Review Summary: Chalk up yet another victory for weed, it's another Curren$y mixtape.
“Drugs are bad, mmkay?” – Mr. Lackey
Should we really follow the words of the balloon-shaped bobble head that is consoler of Comedy Central’s
South Park? After all, he’s stuck in that Podunk town in Colorado, while Curren$y, the rapper who practically lives around weed, is making success for himself, mixtape after mixtape. Drugs may have horrible, terrible effects on a person, but when used for a purpose, drugs like Weed and L.S.D. seemingly make legends (think: The Beatles, 60s and 70s Psychedelic Rock, ect.). With
Smokee Robinson, Curren$y flies higher than ever on his jets, speeding smoothly through the skies, getting higher and only making it sound better.
Smokee Robinson, like any Curren$y release before, is not at all lyrically diverse. Curren$y makes the occasional TV reference, but mostly packs the album to the brim with weed talk and cocky posturing. Like any Curren$y release, in that same sense, that barely even matters. Curren$y’s stoned mumbles mixed with a self-assured and oddly precise flow marks the album with his effect. Curren$y’s charismatic delivery and generally enjoyable personality is littered throughout
Smokee Robinson, while the chosen beats at hand like Ice Cubes “Today Was A Good Day”, Dr. Dre’s “Deep Cover”, and Eazy-E’s “Real Muhfukkin G’s” are all salutes to Curren$y’s influences, which makes
Smokee Robinson as much of a tribute as it is his own place to shine.
The albums feel is what truly makes it what it is. Curren$y’s mumbling mixes with the music, which is driven by funky basslines, mellow jazziness, and trippy atmospheres. The half of the album where Curren$y gets his own beats as opposed to swiping other instrumentals is where the true musicality of
Smokee Robinson shines. Curren$y spits his blunts over slick, bubbling, slow burning soul-funk-jazz, trippy slow jam jazz that relaxes the listener to his level. It’s truly genius really, as it gives the album dynamic. Swaying from oozing weed jazz to maniacal soul to fierce Dr. Dre G-Funk, Curren$y not only proves that he can ride over any beat with sweeping excellence, but can wrap it all together into one neat package.
As weed seems to continually effect the brain of Curren$y, though, it seems as if that makes
Smokee Robinson more of a bunch of songlets and pieces that somehow work together. Songs range from barely a minute long to over four minutes, Curren$y’s ADHD-ridden record makes it all of the more interesting.
Smokee Robinson fits together as a whole effort while splitting itself up into minor pieces, most of which work together to fit the whole. Some pieces are different than the usual Curren$y though. “Audio Dope” features futuristic, backward flowing piano rock, with Curren$y’s verses sounding oddly conscious, musing about rappers who hate the state of rap but switch up later anyway.
Even with the rare highlight,
Smokee Robinson works together as a record. Curren$y’s seemingly bored rapping actually works, as one could picture his weed stained N.W.A. shirt, rapping into the booth with his flow. The brisk, smooth environment that dominates most Curren$y mixtapes and makes them sound more like albums is exactly what happens here, albeit executed with a bit more slender, and sounds a whole lot better than usual. Chalk up another victory for weed, Curren$y has dropped another winner of a mixtape. Mr. Lackey might even like this one.
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