After a number of impressive leaks, Dizzy Wright, drops his highly anticipated mixtape, The Golden Age. This is the Sin City representative's fifth street album in total, the tape is the follow-up to the free version of SmokeOut Conversations, which was released in June 2012, and comes on the heels of last December's Booth-hosted The First Agreement EP.
The tape is not only inspired by 90s hip-hop music, but emphasizes its style and substance. The Golden Age gives you 22 new tracks from The Funk Volume emcee with features from the likes of Joey Bada$$, Hopsin, SwizZz, Wyclef, Logic, Kid Ink, Honey Cocaine and more.
Unlike his Funk Volume comrades, he has an accessible sound that should gain him popularity among a more mainstream audience. A lot of critics are saying that this mixtape sounds like Dizzy is in search of his hip-hop gimmick or identity but it sounds like the man has found it with this one.
Some notable tracks off the Tape include “Welcome Home,” “Untouchable,” Step Yo Game Up” and “Bout That Life.”
"Welcome Home" is a song dedicated to his father after he returned home from prison. What makes this song dope is the beat and hook. It has this old school beat with samples from DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince's "Summertime." The hook was well done by Arima Ederra as she takes the hook from Janet Jackson's classic "That's The Way Love Goes" and makes it modern.
He links up with Logic and Kirk Knight for the track "Untouchable." Some dope lyrics we're being dropped here from all three artist. This track featured another old school styled beat with DJ Premier like record scratches on the hook.
There were a few tracks on the tape with that trap beat that’s worth noting. "Step Yo Game Up" is one of them. This song has high energy trap styled beats produced by Kato. Definitely the most energized track on the entire mixtape. Jarren Benton is featured on the track and drops a crazy verse. "Bout That Life" is another with a calmer trap style beat. The song is cool but there feels like there could have been more from Hopsin. "Progression", "Still Movin" and "Brodee Bro" are also good tracks with the same trap sound.
"The Perspective" is an interesting title about a relevant topic in the hip-hop community-- thirsty people on the internet, namely Instagram. He goes on talking about how girls do the most for attention on social media sites and how the guys feed the behavior. "Maintain" is a dope track that features Joey Bada$$ with another old school styled beat. The song however, feels like it belongs to Joey more than it does to Dizzy. Now on to my not so notable tracks.
"The Flavor" features Funk Volume member SwizZz and is a dope track. It has that old school laid back, west coast feel but the way that SwizZz raps this song makes it feel like it should have had way more energy. It was too laid back. Dizzy probably could have done this track solo and put SwizZz on a more deserving track like "Step Yo Game Up".
Dizzy recently said about the new mixtape that he was aiming for the old school rap feel of the 90’s and the man certainly achieves it.
”I wanted to bring back the 90s… I feel like people appreciated music a little more in the past. In 2013 our flow should be developed and mixed with substance. We should be talking about something, not wasting any bars. The most important thing is substance.”
Dizzy started the year off with a spot on XXL’s Freshmen list. Now he's dropped one of the most interesting and consistent mixtapes of the summer, and setting off on a nationwide tour in only a few weeks. Things are certainly looking up for Dizzy Wright.
