Two teenagers put this record together by themselves and released it with no label and zero promotional budget. Yes, simplicity was the order of the day-"I Don't Like" was about what Keef didn't like "Designer" was about his favorite brands "Everyday" was a concept song about what he did every day as a south side teenager raised on Soulja Boy and Brick Squad. If you asked a kid from Chicago last summer about his favorite Keef song, he might have six or seven answers-all of them found on this tape.Īlthough the duo's music had been characterized by certain media outlets as a one-note performance preaching nihilism and death, Back from the Dead reflects a more diverse vision than Keef's usually given credit for. Sure, "I Don't Like" was the tape's obvious standout, and Keef's delivery had yet to develop the casual confidence exhibited on his Interscope album, but there is something completely one-of-a-kind about the distinctive sound he and producer Young Chop established throughout the entire project. Bang may have started it all, and Finally Rich primed a potential crossover, but the spark-from the Kanye remix to his Interscope deal-came to life on Back From the Dead. Love him or hate him, this record had impact. RELATED: Do Androids Dance? - Eric Prydz's Essential Mix Named Best of 2013 RELATED: Do Androids Dance? - The Best DJs of 2013 RELATED: The 100 Greatest Hip-Hop Beats of All Time From G-Unit and Lil Wayne to Dipset and Young Jeezy, allow us to re-introduce them: The 50 Best Rapper Mixtapes. These are the tapes that managed just that. And unlike a great album, the formula for a great mixtape isn't as refined, and it relies slightly more on the side of serendipity and luck, with the essential elements coming together the right way at that perfect moment in time. All of the spontaneous qualities that are too scruffy for a proper release, finally receive the proper treatment. It's fuck-ups kept on the track, skits that would never make it past a label, and samples that could never pass clearance. It's a mishmash of showcases: What's happened, what's to come, who someone holds as favored friends, as far as rappers and producers go. Often, they don't have the sheen of high-cost record company studio time. When sorting out the greatest mixtapes of all time, you have to keep in mind what distinguishes a mixtape from an album: It's the most official that unofficial can get. This feature was originally published on March 11, 2013.
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