MUSIC REVIEW: GET CRYPHY - 'RAMBO 4 IVAN DRAGO'
Something For The Weekend: Free Download of Celebratory Southern Jams
(getcryphy.com) This week, in honor of the fourth anniversary of Minneapolis-based party promotion, Get Cryphy -- the crew behind the event -- released a new mixtape entitled Get Cryphy 2: Rambo 4 Ivan Drago. If you've ever worked in the nightlife industry, you know that four years is roughly an eon in nightlife years. Most recurring parties last only six months to a year. Four years is legendary, so congratulations and a fitting dedication mix are certainly in order... because this is definitely a fitting mix.
The Rambo 4 Ivan Drago tape can only be described as a megamix. At first glance, one might expect this tape, and everything Get Cryphy, to be '80s-based. The entire aesthetic is built on '80s nostalgia. From the title: "Rambo 4, Ivan Drago," which derives its name from two of Stallone's best 1980s movies (Rambo and Rocky IV), to the cover based on the original NES "Legend of Zelda," this tape looks VHS. It even opens with a quote from Stallone's post-Drago fight speech in Rocky IV, but after that, there is absolutely zero '80s in this mix.
Rambo 4 is an excellent rapid-fire assault of Southern rap hits dating from anywhere between the mid-'90s and today. Oddly, though, it's a very non-Southern take on Dirty South. The outstanding mixes are super high-energy, feature primarily southern emcees, and are heavy on the ignorant shit that we (for good or ill) associate with Southern hip hop, but this is not a Dirty South tape. The beats are a mixed bag of mainstream hip hop, sometimes incorporating a moment of wobble or crunk, and drawing on the energy of southern rap's kissing cousins like bounce, bass, go-go, et al, but really this is just a straight-up Top 40 banger. And in that sense, Cryphy is the perfect name for it. Aside from a Lil John appearance, it's not really crunk, but it gets crunk. And aside from one E40 track, it's not hyphy, but it perfectly captures the hyphy energy. This tape is 42 minutes of dumb. It parties.
As far as emcees are concerned, this mix presents a who's who of southern all-stars. It's very Cash Money heavy (particularly Lil Wayne...Lil Wayne is on everything), and you will hear a lot of Ludacris, but really, you'll hear everyone you know from the Southeast. Andre 3000 makes an appearance; Shawty Lo and TI share space; Jeezy and Roscoe Dash get some bars; even Flo Rida shows up.
It's not all dirty south, however. Beyond a massive list of instrumentals that powered hits for artists as diverse as 50 Cent, Cam'ron, Nas, Tinie Tempah, and Master P, you'll hear some bars from a number of current, non-Southern artists. Listen close and you can pick out Nicki Minaj from Queens, E40 from Oakland, Fabolous from BK, Lil B from Berkley, Drake from Toronto, and fellow Minneapolis crew Doomtree. Doomtree's "Bangarang" (not to be confused with the Skrillex release) gets a pretty full spin at the end of this tape. As an aside, I should mention that I just saw the "Bangarang" video, and it features everyone's favorite Midwest export, Har Mar Superstar. There's definitely a lot of Midwest loyalty on the Cryphy tape.
As far as the lyrics, well, expect nothing but the finest ignorance. This is a party tape built primarily on Dirty South as viewed by Minnesotans...so it's all stereotypes, all the time. If you cant overlook or laugh at "Ass ass ass ass, make it rain, choppers, pyrex, ASS, etc.," you might have to pass it up.
Perhaps most interesting is how this high-energy party tape ends. It closes out with a slowed-down remix of Lil Jon's "Get Low." This mix is hilariously good. It has less in common with a chopped and screwed mix than it does with a 9AM in 2001 Ibiza chill-out mix. It's "you ain't gotta go home, but you can't stay here" music.
Standout Tracks: Just play the whole d*mn thing...
For Fans Of: Big Boi, Doomtree, DJ Muggs
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