Currensy "Daze of Thunder"

Curren$y - Daze of Thunder from Creative Control on Vimeo.

What's a morning without some Spitta? I can hear Swerve rockin to it at the moment and this video is as fresh as any other one he's dropped. Off his upcoming tape Return to the Winners Circle.

Currensy "Pilot Talk 2"

If there is one thing that has been proven about Currensy throughout his career it is that he stays in the lab, I wonder if this is a trait he gained from or passed to Wayne? Regardless of where his hustle came from, the major label machine hasn’t slowed it any. Partially due to the isolation Dame has given himself and his new crew, it seems Currensy, Ski, and the rest of the DD172 crew can do everything in house and just hand deliver a final project. Just before Thanksgiving the jets flew in a gift in the form of the latest installment of Spitta’s Pilot Talk series.

At this point you probably know whether you like Currensy or not. You know that I wasn’t a fan and have been won over by his growth in more recent years. One thing that always bugged me throughout his discography was his inconsistency with projects. That proves to not be the case here and while I don’t know how long he can maintain this level of quality and quantity I’ll take it for as along as he delivers.

Ski has resurrected himself with the Dojo and the Senseis, they are utilizing skilled musicians and making dope music that flows and grooves. Hiphop growing up. Thinking back to the beats of Ski’s over the years Currensy chose to spit on, it’s an awesome completion of the circle to see them now making the best music of their careers. Even when Ski isn’t behind the boards their are some great turns here from Monsta Beatz who continues to show off why they were the first to grace Currensy with an album full of tunes. He may working in NY but he doesn’t forget the NO. Nesby Phips has a track to that once again impresses, no verse this time though.

The guests are kept tighter here, seeing only one outside face in the form of a typically zoned out Chef Raekwon verse on the “Michael Knight” remix. He and Dom Kennedy reunite for the cool west coast affair “Real Estates”. Then it’s the Jets for a pair of tracks that both only show off their chemistry and pairing as a stellar trifecta of stoned talent. McKenzie Eddy sings the hook on “Silence” to ok results. The song has one of the weaker beats which is what’s detracting from my experience, on the vocals I’m not mad at her. I’m curious if Currensy put her on or how she found her way into the session, the pairing feels a bit forced.

The other guest comes from his Flying Iron partner Fiend. This has been one of the cooler developments of Currensy’s fame. No Limit was pretty much fading into obscurity as I was just coming into rap but I remember his voice from a few tracks here and there from those days. Hearing these two together has been nothing but magic and the Drupey beat for “O.G. (The Jam)” is the best one turned in here. Fiend’s flow is lazy in an awesome way, his accent only adds to the voice and I he is obviously invigorated by new opportunities suddenly at his door.

Since it’s release I’ve heard a lot of comparisons and complaints about this as a follow up to the first. I love the first, it’s my favorite record of 2010. But this one isn’t anything to be disappointed in. It plays almost as smoothly, with the replay value still at an absurdly high level. What should we expect from number 3?

Currensy "Pilot Talk"

Those that know me could tell you why I like Currensy. I can tell you that his music relaxes me. I love his lack of seriousness. It’s not a I don’t give a fuck, it’s more like he just isn’t concerned with the bullshit in life. On the song “Seat Change” he repeats the refrain “She just want to ride with a G” - it’s this carefree attitude that permeates Currensy’s lyrics along with his choice of musical backings courtesy of mostly Ski Beatz that makes Pilot Talk an album that will make you smile, nod your head and worry about the little things in life.



Pilot Talk dropped in the middle of the summer and was full of sounds perfect for smoking and riding, backyard barbeque's or the headphones. Ski cooked up music that is in a groove no one else is touching. It’s more live than most producers fuck with, it’s invigorating at times, humble and concerned at others. Regardless of the tracks tone, Currensy knows what to do at every turn always holding his own and demonstrating his worth as an emcee for good.



His cleverness that was hinted at throughout the mixtape grind is on full display here. His verbal dexterity is in a league all its own and his imagination is classic. While he can get abstract with the best of them, he doesn’t spend his life in the clouds all the time. He closes the album out with a great analysis of how people watch those with fame. Only someone who’s been through the regimes he has could speak on this with such accuracy, and few would approach it with as much honesty.



Nesby Phips produced one of the only non Ski tracks here and he also joins Spitta with a guest verse. “Piroritze (Beeper Bill)” is another slightly more serious tune addressing peoples inability to pay bills and yet blowing money on nonsense. Not your typical rap philosophy.



