Arismixtapes & DJ 007 Max B Picture Me Rollin mixtape

Last year, I got together with Max B's mom and manager and worked out a project with him from inside the jail walls to do an official mixtape. While Max has dropped many mixtapes, this one was something really special, as no one had heard anything new from him in the months since he had gone to prison and we wanted to keep his memory fresh.

On the Picture Me Rollin mixtape, Max hosted it and gave me a bunch of exclusives. I asked him to spit over an old Pac beat, 50 cent's Crimewave, and Gucci Lemonade. He also spit two acapella freestyles and did a bunch of drops. DJ 007 used his magic touch to beatmatch and blend the whole mixtape, and what came out was the hottest East Coast mixtape of the summer. If you haven't heard this yet, what are you waiting for? Free Max B!

Lil Wayne Jackin For Beats

One of the best Lil Wayne mixtapes to come out was with DJ Delz, as part of Delz' "Jackin For Beats" series. The one with Lil Wayne was one of his best. This mixtape is pretty much a nice collection of all of Wayne's flows and freestyles over other people's beats. Wayne simply murders the instrumentals. Beats that he spits over include Dear Summer, Nas' If I Ruled The World and Ether, 50 Cent's Piggy Bank, Dipsets Dipset Anthem and Reppin Time, Jay-Z Moment Of Clarity, Lucifer, Dec 4th and Dirt On Your Shoulders, and many more. Wayne consistently shows his spit game when he jumps on other peoples beats. A great one for your collection.

B.G. mixtapes

B.G. is one of the few rappers who has consistently kept it gangster and street. He kicked a heroin addiction after years and he built his own label Chopper City Records after his leaving Cash Money Records and bad blood with Baby. B.G. is one of the most consistent mixtape rappers. He has dropped many mixtapes over the past few years.

The best B.G. mixtape hands-down was the Life After Cash Money mixtape (not to be confused with the album he dropped by the same title). He was just vicious on this one, pissed about his homie Soulja Slim's death and he just goes hard. Every single track on here is great. It is super hard to find anymore but definitely worth a listen.

Juvenile mixtapes

Juvenile is not as known as he used to be, when he was with the Hot Boys (Lil Wayne, BG, and Turk) but he is still out here and he drops great Juvenile mixtapes. The best one is some time was done with DJ Scream, called "Undefeated". Juvenile is back on his old shit after a couple albums of some here and there tracks. This mixtape is great.

Juvenile dropped two classic albums. "400 Degreez" and "The G-Code" are both 5 stars, and have tons of great songs. If you don't own these two, definitely go out and get them. Hopefully Juvenile will one day drop an album comparable to these two.

Rick Ross Mixtape Teflon Don R&B

DJ Finesse has a great skill for making mixtapes featuring rap artists with all of their R&B collabos in one place. This new Ross is a great example. This mixtape features "Super High", his new hit with Ne-Yo. Alot of great Ross collabos over time: "Speedin" with R Kelly, "Find Your Love" remix with Drake (that Ross simply kills), "All I Really Want" with The Dream, "The Boss" with T-Pain, "This Is The Life", "Breakup", and tons more. This is one you just throw in and ride to. This mixtape reminds you how versatile an artist Rick Ross is, and just how many hits he has made in his short career.

Young Jeezy 1000 Grams mixtape

I just got done listening to Jeezy's new 1000 Grams mixtape with DJ Scream, and it is really good.
While all Young Jeezy mixtapes are always street and hard, this one is the best I've heard hands down since Trap Or Die 2. Jeezy starts it off with the phone call to DJ Scream, and then proceeds to tear through the newest beats of late. He takes Drake and Timbalands "Say Something" and turns it into "Spray Something", about drugs and automatics. Soulja Boy's "My Swag" becomes "Dope Boy Swag", and "Diddy's "Hello Good Morning" becomes "Yayo". On each beat, Jeezy spits ferocious and makes the beats seem like his own. Definitely check this one out. Can we get TM 103 already?

DJ OP Sheek Louch Don Don

DJ OP is a New York DJ who happens to be good friends with D-Block. OP drops D-Block mixtapes
with regularity and they always contain some new heat. His newest with Sheek Louch is no exception. Sheek has been calling himself Donny G lately, thus the title Don Don. This mixtape is full of all hard new Sheek stuff. There is a song where Sheek raps "The only nigga like me isn't even seven, He doesn't know about 9-11, D-Block New York that's what he reppin". Sheek is a raw, gritty and humorous lyricist who has consistently gotten better over time. Don't forget he also came up under Biggie. Don Don. Get it.

