Review #215: Max Minelli "Backpack Dreams (And Hip-Hop Wishes)"

Reviewed on 5.24.2009 (Review #215)

Back again wit ya boy FrankieThaLuckyDog... Here goes tha 2nd review fa tha day: Max Minelli "Backpack Dreams (And Hip-Hop Wishes)"! Takin' a break from my marathon to catch up wit about 10, 11 CDs I downloaded recently. I heard there are New York beats here, so I'm gonna have to see which songs are fa me... Start Time: 2:04 PM | End Time: 3:48 PM


Disclaimer: I rate each song from 1.0 – 5.0; each rating iz my own opinion! I only please myself wit my ratings! I don’t care how lyrical you are, as long as it’s jammin’ enough for me to like it! I look for beats, then vocals, and then lyrics. To determine my favorites, I will differ tha 4.0 ratings. If a song gets at least a 4.0 rating from me, I love it already. If at least a 4.6 rating, I pretty much really love it, as it’s considered mindblowin’ when I hear it! Any song can earn up to a maximum of a 5.0 rating. Anything I type before “ >>> ” iz what I’m sayin’ before I listen to tha song; anything after I type “ >>> ” iz what I think of tha song while I’m listening to it. If you sound like anything too mainstream for me or have auto-tune in your vocals, I’m not buyin’ it!

 

 

© 2009 CD Review (Review #215) reviewed on 5.24.2009 by FrankieThaLuckyDog.


01. Backpack Intro
Here we go... What to hear from you this time 'round...? >>> Nothin' to say, but that 90's "Come Clean" beat reminds me of bein' in my marathon right now, lol. My Rating: N/A


02. "Brain Distortion"
A great title! Wit only 2.5 minutes long, I wonder how much you'll squeeze into this; lookin' forward!! >>> Sounds like you were sufferin' from "a divorce." I don't like that it's over a Jay-Z beat (plus this beat), but I'm gonna listen more on you on this shit! Great "eject" part, and tha lyrics are REAL GREAT here! This could've been better on a faster New York beat; those lyrics are too good fa somethin' too slow on tha beat! Great job wit all tha lyrics and shit. My Rating: 3.9


Break: 2:10 PM; eating lunch outside tha cabin I'm at. Be back... >>> *Returns at 2:28 PM* More family came, so we'll see if I can finish this as soon as possible...


03. "Full Metal Jacket"
Anotha great title, only ANOTHA 2.5 minutes long, lol! What can you deliver this time? >>> Betta beat here wit an okay intro of underration. Good 1st verse, and this time, a hook, so thumbs up; it sounded great! Nice job on tha 2nd verse too. Really feelin' tha hook, so thumbs up! My Rating: 4.1


04. "In My Street Dreamz"
Keepin' tha short tracks comin'... >>> Good sounding on tha Nas beat from tha 90's. Nice lyrics goin' on in tha 1st verse. Not much to say about tha 2nd verse, but if tha songs continue like this, I'm gonna just add lyrical ratings. Lyrical Rating: 4.3 | My Rating: 3.7


05. "Fresh 2 Def (Remix)"
Longer song, betta yet, one of your "The Remedy" songs? *Checks* Oh, tha song wit tha gurl... I was wonderin' why that would've been remixed and on here... >>> Not really called for to have on a 90's beat, but it still stands as a good song. I guess it was remixed on here to bring new life to tha song? Either way, I prefer tha original version. No lyrical rating on this one 'cause it's a previous song. My Rating: 3.4


06. "Dead Rapperz"
Looks like an R.I.P. song... >>> Neva mind, it goes wit tha Jay-Z title. Thumbs down to anotha Jay-Z beat. I'm not even gonna go there wit Jay-Z and why I have to thumbs down everytime he appears on my LOUISIANA reviewz! Okay 1st verse, although this CD ain't really fa me so far... Due to I was really pissed off just now, no feedback on tha 2nd verse; not for me! Go back to Baton Rouge music!!!! Lyrical Rating: 4.2 | My Rating: 2.6
EDIT: Aight fine: Due to my attitude, I'll go there wit tha Jay-Z thing: It's a part of tha whole "takin' advantage" of thing of me in tha past. Last year, I made Alex McConduit, from Crescent City Radio/Big Boot Radio, a GREAT theme song fa his "The Hip-Hop Spot with Alex McConduit" show, as well as a lil' video. He thanked me (as he said, "I'm thankin' you from tha bottom of my heart.") for it immediately; tha shit took me hours ta do. Then, on tha show of August 15, 2008, I'm at my aunt Arline's house havin' a good time, and all of a sudden, I hear him play his own theme song over a Jay-Z beat ("What More Could I Say"). At that point, I nearly snapped in my brain. I confirmed it wit him, and he said that "your theme song ain't mine; this iz mine," so that right there AUTOMATICALLY cursed Jay-Z fa me, as well as my chances of havin' excitement fa Alex anymore. I don't hate on people EVA, but my anticipation level of wanting to talk to him ain't tha same. Plus, I don't even think he watched tha DVD I made him, which took 1.5 WHOLE MONTHS ta make! I don't know what goes through peoples' brains...


