Balance - The Mixtape
1) "Intro"
Balance gives the mixtape a little intro, talking about some of the projects he's going to be working on coming up. Just a little talking with a nice background beat.
2) "Hustler"
A tight ass beat plays in the background as this track gets started. Balance comes tight as fuck on the mic. He has that perfect hip-hop/rap flow and his lyrics are just as tight to go along with his voice. Balance putting it down on the mic. A tight ass song to start the album with, I'm feeling it.
3) "We Don't Stunt" ft. Frontline
Some of the best new Bay Area rap talent on this song. Balance, Left and Locksmith come tight as fuck on the mic. I think they're going to be doing big things real soon. I like the verses from all three and the hook ties them together nicely. A tight song overall, I'm feeling it.
4) "Freestyle 1"
A minute and sixteen second long freestyle from Balance. A nice beat plays in the background as Balance spits a cool little verse. Not nearly the best song on this album, but nice to showcase Balance's freestyle talents.
5) "Rick Lee Drop"
This is basically Lil Jon's "If You Don't Give a Damn" with the first verse taken out for Balance's. Balance spits a solid verse to get the song started with and then the rest of the song is the same as the original.
6) "Fucc Wit Me" ft. E-A-Ski
This is the same song from the Watch Out Now mixtape. E-A-Ski just does some talking to start the song off with and then Balance grabs the mic and comes hard as fuck. I like the beat done by E-A-Ski a lot. It's a tight song even if I've already heard it.
7) "Curtains" (Final Version)
Oh yeah! This song was also on the Watch Out Now mixtape. This song is also going to be released on Balance's solo project. The beat is tight as fuck, the flows by Balance are tight and the chorus fits perfect too. This is definately my favorite song on the album, I'm feeling it to the fullest.
8) "Mad Idiot 10 Intro"
Another short song like the freestyle. I wish Balance would have had another verse, but the one he does spit is tight though. Not my favorite track, but definately a solid short song.
9) "Wake Up Show Live Dec. '02" ft. Locksmith
This is clip from the Wake Up Show with Sway and King Tech back in December of 02. Locksmith has the first spit and rips up the mic with a tight ass freestyle. Balance comes next, he doesn't come quite as hard as Locksmith, but he puts it down too. A tight freestyle session here, I'm feeling it.
10) "Wake Up Show Intro" ft. Crooked I, Sly Boogy, F.A.B., Locksmith, Zion 1
Balance has a short verse on this song, I wish he would have had more spits. The rest of the flows are tight though, Locksmith and F.A.B. come the hardest to me. This is a tight song, not the best on the album, but definately worth a bump or two.
11) "Mind Motion Drop"
Damn I wish this song would have been longer then 58 seconds. Balance spits a short verse for 106 KMEL radio. The beat is tight as fuck in the background and Balance's spit fits perfectly with the beat, I'm feeling this short song to the fullest.
12) "Freestyle 2"
This freestyle is longer than the first one. I like this one much better than the first because his flow is a bit slower and it fits right along with the beat. I don't like the chorus though, could have made a different one. A pretty solid song.
13) "New Bay" ft. New Bay
A clean beat for this song as the New Bay gets to showcase their talent on the mic. Balance, Frontline and others gets their chance on the mic for this song. E-A-Ski does the hook too, rounding the song off nicely. If this is the direction that the Bay Area rap scene is heading in then I'm very happy to hear this song. A tight song overall, I'm feeling it to the fullest.
14) "Mad Idiot 11 Intro"
I'm not feeling this song as much as the rest of the songs on the album. I don't like the beat sampled. Balance still comes pretty good on the mic, but I'm just not feeling this song as much as the others on the album.
15) "In Da Mornin" ft. Clyde Carson
This is going to be another one of the singles from the new solo album coming out soon. Balance has a slower paced flow to the slower beat. He talks about spending time with a girl and wondering if she'll look as good as she does now in the morning. Clyde Carson comes good on the mic, his flow fits well with this slow paced beat. A good song overall, not what I normally listen to, but whatever.
16) "Luv Me" ft. Frontline
Another New Bay song together. The beat has a slow pace to it, but the bass line is hard. Both Left and Locksmith from Frontline come solid as features. Balance keeps doing his thing with more good mic work. I'm not feeling the chorus that much though, the girl has a nice voice, but the scratches need to go.
17) "Outro"
Balance gives another sessions of talking this time for the outro. Just some more talking with a good beat in the background. There is another song after this one that isn't titled on the tracklisting. Balance has another tight ass flow. A tight bonus song to throw in for the mixtape, a good send off to this tight release from Balance.
Overall this was a very solid mixtape from Balance. He didn't use too many mainstream beats to sample, but rather a mix of mainstream and new beats to fill up the production for the album. The features on the album were very good, a lot of New Bay rappers for the most part. Balance himself shows how well he spit it on the mic, coming hard on just about every song. He also shows his freestyle skills on a few of the tracks. This was just an overall tight mixtape from Balance. It just gets my in the mood to hear more from him, can't wait for his first solo.
