By Ahmad Awadallah
Gifted Michigan emcee Willie The Kid returns with another blazing mixtape, #TheCrates. It’s not your average mix CD in that the versatile rapper chose to spit over unconventional production. The latest work is packed with a variety of guest features ranging from the smooth sounds of R&B songbird Afaliah to fellow Michigan rapper, Guilty Simpson.
“Cornucopia” is a smooth easy listening inspired track that opens up the street tape. Willie wastes no time in viciously riding the soft beat, but stops flowing after about a minute and lets the songstress take over. It’s fine at first, but she continues to croon for 3 minutes and Willie never returns to the song.
Willie shows off his versatility on the serene “Moment In Time,” featuring the soulful sounds of Javon Dais. He demonstrates his ability to switch his intricate flow for a more leisurely one. Dais’s soulful humming and Willie’s thought provoking rhymes will definitely have this song on heavy rotation on your i-Pods. The Kid even pays homage to Robert Duvall’s character Bob Hodges in the movie Colors by spitting the memorable adage “I don’t run down and f-ck one/I walk down and f-ck them all.”
The rap features are generally strong on the tape, but surprisingly, fellow Embassy Entertainment artist S-Class Sonny stands out from the pack on the track “Goodfellas”. It’s a smooth track to ride to in the whip with both rappers riding the beat flawlessly. Will murders the mobster-themed track, but S definitely buries it with his entertaining flow and constant references to the classic Martin Scorsese gangster flick.
“Sunrise, Sunset” is one of the best tracks on the tape and strangely, Willie fails to appear on the blue trumpet-infused record. Instead, Hip-Hop’s fallen soldiers 2 Pac, Biggie, Stack Bundles, Big Pun, Big L, Pimp C and many others speak about their musical ambitions on the 5-minute track. It’s a record that will definitely make you appreciate and cherish life, because unfortunately for some, it ends way too early. Props go to Willie for showing some love to Rap’s deceased, but esteemed artists.
Tricky and upbeat wordplay oozes from the short elevator music permeated track “#!Chump”. The production lacks any vigor or real energy, but Willie adds some much needed steam to the bland track with his lyrical potency. Willie makes it a family affair on the song “Minnie Riperton Dart” featuring brother La The Darkman and it was a letdown. The bars are exceptional, but the muddled piano does this song no favors.
#TheCrates is solid despite Willie’s innovative approach. The unusual production, his fiddly pen game and adaptable flow intertwine harmoniously on nearly every track. This latest opus shows that Willie is far from a kid and is ready to become a man in this rap ‘ish.
Willie The Kid Feat Guilty Simpson – Yes Michigan Pt 4