Chamillionaire Mixtape Messiah 7

Chamillionaire has one of the best mixtape series ever released. They are the Mixtape Messiahs, Volumes 1-7. On these mixtapes, Chamillionaire shows his lyrical prowess and simply murders the competition. Today is a beautiful summer day, so I pulled out Messiah 7 for a drive to the gym. I forgot how great it is. Chamillionaire raps over the old Fabolous "Breathe" beat and does it justice. He has one with Bun B called "I Know You're Mad" where they both go back and forth on haters. Every single song on here is good. This is one that I constantly pull out with regularity. If you haven't checked it out yet, please do so. You won't be disappointed.

T.I. A Year And A Day

T.I. has always been a great rapper. From when he first dropped "I'm Serious" to his newest cd, "Paper Trail", T.I. has improved as an entertainer and an artist. T.I. mixtapes are always well put together. When he went to jail in 2009, he dropped an official mixtape with MLK and Grand Hustle called "A Year And A Day" (as that was his sentence).

This T.I. mixtape is fantastic. My favorite song hands down was "Don't Forget" with Mary J Blige. This was a super heartfelt and real song about how when you're gone in jail what happens with your girl, kids, etc. How people forget you quick on the old ouuta sight, outta mind. Other great tracks include Make You Sweat, Done It Now, and Leaving With Me. 5 stars.

Rick Ross Jackin For Beats

Rick Ross mixtapes are always hard. Ross has been consistently dropping great songs and hard verses since he first came out. He has also improved greatly as a songwriter and lyricist. If you listen to his first album and then listen to Deeper Than Rap, you can easily hear it. I have listened to tons of his mixtapes, and one of my favorites is the DJ Delz Ross Jackin For Beats. This cd is all Ross freestyles over all other people's beats and he kills every single track. Dufflebag Boy, Pop My Collar, 24 Hours To Live, Money Power Respect, Still Kill, Change Hoes, and tons more. This is one of Ross's best mixtapes, hands down.

Jadakiss mixtapes

While Jadakiss mixtapes are not dropped with the same regularity as Styles P mixtapes or Sheek Louch mixtapes, when they do drop they are always on point. Jadakiss is the most commercial of the D-Block bunch, and he really knows how to write a good song. While Jadakiss albums are strong, he really shines on the mixtapes.

His most classic mixtape is easily "The Champ Is Here", which he did years ago with DJ Green Lantern. He has since dropped two more volumes of the Champ, as well as mixtapes with DJ OP, Keyz, and P-Cutta. Jadakiss two mixtapes with Rob E Rob are both certified classics, and they have 70+ tracks on each.

Styles P mixtapes

Styles P mixtapes are some of the most consistent, strongest, best mixtapes ever put out. Styles is a raw, wise, deep street rapper and his music always sounds better in the winter months for some reason. It is hoody weather music, dirty knife, Timberland, cold corner store music.

Styles P has dropped tons of mixtapes, and I have honestly never heard a weak one, EVER. From his classics like "Ghost In The Shell" and "Ghost Stories" to newer ones like "Paranormal Activity" and "Phantom Empire", his mixtapes never fail to satisfy. For years now Styles P has been one of the hardest voices from New York and he continues to be. I just read his new novel "Invincible" and it was great.

Gucci Mane Jewelry Selection

There are always many Gucci Mane mixtapes dropping weekly, but this is a standout. Done with DJ Holiday, the Jewelry Selection mixtape is fantastic. It is all brand new exclusives and hosted by Gucci himself. Since getting out of jail, Gucci Mane has been stepping up his rap game more than ever and reestablishing himself as a street star and king of the mixtapes.

Standout tracks are "Block Party", "Making Love To The Money", "Electricity", "Stone Cold", and the vicious "Vampires". Mr. Zone 6 is back on his grind. This mixtape slides into the list of Gucci's top mixtapes he has dropped in his career.

Lil Wayne The Suffix

One of the best mixtapes ever dropped was Lil Wayne The Suffix mixtape with DJ Khaled. This mixtape is crazy. The whole thing was all exclusives and all hard jams. A lot of people missed this one. It is a summer mixtape. This one was dropped when Weezy was at his peak flow game and just hot to death. Standout tracks are "Diamonds On My Neck", with the Biggie hook, "Damage Is Done", which just kills, and "Soul Survivor" over the Jeezy beat. Honestly, every track is heat on here. Though there are many Lil Wayne mixtapes out there, this is one of the best. Definitely check this one out. I have listened to this hundreds of times and it never gets old.

