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It's been awhile since DJ Envy has had his name attached to any mixtape that was worthwhile. Envy makes ammends for that in a major way by coming back with L.A.'s premier Tape proveyer DJ Warrior for Strong Arm Steady's "Klak Klak Edition"; the seventeenth installment of Warrior's highly acclaimed "Cali Untouchable Radio" series. It's a little unusal to see Envy hook up with a west coast DJ for a new tape, I don't recall him ever doing so in the past or spending much time on the L.A. scene, but he's chosen well in whom to work with. DJ Warrior is the best out there, bar none. DJ Skee is breathing down his neck and DJ Muggs always drops hott shit, but Warrior's tapes and collaborations are nearly flawless. He's shined the spotlight on just about every dope movement/artist that is seeping thru Los Angeles's extensive underground scene, and ths tape isn't any detour from that winning formula. Warrior and Envy hook up with the hottest street group in southern Cali Strong Arm Steady. Made up of members Krondon; the albino wordsmith with one of the most distinct voices in the business, Mitchy Slick; the ex-gangbanger from San Diego with a gift for hardcore delivery and Phil Da Agony; the half black, half Mexicano weed enthusiast with a gift for gab. The west coast is in full effect once again from start to finish with this tape an there's little doubt that anyone will dispute the validity of this project being a certified banger. For this review I've decided to go really in depth, and do a track by track run down, read and enjoy.
As soon as you hear the beat for the intro you'll understand what time it is. After the head nodding intro plays, SAS goes in on the superbly crafted "We The Best", that finds them reflecting on their day to day exploits on the road touring as well as their Cali lifestyle over a soulful and infectious beat. The uncanny L.A. trio moves into the gritty "Freestyles 101" that finds them goin off one by one over the Air Force 1 25th anniversary beat (produced by Just Blaze) that was featured in the commercial for the shoe with Steve Nash, Amare Stoudamire, Kobe Bryant, Chris Parker and others. The tape's first misstep comes in the form of "Big Gunz", a joint that I personally just didnt get into, but know that other people will, specifically Messy Marv fans. "Swack You Out" is another joint that I really wasn't feeling and I thought placed S.A.S. out of their element. "Air Forces" ft. Skinhead Rob is a little more like SAS's style, but is somewhat off somehow,doesen't resonate that much and is really just a glorified freestyle. The tape picks up a better pace with "Battle Raps", a bouncy freestyle over Rich Boy's "Throw Some D's" Instrumental, featuring SAS's new label (Blacksmith Records) president Talib Kweli and newfound labelmate Jean Grae. It isn't until SAS drops their exclusive joint "SAS Again" featuring fellow L.A. rhyme stylist and one half of Self-Scientific Chace Infinite, that listeners will truly say "WOW". The mellow sample accompanied by SAS's street infused lyrics provide a wonderful introspective into SAS's true underground soundscape. "Stack It Up" is somewhat sing- songy and the production isn't as thick, but still is a standout track for it's execution. "Shoot First" is another dope freestyle that exibits SAS's street saavy roots, and cements their position on certain street ethics, "Revolver" has pretty much the same synopsis. "Hey" is a nice lil' playa type track with some fly production that has the trio teaming with Messy Marv again to recite verses about the struggle and the lifestyle of a cat in L.A.. Transitioning back into some ill underground music, "That Nigga Is A Problem" is a hardcore ode to the hood that features Planet Asia assisting SAS in spitting venemous, ultra paranoid street lyrics. "Don't Push Me" is a real highlight of this tape as well, marking a collabo with Sick Symphonies members Sick Jacken and Cynic; two artists who like SAS also have a huge following in Los Angeles. Over a dark groovy beat the two camps come together and create a true street banger that is hell bent on illustrating the vices you'll enncounter in Pico Union as well as South Central and the stress that comes with that fast living. The latter part of the tape really is the better part, case in point the "Watch How It Go Down" freestyle that features Planet Asia and the frenetic and funky collab "Go With Us" featuring Talib Kweli. For good measure SAS throws in one of their hotter underground efforts that is also a collaboration with Talib Kweli and Chace Infinite called "The Function" that is produced by Madlib and is already making noise on the mixtape cicuit out west. All in all a great tape, some of the stuff is recycled, but this should be pretty much new material to most. Definitely worth the DL!
-BIG D O
01 Klak Klak Music (prod. Tha Warriorz)
02 We The Best (prod. Disco D & DJ Warrior)
03 Freestyle 101
04 Krondon Speaks pt.1
05 Big Gunz f. Messy Marv & Tiny Doo
06 Swack You Out
07 Airforces f. Skinhead Rob (of Expensive Taste)
08 Phil Da Agony Speaks pt.1
09 Battle Raps f. Talib Kweli & Jean Grae
10 SAS Again f. Chace Infinite
11 Stack It Up
12 Shoot First f. Gain Green
13 Krondon Interlude
14 Revolver
15 DJ Envy Speaks
16 Hey ft. Messy Marv
17 DJ Envy Speaks pt. 2
18 This Nigga Is A Problem f. Planet Asia
19 Don't Push Me f. Sick Jacken & Cynic
20 Mitchy Slick Speaks
21 Watch How It Go Down f. Planet Asia
22 Phil Da Agony Speaks pt. 2
23 Go With Us f. Talib Kweli
24 Krondon Interlude pt. 2
25 The Function f. Talib Kweli & Chace Infinite
26 DJ Warrior - Outro
http://www.mediafire.com/?mjtcu1ngjwh
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