But by and large Currensy is a relaxed dude who likes to enjoy life. He raps a lot about weed of course, so much so that it doesn’t even have to be mentioned and yet it’s there. The smoke just bleeds out his verses. The aforementioned “Seat Change” is all about Currensy winning over ladies nonchalantly and it’s a perfect place for Snoop to slide in with a guest verse. Luckily he doesn't waste too much time of these tales, just enough to let the guys he know he hasn't lost his touch.



The guest emcees are abundant on Pilot Talk but don’t ever detract from Currensy’s demeanor. Next to Snoop and Devin he stands tall. “Chilled Coughpee” is one of the dopest Ski produtions here and Spitta & The Dude sound meant to rhyme together. Perhaps it’s the southern chemistry. His parts in the Jets ride with him on the smoothed out smoking gem “Roasted” and just begs for a Jets album. Stalley shows up for maybe my favorite track here in “Address” that always gave me some odd comfort whenever it played during the last year.



With Pilot Talk Currensy and Ski hit a chord together that hasn’t been seen in a producer emcee pairing in quite some time. The pothead aesthetic Wiz and Spitta have been championing has found it’s musical counterpart in Ski’s brand of live production. Wiz has been on a path for larger things for awhile now, Currensy seems to be a little more down to earth and always in his own lane. Pilot Talk establishes his lane as one not influenced by any other sounds today.

Currensy "The Jet Files"

This month has taken me on a whirlwind journey of Currensy’s career. I’ve heard pretty much all he has to offer and given you my thoughts on the tapes. Today it is his second official project and second of 2009, The Jet Files. While I can’t find any evidence that this was meant to be a collection of previously recorded songs it plays exactly like that. Their is no continuity between songs, these are just some jams from Spitta.

We saw him team up with Ced Hughes awhile ago and Ced comes back, this time on the production end for the lead off track “Dosier (In & Out)”, yes Currensy brought back the in and out’s for this project - probably adding to it’s overall mixtape like feel.

Whitey, an in house Amalgam Digital producer, does a chunk of the beats here. He is no Ski Beatz, not really even Monsta Beatz but his tracks knock with enough oomph to not quite bore you. He aims for a spacy vibe that may be more suited for Wiz than Spitta. Sledgren, Wiz homie on the beats, also comes through for the track “Sleepless in New Orleans” a bouncing tune where Currensy details his playing ways.

The ladies are, as usual, a heavy topic here. Whether it be talking about the buss down he kicks it tough with who rolls his trees, the girls who compliment his style, the ones who ride around with him in his vintage whips, or the one who let him go out and pick up a guest for the bedroom one evening he has stories for days about adventures with the fairer sex.

The Jet Files were intended to be a stop gap before Amalgam released Currensy’s “real” debut which never was. There aren’t bad songs here but they aren’t great either. Most everything makes me feel indifferent, Currensy’s likable personality and ability to make you relate to him regardless of how lavish a life he leads disappear here and you are left with another rapper leading a life you can only hear about on wax.

Completest's can purchase this here.

Currensy "This Ain't No Mixtape"

After all the free projects, label bouncing and history with an assortment of successful rappers Currensy stepped out on his own to do his own thing. It paid off. In 2009, months after his free monthly mixtape series ended he partnered with Amalgam Digital and released the aptly titled This Ain’t No Mixtape.

Deciding not to wait for another major to come scoop him up, Spitta hooked up with Monsta Beatz and cooked up nineteen tracks. If you enjoyed any of the mixtapes, or have been rocking with the guy just recently over his Ski jams, you will probably nod your head to these cuts too.

Lyrically Currensy is sticking to his script, talking about his fly life. His life around rappers, skaters, and other assorted cats who play for a living have rubbed off on him and his experiences. Ladies, weed, skateboarding, shopping, clubbin, and cruising is all covered here much in the same way they were throughout the mixtapes. Either you like how Currensy puts his thoughts across a beat or you don’t.

On the topic of flow, he is sounding as good as ever here. Unsurprising given it is his offical debut, even if it’s only available digitally. For an inaugural album it doesn’t hold a lot of the inexperience an artists first solo album can, thanks to his mixtape grind Currensy already has perfected his art.

