|
Kanye West - Can't Tell Me NothingAlbum Review by:
Jason Fleurant
Friday, June 1, 2007
 Kanye West’s confidence has always been perceived as being arrogant. So it’s only fitting that the never hold his tongue MC would drop a mixtape/single that bared the name “Can’t Tell Me Nothing”. After all it was that same motto that fueled the Chi-Town native to reach for his dreams and become such a success, while the world stood against him. With his newest offering Kanye is once again expressing himself the way he wants with no hold bars. As well as bringing along his cohorts at G.O.O.D Music.
They say variety is the spice of life, the same can be said for "Can't Tell Me Nothing". The mixtape which was mixed by A&R Plain Pat features numerous G.O.O.D artist and affiliates. Getting fans excited for the forth coming LP is three cuts from Common’s “Finding Forever”. His official single “The Game” which has legendary DJ Premier doing cuts on the hook is a hype lyrical smorgasbord. Common spits gems like “I never kiss the asses of the masses/ I’m the black molasses/ thick and I lasted, past these rap bastards/ they tried to box me in like Cashis Clay/ hey I’m like Muhammad when he fasted/”. 'The Game' is one of those joints you can see your favorite pro-athlete in the corner of the locker room bumping in his headphones before they step out. There is also a dope snippet of “Southside” Common and Ye’s ode to the place they grew the Southside of Chicago.
Speaking of snippets, Kanye’s alleged single for "Graduation", 'Stronger' makes an appearance at the start. Kanye who sampled House Music group Draft Punk’s Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger” goes in rhyming “I ask cause I’m that sure/ do anybody make real shit anymore?/ bow in the presence of greatness/ cause right now thou has forsake this/ you should be honored by my lateness/ that I would even show up to this fake shit”. The beat has a more sutle “Work Out Plan” feel to it. The song then transitions to a collaboration between Kanye, Lupe Fiasco, and Pharrell Williams. Leaving you to believe that this must be the group project Lupe was alluding to in interviews as they are called “CRS” on this particular song. The joint’s called “Us Placers” and awkward piano gives an gloomy mood and the trio spit there view of society. It’s kind of weird but dope though, Lupe’s flow is perfect over the track damn near flawless.
The anthem of this mixtape is Kanye’s return to that hungry artist that just got his Roc Chain on “Can’t Tell Me Nothing”. With and catchy singy hook that has a strange placement of Young Jeezy’s ad-libs (that works well) Kanye talks his shit again. “To whom much is given, much is tested/ get arrested, guest until he gets the message/ I feel the pressure, under more scrutiny/ and what I do, act more stupidly/ brought more jewelry/ more Luis V/ my momma couldn’t get through to me/ the drama, people suing me/ I’m on TV talkin’ like it’s just you and me/” just another example of Kanye conveying his true emotions over music. This mixtape is filled with that feel good music. The Talib Kweli “Mood” just has you enthusiastic to hear Eardrum (which is supposedly coming out this summer). Really Doe’s “Power” featuring oscar winner Jennifer Hudson is some Ill Hip-Hop as well as PM‘s “Hater Family“. A song where he chronicles a tell of haters pretty cleverly. Overall this mixtape is that shit, and Kanye does a good job opening up a lane for fans to check out his artist/affiliates. It’s definitely that G.O.O.D music, no wonder you can’t tell him nothing.
 ( 44) Comments | Post a comment »
|
|