The Game Brake Lights

The Game recently dropped a new mixtape called "Brake Lights" with DJ Skee as a prequel to hus upcoming album. I honestly have not taken it out of my truck in over two weeks. It is the sickest mixtape I've heard in some time. While Game is known for the way he simply murders his mixtapes, this one goes above and beyond.

Standout tracks are "Stop", with Rick Ross, where Game goes hard on the old Ozzy "Mr. Crowley" instrumental. "Street Riders" with Akon and Nas is a certified banger, with Akon on the hook and Nas on some old Escobar-type shit we haven't heard from him in awhile. "Pushin It" with T.I and Robin Thicke is some old slick R&B type jam, while "Phatom Of The Opera" has Game spitting about the benefits of pushing a Phantom. This whole mixtape is sick front to back and definitely deserves a listen.

J.R. Writer

J.R. Writer came up with Cam'ron and the Diplomats crew. He is known for his crazy freestyles and his slick punchlines. His mixtape series "Writer's Block" Volumes 1-3 established JR as a force to be reckoned with. Since the Dips fell apart, Writer has dropped tons of J.R. Writer mixtapes, none with any real commercial success. He unfortunately fell into the same place that Hell Rell did. No click to call home, no record label, stuck in no man's land. Hopefully with rumors of a Dipset reunion JR Writer will be returned to his position as Dipset's chief young spitter.

Messy Marv

Messy Marv is one of the West Coast's hardest rappers. Messy Marv has dropped many albums in a short time. His best include "Explosive Mode", "Disobayish", and "Tattoos & Tongue Rings". Mess spits all gangster rhymes over West Coast mob beats.

Messy Marv puts out mixtapes a lot of times between albums. His best mixtape series is "Draped Up & Chipped Out". While they also feature other West Coast artists like C-Bo, Yukmouth, Keak The Sneak, and others, Mess drops new heaters of his on them as well.

Juvenile

Juvenile came up with the Cash Money/Hot Boys camp and showed himself to be one of their top spitters. His classic album "400 Degreez" is one of the hardest south rap albums to drop in years. Even the follow-up, "The G-Code", was an instant classic. Juvenile's career has since been hit-or-miss, with good songs mixed with forgettable ones.

Juvenile has dropped some great mixtapes, too. His best mixtape was with DJ Scream last year, titled "Undefeated". His new album "Cocky & Confident" just dropped a month ago.

Z-Ro

Z-Ro is not as well known as alot of other more commercial rappers, but he is one of the best. If you haven't heard him, definitely check him out. He not only raps super hard and has some of the best beats and samples, but he also has a super good singing voice and sings all of his own hooks. While Z-Ro rarely drops a mixtape, his albums are raw just like mixtapes. Last year's "Cocaine" was bangin all the way through. His albums are consistently hard and well put together. My favorite Z-Ro album is "The Life Of Joseph W. McVey", but all of them are hard. Definitely check him out.

Slim Thug

Slim Thug is one of the hardest and most consistent rappers out of Houston, Texas. He dropped a classic mixtape last year and just dropped "No Mixtape" in the past few weeks. Slim Thug has a crazy hard style, whether on his own beats or other peoples. He drops occasional mixtapes and when he does I always check them out. I have never heard a weak Slim Thug mixtape. He is one of Houston's Finest. Sometimes he gets put over the wrong beats, like gay-ass Pharell's beats, but anytime that Slim Thug is on a south beat it is a match made in heaven.

The Game

The Game is one of the best rappers in the hip-hop game right now. He came out with G-Unit and Dr. Dre and since then has built a huge following and established himself as a solid force to be reckoned with. Game had old mixtapes that were crazy, like the Cutmaster C series "Welcome To Compton", where he rapped over other peoples beats and went hard at Joe Buddens and others. He really came into his own when he started dropping a mixtape series with DJ Skee and Nu Jerzey Devil. Every one of those is crazy. My personal favorite is "You Know What It Is Vol.4-Murda Game Chronicles". That cd was better than any of his albums.

Lloyd Banks

When G-Unit first came out, Lloyd Banks was regularly dropping mixtapes that were just killer. Every one was full of great raps anbd crazy punch-lines. People were fiending for Banks' album and he just really blew up. My favorite Lloyd Banks mixtape series was the one with DJ Famous. It was when Banks first came out and he was just killing it. Another great series was all the mixtapes Banks did with DJ Whoo Kid. Those are bestsellers on my website to this very day.