Monsta Beatz shows himself to be quite the accomplished producer covering a lot of ground with his productions here. For the first time Currensy handles and entire record over original beats. It’s a great thing and giving the reigns to a singular partner was a great idea. I’m surprised Monsta Beatz hasn’t done more work since this record. He shows a knack for great drum programming, varied samples and some sprinklings of live instruments. The beats can sound like Mannie Fresh to J. Rawls yet none feel out of place.

Just like his ear on the mixtapes, Currensy selected beats he knew he would fit well and over and over again he rides these beats with a kind of precision we had yet to hear from him. At times it feels a little stiff, like he is trying to hard but sometimes I think he must of been smoking in the booth as you can almost hear him mellow out by the end of some verses.

After my overall disappointment in the majority of the mixtapes, it’s great to hear the album not disappoint. By now I know what Currensy is gonna rap about and I’m more concerned with enjoying his fun personality portrayed on record and listening to his weed comments. He raps well, calls in some friends who also rap well, and made a dope ablum that doesn’t take itself too seriously. We all need a little time to relax in our lives, if smoking isn’t it for you maybe you can get high off the audio.

Buy This Ain't No Mixtape here.

For those of you who need something for free, here is a bootleg collection put out in support with mostly tracks you can find from the mixtapes along with a few random loose ones. Enjoy.

Download This Is A Mixtape.

Currensy "Fin..."

After the disaster of the last tape I was feeling a little nervous going into Currensy's final installment of his monthly mixtape series. Fin... doesn't follow in the footsteps of Fast Times, or any other for that matter. He once again pulls on many different style of beats, loosing the continuity of Super Tecmo Bowl, but still finding more focus on his best traits than the lack of focus he has proven can over take his mind.

Throughout the release of these tapes he always featured what he called "In & Out's" which are one verse songs he drops over industry beats. They are hard to judge because of their quickness and nine times out of ten they are over a dope beat no one is gonna be mad at someone going in on. For his final hooray he does more of these than ever before over some more aggressive tracks than he is familiar with. He rocks the Diplomats banger "I Really Mean It" to pay homage to his homie he has been doing these tapes for. He goes in on a classic LOX jam, and many others you should download it to hear.

On the intro he speaks about going through this process and how much music he has given out, he then says he went back and gave us some of his favorites. These selections are worked into the back end of the tape and while at first going into this I was a little annoyed by the choice, today waking up and hearing them I can't be mad at it. The older cuts he picks are pretty on point and I’m certain he was getting paid more attention around the release of Fin... than he was when Independence Day kicked it off.

Currensy says it and I think he knew it going in, this is the introduction for some, perhaps many, new fans of Spitta’s and he gives them a tape that is easily digestible. The majority of the new tracks don’t play for more than two minutes and the “best of” area is stacked with prime selections. If you have been digging any of these projects you won’t dislike this one but you may get bored with it quick. If you haven’t copped any and don’t think you need all of em this is your best introduction. Still can’t recommend Super Tecmo Bowl enough though.

Download Fin... here.

Currensy "Fast Times at Ridgemont Fly"

I suppose a good thing can’t last forever. I would of liked it to last a bit more than one tape though. After the rousing Super Tecmo Bowl that showed me a Currensy I’m familiar with he comes back a month later with Fast Times at Ridgemont Fly - the title and the fact that it’s the second to last had me holding high hopes even before I started this little mission of mine. Unfortunately I was wrong.

Gone almost completely are the smoothed out beats he appropriated on Tecmo Bowl, in their place are an assortment of more intense and at times grating beats. I remember being into “All About the Benjamin's” in middle school, but today the beat sounds terrible. I don’t even know what Spitta was talking about there.

I’m going to take a leap and say that the amount of ladies Currensy was getting with over the course of 2008 went up as his productivity did. Fast Times at Ridgemont Fly is full of songs about random ladies. Meeting them in the club, kicking it at the crib playing video games, girls rolling up planes, and more adventures with the opposite sex dominate the air time here. On a song like “Navigation Pimpin” you can’t be too mad at it but they don’t maintain this level.

As the tape progresses I loose interest. I’m baffled by how this project is letting me down like none of the previous one’s (except for maybe the early two) have. Currensy seems to be a bit distracted, seeing his clever self gone with a stiff unlikeable emcee in his place just reciting run of the mill bars about non sense. If you are gonna rap about this subject matter you gotta make it exciting and not come off as a lame. Here he fails on both counts.

Completest eat your heart out, download here.

