Adrian sent me this a few weeks ago around the time I put up Jay Verze's interview! I told him I'd put his tape up, but I feel bad because I've yet to do it! lol. But here it is! The reason this review didn't come sooner is because I already listened to the mixtape and for the review, I have to listen to each song over and put in a little more thought. Usually, I wouldn't mind, but school is hard work. Speaking of that, I just got my Interims. Someone tell me why I don't have all A's, please.
Ok, back on topic. Adrian "Shwaze" Collins is a 19 year old emcee from Baltimore, MD. Working his way up in the scene, you probably know who Shwaze somewhat is. If you don't, you've most likely at least heard him on a few Jay Verze songs or Brandon Woody's Power Circle remix. I like the dude, and here is his new mixtape, Forever Dope. My 2 cents are below.
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Forever Dope [Prod. by Sdot Fire] - Ahhhhh Is that Street Fighter? I am already entertained. Nerd boy happy. That gets extra points. The intro is awesome. When the song starts, the Sdot produced track is FIRE (Pun intended). This first song is a nice taste of the lyricist Shwaze is.
"I ain't saving you hoes. What I look like? Private Ryan?"
4.2/5
The Grind (ft. Juice) [Prod. by Scrilla Beats] - Ok, I don't like this song as much as the last one, but it's okay. This is one of those songs I try to get girls to booty dance on me with (if only, if only). The beat alone makes you feel whizbang. I don't think I'm familiar with Juice, but he did a cool verse. That chorus is mixed roughly. Their verses didn't really impress me, but it's an aiight song.
2.7/5
We Make Money [Prod. by Y1] - Y1 produced this? Like, the rapper Y1? I didn't even know he made beats! Haha the beat alone is feel good. Collins threw on a few hot verses. The song is beautiful. I would say that if the song wasn't mainly about that money money life, it would be perfect, but this sounds like one of those songs that would be in the background of a montage of niggas throwing money around after they robbed a bank or something (sort of like in The Town, Tower Heights, or when the dude stole all of that money in Jumper). lol
4/5
Fame [Prod. by Dre Beats] - First off, I'd like to say that fame isn't everything, but let's be honest. We all want it. The beat is stupendous and Shwaze's vocals really compliment it. I like it. I feel like Shwaze should've put Jay Verze on the track. That would've been really dope. To the producer named "Dre Beats," as long as Dr. Dre and his headphones are around, that's probably not a good name.
"I can't use euphemisms if the youth don't get it."
4.7/5
Shellshocked (ft. Geter) [Prod. by Lexi Banks] - I'mma be brutally honest. I don't like this one. that's all. (y'all know I loathe trappin beats.) I guess the verses were cool.
2/5
Do It [Prod. by Sdot Fire] - When the beat drops and Collins' starts rapping, I'm just dancing around like Bill Cosby, over there. This song is hot. I like it. I'm not too fond of the chorus, but the rest is nice.
3/5
My Life (Interlude) [Prod. by Piz Corleone] - The first line that I really heard and made me think was "It's niggas tryna stop my shine, but it's Shwaze, baby!" I was just like, what the fuck are you saying, bro? But the rest of the song is cool. At times, he switches from typical rapper to lyric.
"Should I sell that shit they measure on a triple beam just so that y'all nigga can't appreciate me?"
3.3/5
Unstoppable (ft. Ta'Ler) [Prod. by Zone Beats]- I like how his last line on the interlude was "I'm Unstoppable" and it goes into this. The beat is FIRE. Azula ain't got nothing on Zone with this one. "It's a cold world, but I'm not from the Ville." lololol. I like this song. That is all.
"I have a dangerous mindset. Blind eyes, quiet is kept."
3/5
Party Everywhere (ft. Yung Ram) [Prod. by Piz Corleone] - In this song, Shwaze tolerably sounds like everyone on MMG, but Ross and Gunplay. Ram sounds like Gunplay. lol. I think it's the beat. Beats like that have been rapped on a certain way for so long, that people don't change it up, you know? like this sounds like it could've been on Self Made 2. The Chorus even sounds like Meek Mill bawling for no real reason. This song has me doing my Bill Cosby swag dance, but damn, where's the originality?
2.4/5
The Return [Prod. by Sledgren] - Sledgren be on some Lex type shit sometimes. Anybody in the mood for something a little more.. tardigrade? It feels like Shwaze's flow gets off at time. I don't really know. The song is aiiight. I hear a lot of those typically recycled lyrics in this song.