Hell Rell

Hell Rell may very well be the rawest of the Dipset camp. He built his name off of appearing on the Diplomats compilation albums, and then he started to drop Hell Rell mixtapes. His official Diplomats-released mixtape "Streets Wanna Know" showed his raw street lyrical style. Hell Rell raps best next to Cam'ron and Jim Jones, as their styles mesh well together. Hell Rell was put in a bad spot when the Diplomats broke up, as he was left with no record deal and unsure where to place his allegiance. Hopefully, with rumors of a Dipset reunion, he will take his rightful place as soldier in the Dipset camp.

Cassidy

Cassidy has built a huge following from his mixtape grind. He is from Philly and he has dropped countless mixtapes. He blew up from the hit "I'm A Hustla" and ran from there. He had a super popular Cassidy mixtapes series with Lil Wayne and DJ Klapton called "The Beast & The Hustla". Cassidy also has many mixtapes with Big Mike, including "The Hustla's Home" and "Put Ya L's In The Sky". Cassidy works alot with Swizz Beatz.

Max B

Max B is currently sitting in jail, and while the world moves on and these soft-ass cats try to trick to their girls and listen to the current top 40 hits, Max B sits in a jail cell and tries to get his appeal heard so he can hit these streets again. Max is one of the best ever. He not only raps crazy, but he sings his own hooks and is super talented. Whether on a mixtape or on Jim Jones' hooks or a Dipset album, Max always shined.

Max built a huge following off of his Max B mixtapes. I carry many on my site and they are all strong. Free Max B!

Lil Boosie

Lil Boosie is one of the realest cats in the game, and unfortunately for this reason he is currently in jail and in constant legal trouble. Lil Boosie blew up a few years ago and came into his own. Using Lil' Boosie mixtapes to get himself known, as well as his nasal high-pitched voice he threw himself into the hearts of many southern hip-hop fans. Each mixtape was well put together. Joints like "The 25th Hour" and "Living Like A Savage" cemented Boosie into Southern rap. Hopefully Boosie will beat this murder rap and hit the streets again.

Young Bleed

Young Bleed came out with Master P's No Limit Records camp, with the hit "How Ya Do Dat", from his incredible first album "My Balls & My Word". Young Bleed showed himself to be not only an incredible rapper, but also he has a deep sense of spirituality and deep wise rhymes. He seems like a preacher who has lived the dark side and now speaks on it from the line in between. His second album "My Own" was more of the same.

While Young Bleed has not really dropped any mixtapes, he constantly put out new jams. We can only hope that one day he will drop an official mixtape.

Juelz Santana

Juelz Santana built a career around the strength of his lyrical mixtape flow. He started off with the Diplomats, who built their entire street following off of their mixtapes. Juelz Santana mixtapes had the classic series "Back Like Cooked Crack" Volumes 1-3, where he established himself as a serious force to contend with. On his albums, he leans more towrds the commercial/club hit side, but on the mixtapes Juelz comes hard. His newest mixtape "Street Abiding Hustler" was a smash success.

AZ

AZ is a New York rapper who used to be with Nas is The Firm. He has a slick flow that is very similar to old Nas. AZ has had an up and down career, but he has dropped some really great verses. The Firm album was a classic. J-Love has done multiple mixtapes with AZ and they are classics. "The Return Of Sosa Part 1" and "The Return Of Sosa Part 2" show AZ at his top lyrical form, spitting street rhymes about hustling drugs and gun battles. If you are a fan of It Was Written-era Nas, AZ is definitely one to check out. AZ goes hard on a mixtape like he does on his albums.

Fat Joe

Fat Joe has been around for a long time now. Hiy lyrical game has really stepped up the past few years, probably through his affiliation with Big Pun and being surrounded by great lyricists. His albums "Loyalty" and "Jealous Ones Still Envy" are both classics. His new cd "The Darkside" finds him settling back into his groove and dropping his best album in years.

Fat Joe also goes heavy on the mixtapes. His newest mixtape "Return Of Joey Crack" shows his triumphant return to doing what he does best. His raps are real and he is well known for being a real-ass cat.

French Montana

French Montana has been around for quite some time, and yet the magazines wanna call him a rookie. French came into the game with his Cocaine City dvds, long before he ever hooked up with Max B or get a 2 million dollar deal with Akon. French is a street rapper, dropping grimy tracks soaked in New York flavor.