Currensy "Super Tecmo Bowl"

Currensy has finally got a tape in his canon I won’t look down on. Fear and Loathing in New Orleans got pretty close, but Super Tecmo Bowl sees the Hot Spitta finding both his voice and the right style of beat for him.

Throughout the bars he spits here there is a confidence I’ve not heard on any of the previous projects. He touched it on Life at 30,000 Feet but his youth and the Cash Money influence are heavy burdens on his earlier tape. Here he is on top of the world. He attacks tracks with a passion. He is five tapes into the monthly mixtape series and it’s starting to pay off, he has captured the attention of the bloggeratti and was probably seeing some doors open via his own work. That has to be an invigorating feeling, this feeling is expressed through his flow.

His rhymes cover a lot. He’s got a lot on his mind. Weed is starting to be talked about more, girls are front and center often, he boasts on one song that he has no game chicks just know his story. His fashion sense is on display as well. While anyone can talk about these things, Currensy delivers his talk in quite clever rhymes that humanize what it is he is talking about.

He isn’t totally caught up in the material world however and on a song like “I Did It Myself” he bounces back and forth between his fly talk and some serious introspection about his career path and the work he has done. This is a reoccurring theme throughout Super Tecmo Bowl, addressed in different scenarios He talks about the blogs, the series, his homies he intends to put on - perhaps this doesn’t sound interesting when read about but the way he rolls all of these things together he shows his fans his life through his rhymes. His life just happens to revolve around his music and clothes.

He talks to the haters on “Top Shelf” and gets as close to his old gangster threats since before the series began with the line about his homies not responding kindly to disparaging remarks and points out while that’s not really his steez, it’s how it’ll go down so just keep them thoughts to your self. He gives us a weed song in “Blaze Something” certain to piss off any club promoter, owner or security staff as the hook incites anyone with chronic in the club to light it up.

A big part of this tapes playing as a whole are the beats he selected. Most I recognize, few I’m able to place which is driving me crazy but you can’t know all. The common theme with most is their more musical than much of what we’ve seen in the past. Many of these feature horns, what sound like live drums or at least live played via the producers machine of choice. While not exactly what Ski is on with his current Karate School sensei’s they mesh well with Currensy’s voice.

Maybe it’s the weed, maybe it’s the success, maybe it’s the good times he is having living life with his crew recording raps, playing video games and going shopping - whatever it is that makes Currensy happy was going on in his life while making this record and he gave that back to his fans.

Download it here.

Currensy "Fear & Loathing in New Orleans"

With tape number four in “Spitta’s Monthly Mixtape Takeover” (his name, not mine) he shouts out his home and a classic book about a wild drug fueled journey. I’m sure Fear & Loathing in New Orleans was fueled by as much chronic smoke as any other tape Currensy has released, but he isn’t one to rep for much else - he even goes so far as to say on the intro he doesn’t “pour anything up.” Regardless of what ingests, he has delivered a pretty good project this time around, maybe the first of his tapes I could see myself going back to as a whole project.

He introduces the tape over Kool & The Gang’s “Summer Madness” before jumping into the title track sounding great over a smooth jazzy beat that I swear I’ve heard before but can’t place. He is talking about his home here, he talks about the hood, friends passed, and his first rap that was “full of bullshit and lies” about doing dirt. I can dig this.

The tape kinda falters for a sec after with a couple ho hum joints. “Murda” comes and goes with Spitta talking about how he can take out anyone with his bars while “Movie Writers, Bussiness Men & Gangstas” features a terrible beat with no life for Currensy and Mr. Marcelo to talk about nonsense, and some contrived connection between the three. Well I guess their could be, but they don’t capture it in the slightest.

He and Roddy take “We Major” into “Sky Barz” talking about their typcial Fly Society type shit about just how fly they get and over a Neptunes industry beat he talks about “World Class Bitches” who love him. He sounds good over the Neptunes baby making tune, and he keeps it light and funny throughout, he just wants to get highed up with the fly ass chick who snuck the planes into the club.

Many of the tracks on this tape only feature a verse and a hook. This isn’t a knock against the tape, one of the flaws in the previous ones relates to how they could drag on. That being said, it’s an easier task to write a hot 16 over a hot beat, coming with a complete idea is a whole different task. Of course he has proven today he has no problem being creative, if anything these days the guy is being too inspired... nah, no such thing.

“Lost In Transit” is one of the best Currensy song I’ve heard in my going through the discography. Over an awesomely spacey beat that features very mellow drums just playing in the background, whoever played the synths on this tack wins big in my book, I want more! Currensy gives us some high talk about rappers being parents to kids who’s biological don’t bother, education getting you killed, and of course he has a couple lines about how dope he is.

