By Fawn Renee
The tide is changing in the music industry. What was once hot is merely lukewarm these days; similarly, what was once considered taboo in the realm of Hip-Hop is now a staple. This makes it hard for veterans like Ludacris to stay current and relevant. Over the past decade we have witnessed the DJ-turned rapper-turned actor and entrepreneur weave in and out of the “top five” spot. He has successfully produced five platinum selling albums, and in many huddled basement debates, is considered one of the most underrated rappers out. Unfortunately, Luda’s latest mixtape, Conjure: A Hustler’s Spirit, doesn’t quite live up to the preceding accolades, or an ounce of his potential.
The mixtape, which heralds his highly anticipated seventh studio album, is nothing more than a clever way to promote his new brand of cognac, Conjure. The mixtape itself comes across as languidly composed, and challenges his ability to pressure, let alone sideline, any of the rappers on that revered GOAT list. While some may give him a pass because this is “only” a mixtape, and after ten years in the game he seemingly has nothing to prove, I’m not willing to overlook his underperformance; especially with great mixtapes like Drake’s So far Gone and Lupe Fiasco’s Enemy of the State: A Love Story boastfully rivaling full-length studio albums.
A Hustler’s Spirit opens with Luda giving a detailed description of his new cognac and how he came up with the name Conjure. He then goes on to promote the release of his forthcoming album Battle of the Sexes (which drops in March). Dispersed throughout the mixtape are four Conjure commercials, redundantly repeating what was stated in the intro. I’d like to think that as adults, no matter how much he inundates listeners with talk of Conjure’s superiority to other cognacs, they can develop their own opinions. But it’s clear Luda thinks far more than I do, because he knows that consumers, particularly in the Hip-Hop community are pretentious sheep. So as long as he leads the horses to the water, he knows they will drink (responsibly of course).
After the intro, Luda performs a freestyle over Gucci Mane’s “Wasted” track, a sort of ode to his beloved cognac. Here he offers sheep, I’m sorry, fans a few of his favorite Conjure pairings as he states, “Mix it with some apple juice, I call it lose your mind; but Conjure with lime, I call that shit a good time.” This is just the beginning of the problem with this mixtape, it’s more about Luda promoting his cognac and less about the music he’s producing. It’s never okay to sacrifice art for exposure. Ever.
That isn’t to say there aren’t some jewels on the album. I stand by my affirmation that Ludacris fairs far better lyrically on his R&B features than he does on his own records. The palpable radio hits “Regrets,” with Letoya Luckett, “Sex Therapy,” with Robin Thicke and “Bulletproof” with Raheem DeVaughn more than support this, as they are three of the better songs on the mixtape.
Other notable records include “ATL, GA,” which features Shawty Lo, Gucci Mane and The-Dream. Here the trio boasts about the joys of living in Atlanta. The track is decent, but one can’t help but feel it’s incomplete without 16 bars from the self-proclaimed king of the south. “Everybody Wit Me” and “Don’t Trust Her” embody the signature sound of the South, with the double-timed hi-hats infused with chopped and screwed verses. Luda’s lyrical aptitude is also on display as listeners are offered the nostalgic feel of his more light-hearted, explicit, raunchy side, pre Release Therapy.
While this album doesn’t solicit a magnanimous nod for his lyricism, it does however speak to his business savvy and ability to hold the listener’s attention, a task that shouldn’t be overlooked. However, if this mixtape foreshadows what is to be expected from Battle of the Sexes, Mr. Reliable might want to go back to the drawing board. My guess is that Luda still has it, but was more preoccupied with publicizing his brand than leaving a good taste in your mouth (pun intended).
out of 5
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