Remy Ma — I'm Around [mixtape]

After publishing her debut disk and after having distanced herself from Fat Joe, Remy Ma is preparing to release a worthy follow-up ("PunisHer") and a collaborative album with her new all-female rap group 3Sum, along with Shawnna and Jacki-O (the latter recently feuded with Foxy Brown, as well as Remy Ma). In July 2007, Remy Ma is arrested for shooting her friend and sentenced to eight years in prison.

While incarcerated, the rapper publishes mixtapes ("The BX Files", "Shesus Khryst" and "Blasremy"). In 2014, Remy Ma is releases from prison and in the same year she drops "I'm Around". The production is handled by Ron Browz, Sean C & LV, Buckwild, Certifyd, Boy Boy, Tie Stick, Jason Gilbert, Trackz, Ted Smooth and J Notes. Remy Ma husband Papoose is the only guest of the tape. DJ Khaled appears in the intro.

Remy Ma returns to freedom and in the game greeted by the triumphal musical panorama built by DJ Khaled. The title track comes soon after, on a heavy and simplistic rhythm by Ron Browz on which Remy Ma delivers with an aggressive, determined, hardcore style, she enters to destroy the beat and devastate everything, despite a badly managed functional hook.

Unfortunately, the simplistic, heavy and annoying rhythms continue to rain from the production, among the angry delivery of Remy Martin: "White Benz" is badly generic, "Dying to Be Me" has a female sample looped very tight in the background, while "Gangsta B****", it's also bouncy and light, a subdued DJ Khaled style version.

The mood doesn't improve with the cheap "Wassup Tho" courtesy of Sean C & LV, "Erthang Fake" realized by Certifyd, on which Remy Ma slows down the quality of her delivery, returning powerfully to the next, "Go in Go Off": Jason Gilbert brings out an annoying jazzy rhythm, simplistic and heavy as the previous ones, with a useless and ridiculous bridge on Remy's functional chorus, which however delivers aggressively with an impeccable flow.

Buckwild is a godsend in "WSBH": he comes with a tight, essential, heavy, but well executed jazzy beat. The best production of the tape: the Bronx MC delivers very well, amazing bridge on the accessible hook, the only true accessible track of the tape and Buckwild gives a little dignity to the whole project with this single effort.

"Alwayz" maintains jazzy vibes, light, essential, lean and simple rhythm, with an aggressive delivery by Remy Martin. "Black Love" is a jazzy ballad, rhythm for the club, she drops a couple of lines with her husband Papoose, then they leave the rest of the tune to the soulful hook sung by Tamia (uncredited). "I Run New York" closes the games: light, tight, essential, rough, dirty and underground jazzy boom bap, modern attempt with R&B sample looped tight in the background, good delivery by Remy Ma.

A record that recovers in the finale, when Buckwild decides to give a jazzy imprint to the musically trash who had been listened to previously, but it's too little to save the record. Remy Ma is strong, aggressive all the time, but the first part is ridiculously drowned by rough rhythms in DJ Khaled style, unheard of.

Rating: 5/10.