Curren$y & Alchemist - Carrollton Heights
Scene
In the age of the internet where producers and rappers can link up with ease, a Curren$y x Alchemist collabo automatically sounds like it's going to be be fire. Following up on their previous collaboration 'Covert Coup' Spitta and Al team up for Carrollton Heist, with Curren$y offering his laid back but immensely vivid raps over Al's blend of samples, instrumentation and pure hip hop production.
Songs
- Cartridge - Setting the tone musically, robbing those in suits
- Black Rally Stripes - Darker, scarier with Spitta creeping
- Vibrations - Sax!
- Disappearing Ink ft. Styles P - Combining for some mafia raps, gutter.
- Inspiration ft. Action Bronson - Cooler than a Polar Bear's toenails.
- 500 Pounds Of Gas - Hardest beat of the tape.
- The Mack Book - Soul music.
- 93 AMG - Who needs a beat when you've got sounds?
- Fat Albert ft. Lil Wayne - Naaaawleans!
- Smoking In The Rain - Rainy day tune, reflecting on the heist.
Vibe
Curren$y is an expert at taking you where he wants you to go via his raps and as the title Carrollton Heist suggests, there's a criminal/mafia/general heist vibe that seeps through this tape. However, this doesn't come directly from Spitta's bars as Alchemist's production oozes suspense/drama and more than anything, the music that Curren$y flexes over transports you, as if you were riding shotgun to a heist.
There's also an effortless vibe that makes for a very listen. Curren$y is a very laid back rapper as he rolls through clever bars without really delivering them with any great speed while Alchemist is an expert of his craft and the chemistry between the two ensures for a cohesive product. This effortless vibes allows both Curren$y and Alchemist to drop gems in bars and production that fly over your head upon first listening, however the replay value is great.
Music
As I said, Alchemist is a wizard on the boards and his production is of equal standing to Curren$y's bars. Alchemist offers up a wide range of sounds laced over the top of a wide range of drums while also throwing in a few samples/snippets that fit the tone of the tape.
I also love the features - Lil Wayne, Styles P and Action Bronson. Bronson has been working closely with Alchemist recently so that's a given, Styles P has also teamed up with Spitta before and adds his gritty NYC flavour while Lil Wayne is at his best here. If I don't here any solo stuff from Wayne and he keeps on serving up guest verses like he does on 'Fat Albert' or did on 'M's' (with A$AP Rocky), I'll be super happy.
I ain't no coward on the reala
Ya understand?
I'm a rapper I'm still a real nigga
Ya understand?
Fuck all that rah-rah shit when I'm chilling
Ya understand?
Take that shit outside of my building
Ya understand?
Now I been in the game for a minute
Ya understand?
Couple Rolexes, couple Bentleys
Will make 'em understand
Cocaine that I shake outta my right hand Vibrations
Pink champagne underneath the blue moon
The Range plum, the Benz is maroon
96 AMG, remembering the time
Niggas got killed for shit like this
The city I live in, many have died, my friend
Tears fall for your dawgs, dry your eyes off
Make sure you can see through the fog
Evil lurks, love hurts, knife in your back
I tried to warn you first, but you second guess
Thats why you slept 93 AMG
Finale
At only 10 jams, Carrollton Heights is a breeze to listen to. It's probably not suited to bumping something hard with your homies, turning up etc but if you need something to vibe to then Curren$y's flow and Alchemist's production is perfectly suited to the background. I loved it as I could play it while I was writing stuff and often found myself running through and then playing it all again a few times, each time there's something new to be found and different vibe to catch.