As most mixtape connaisseur's know, the mixtape medium allows artist to present their work with less drama than a regular LP. You don't need execs to cosign every movement or approve the message/vision of the album. That being said, we expect you to go hard off the break. And that is exactly what Push did. The generic titled Intro is anything but. It is another high octane track warning all other punk ass rappers that the line in the sand has been drawn. Pusha "preaches facts" about his life and makes sure all other hip-hop gangster know that they just "laptop hot" and "internet porn" to him.
Then next track picks up where Intro left off. Millions features Rick Ross and has the most simple and catchy hook ever: million-millions in the ceiling, million-millions in the ceiling, million-millions in the ceiling, million-millions in the ceiling, choppa-choppas in the closet, choppa-choppas in the closet, choppa-choppas in the closet, choppa-choppas in the closet. Believe me, this will be in the your head ALL day. Kanye co-produced this track and really was able to merge that dark gritty gothic style that Push has with some of that Mercy track feel. The song ends with Pusha T saying, "This that shit that uall wanted. This shit sound like God don't it?" Don't get tougher than that.
Revolution is a Neptune laced track that def has that early Clipse feel. Push rides that track with ease, and this should come as no surprise since they have been working together for so long. He recalls his street days "From Virginia/ never raided/ before us no one ever made it/ dope boy lane a n**** paved it/ when every n**** was afraid to say it." Then making it in the rap game, losing fake friends and the ups and downs that come with success, "I was lost/ I was jaded/ Malice found his way to our Savior/ now author/ he offers/ way to view before I see coffins/ way to view to see it before we see vultures." Then of course the signing with Kanye and brighter future that he is able to have with the next chapter in his life. But this track is also to remind him that he was come a long way, "I'm back in the P (Pharrell) now it's full circle."
The last track on the tape is I Am Forgiven. Producer B!ink provides Push with a Mama Loved Me type beat to lay down his thoughts. It come across as an extremely introspective track. With one of the themes being the juxtaposition of his underworld life and the righteous person he hopes to be. He wants to move to a better place but haters "gonna make me bear these arms like a Chippendale/ squeeze off on em/ leave cross on em/ by the time the bodies found there's peat moss on em." The crime life has been a part of his life for so long, but he acknowledges that he "asks for forgiveness Lord." He is great-full of where he is and knows that his outcome could have been much different, primarily prison or death.
This short 11 track tape is meant to be an appetizer to his GOOD Music debut LP My Name is My Name. Taking all 3 mixtapes into consideration I think one can assume if he stays with the blueprint, his solo debut will be solid. I still think Fear of God is slightly better. But I would place this tape at #2, and that is not a bad thing. Pusha has been an emcee that has grown with each of his musical offering throughout this career. There are many hip-hop thugs on record but few can actually paint the masterpieces that Push can. The emotion is raw and genuine. The track Only You Can Tell It has a sincere Push saying, "I wish my imagination was this good. I can't make this shit up. This is really my life." Do yourself a favor and run through this one, def made to bump hard in the whip or anywhere you just want that hardcore gritty hip-hop.
4 tapes.
Stream tape here.
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