French Montana mixtapes are how he built his career. He has dropped some bangers in the past two years. I loved Laundry Man 1 and 2, especially 2. The songs "Cant Shake The Game" and "Slow Down" were on constant repeat in my truck. However, he recently dropped "Mac With The Cheese 2" and showed a new level of songwriting and lyrical maturity in his mixtape flow.

Cam'ron

Cam'ron is a fantastic rapper. He is from Harlem, started the Dipset movement, and has crazy swag. He has been shot, stabbed, arrested, seen his crew backstab him and fall apart, and he still kills it musically. His best album hands-down was "Purple Haze". It was his defining moment. Tracks like "Down" with Kanye West, "Family Ties", and the excellent "Adrenaline" with Twista and Psycho Drama cemented his status, as well as the fact that every beat on the album was flawless.

Cam'ron also built the Dipset movement from the mixtapes he dropped. Cam'ron mixtapes that stand out are Enyce "Nothing But The Freestyles" and "King Of Ohio" Part 1 and 2. Cam puts his heart into the mixtapes and you can hear it when he rhymes.

Weezy F Baby Mayor Of The South

This Lil Wayne mixtape is one of the classics. It is full of old freestyles where Wayne spit over all kinds of crazy other beats, like Jay-Z's Renegade, Knuck If You Buck, How We Do, I A'int Heard Of That, and tons more. This one really shows how Lil Wayne can get on other people's beats and really make them his own.

Lil Wayne mixtapes are some of the best mixtapes out. He really took his time to put together great tracks and great mixtapes. They are no extra filler, but rather the stuff that blew him up. I was actually really let down by The Carter 3, as I expected much more from him after all of the killer mixtapes he dropped right before his album.

Lil Wayne mixtapes

Lil Wayne has been on a crazy mixtape grind for years, and he has built his career around it and kept his buzz going. For a couple years straight, Weezy F Baby dropped mixtape after mixtape and they were consistently great. Suffix, Dedications, The Mixtape Legend, Like Father Like Son (the mixtape, not the album), Weezy F Baby Mayor Of The South, and tons more.

One of his best mixtapes is the series that DJ White Owl dropped called "New Orleans Nightmare", volumes 1-10. Every one is classic and they are all full of great mixtape tracks. If you have 1-10, you are pretty covered on Wayne's mixtape tracks over the past few years.

Sheek Louch

Sheek Louch from D-Block/LOX is one of the game's most underrated rappers. He has consistently dropped fire lyrics and gotten rougher and tighter over the years. When Sheek gets on a track, he bullies it. His old mixtape "Iron Sheek" with DJ Kochece was a regular spin of mine for years. His ones with Big Mike- "Year Of The Wolf", "Still A Wolf", and "The Howling" are all classics and are better than his albums. Sheek Louch mixtapes are cds that you never have to second guess. They are gonna be raw and hard, period. If you have never really messed with Sheek, or you prefer Jadakiss and Styles P, give Sheek a listen. He is the underdog who is well worth it.

Gucci Mane Mixtapes

Gucci Mane is a great rapper and a super charismatic guy. He has improved lyrically since he came out and he has consistently dropped mixtape after mixtape with all hard beats. Gucci's older mixtapes were the Trapaholics series "Wilt Chamberlain", followed by the fantastic "The Movie" with DJ Drama. Even though Gucci has had constant legal trouble and been in and out of jail, he has kept the streets on fire with his mixtapes and he has built an insane career off of his buzz.

Gucci's newest mixtapes, "The Definition Of Gucci" and "Once Upon A Time In Zone 6", are further cementing his career as one of the most popular and street rappers to ever come out of Atlanta, GA.

Trick Daddy

Another great cd was from Trick Daddy, titled "www.Thug.com". This classic is another one I could listen to every day. Track after track is emotional and well-done. Stand-out tracks are "Change My Life" and "Hold On". This one made me a fan of Trick back in the day. Still an unbeatable classic, right next to UGK "Ridin Dirty".

Trick Daddy dropped some mixtapes as well. His best one was probably Trick Or Treat. He has dropped so many classics it is hard to believe.

UGK Ridin Dirty

This one had to be done! Ridin Dirty, the classic album from 1994 from UGK, is one of the greatest southern rap albums of all time. Easily top five. From beginning to end, it is well-done, inspired, with soulful songs, excellent beats and samples, and the trademark killer flow you came to expect from Pimp and Bun. Standout track is "One Day They're Here", about how fast life is and how quick it can all end. I could listen to this one track over and over for weeks.