07. "Pirahnna Bait"
Hopefully a good title ain't fucked up... >>> Not bad beat this time. Tha beats take away from when I wanna hear all tha rhymes unfortunately. Tha 1st verse was okay. Second verse starts off good wit tha "smokin' weed" (nice memory part). Tha 2nd verse was a lot better, and tha hook actually iz great. Lyrical Rating: 4.4 | My Rating: 3.8


08. "Miss My Doggs"
I'm not gonna even wanna want to listen to a title like that; sorry. >>> Must be a recent beat if Alchemist iz on it... Not bad on tha 1st verse, but tha hook ain't fa me at all. Tha 2nd verse stayed to tha topic here. After a while, you know tha beat iz gettin' to me. Really, this should've just been an acapella mixtape! As far as your "CD" comment around tha 3:00 mark, I'm now on a mission to collect every Louisiana CD; I want 'em all! Too bad there are some artists out now that take 12731928379 years to get me their shit. It's like, what kinda promotion you want? Thank God it at least easy to get most of tha back-in-tha-day shit! Lyrical Rating: 4.1 | My Rating: 2.7


09. "Padded Room"
Looks like an interesting title, but I won't get excited just yet... >>> LOL, Rock/Rap beat? I rather you spit shit that goes hard than shit that's depressing/over a bad beat. This shit sounds like it wants to be on that tight shit, so I'll buy it. Tha hook iz interesting, especially when tha title iz said. Yea, "retarded, tha dumb way," so you KNOW you're at least addin' tha BR attributes to this! Interesting 2nd verse too wit tha "bones gettin' lifted up" or whateva it was. Much better than a few of tha otha songs. Lyrical Rating: 4.3 | My Rating: 3.9


½time: Do I need a 1/2 point? Well, of course, this mixtape ain't fa me, but that doesn't mean I hate on you. I hate tha people that read my reviews and think, "YOU FUCKIN' HATE THIS SHIT?!?" Why would I hate it? It ain't fa me! PLUS, I put lyrical ratings to prove that I'm showin' luv to tha lyrics!! I easily prefer you to stick to your Baton Rouge roots. There was no need to experiment in a New York fan base. Did anything cause it to occur? Still, although I got 9 more left, I look forward to you "GOIN' APE SHIT" again! Now THAT song iz already qualified fa a *CERTIFIED CLASSIC* wit me on my 2009 Music Awards! Currently, tha average CD rating iz 3.5; that a lil' too high right now...


10. "It Ain't No Secret"
Tha start of tha 2nd 1/2... >>> Tha lyrics in tha beginning of tha 1st verse wit tha "wantin' a blessin'" ain't fa me. Sounds like a Kanye West beat... It's not bad fa this one, but tha hook iz pretty good. It ain't tha worst kinda song fa me though. Tha 2nd verse was not bad too. Lyrical Rating: 4.5 | My Rating: 3.5


11. "Like They Love B.I.G."
Only 2 minutes and 5 seconds long. >>> Well, your part in tha :30 area told me why you rappin' ova these New York beats. "You went to NYC," so I guess that's how it came about. Just listenin' to this Biggy beat reminds me of listenin' to Hot 97's Top 8 @ 8 countdown every night; it was tha background beat fa like EVERY countdown show! Great rhymin' throughout tha only verse on this. To add: I don't like how you say tha title though 'cause it reminds me of 50 Cent and "In Da Club". Lyrical Rating: 4.2 | My Rating: 3.6


12. "Show You How 2 Do This"
Tha title looks like one of your typical quotes... >>> Fa'got what tha beat was, but I either liked or hated it... I don't think I hated it though. Not bad start on this shit, but nothin' to say. I don't like how you said tha title; sounded like Jay-Z. Tha 2nd verse started off good wit tha "let my heart bleed through tha speakaz!" Huh, it just ended outta nowhere? Lyrical Rating: 4.3 | My Rating: 3.3
EDIT: Tha beat sounds like Jaheim "Everything (Remix)" from 2002?


