Criminal — It's the Criminal Manne

First cassette released by rapper Criminal [Manne], from Memphis, Tennessee. The tape is produced entirely by DJ Squeeky, released through his independent label: the MC doesn't have an adequate variety of topics available for a 45-minute cassette, sticking to the violent themes dear to Memphis rap, yet the extraordinary production chosen by the DJ keeps up the value of the tape, one of the best ever to blessed the city.

The project is opened with a beautiful sample, tense synth in the background, very slow light skinny drum, the rhythm is let to breathe, then Criminal delivers with an effortlessly flowing slow syncopated style. "First Full of Bricks", cut then proposed again in the cassette of the following year, has a midtempo rhythm, boom bap skeletal, slow drum machine, simple hook and good slow velvet delivery of the rapper. DJ Squeeky makes a masterful production for the third choice: fresh and relaxed boom bap, vibrant, lean and energetic drum machine, gorgeous samples, jazzy vibes with lightly tense dope synth line in the background, Criminal makes no mistake delivering with a effortless, slow, smooth flow.

 

A long six-minute DJ Freaky skit follows, on a curious beat, there's a lean light drum machine and short half-second samples looped in the background, making them sound confused; then they're allowed to breathe lightly for something like a second and a half; drum slow and thin, it should be easy to recognize the main samples, which come from a classic, but being sampled for no more than a second and a half before being chopped and looped in the background, the task could be more complicated than usual: it's "Walk on By" by Isaac Hayes. "Gotta Get That Clap" is a short track with light drum and simple hook, good samples and a single looped line in the background that repeats the title of the record. "Playaz in da Game" boasts bright samples, slow and vibrant drum machine, great dark and tense jazzy background, good smooth delivery of Criminal.

 

"Pimp Dat Bitch" is another highlight of the record: great jazzy boom bap, sunny, skinny and syncopated drum machine, great jazzy samples, light synth line perpetually taut in the background, simple chorus, smooth carefree happy delivery by the emcee. A second skit, much more contained than the previous one, anticipates the final part of the cassette, two tracks that occupy a third of the entire listening. "All in da Game" boasts other honest samples, single lines looped in the background, light and very slow skinny drum machine, tense and light synths in the background and an amazing boom bap, with jazzy vibes; Criminal lets the rhythm breathe, then delivers effortlessly and with a smooth flow. Closes an outro that exceeds seven minutes: boom bap, slow light drum, dark samples, effortlessly slow and smooth delivery, simple hook.

Rating: 8.5/10.