UGK also dropped a few mixtapes. The best one was with DJ Hevehitta, titled "Southern Royalty". No matter what UGK did, whether album or mixtape, they killed it.

Scarface

Scarface is one of the most classic gangster rappers still in the game. He consistently drops great album after great album. Last year he dropped the "Emeritus" album, which I felt was in his best three albums. It had banger after banger. There was a jam with Slim Thug about girls who used to turn their noses up in high school and now try to pick up on Scarface/Slim Thug and they just tore em down. Vicious.

He never dropped Scarface mixtapes until a couple months ago he surprised the world by dropping the "Dopeman Music" mixtape, which was his first ever. It was quite good. Hopefully there are more mixtapes to come from this rap legend.

R.I.P Pimp C

Pimp C was one of the greatest, most charismatic, realest rappers of our time. He unfortunately passed away at a young age. Pimp C was one half of the rap duo UGK, along with Bun B. Pimp was constantly calling other rappers out on their games. He did a couple years in prison for threatening a woman with a gun.

Pimp C had a few mixtapes. My favorite mixtape was DJ DNA "Pimp C Chronicles". It was a great mix of classic Pimp C joints. Also a young up-and-comer Hezeleo had a track called "Got Me A Family" where Pimp C did the hook. That one was great.

Rick Ross

I have been a huge fan of Rick Ross since he first came out years ago, even before Hustlin. I heard his old freestyle mixtape and it blew me away. Since he first dropped "Hustlin", he has blown up into one of the largest and best known rappers around. He recently got backed up by none other than P. Diddy, which was a huge help to his career. I have personally never heard Ross spit a weak verse, EVER.

Rick Ross has dropped a ton of mixtapes. There are so many good ones it is hard to pick. One that really blew me away was DJ Delz "Jackin For Beats". Delz put together every old Ross freestyle on other peoples beats. This mixtape is a great example of how hard Rick Ross goes on every track, and how he can kill other peoples beats to make the song sound better than the original.

DJ Khaled

DJ Khaled is one of the best DJ's in the country. Similar to Drama, he gets the top names in rap and R&B together and makes brand new slamming tracks with them. He has pull with all of the big names. Lil Wayne, Fat Joe, Birdman, Rick Ross, Nicki Minaj, Drake, etc.

DJ Khaled has dropped many classic mixtapes. His best mixtape was with Lil Wayne, titled "The Suffix". It was all exclusive tracks and done perfectly.

Mobb Deep

Mobb Deep is a classic group from New York City. They dropped their first album "Infamous" and blew up. They kept a gritty, rainy, street sound all through their career. My favorite album is undoubtedly "Murda Muzik", but all of their albums have been solid.

They also have many mixtapes. Their best known mixtape series is probably "Mobb Misses" with DJ J-Love. These volumes were full of unreleased gems, special cuts, freestyles, etc.

RIP Big Pun!

Big Pun was undoubtedly one of the greatest rappers of all time, and yet I have always felt that he never got his proper respect. I always see lists of the greatest rappers including Biggie, 2Pac, Eazy-E, Andre 3000???, Eminem, Jay-Z, etc and many of them will never mention Pun.

Big Pun had a lot of great mixtapes as well. Unfortunately most were put out after his death. His best mixtape was with DJ 007. Another classic was Joey Fingaz "Best Of Big Pun".

Jeezy is back!

Jeezy has a new mixtape dropping called "My Atlanta". It features a bunch of brand new tracks from Jeezy. Songs like the brand new "Jizzle" with Lil' Jon (where the hell has he been? Yeah! What?) and "Cocaine Muzik" with Yo Gotti Rick Ross and The Clipse.

Jeezy's album "Thug Motivation 103" has been promised for over a year now and still has not dropped. I guess we will just have to be satisfied with the mixtapes in the meantime.

T.I.

T.I. pissed alot of people off when he came out calling himself the "King Of The South". However, he built a huge career and showed what being a good rapper and a good businessman can do. He has had great albums and now after his one year jail stint he is working on the newest album, "King Uncaged".

As for his mixtapes, he has dropped some classics. The best known is probably Down With The King with DJ Drama. That was when T.I. was beefing with Lil' Flip and that mixtape almost ruined Flip's career.

