So what's up? It's me: Waverly Spades, the black nerd; aka Bill Nye's 2nd cousin; aka the real Carlton Banks. Today we have, 14 year old, Thomas Bates, aka TGK's (an acronym for Thoughts Getting Kreative) new mixtape "No Curfew Vol 2."
Headed To Gold [Prod. by Bobby Woody] - I like the beat. It's jumpy. The song is nice little introduction. Not much to say here.
2.9/5
Sittin' On My Sofa [Prod. by Thoughts Getting Kreative] - This is one of the tracks that dropped before the tape. It had a music video and everything. I love this song. Being a listener to TGK to a while, I honestly think this is one of the best songs I've heard from him. I believe he produced this himself too.. ? This song somewhat describes TGK to me: A young, chill, white kid who can rap (who has a lot of potential). While a tad bit lacking in lyrical content, the chill flow and beat make this a dope song. (The Future Effect). If you haven't seen it, the music video for this is cool too.
"I don't read masterpieces. I write them."
4.6/5
Next [Prod. by Regal Safari] - This beat alone is dope! TGK screaming around is cool. One thing that anoys me is is the off-keyed chorus. (PerfectPitchProblems)
3.7/5
Global [Prod. by Thoughts Getting Kreative] - err I don't like the beat so much, but the track is okay. As the song goes on, the looped beat gets catchy. The exponados are cool though. Who passed gas?
"Chasing paper. I got these haters chasing pavements."
2/5
Birds Are Dope. [Prod. by Thoughts Getting Kreative] - I didn't like it at first, but after I listened to this track a few times, I LOVE this beat and that chorus. Kreative's brother, Nick Bates killed it on the remix too. This track is hot.
"Haters hush up like Jessica Lange." WHAT? That movie was released when he was born? Whatchu know about that Thomas? lol.
4.9/5
Lost In Space (ft. Kitto) [Prod. by Cheif Kitto] - Ok. I'm not even going to lie. The song is weak when I first pressed play. Kitto's verse was okay. The beat isn't fully mixed, so that annoys me some (like the fake Carlton made ), but when TGK comes in, it comes off more listenable. I like the chorus. It's a change in pace for the song. There was one section in the song about how 2Pac is the most overrated rapper. I don't personally agree with this statement, but he's right about one thing. Most Pac and Big fans don't know a thing about the Outlawz.
3.1/5
Washington, DC [Prod. by Thoughts Getting Kreative] - So I live in Baltimore, so I love all of the Baltimore and Bobby Woody references, especially the one to Never On Sunday's! I love that restaurant. And now I'm hungry for their grilled cheese.
"Don't mind me, I'm doing what kings do.. Kings that don't have money. I'm poor fool!"
3.5/5
Heart And Soul / Spider Webs Interlude [Prod. by Thoughts Getting Kreative] - That sample/beat is genius. The song is creatively conscious. Kreative starts out rapping as himself, a deadbeat rapper in 20 years telling himself to quit. The 2nd verse is TGK telling himself that he's not quitting. The whole thing is oddly inspirational. He should send this song to himself in 20 years using FutureMe. This song is Carlton Banks Approved. The Spider Webs interlude is beautiful too. So far, my favorite songs off of the tape. If you don't listen to whole mixtapes, but want one song to prove the potential of this kid, check this one out.
6.2/5
No Curfew (ft. Bobby Woody) [Prod. by Bobby Woody] - This beat is weird. It's an aberration from the rest of the tape to me. Me and Bill Nye fux wid it. "I gotta glass of milk, then it spilled.." was that a WiseGuy reference? I like a bit of what Tommy was saying. The song was very decent.
"No one's quite the same crazy as me."
2.9/5
Cool Whip [Prod. by Victor Jones] - Ruby Mitchell bought this beat! I LOVE this song. This is song is a what I call the Tyga effect. There's a doper beat, so the rapper steps their shit up. I heard like 3 different flows in the first verse. lol I'mma start sayin "IT'S GON BE COOL WHIP, NIGGA" around school. This song is so swaqqie, son. I don't even need to use a monumental word for you to understand that. This just bumps. I'mma hop in the club and tell the DJ to play this and the white bitches will shake the ass. -goes off to do swag dance.-
4.3/5
Too Real [Prod. by Thoughts Getting Kreative] - Tell me why the beat reminds me of the one for Clique. It's just the beat. I know this is completely unrelated, but the mixing on this song alone is pretty alluring.
