REVIEW: YES WE CAN: THE MIXTAPE
BY: DJ GREEN LANTERN + RUSSELL SIMMONS
I spent the better part of yesterday listening to Yes We Can: The Mixtape from Green Lantern. (h/t to Gotty and crew over at TSS.)
Folks, it's bananas. And by that, I mean that emcees finally decided that 2008 politics wasn't too political for them to speak on it intelligently. All of my long-time readers know that I've been bashing hiphoppers for the last 10 years for the lack of political involvement and consistency in taking stances in important issues that effect us.
This Yes We Can tape manages to do something that's unfortunately all to rare these days: It showscases toplevel emcees and hiphop luminaries talking passionately and intelligently about something other than brands, cars, and money, namely politics.
Now, I don't know that Obama's gonna win for sure--nothing's guaranteed these days--but one thing's for sure: He's inspired some of the most democratically produced and authentically populist music since Jack Kennedy or Shirley Chisholm's runs.
I mean, first we had the goofy Obama girl singing (i'll spare you the link)... then we had those two big will.i.am joints, plus a ton of YouTubers with guitars in their living rooms... We even got saddled with a bunch of crappy Obama-swagjackers throwing dude's name on material that (1) sucked (2) had nothing to do with politics, him, or anything constructive whatsoever.
But fortunately, the evil genius makes up for his Yes We Can mixtape. In fact, this tape's so good I can even forgive Russell Simmons' involvement in it. (Sorry, just not a Rush sychophant.)
So how good is this joint?
Well, somehow Green Lantern got Charles Hamilton—the most hyped non-deal having emcee since Crooked I— to stop random word-associating just long enough to kick a seriously cohesive song about a singular theme—and with flavor. Gang Green also got Twista to sound relevant again on this bananas John Mayer Waiting update. Even Cassidy sounds reinvigorated alongside Styles P on Make It Out. Russell Simmons sounds sincere and relevant for the first time in about 15 years. And Jay-Z sounds like a man more concerned with his community than his emceeing legacy—for once. Other standouts include Joell Ortiz, Royce 5'9, and Malik Yusef. Even Wyclef Jean shows up and manages to make you wonder why he doesn't get his Ben Harper on a little more often.
Overall, "Yes We Can: The Mixtape" deftly blends hungry + insightful bars from some of the underground's finest with assorted Obama snippets, interview audio from folks like Jay, Nas and Russell Simmons and Angie Martinez with rugged bangers and classic soundscapes to produce a powerful elixir worthy of a fresh black label.
If there was ever a joint that would inspire cats to do more than yell "man that ish was dope!" it'd be this one.
In fact, what i'd love to see is some more YES WE DO movement poppin' off, with this tape as the soundtrack. I'm talking MCs coming together to regularly highlight and give voice to issues in the communities they come from. Maybe you're not seeing rap loot like you did in the 90s (or ever), but blood sweat, tears and faith are in abundance, fam. Get to rhyming, get to moving, get to doing. It's now or never.
Regardless, I'd really wish we'd get more efforts like this from more artists...
Oh well, i guess that's what Cross Movement Records is for. (wink.)
Meanwhile, cop yours here, it's officially free!
DL here: Yes We Can: The Mixtape/ DJ Green Lantern or Here.
Track List:
1. Intro
2. David Banner, Busta Rhymes & Talib Kweli - “Black President (Rmx Pt. 1)”
3. Barack Obama - “Stand Up”*
4. Nas Speaks On Politics
5. Styles P. & Cassidy - “Make It Out”*
6. Jay-Z Speaks “The American Dream”
7. Barack Obama - “One Mic, One People”
8. Russell Simmons Speaks On Obama
9. Joe Budden, Twista & John Mayer - “Waiting On The World To Change 2008?
10. Angie Martinez - “Yes We Need A Mixtape!!”
11. Kanye West & Malik Yusef - “Promised land
12. Wale, Rhymefest, Christina K. & Royce Da 5?9 - “Black President (Rmx Pt. 2)”
13. Barack Obama - “My Life”
14. Jay-Z - “Lick A Shot”
15. Russell Simmons On Change
16. Wyclef Jean - “Obama For President”
17. Charles Hamilton - “The Moment”
18. Find Ur Dreams (Interlude)
19. George Bush’s Highlight Reel
20. Mikkey Halsted - “King George”
21. Obama On Hip-Hop
22. Joell Ortiz Feat. Dante Hawkins - “Letter To Obama”
23. Akon & U.M. - “Aint No Sunshine”
24. Qadir & Dwayne (Invasion) - “Its My Time
25. Johnny Polygon (Invasion) & Amanda Diva -“Colorblind”
26. Mavado - “We Need Barack”
27. Jay-Z & Gabe Real - “What We Need” (Speech)
28. Qadir - “Yes We Can” Outro