Yukmouth

Yukmouth is a not as well known West Coast rapper. He started off with the Luniz and had the hit, "I Got Five On It". He then went on a solo career. His album "Godzilla" is one of the greatest gangster rap cds of all time, and the rest of his albums are pretty good (though none touch Godzilla).

Yukmouth also has a side group with C-Bo called the Thug Lordz. They have two mixtapes out. Both of them are vicious and what you would expect from the Thug Lordz. Besides the occasional mixtape, the Thug Lordz usually just work on their solo careers.

E-40

The West Coast Godfather. He perfected the independant grind. He started off selling tapes out of his trunk and brokered one of the first real ownership deals. He taught Master P alot so that P was able to go out and do what he did with No Limit Records.

E-40 has around 15 or 16 albums, all of which are great. His newest was two different cds that dropped on the same day. Night Shift and Day Shift. Both are fantastic. Thumping beats and well-crafted lyrics with 40 Water's usual slick wordplay.

E-40 is featured on many of the West Coast mixtapes. The DJ Whoo Kid Welcome To The Bay mixtape was a classic, as well as the DJ Keyz I Rep The West. 40 is currently touring with Tech N9ne on the Independant Grind tour, which I will soon be attending in October.

Tech N9ne

One of my personal favorite rappers who is not as well known is Tech N9ne. He is from Kansas City, MO and he kills it. At almost 40 years old, Tech will give any young rapper a run for their money, both on the mic and on stage. He is a furious, rowdy, technical spitter and he has alot of fun while doing it. All of his cds are excellent.

While he doesn't really drop mixtapes, Tech does drop a collabo cd once a year. His "Misery Loves Kompany" and "Sickology 101" collabs are like mixtapes, and both are definitely worth getting. Until he drops a mixtape, we'll be waiting for the next album.

Trick Daddy

You wanna talk about OG? Trick Daddy is 305's reigning OG. His raps get consistently better, too. While it is hard to mess with his classic cd "www.Thug.com", his last cd "Back By Thug Demand" was an instant classic. Tracks like "Breaka Breaka" and "10-20 To Life" cemented his position as Dade's reigning godfather.

Trick has had some great Trick Daddy mixtapes too. The Trick Or Treat mixtape is a classic, as well as the DJ Smallz "Best Of Slip N Slide" mixtape.

Akon

How could I mention T-Pain without Akon? They are the 2010 Nate Dogg's to the rap game, meaning they are the hook champions like Nate Dogg was in the 90's. Akon's last album Freedom was fantastic. He has a super soulful voice and he puts together great line-ups of artists. "I'm So Paid", "Holla Holla", and "Wish I Could Keep You Much Longer" are some great ones from the Freedom album.

Akon got his break with Styles P on "Locked Up", when he was an unknown, and since then he has built himself into one of the R&B/hip-hop game's greats. His Akon mixtape "Konvicts" has all the hits and is a regular spin of mine.

T-Pain

Although he got a lotta haters, I have always been feeling T-Pain. He makes tracks when he hops on with rappers. The song "Just Died In Your Arms Tonight" with Rick Ross and Smitty is one of my favorite songs of all time. T-Pain just kills that hook. Also "Shawty" with 2-Pistols and even "Buy You A Drank", "Who The Fuck Is That", and "Bartender" are all heaters. T-Pain is also a super rowdy performer. My real jam though is on Akon's album. Him and Akon on "Holla Holla". Peep that one if you've never heard it. T-Pain is all over the mixtapes.

Pitbull

Another 305 Dopeboy come into music is none other than Mr. Worldwide aka Pitbull. Though he raps half of his verses in Spanish, Pitbull has a fire to him that is heard immediately in his music. As his status grows larger and larger, Pitbull takes the success in stride.

His hit "I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho)" is a good example of his swag. In the video, he wears a suit and his usual aviator shades and reps latins heavy. My brother met him a couple years ago and said how cool and down to earth he was. Pitbull is also heavy on the mixtape circuit. He has dropped tons of mixtapes over the last few years. My favorite has to be "Mr. Worldwide".

Ace Hood

One of the newer rappers coming out of Miami, Florida under DJ Khaled's We The Best label is Ace Hood. Ace is a breath of fresh air. He spits fast, is talented, and has that 305 rowdiness that you've come to expect from the Miami rap scene.

Ace has two albums. "Gutta" and "Ruthless". Both are fantastic. His Ace Hood mixtapes are equally great. His freestyle mixtape "All Bets On Ace" is a bestseller on my website.

