Artist: C.L. Smooth
Album: The Outsider
Producers: Pete Rock; Drawzilla; John Legend; J. Period & More
From dope live performances in Holland to a couple track bangers from "American Me", with new ill ish in between, you won't stop listening to this mixtape from the Mecca Don hosted by Heavy Hitters, Superfriends, and DJ Shakim. C.L. returns to intricate lyricism that is easily identified because of his crystal clear vocals. If there is an artist out there that can be recited without sounding like nursery **** that you hear on the radio, C.L. is your boy.
22 tracks on this effort from Cory Penn and roughly 18 are jammable. From that 82%, the songs range from good to plain amazing. "Is It Really You?" has a fantastic bridge, and "Love is a Battlefield" includes a fire sample with C.L. spitting at his finest. There is no fall-off with this guy and he's been in the game for years, not to mention he was very inactive circa 1995 all the way to 2006 when "American Me" dropped.
The new tracks on this soundtrack pack heat instrumentally. It sets up Smooth perfectly for absolute mic shattering. I have to say this... if you don't cop this mixtape, you're ********. No joke.
Nominations Following Release
Mixtape of the Year
Mixtape Song to DL of the Year:
"Is It Really You?"
City of the Year:
Westchester County, NY