Here's my two pieces from the Passionweiss Top 50 albums. Read the rest here, there's some quality writing on that thing.
49. Gangsta Boo and Beatking – Underground Cassette Tape Music
The speaker-knocking result of two renowned hard-asses combining their vulcanized fury, Underground Cassette Tape doesn’t fuck around. Memphis OG Gangsta Boo and Houston’s father of the year, Beatking, have laced this project with 15 bangers you can suplex #sadboys to. As Torii MacAdams said, it’s both unexpected and awesome to see the Triple Six Mafia’s former first lady catch a deserved second wind as one of the baddest MCs in the game. Props also due to Beatking for assembling top-notch production with a crew of relatively unknown beat chefs.
Underground Cassette Tape Music feels more like a studio album than a random assortment of mix tape tracks, and that’s largely due to the consistently speaker-crumpling beats. The guests are on point too: Paul Wall calls himself Slab God, 8 Ball delivers a brief sermon next to a Pimp C sample, and OJ Da Juiceman slurs sweetly. But it’s the natural chemistry between Beatking and Boo that makes this the de facto anthem for any exotic dancer worth a damn.
19. Migos – No Label II
With No Label 2, Migos proved “Versace” wouldn’t be their last heater to rock the bando. A sequel to their 2012 mix tape, the gold-obsessed trio stick to their unlicensed guns with more tales from the hood twilight-zone. Delivered in staccato, each line a repeatable phrase for the ADD listener. Migos continue to expand their delivery past rapping in triplets, but anyone familiar with the gonzo hood scholars should expect regular references to Motorola cell phones and infinite shouted ad-libs.
Quavo & Co. recently added “repeat hit makers” to their trap resume, producing plug-endorsed bangers, “Fight Night” and “Handsome and Wealthy.” The latter shows Migos tiptoeing into melodic hooks, which are also present on the popular “Freak no More” and the Zaytoven produced, “Add It Up.” Of course, it helps that they enlisted a production hit squad including the always-hungry Metro Boomin, 808 mobster Honorable C Note, and frequent collaborator, Phenom Da Don.
Using a hectic schedule modelled after Gucci Mane who was previously managed by current boss, Coach K, the trio have already released follow up, Rich Nigga Timeline. The quality of the two is comparable, but No Label 2 took them from from luxury garment name-droppers to new Atlanta’s very own John, Paul and George. At 25 tracks long, No Label 2 isn’t designed for a single headphone session unless you have a superhuman resistance to listener’s fatigue. Instead, condense your favorites into one riot-inducing mix and you’ll have suburban moms tweaking before you can say, “In the trap with two guns like I’m Tomb Raider.”