He raps about being new age technology, tell dudes how to get on in this new Internet driven rap biz. He rocks over Ski’s Camp Lo classic, continually demonstrating the chemistry they have goes deeper than just knowing Dame. He pulls on Ced Hughes for an awesome track in “Calm Down” and reminds me why I interviewed dude, why I hate that I don’t have the audio any longer, and just how dope he is. He has a much more precise flow next to Spitta, but they compliment each other here awesomely well.

Fear & Loathing in New Orleans has some gems. Like most mixtapes it’s not flawless, that’s ok. Like all of these proects it’s free and it’s another notch in Currensy’s belt. He wasn’t dropping these tapes to make people believe he was the dopest on the mic but to prove that he could rap and you should listen to him. What he lacks in lyrical dexterity he makes up for with charisma and a knowledge of rap that only the biggest of heads would put on display. He rocks “Intergalactic” like it was his own. Enough said.

Download the tape here.

Currensy "Welcome to the Winner's Circle"

After five mixtapes it’s nice to say that their is finally one that I really enjoy front to back. Maybe it’s just my love for Seattle’s favorite boutique that Spitta unintentionally shouts out with the title, but Welcome to The Winner’s Circle is 18 tracks of awesomeness. Unlike most of the previous tapes featuring a wide array of industry beats, this one features beats that all fit within a mood. I recognize some but not all, wish that mixtapes came with production credits, ha.

The mood here is comfortable. While the first two tapes in the monthly series didn’t feel like they were projects so much as random songs thrown together, this one plays through like an album. He recruits Nate Dogg for a hook (or maybe that‘s jacked too?) over some subtle drums and muted horns. Currensy does a good job of explaining what makes him him.

I’ve complained about his constant focus on material items through the tapes we’ve looked at so far. This one doesn’t shy away from that like he has as of late, but it does mellow it out. He isn’t bragging any longer, nor is he trying to push a gangster persona. With “Bubble Gum Gangstas” he goes in on the classic Jay beat from “Imaginary Players.” Currensy addresses the fakes who front on record, he’s addressed his own guilt of this on wax already, it’s cause for a chuckle but he makes a good point when he says he’s gonna sit back and enjoy his good guy image.

Kick back and enjoy the good life seems to be what he has done. He lost the overly seriousness, the hard facade, rolled up a few more planes, got down with his homies who were on the same wavelength and started making music for himself. Roddy and Trademark are here in full effect, I can’t hate on either of em, they never appear enough to really judge what they can do, but as far as guest bars go they handle their own all the time. Fiend is still popping up which is awesome, their chemistry is obvious and it has been since the No Limit era.

2008 sounds about right in my head for when the streetwear culture had hit it’s boiling point and Currensy is embracing it fully here. He’s always been about gear, but shouts out to Neako, BAPE, the Hundreds, Rocksmith, and others throughout the tape is a new reach. It could be his excitement of looking at these companies as peers given he had just inked a clothing deal for Fly Society at the time of recording this. Wonder where those clothes ended up?

Welcome to The Winner’s Circle is a mixtape from a rapper who has learned some things from time spent in the industry. While it’s not his first tape to be wholly listenable it is his first one that is wholly him. Gone are the leftover tracks, gone is the confusion of how to approach a project that you have sole control over. The best moments of all his previous work and what’s carrying him today is his ability to make people connect with him. He’s found this quality here and experimenting in all the right ways over beats that connect sonically.

Download the tape here.

Currensy "Higher Than 30,000 Feet"

Tape two in Currensy’s 2008 monthly mixtape series was done in two days in the LBC section of Los Angeles. Some of the project holds a laid back west coast vibe, but thanks in large part to Spitta’s choice of beats Higher Than 30,000 Feet plays like a vintage east coast project. He even comes off on a couple of these tracks like he was raised around the block from where the track might have been made.

Currensy’s fluidity on the mic is something I’ve heard discussed about the kid before. While he hails from New Orleans, and certainly possess a southern drawl, when he raps he can fit any style. If you’ve been following the tapes so far you’ve already heard “Hear It & Fear It” over the Roots jam “The Next Movement.” I can’t dig on his reusing of a song, but he dispatches the beat with ease telling us a story about a dog Katrina claimed.