"Pillaging their villages like I am a pirate." lol. pirates don't leave the ship. c'mon guise
2/5
Gang Green Gang (ft. Rickie Jacobs) [Prod. by Zone Beats] - Ok, I didn't like the intro to the beat, but I really fucks with this one. I had that Obama face when the beat dropped and Shwaze started rapping. Rickie Jacobs just killed it as usual. What could I have expected though?
"Better watch what you say son. They don't play fair where I'm from."
3.7/5
Devil In A Tight Dress/Curse (Interlude) [Prod. by Lexi Banks] - Sooo, I was expecting Kanye West's Devil In A New Dress to start playing, but instead, I'm hearing the end of Fancy by Drake looped. I'm not complaining. It's a smooth intro and I like it. Collins goes on about that one perfect girl, that we all dream of. That hook is hot, too. I know it's sampled, but I just love how it was placed. While describing this girl, Shwaze definitely gets cheesy, but it's cute. When it goes to acapella, I can hear that it's heartfelt, but still cheesy, you know? I like it all though. I feel like it would've been cooler if they were two separate track; it would sound like two different chapters of a story. I like how in the end, we find out, it's all just a dream.
4.6/5
Self Made (ft. Y1) [Prod. by Scrilla Beats] - Ok Shwaze's 1st verse sounds horribly mixed. TIP: Please don't let your mixtapes have a horrible mix. The beat and the hook makes this sound like some XV type stuff. I like. Aahhhh I heard another "Green like Cee Lo" line. That has to be one of the most overused lines since "Fuck You" came out. While I don't like Shwaze's verses that much, Y1 put some magic on here. It makes me wonder what Y1 would sound like on a song with XV. (Can we make that happen?) "Jay Verze the future. Shwaze the underground king and I'm the overlord of rap dropping brown things." That one line in Y1's verse makes me really think about the whole ISMG team in a light of where they fit, like a puzzle. it's cool.
"I try to be great, but everybody in the city loves to hate"
2.4/5
Bullseye [Prod. by Scrilla Beats] - Scrillaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!! Scrilla is that nigga for this beat. lol. Shwaze didn't kill it, but it's listenable. I'm pretty sure I heard him say in the chorus "I'm chillin like a chandalier." lolwut? I hear a lot of weak lines that don't really make since to me, but I'm not gonna go into that. The chorus feels so off to me.
1.9/5
Heavy Hitters (ft. Jay Verze & Yung Ram) [Prod. by Sdot Fire] - When I heard the beat, I started thinking of Mercy. I was ready for the Rick Hertz tag. I feel Shwaze could've went harder. Verze killed it. That lil nigga definitely sounds like Wiz on this. lol. I never noticed that until my brother told me yesterday, and I'm hearing it a bit, but it's somewhat different.. It's cool. I like that. Ram's verse is eh
2.6/5
Outro [prod. by SdotFire] - This is probably my 2nd favorite track. The beat speaks for itself and Shwaze compliments.
4.2/5
Ok, so Shwaze is a decent artist. The dude really has potential in my eyes, but the problem with that is that I've been thinking he's had potential for the past year or two. He needs to quit with the typical lines and make each and every one on that 2004 Lil Wayne level. Also, almost every song seems like something that would be played in the club. I feel like Collins needs some variation in his style. The best artist can create more than the feelings of love and fun. The mixtape is very decent in my opinion. I expect better from you Shwaze!
63% D-
Download Shwaze's new tape, Forever Dope!
Follow Shwaze on twitter
This review was brought to you by Waverly Spades, and now I'm off to steal the blueprints for the Google Smartwatch and make my own and make millions.
Shellshocked (ft. Geter) [Prod. by Lexi Banks] - I'mma be brutally honest. I don't like this one. that's all. (y'all know I loathe trappin beats.) I guess the verses were cool.
2/5
3/5
My Life (Interlude) [Prod. by Piz Corleone] - The first line that I really heard and made me think was "It's niggas tryna stop my shine, but it's Shwaze, baby!" I was just like, what the fuck are you saying, bro? But the rest of the song is cool. At times, he switches from typical rapper to lyric.
"Should I sell that shit they measure on a triple beam just so that y'all nigga can't appreciate me?"
3.3/5
Unstoppable (ft. Ta'Ler) [Prod. by Zone Beats]- I like how his last line on the interlude was "I'm Unstoppable" and it goes into this. The beat is FIRE. Azula ain't got nothing on Zone with this one. "It's a cold world, but I'm not from the Ville." lololol. I like this song. That is all.
