*Monday Mixtape Review* - Yella - Moneyreallycounts.com presents (80s Baby) (Indianapolis, IN)

This week I bring to you an artist from Indianapolis' Westside, Yella. He is a member of the label MRC Ent along w/ Lil Scooty, Kano, Indiana Tone and the tape is hosted and mixed by Mr "Mixing Up the Medicine" DJ Champ. This is his first popular release and there was a lot of anticipation in my market as to how this mixtape would come out. Outside of the music, he is a solid dude and I know his style is also a reflection of his pain. You can sense his hunger for money and making a better situation in the music. There are a lot of songs on this tape that are in this mold. I was also glad to see this mixtape online but I would have like to had the song titles correct. These small details are so IMPORTANT to the branding of the songs and movement. With that being said the cover is on point and the music is slappin....Without further a do...

The tape starts out kind of slow and a lot of the music is in this mold. His tape is one of those types of music that you can ride to. I don't necessarily see a lot of these songs in the club but it gives you that old feel of riding and listening to somebody describe their city. The 2nd song "Ghetto" is the first example of this. I think the beat could have been a lot better but the hook and flow get the point across. "Geeeeeeeeeeet Yo Money My Niggggggggggga" stays in your head throughout the hold CD. From beginning to end, Yella's hooks are all A1. The song "Pour Up" - "I Won't Tell" and "Came along way??" are all examples of this. "I Wont Tell" also probably has the hardest beat on the mixtape. "Money On My Mind" is a banger. This song has Playbwoi the Great on the hook and MRC on the features. This is a top notch song and I can see why this is the lead single. Moving in to the tape, On Song 7 Yung Tone delivers a different sound, more melodic and it worked very well on the track. Golde Patron also comes correct and this is one of the top songs on the tape as well. "I Aint Trippin" ft Lil E (MGG) comes in with a sinister beat and the hook delivers the message very well that anybody can get it. Lil E definitely left you with the impression that to cross him or Yella is not in one's best interest. As I moved on in the project, "Ten Toes Down" also caught my attention. The beat is hard - bass driven and the verses stayed on topic and complimented the rest of the track. You can feel the desperation and realness in the message. Track 12 has a tight beat and the song being upbeat sped things up for the overall feel of the mixtape. "What You Do" Get Money, is an infectious chant and also memorable. Tracks 11 and 14 "Wait For Me" are nice changes of pace into the slow realm. The beat on 14 is also stand out. It really hit home on the life of a hustla and his misses. Songs "Bust A Bail" and "Front Doe" ft Lil Scooty and more are nice additions to the tape. Front Doe has a nice beat and feel. Moving to the end of 80s Baby brings "Hustle" again featuring Lil E. These two have good chemistry and again killed the beat. This is probably my favorite song on the project. The last song is a tribute to those who are locked behind the walls and hits the mark on the shout out. The singing vocals are nice on the song.

Download Mixtape | Free Mixtapes Powered by DatPiff.com

Overall, I like the mixtape. I think the production is a little weaker than I would have liked but it still has some great beats. The hooks with improved production could have made this a classic. Yella's hooks are ABOVE and beyond. I would have also liked to see who the producers were in the credits. DJ Champ kept the drops etc to a minimum, which is always good, however the mixing could have been more prevalent. It has hit potential and is nice to ride to, I think his best music is still ahead of him however.

I give this mixtape 3 out of 5 bands