Back in December, I posted an entry for Cincinnati artist/producer Yon LI promoting the release party of his mixtape The One and Only. Writer & guest blogger Tiffany Elle wrote a review about the mixtape.
[Sidenote: Artists - If you're interested in having your album or mixtape reviewed, contact me.]
Expect the unexpected with Yon L.I. The One & Only Mixtape
By Tiffany Elle
Are mixtapes suddenly taking the place of actual completed albums? Have we come to the point in hip-hop music history where “real” records that are commonly distributed through commercial means are somehow passé? Most likely, no. But some (keyword, some) mixtapes sound just as good as your typical long-form hip-hop album – meaning that you can listen to the whole mixtape from beginning to end. Hence, Yon L.i.’s The One & Only.
Released this past December and executive produced by Marcus “Skandal” Mitchell, the 26-track compilation encompasses Cincinnati-native Yon L.i.’s street sensibility and smooth and somewhat coarse rap vocals over hard-hitting underground club bangers and skilled sampling. Complete with interludes, too. Aww snap.
Of course, the sampling, as with most mixtapes (and perhaps most rap albums) are going to stand out to most listeners. Hip-hop heads will take heed to L.i. and his guest emcees’ (including Black Jackk, J-Skillz, Picasso and Skandal) vocals over: “Unexpected,” which samples Camp Lo’s classic “Luchini (This Is It)”; a reworking of Rick Ross’ “B.M.F.”; and “Straight Dope,” which samples Jadakiss’ street anthem “We Gonna Make It.”
L.i. also includes two freestyles – one over Lil’ Wayne’s “I’m Single”, the other over A Tribe Called Quest’s “Electric Relaxation. (By the way, the biggest problem with the “Electric Relaxation” freestyle? It’s too short, at only a minute and a half. But I digress.)
In addition to the aforementioned tracks, make sure to listen to “I’m Here,” “Cut U Loose,” “I Love It,” “Don’t Sweat,” the R&B laced song “I’m Ridin’” and the J-Skillz produced track “Put Ya O’s In The Air.”
With a strong mixtape as The One & Only straight out the gate, local hip-hop lovers will wonder how L.i.’s official debut album will sound. We’ll soon find out. But for now, we’ll have to wait patiently, and expect the unexpected.
About the Author:
Tiffany Elle (aka Tiffany Luckey) is a Cincinnati-based entertainment, music and pop culture writer. Check out her entertainment blog at http://www.starpulse.com/news/Tiffany_Elle/. And follow her on Twitter @TiffanyElle too!
