First mixtape released by Lamont "U-God" Hawkins, a Brooklyn native rapper and member of the Wu-Tang Clan. The cover is good: there's a large yellow U that recalls the supergroup logo, inside which "God" completes the author's name in black, while at the bottom in white the name of the author is shown again, that of Twilite Tone, responsible of the mixing, and the title in gold. The tape serves as a prelude to the rapper's next LP, "Dopium", from which he borrows five songs. Five more are skits and interludes, so ten original tracks remain. Cappadonna is the only accredited guest, but the full versions of the songs on the album released the following year, see the additional presence of GZA, Scotty Wotty, Killah Priest, Leathaface and Large Professor.
The tape has worthy first moments. "Winner's Circle" features good samples, triumphant strings and a distant lean drum, this beat is competent support for U-God's smooth and calm delivery. "Stomp da Roach" is a good cut, the producers try to mimic the typical RZA sound and they succeed. With "A Mili Tant" the tape collapses: horrible sample, horrible drum, bad rap, the whole track is completely unlistenable. After this sudden decline, the tape continues to travel on safe tracks. "Men2Mice" is decent, there's a melodic sample, a decent drum and Baby Huey's rapping sounds good. Interlude, then "God Is Love", where Cappadonna worthily delivers on a dark beat. The following track is as short as it's easily passable and forgettable, then comes a J Dilla Meets U-God moment: choice number nine boasts a third-tier production of J Dilla that somehow ends up in a UGodz-illa mixtape, the beat is ok, nothing memorable, the boy's rap adds nothing. "New Classic" is one of the best tracks, thanks to the production of Large Pro, and closes the first section of the mixtape.
The second half of the tape is at the level of the rapper's worst works. "Rims Pokin' Out" is one of the tracks planned for "Dopium", and it's not good, to be kind. Interlude, then "Nuthin'": this rhythm is scandalous, perhaps an attempt to imitate that of RZA for "Stroke of Death" in "Supreme Clientele", the masterpiece created by Ghostface Killah at the beginning of the decade, this copy sounds as fake as your Zedane shirt at the market. Track number fourteen is simple, poor rap on a weak beat. "Hips" is another choice destined for the LP, bad choice. "The Same God" I guess he steals from Jay-Z more than from Public Enemy: the sample is classic, "Darkest Light" by Lafayette Afro Rock Band, the guys put a loop that is as less melodic as possible and noises that make this to sound as close to the dump as possible, U-God doesn't even spit on it, so I guess it's an interlude? Shabby.
Last four tracks. The worst should be over. Skip "Came to Rock," which has a horrible rhythm and poor rap, and pretty much it is. Box number 18 is "Chessboxing '09". U-God takes the instrumental of a classic song from fifteen years ago and makes it sound like a mixtape beat for your generic rapper. Incredible. This is great proof that behind a great producer there must be great performers in order to make really good music. In this case, there are some of the best MCs ever to come out of New York's dirtiest alleys. Interlude, then last piece. U-God does it again: Ghost Face Killer's "Nutmeg" from "Supreme Clientele", practically untouched by the original, yet somehow it doesn't sound the same. U-God enters and his flow is absolutely devoid of the competence he had over ten years ago, it sounds messy, not organic, dissonant with the rhythm, struggles to keep up with the loop, he has to force his laid-back flow and plays almost unfit all the time and in fact when the break comes, U-God is late and has yet to finish his bars.
Better than his last two LPs, but not as good as his debut. Beyond the rhythms of Jay Dee, Large Pro and Steelz, there's not much material to discuss, it's absolutely never essential. Not recommended, 4.5/10.
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