Elsewhere he hops on “Hate Me Now” and “Shook Ones.” He sounds good on the later, flows like Hav and P were right there with him. His remake of the former is lackluster to say the least. He spends too much of this tape caught up in the material ideas that flooded rap in the late 90s, I don’t care if your crew is called Fly Society.

His new team’s ideals permeate the entire tape. Lots of talk about cars, girls, fly gear and the planes. He raps on “Grindin” and it’s one of the few times when you actually miss the original emcees. While he can’t work with the Neptunes minimal sounds, he handles “Feelin It” like a pro and should Jay hear it, if he hates that’s all it is.

Throughout all these projects Mr. Marcello has remained a presence. Today he is no where to be found, but at one point this was Spitta’s go to guy I think. He raps decent enough, on “Do What It Do” his deep voice sounds perfectly grimey for the bouncy beat. He also gets his own bonus track at the end of the project, dropping a 16 that’s forgettable.

Being out West for the recording of the project, how could he not link with his West coast counterpart to the Jets, aptly named F.S. West. Ha. Sometimes rappers lack any originality what so ever. These guys sound like hangers on and whats worse when Currensy joins the posse cuts he only stands out for his voice.

The Hot Spitta has gone up and down throughout the five tapes I’ve reviewed so far. At his best he can convey a genuine, stoned out, skater kid that spits raps about his life and how fly he is. At his worst he sounds like an arrogant fool who happens to have some flow and nothing to say. Higher than 30,000 Feet is more of the later unfortunately.

Download the tape here.

Currensy "Independence Day"

The sweet smell of freedom. After many years tied to two of the biggest labels of their time, and with nothing more than three mixtapes to show for it, Currensy goes independent and emerges two years after Life At 30,000 Feet with Independence Day. It was, as he said, the first of a seven month long series seeing him drop a tape a month.

The first thing to know about Independence Day is that while the music is better than any of the previous tapes, it lacks a cohesive feel that he had started to touch with Life at 30,000 Feet. It’s not surprising being that this is his first project in two years, I’m sure these songs are pulled from sessions years apart. Sometimes the quality tells you, sometimes the mixing does and sometimes Spitta does.

The great thing about it is that he is doing him for the first time. I've made a point of the fact he wasn’t talking about weed overly on his previous ones, it’s still not as big trend but it is building it’s place in his persona. The beat selections are very blunted beats, or they are club bangers you’ve probably heard a different rapper on. Perhaps none of these are original?

You begin to hear the carefree side of the man. He makes a song about dealing with his cell phone that’s hilarious, honest, and relateable to no end. For anyone who has been stuck on a girl for no apparent reason, you have to listen to “She’s on My Mind.” Another hilarious couple verses from Currensy and he takes the prize for the first rapper I’ve ever heard use the word ribbing. I thought it was clever.

Elsewhere he and his homies rock, Roddy makes some appearances and pretty much sounds the same which might bug some but I won’t complain about listening to Roddy spit. He completely outshines Joey Queans on “Passport Sports.” A familiar face from the first project, Mr. Marcelo shows up and he still doesn’t stand out to me.

As the record plays out it’s choppiness starts to wear, it looses interest from time to time and when dealing with pot heads you know you gotta keep em captivated. His braggadocios lyrics are still occupying too much time. As is talk of money and it’s accompanying perks.

My opinion of this tape is as varied as the 23 songs present. He raps over hella different selections. I think this is one reason I like Spitta, he is a Hip Hop head to the bone. He has lived and breathed this culture for ever. I don’t feel that from every rapper. Doesn’t mean they haven’t but does mean he can personify better than many. That’s a valuable asset.

For a project that is re-announcing you to a scene you had begun to break the ice with Independence Day is decent enough. Perhaps that is why he made it sporadic. Here is all of me. It’s all an evolution and who are we to complain at the end of the day? It’s not like he’s asking us to pay anything. Download it here.

Currensy "Michael Knight"

This Currensy is leaps and bounds beyond the kid whose tapes I've reviewed so far. Something illy for your Sunday morn wake n bake. I see Spitta's repping a Seahawks hat?!

Currensy "Life At 30,000 Feet"

On Currensy’s third outing he finally proves himself a rapper worth hearing. The mixtape game at one point was all about development. I doubt you would ever hear an emcee coming out with something as rough as what we’ve already seen from the Hot Spitta. Life at 30,000 Feet is Currensy’s second mixtape with Cash Money and this time he is rocking with the family and fitting a role to a T.