13. "T.O.M.S."
Lemme guess: "T.O.N.Y." beat from Capone-N-Noreaga? >>> Yup, I was right. I was just about to ask what tha title meant, but you said, "Top Of My Shit." Great job creatin' that! You have a Facebook (due to you said "6:00, fuckin' wit my Facebook status")? I gotta add you... Then again, I usually check Big Jay or Savage's friends to see if y'all got any Louisiana peeps as friends. I'm glad I was able to tolerate wit this joint; good job, Max, on tha rhymes, recreatin' tha title, and tha beat you chose! Lyrical Rating: 4.4 | My Rating: 4.2


14. "Take The Money"
Looks like a 50 Cent type title... >>> It's not, but more Rakimish wit that sample (I don't know who's beat this iz, but I don't think it's that old). Nice start to tha 1st verse wit "I fire brains," especially it repeatin' a few times! I didn't think this was more of just a freestyle, so it won't catch on that much fa me... Tha rappin' sounds pretty good towards tha end. I like when tha title iz said, and I didn't realize it was in tha sample as well. Lyrical Rating: 4.1 | My Rating: 3.6


15. "SLFEMP Sixteen"
Huh? Iz this just a "16"? >>> WTF wit tha 50 Cent "What Up Gangsta" imitating? Gay start... It ain't even that beat (don't know this beat, but this beat ain't that bad). Sounds like good lyrics. Short, but after that "What Up Gangsta" imitation, I was grossed out, lol! Lyrical Rating: 3.8 | My Rating: 2.9


16. "Robot Army"
Wow, a long song (5:32 on tha length). It's like 4x longer than tha last song... I betta not sit here pissed off now... >>> Weird/good beat start. Sounds like a T.I. start wit tha flow mixed wit someone else... Sounds like you're in your own world wit this shit, which I like. Interesting verses, yet interesting hook too. It almost sounds like Cee-Lo on tha 2nd 1/2 of tha hook? Regular rappin' at 2:45 now. Tha rest felt kinda long... Nice flowin' throughout tha rest, although nothin' I can quote. Lyrical Rating: 4.0 | My Rating: 3.7


17. "I Still Love Her"
So you chose Common's beat fa this one. This was already done by Amanda Diva wit "I Still Love H.I.M."; I prolly prefer her version easily, but let's see... >>> Okay, but nothin' really to say. Yet, I had tha beat right, but okay song/nothin' really wrong. Okay, now tha beat changed to "Love Of My Life (An Ode To Hip-Hop)" (double Common, lol). Your rappin' was better on this beat, yet I luved your "I write a paragraph in blood" line; best line on this CD!! Lyrical Rating: 4.4 | My Rating: 3.5


18. "Dear Streets"
A long, 5:14 ending song. It betta not be over anotha Jay-Z beat (I have a feelin' it iz)... >>> Why am I guessin'tha beat right? Tha Memphis Bleek/Jay-Z one (of course). Not much to say wit tha 1st verse, but it sounds like your "writing" of your "street luv letter" iz interesting on tha hook. You and tha "blood writing" wit tha "signed it in blood;" are you goin' through a lotta pain? No comment on tha 2nd verse, as I don't really know what to say... Better 3rd verse as you were "writing" to tha "streets" right there. Lyrical Rating: 4.4 | My Rating: 2.8


Overall: Hate to tell you, but I was waiting fa it to end. At first, when I downloaded this (FOR FREE from your MySpace), I expected good. Then, I saw on Word Of South that it was filled wit New York beats. That made me think, "Maybe Max iz rappin' ova some new New York beats." However, this turned out to be pretty much ova mostly 90's, mixed wit some 2000's, New York beats. Maybe you should've rapped ova shit like "Shook Ones, Pt. 2"? That would've been good, but you chose tha "T.O.N.Y." beat, so thumbs up. However, at least appreciate tha lyrical ratings vs. my ratings; my ratings are how I feel when listening to tha song (based on EVERYTHING in it). Keep doin' yo thang and I look forward to tha LOUISIANA MUSIC you will make in tha future!! Plus, you got PLENTY of CDs in my "Louisiana Reviewz Marathon" goin' down right now! Oh, and forgot to mention, tha cover to this CD looks cool, so thumbs up, Max.


Rankings (according to my ratings):

17. "Dead Rapperz" 2.6
16. "Miss My Doggs" 2.7
15. "Dear Streets" 2.8
14. "SLFEMP Sixteen" 2.9
13. "Show You How 2 Do This" 3.3
12. "Fresh 2 Def (Remix)" 3.4
11. "It Ain't No Secret" 3.5
10. "I Still Love Her" 3.5
09. "Like They Love B.I.G." 3.6
08. "Take The Money" 3.6
07. "Robot Army" 3.7
06. "In My Street Dreamz" 3.7
05. "Pirahnna Bait" 3.8
04. "Padded Room" 3.9
03. "Brain Distortion" 3.9
02. "Full Metal Jacket" 4.1
01. "T.O.M.S." 4.2


Average CD Review:

Total Score: 59.2
Total Songs: / 17
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Average CD Rating: 3.5