2.9/5
Take A Bow (ft. Pure Knowledge) [Prod. by Thoughts Getting Kreative] - Oh yeah I remember this! It dropped before the mixtape, video and all. I love the flows on this. Tommy came in and killed it and PK murdered. I don't fully understand the title, but I can hear them rapping about wanting to get famous. I like this song. It's classy. Did PK pull out one of Big Sean's "Boi's"? noooooo. I like Kreative's 2nd verse best.
3.2/5
Live Good [Prod. by Thoughts Getting Kreative]- The beat starts and I'm thinking that beat for King by Vanity is playing. This is cool too, though. When TGK starts rapping, I didn't like it, but I start to feel the vibe and like it. I'm wondering what sample was for this beat. I agree with everything Master Bates is saying with this track. It is someone beautiful. He goes from living good and talks about how the fans don't matter and his dreams. It's dreamily nice. The singing in the background gets annoying sometimes. Just live nice.
"I'm not the only one who dreams of a better place."
4/5
Way Fly [Prod. by Caleb Sarikey Beats] - The beat is a beautiful looped sample. Some old school Kanye type shit. I was really expecting TGK to go harder. The song and lyrics are enjoyable, but I feel this is one of those songs where you have to start rapping aggressive (he didn't start switching the flow until about the 2nd verse. it's nice though.) This is another one of those tracks I had to ease into. I dig it though.
"I gotta balance a school flow and a music flow and keep both dope"
4.4/5
Arrival [Prod. by Thoughts Getting Kreative] - A nice, little, inspirational track. The beat and message are dope and that's what matters, riiight? Very well put together. Thumbs up.
"You can't see through my eyes. My favorite color is Tie-Dye"
3.9/5
Chickens (ft. Lil E & Emceeven) [Prod. by Victor Jones] - I dig this beat too. I see Emceeven bough this beat too hehe. Chicken is a weird name for a song to me though. I keep thinking of the space chicken in that one episode of Courage the Cowardly dog. One line that made me think for a second was when Lil E said "What does it mean to be intelligent when loved ones are irrelevant?" After thinking, I think that made no type of sense. Two lines put together just to rhyme. lol put some thought into things, guys. Lil E and Emceeven put in a few dope bars. It's a coo' song.
3.6/5
Drop Your Jaws [Prod. by Thoughts Getting Kreative] - Aww yeah! One of those epic movie score song sounding beats! I'm pretty sure that is a film score sample. lol. The song is dope! I love the chorus. This is one of my favorites off the tape. Good job Thomas. Good job.
5/5
Sittin' On My Sofa - P2 (ft. BKnitts) [Prod. by Thoughts Getting Kreative] - This was the track I anticipated most on the mixtape. I knew BKnitts was going to be on, and you guys know, I already love him. When I saw this in the tracklist, I jumped for joy a bit. I love the song. The beat is amazing. Both of them kill it. I'm jumping around and dancing to this. Definitely saved the best for last.
6.3/5
Overall, I love this mixtape. I'm not loving it because it's GKMC or something extraordinarily new and amazing, but because this is the definition of potential. I am sure all rappers have a mixtape like this laying in the archives. The beginning stages. Kendrick Lamar's first mixtape was his potential. KiD CuDi's Demo Tapes were his potential. Once artists get past their potential stages, that's when they really grow like artist. There are some dope songs on here and TGK made a majority of the beats which is amazing. While somewhat lacking in lyrical comment, the beats tend to make up for it. This mixtape is better than No Curfew Vol. 1, and I believe that TGK's next project will show him in his true form. In an odd way, I do love this. Good job, kid. Keep improving. Sheldon Cooper has his eyes on this.
79.3% C+
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