Gone are the “freestyle” tags from these tracks. Sometimes he rocks over an industry beat and sometimes he has something original to hit you with. Guests vary throughout the tape but for a 27 track tape I’m not mad at the mixture of solo material with appearances from some different faces. Wayne comes through twice, Mack Maine, Top Gunz, Roddy, some guys named Joey and Daryl are also here along with a few others.

Wayne’s first verse comes over the classic Ski beat that Jay-Z owned - “Dead Presidents.” While it can never be touched, these two do not let anyone down with their writtens. Currensy spends time throughout all of his tapes rocking to many Ski beats, this is an awesome foreshadowing that we as fans should eat up.

Where the first two tapes held nothing that made me want to come back to them, this one has much that I enjoy. It’s more in line with what he is doing today, still less the regular weed talk. That is starting to creep in more and more though, don’t doubt it. He gives you “Smoke-N-Maintain” an awesome weed track, along with “Coastin’ Through The City” featuring this guy Top Gunz, who spits an awesome 16 to open the track discussing how he get’s highed up while riding through the city looking for “money and bitches.”

On that note, the influence of a conglomerate like Cash Money weighs heavy on Currensy still. It’s obvious here that he is aiming for a change, yet he knows the line he must walk to please those who hold the keys. Towards the end of the tape, he goes in on an assortment of early 90s native tongue beats and he sounds great. None of his posturing for the streets, just riding beats and flexing the art of gab that he can do with ease.

On “Galaxy Rap” he address some of the hate that has come his way and comes off honest and open. He nonchalantly dismisses the haters while continuing to push the image of being a young baller with cash, cars and girls. It’s hard to argue with. Currensy does a lot to prove himself on this record. His choice of beats to rock over and his fine walking of a line between his more gangster label mates and his laid back stoned demeanor is great.

While the first two mixtapes held tracks only the most die hard of Currensy fans need to hear, this tape features some gems for a much larger audience. You have Wayne in the Carter era here and Currensy opening up his mind to idea’s bigger than the block. His ear for a good beat is the deal breaker as you won’t be disappointed upon any track change. Roll one while this tape downloads and spark it as you press play.

Currensy "Welcome Back"

Listening to Currensy as a younger emcee is interesting. He is a great example of someone who needed the mixtape game to perfect his craft. Sports Center Vol. 1 held my attention only in so far as an example of growth for one of my current favorites. Welcome Back does about the same. He sounds a little better, but this is a much shorter affair with only nine real songs.

In the course of one year Currensy switched camps and on Welcome Back hears him repping hard for the Young Money/Cash Money conglomerate. Their are no guests from the crew present but some of the beats sound as though they may be Mannie Fresh throw aways. Some hold the “Armz” stamp which leads me to believe he got them off the long running instrumental mixtape series done by J. Armz.

His content still revolves around money, go figure with the new alliance, and he is still attempting to carry the gangster image. On “Ambitions Az A Ridah Freestyle” he spits next to a chick I think named Diamond, his bars about killing someone hold nothing menacing behind them. Diamond comes on and has a vicious tone that next to Spitta tells me one thing: he doesn’t believe what he’s saying.

On “Change Clothes” he sounds terrific and it’s more of the same discussing moving grams and holding “so many guns in his trunk he ran out of room for his speakers.” He rides Jay-Z beats incredibly well and makes me wonder how long Dame has been watching him. He still isn’t discussing the sticky green all that much, and does rely on talking about how dope he is a bit too much.

Confidence is great though and it could be the exact reason that we know who Currensy is today and their are countless others who were rapping in 2004 who we don’t. At 23 Currensy was not the artist his partner Wiz Khalifa is, but his strong suits peak out from time to time on these early tapes and it awesome to see how he has identified and developed them.

Download here.

Currensy "Sports Center Vol. 1"

I’ve been patiently waiting for Currensy to come out to our lovely town. The date is set for December 2nd. Over the course of the next month I’ll be reviewing all of his old work. It starts today with, according to Wikipedia, his first mixtape Sports Center Vol. 1.

Released in 2004, this tape is a No Limit affair - the only project I’ve discovered of dudes that bears his first labels stamp. This copy is not the best quality, but everything is listenable and will let you hear the hot spitta as a young emcee just starting to develop.

While he has recently paired with his fellow No Limit refuge Fiend, they are not gettin busy together on this record. Mr. Marcello makes several appearances. C-Murder spits a few bars. Master P, Lil Romeo and a chick - that I’m thinking could be Rom’s sister, get down on a track next to Currensy as well.

