Liam Graham | WhatTheHYPE Mixtape Review
Dre Specz brings us No Refunds: A 20 track mix-tape featuring local underground icons such as Dre Barrs, Mic Gutz, Mark Jordan, Freeway, Lord Fury & more. Produced by DJ Flipcyide, the mix-tape also features the production skills of Philthy Pro, The Last Composer, Mr Erbie, Conflikt, Beats by AbD and DJ S-Luv.
The tape starts out with a skit titled Intro before moving into No refunds, setting the tone for the rest of the tape nicely. The beats have a nice old school 90’s/early 2000 feel, with a diverse variety of moods. For example Kill Everything and Sirens have a Wu-tang “Shaolin style” feel to them while Keep Silent and Paranoid sound like D12 mixed with Jarren Benton.
The three interlude skits provide great comical relief at various intervals of the mix. Usually consisting of banter between locals such as a heated argument between a dispensary owner and customer. The humour is raucous and could be considered rude, but it is funny if that doesn’t bother you and it prevents you from being overloaded by the tough atmosphere of the mix.
In conclusion, No Refunds is a solid package from start to finish. The beats are clean, the lyrics have an even balance of substance vs. entertainment and the roster of emcees/producers is stocked with local talent. No Refunds is a great example of Toronto’s style variety and the talent we have to offer the game.
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