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FASHAWN - ODE TO ILLMATIC

MIXTAPE MONDAY

before i start this review.. i'd like to say that nothing will ever touch illmatic, ever. it is the greatest hip hop album of all time, and nothing can ever touch it. it is a piece of art that will never be topped, or achieved because it is already 100% perfect.
HOWEVER, fashawn went in and did the damn thing. teaming up with green lantern (always down to do anything that has to do with nas, my boy!) he decided to pay homeage to illmatic. usually when an artist pays a tribute to another album, i'm hesitant.. what's dope about this one, is that they didn't touch the beats.. all the production is original. the only thing fashwan really did, was changed the lyrics to his own experiences in cali, rather than new york.
he lets you in on his own youth, he fills you up with his stories, and he does it well. the intro starts right before he heads into genesis.. with a little speech of what he's trying to do with the tape.. he basically says how he doesn't wanna seem like a biter, more so of how much he dug illmatic, and wanted to give it its' dues. THEN, you hear that fresh premier beat that hits you grimey like the first time you heard it. shawn's lyrics are okay, they're not horrible, they're not amazing. it's more of a flip, instead of ny state of mind, he made it "CA state of mind".
taking AZ's place on "life's a bitch" is talib.. which i was really excited about.. then not so excited when i heard it LOL. i think the original was just too much in my head, so it was hard for me to dig it. did not like talib on there at all. shawn did okay though, and kept a few bars the same which was niice.
the world is yours ended up not too shabby. halftime might be my fav. shawn went in. "fashwan in your area.." CUTE. he's grimey in this one. "memory lane" went well also.. "comin outta fresno".. yeah, everything ny is replaced with cali. it's prolly tied for my fav. everything else followed in, not as great as nas, but definitely good.
the tape is fucking dope.. and i like fashawn.. soo hey. it's a mixtape you gotta go get.. and you can at datpiff! don't sleep..!!!!! 4/5

with all that said, when the fuck is elzhi going to release elmatic?! CMON BRO.. cats are jumping in ahead of you!!!!