ComDot – “Pushn Dope EP”

ComDot is a Charlotte emcee who recently came out of the woodwork and made his way to some rap blogs. Let’s clear the air — he’s no J. Cole or Little Brother when it comes to reppin’ the Tarheel state. However, he is a frontrunner for the crown in the Queen City (Charlotte). The “Pushin’ Dope EP” is a veteran product from amateur ComDot that contains a plethora of potential if you dig beyond the surface. His deep voice commands each track, even when the beats are bumpin’. He has a certain old-school flow and straight-off-the-streets feel that is few and far between nowadays. The best comparison to the emotion and fend-for-yourself attitude ComDot brings to the mic is Jay Electronica, and if this doesn’t ring a bell then consider the Charlotte rapper a fresh addition to the rap scene. The mixtape is free, as always, and a solid addition to any eclectic or gangster iTunes library.

Dope Lyric: “Who taught Luke how to sky walk? Ya boy ComDot the black Obi Wan of the ? Box.” Too dope to decipher completely…
Spin These: “Pushn Dope” and “Name Drops”
Download EP for free at ComDot’s Bandcamp

Young Jeezy – “Last Laugh”

Young Jeezy has had “Thug Motivation 103 (TM103)” coming out for a while now. As 2009 turned to 2010, August 31st became September 28th, and now it’s October 6th and Jeezy’s fourth studio album has yet to see the light of day. “Last Laugh” is his way of keeping people on edge for “TM103,” and it’s less about being dope and more about keeping his name in the news. Jeezy has been out of the ATL trap for a while, but is still rapping about the streets, which is out of date since his mainstream success in 2005. He should start rapping about Vegas parties or court cases. He’s good with bass-heavy, slow-flowing beats and his raspy voice likes to talk about the effects of drug use. “The Recession” (2008) featured big name guests and Last Laugh features three lesser known rappers — Yo Gotti, Slick Pulla and Shawty Redd — on the tape (twice each). The lyrics are very repetitive and chorus-heavy (“Trippin”) and the topics don’t stray too far from ladies, drugs and money. “Pressures On” has a Rocky-like victorious beat with rapid-fire (compared to normal Jeezy) spitting and intriguing lyrics that keep you waiting to hear what he’ll rant about next. Let’s just let this mixtape slide under the rug and anticipate Jeezy’s next move. Hopefully it’ll be a more definitive “last laugh,” because this one sure isn’t.

Dope Lyric: “I don’t wear skinny jeans ‘cause my glock won’t fit.”
Listen and download Last Laugh here.

Skinny C – “110 The EP”

Let’s not end this Hump Day on a sour note. Let’s begin this Friday night’s bumpin’ and grindin’ today. Skinny-C is another rapper from Atlanta —  less famous than Jeezy, but he packs more of a punch on this five song EP than Jeezy does on his whole mixtape. His flow is fast at points and summer barbeque smooth at others. His songs are largely reminiscent of the laid-back, drum-heavy beats of the late ’80s and early ’90s. He is straight to the point with his lyrics and doesn’t candy coat his stories of getting out of the trap. If you are a fan of N.C. emcee J. Cole and his emphasis on rhyming, then you’ll appreciate Skinny-C’s mantras, even though he claims “it’s similar to something you’ve never heard.” “110 The EP,” especially “110,” is full of reasons why Skinny-C believes he stands out from other rappers. His outlook on what he’s doing makes him good — he doesn’t have an inflated sense of self and he’s trying to stand out, not fade in.

Dope Lyric: “I don’t wear tight jeans because my nuts like to breathe.”
Spin This One: “110”
Download the EP from Skinny-C’s Bandcamp.