Styles P

Styles P is one of the most raw and lyrical rappers out here. While his albums are hit or miss, his mixtapes never disappoint. His "Phantom Menace" mixtape is my favorite. I constantly work out to it. He has a song called "Three Strikes" where he says, "Some of y'all niggas is working on three strikes. I'm working on five stars. Niggas see me and salute. What do they do when they see you? Ask yourself..." This mixtape is ferocious and has banger after banger.

Jadakiss Top Five Dead Or Alive

Jadakiss is easily in the top five rappers. He came up under Biggie and I have never heard him spit a weak verse in over 15 years. His albums were all great and his mixtapes are even better. While he does not drop mixtapes like his boys Styles P and Sheek Louch, when he does drop them they are lyrical jewels.

The DJ Rob E Rob mix tape "The Official Jadakiss Mixtape Part 1" is one of his best. 60 tracks of pure heat. Freestyles, collabos, R&B collabos, exclusives, blends, everything. If you have any doubt about Jada's claim to the throne, you won't after hearing this.

Biggie Smalls was the illest

I also wanted to speak on Biggie. He was the best storyteller. Nas used to remind me a bit of him, but he could never quite paint as vivid a picture as Biggie. With Biggie, you could see the briefcase, see the hotel room (112, of course), hear the gunshots, or hear the R&B, smell the perfume, see the girl...

Biggie's Rap Phenomenon mixtape was equally impressive. Stuffed with crazy live tracks and a few lost treasures, it is another definitely worth having. All of Biggie's mixtapes are great, but this one really stands out to me.

Pac was the best

I am feeling some Pac today. Whether it was his albums or his many mixtapes , 2Pac was the best. He was the most emotional rapper, and while he was never as lyrical as Biggie he could always make you hear his words and just say, "Damn, I really felt that before. I know just what he means".

His classic "All Eyez On Me" is my most listened to of all his cds. The song "No More Pain" is permanently burned into my brain. One of my favorite of his songs. The "Rap Phenomenon" mixtape is also one that is a must have.

Jim Jones Ryder Muzik mixtape

I have always been a huge Jones fan, and this is one of his very first two mixtapes that alot of people have never even heard. This was when he was first coming out and still figuring out his style. The whole mixtape is a bangers from front to back. Standout tracks are "Certified Gangstas", "Around My Way" (never get tired of this one), and "We Ridin".

When I hear this cd, I get sad about Dipsets break-up. I miss these old days when Cam and Jim and Juelz were all together and Dipset was one of the strongest movements.

Bun B mixtape

You gotta check out the Bun B DJ Keyz "Get Screwed Up" mixtape. This one features tons of Bun B's collabos with other artists. Standout tracks are "Re-Akshon" with T.I. Killer Mike and Bonecrusher, "Gold Mouth" with Juvenile, "Purple Rain" with Beanie Sigel, and tons more.

Though Bun is constantly overlooked, he is hands down one of the greatest rappers in the game. He went for years as one half of the legendary duo UGK (Pimp C-Rest In Peace). Bun has a smooth flow that always seems calm and yet he makes the other rappers yelling and hyped on the track look bad. He is calm like a collected serial killer. Calculating. His albums Trill and Too Trill are both classics, and I have never heard him spit a weak first. Bun has been on countless mixtapes. UGK for Life!

Crazy 2Pac Blends cd

DJ Cinema "2Pac Duets From NY to Cali". This classic blends mixtape features 2Pac classics together with other rappers' verses and the songs sound like they were recorded with Pac in the studio with the rappers' at the same time.

"New York State Of Mind" with Jay-Z and Nas is just so hard. Crazy to hear the three of them on the same track. "Juice" with Big L and Big Pun is the greatest of the passed-away legends killing it together. "Life Of A Bastard" with Treach and Saigon is one of the hardest on here. Every song is well-crafted and the cd rides clean all the way through. Definitely one to check out.

Classic Blend Mixtape

DJ Cinema "The Stash". I threw this on one day when I was cleaning around the house and after I heard the first couple songs I stopped dead in my tracks like "what the hell is this?". This mixtape is crazy. I know DJ Cinema is known for having awesome mixtapes, but this one is above and beyond.

There are songs mixing different artists together. Lloyd Banks, Weezy, Chamillionaire, Eminem, The Game, Kanye West, everybody, and the beats are super hard. The songs are blends but they actually sound like the artists were together in the studio and recorded the song together. The whole cd is bangers back-to-back. You can listen to samples of every song on my website.