I was never buying No Limit releases growing up, but what I know about the label seems to be represented here. Gone is all of the weed talk Currensy is known for today. In it’s place is a fair amount of gangster shit, stereotypical nonsense that shows me probably why I was never checking for him for so long. Elsewhere he talks about money, girls, etc. I’m intrigued to learn about Currensy’s youth, because if this is at all serious I think he may have grown up in the No Limit camp much like Lil Wayne with the Cash Money crew.

Like most mixtapes of this era most of the beats heard are jacked from the hits of the day. A few originals slip in and they are pretty bad. Cheap synths and lackluster 808s barely hitting anything do not make for good rhyming. Over the wide array of selections Currensy and the guests rock over no one ever really sounds great. Currensy was not the smooth rapping cat he is today six years ago.

While he pulls off a decent cadence on “Crush On You” he sounds way to soft for a track like “Gangster Music.” Listening to him struggle on some tunes, show hints of what’s to come on others is the only reason I can say you should download this tape. I love seeing the growth and advancement. Currensy has done a lot of that on many different levels. Sports Center Vol. 1 is essential only for the completests.

Download it here.

Curren$y & Fiend "Flying Iron"

Loved this song when it dropped, Spitta and Fiend together is beautiful. All this talk of Pilot Talk 2, I want this shit to happen so much more. Don't forget Curren$y's roots.

Curren$y & Trademark Da Skydiver "J.E.T.S." (Video)

Trademark The Skydiver ft. Curren$y - J.E.T.S. from Creative Control on Vimeo.

Sunday funday! I'm not mad at no more brunch shifts, won't lie. Me and Swerve ended our nights on this note. Figured it was a good way to kick off the morning too. I wonder where these cats ran off to film this? Love the Simply Lemonade Spitta.

If you don't have the jam, download the mp3 here!

The Skybourne Rangers

Curren$y has a good thing going right now. Weed rap has taken over the internet and legions of stoners are sitting behind their desk's geeking out over name brand strains and paper planes. Pilot Talk is still getting regular spins and Smoke DZA's filthy free tape George Kush the Button is in constant rotation.

Dame Dash brought together some talented individuals for his latest endeavor and it seems to be paying off. The internet has been hyped on the potential for Jay Electronica and Mos Def to be doing songs together and the inclusion of Curren$y in their team has some heads talking shit and some that much more amped. "The Day" is proof that they are in fact in the lab, but I'm skeptical of a full project ever seeing realization.

Mos Def's legendary status and artistic desires will him to create what he feels, they also allow him to indulge in whatever it is he sees fit. While he may be stoked on Jay and Spitta, at the end of the day he has nothing left to prove so why bother pairing with some younger cats that are only gonna put you to the test everyday. As fans we would love that shit. But is this old man really interested in working like that anymore? I think not.

Big K.R.I.T. is another new voice emerging from the South, the M - I crooked letter state to be exact. While he isn't in the same vein as DZA or Spitta, he does elevate your mind with his rhymes and dedicates little time to the weed talk, his deep voice and buttery flow are irresistible.

These three have appeared on 3 songs together that have been released. The first was from K.R.I.T. Wuz Here entitled "No Wheaties." The second was found on Pilot Talk called "Skybourne" and the most recent, and perhaps the smoothest, is "Etc, Etc" from DZA's latest offering.

Together these three are unfukwitable. Three up and comers all looking for their spot atop the thrown. Their drive to win has propelled them to the cusp of success. The question is what will push the over the top. Curren$y and DZA's love for the giggly bush will never suffice should they like to see real paper from the business. K.R.I.T. could probably do alright on the underground circuit, touring his ass off for the next decade and making a living.

Enter the Skybourne Rangers. Spitta, DZA & Krit unified for one mission: total domination of the rap game. Stop hoping and praying that Mos Def and Jay Elec are gonna get in the lab for a project with dude. How many records have they released in the last 5 years? How many has Curren$y got under his belt? Dude is driven and teaming with cats that have proven to be of the same mindset will only allow them to be inspired off each other - never stifled.

If you aren't hip to the biz on the Rangers I've compiled their three tracks into a nice little folder for your downloading pleasure. I've used a live recording of "Skybourne" so as to avoid any legal repercussions - it features a live band and certainly does nothing to take away from what these three can do together. Enjoy and download here!