"I have a dangerous mindset. Blind eyes, quiet is kept."
3/5
Party Everywhere (ft. Yung Ram) [Prod. by Piz Corleone] - In this song, Shwaze tolerably sounds like everyone on MMG, but Ross and Gunplay. Ram sounds like Gunplay. lol. I think it's the beat. Beats like that have been rapped on a certain way for so long, that people don't change it up, you know? like this sounds like it could've been on Self Made 2. The Chorus even sounds like Meek Mill bawling for no real reason. This song has me doing my Bill Cosby swag dance, but damn, where's the originality?
2.4/5
The Return [Prod. by Sledgren] - Sledgren be on some Lex type shit sometimes. Anybody in the mood for something a little more.. tardigrade? It feels like Shwaze's flow gets off at time. I don't really know. The song is aiiight. I hear a lot of those typically recycled lyrics in this song.
"Pillaging their villages like I am a pirate." lol. pirates don't leave the ship. c'mon guise
2/5
Gang Green Gang (ft. Rickie Jacobs) [Prod. by Zone Beats] - Ok, I didn't like the intro to the beat, but I really fucks with this one. I had that Obama face when the beat dropped and Shwaze started rapping. Rickie Jacobs just killed it as usual. What could I have expected though?"Better watch what you say son. They don't play fair where I'm from."
3.7/5
Devil In A Tight Dress/Curse (Interlude) [Prod. by Lexi Banks] - Sooo, I was expecting Kanye West's Devil In A New Dress to start playing, but instead, I'm hearing the end of Fancy by Drake looped. I'm not complaining. It's a smooth intro and I like it. Collins goes on about that one perfect girl, that we all dream of. That hook is hot, too. I know it's sampled, but I just love how it was placed. While describing this girl, Shwaze definitely gets cheesy, but it's cute. When it goes to acapella, I can hear that it's heartfelt, but still cheesy, you know? I like it all though. I feel like it would've been cooler if they were two separate track; it would sound like two different chapters of a story. I like how in the end, we find out, it's all just a dream.
4.6/5
Self Made (ft. Y1) [Prod. by Scrilla Beats] - Ok Shwaze's 1st verse sounds horribly mixed. TIP: Please don't let your mixtapes have a horrible mix. The beat and the hook makes this sound like some XV type stuff. I like. Aahhhh I heard another "Green like Cee Lo" line. That has to be one of the most overused lines since "Fuck You" came out. While I don't like Shwaze's verses that much, Y1 put some magic on here. It makes me wonder what Y1 would sound like on a song with XV. (Can we make that happen?) "Jay Verze the future. Shwaze the underground king and I'm the overlord of rap dropping brown things." That one line in Y1's verse makes me really think about the whole ISMG team in a light of where they fit, like a puzzle. it's cool.
"I try to be great, but everybody in the city loves to hate"
2.4/5
Bullseye [Prod. by Scrilla Beats] - Scrillaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!! Scrilla is that nigga for this beat. lol. Shwaze didn't kill it, but it's listenable. I'm pretty sure I heard him say in the chorus "I'm chillin like a chandalier." lolwut? I hear a lot of weak lines that don't really make since to me, but I'm not gonna go into that. The chorus feels so off to me.
1.9/5
Heavy Hitters (ft. Jay Verze & Yung Ram) [Prod. by Sdot Fire] - When I heard the beat, I started thinking of Mercy. I was ready for the Rick Hertz tag. I feel Shwaze could've went harder. Verze killed it. That lil nigga definitely sounds like Wiz on this. lol. I never noticed that until my brother told me yesterday, and I'm hearing it a bit, but it's somewhat different.. It's cool. I like that. Ram's verse is eh
2.6/5
Outro [prod. by SdotFire] - This is probably my 2nd favorite track. The beat speaks for itself and Shwaze compliments.
4.2/5
Ok, so Shwaze is a decent artist. The dude really has potential in my eyes, but the problem with that is that I've been thinking he's had potential for the past year or two. He needs to quit with the typical lines and make each and every one on that 2004 Lil Wayne level. Also, almost every song seems like something that would be played in the club. I feel like Collins needs some variation in his style. The best artist can create more than the feelings of love and fun. The mixtape is very decent in my opinion. I expect better from you Shwaze!
63% D-
Download Shwaze's new tape, Forever Dope!
Follow Shwaze on twitter
This review was brought to you by Waverly Spades, and now I'm off to steal the blueprints for the Google Smartwatch and make my own and make millions.
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