. That’s one of the problems, if you can call it that, of having such a huge fanbase. Hopefully Mr. West can find a way to hone in on key elements when it’s album time. For now, this work stands as a primer for the burgeoning talent on his label.

3.25 Out of 5

Kanye West feat Rick Ross – “Love Fast, Die Young”

02 Rick Ross feat. Kanye West – Live Fast, Die Young (Dirty)

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