Overall Rating = 4/5
1) "Intro"
Balance gives the mixtape a little intro, talking about some of the projects he's going to be working on coming up. Just a little talking with a nice background beat.
2) "Hustler"
A tight ass beat plays in the background as this track gets started. Balance comes tight as fuck on the mic. He has that perfect hip-hop/rap flow and his lyrics are just as tight to go along with his voice. Balance putting it down on the mic. A tight ass song to start the album with, I'm feeling it.
3) "We Don't Stunt" ft. Frontline
Some of the best new Bay Area rap talent on this song. Balance, Left and Locksmith come tight as fuck on the mic. I think they're going to be doing big things real soon. I like the verses from all three and the hook ties them together nicely. A tight song overall, I'm feeling it.
4) "Freestyle 1"
A minute and sixteen second long freestyle from Balance. A nice beat plays in the background as Balance spits a cool little verse. Not nearly the best song on this album, but nice to showcase Balance's freestyle talents.
5) "Rick Lee Drop"
This is basically Lil Jon's "If You Don't Give a Damn" with the first verse taken out for Balance's. Balance spits a solid verse to get the song started with and then the rest of the song is the same as the original.
6) "Fucc Wit Me" ft. E-A-Ski
This is the same song from the Watch Out Now mixtape. E-A-Ski just does some talking to start the song off with and then Balance grabs the mic and comes hard as fuck. I like the beat done by E-A-Ski a lot. It's a tight song even if I've already heard it.
7) "Curtains" (Final Version)
Oh yeah! This song was also on the Watch Out Now mixtape. This song is also going to be released on Balance's solo project. The beat is tight as fuck, the flows by Balance are tight and the chorus fits perfect too. This is definately my favorite song on the album, I'm feeling it to the fullest.
8) "Mad Idiot 10 Intro"
Another short song like the freestyle. I wish Balance would have had another verse, but the one he does spit is tight though. Not my favorite track, but definately a solid short song.
9) "Wake Up Show Live Dec. '02" ft. Locksmith
This is clip from the Wake Up Show with Sway and King Tech back in December of 02. Locksmith has the first spit and rips up the mic with a tight ass freestyle. Balance comes next, he doesn't come quite as hard as Locksmith, but he puts it down too. A tight freestyle session here, I'm feeling it.
10) "Wake Up Show Intro" ft. Crooked I, Sly Boogy, F.A.B., Locksmith, Zion 1
Balance has a short verse on this song, I wish he would have had more spits. The rest of the flows are tight though, Locksmith and F.A.B. come the hardest to me. This is a tight song, not the best on the album, but definately worth a bump or two.
11) "Mind Motion Drop"
Damn I wish this song would have been longer then 58 seconds. Balance spits a short verse for 106 KMEL radio. The beat is tight as fuck in the background and Balance's spit fits perfectly with the beat, I'm feeling this short song to the fullest.
12) "Freestyle 2"
This freestyle is longer than the first one. I like this one much better than the first because his flow is a bit slower and it fits right along with the beat. I don't like the chorus though, could have made a different one. A pretty solid song.
13) "New Bay" ft. New Bay
A clean beat for this song as the New Bay gets to showcase their talent on the mic. Balance, Frontline and others gets their chance on the mic for this song. E-A-Ski does the hook too, rounding the song off nicely. If this is the direction that the Bay Area rap scene is heading in then I'm very happy to hear this song. A tight song overall, I'm feeling it to the fullest.
14) "Mad Idiot 11 Intro"
I'm not feeling this song as much as the rest of the songs on the album. I don't like the beat sampled. Balance still comes pretty good on the mic, but I'm just not feeling this song as much as the others on the album.
15) "In Da Mornin" ft. Clyde Carson
This is going to be another one of the singles from the new solo album coming out soon. Balance has a slower paced flow to the slower beat. He talks about spending time with a girl and wondering if she'll look as good as she does now in the morning. Clyde Carson comes good on the mic, his flow fits well with this slow paced beat. A good song overall, not what I normally listen to, but whatever.
16) "Luv Me" ft. Frontline
Another New Bay song together. The beat has a slow pace to it, but the bass line is hard. Both Left and Locksmith from Frontline come solid as features. Balance keeps doing his thing with more good mic work. I'm not feeling the chorus that much though, the girl has a nice voice, but the scratches need to go.
17) "Outro"
Balance gives another sessions of talking this time for the outro. Just some more talking with a good beat in the background. There is another song after this one that isn't titled on the tracklisting. Balance has another tight ass flow. A tight bonus song to throw in for the mixtape, a good send off to this tight release from Balance.
Overall this was a very solid mixtape from Balance. He didn't use too many mainstream beats to sample, but rather a mix of mainstream and new beats to fill up the production for the album. The features on the album were very good, a lot of New Bay rappers for the most part. Balance himself shows how well he spit it on the mic, coming hard on just about every song. He also shows his freestyle skills on a few of the tracks. This was just an overall tight mixtape from Balance. It just gets my in the mood to hear more from him, can't wait for his first solo.
Overall Rating = 4/5
