Monday Mixtape, Vol. 201

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A totally random mixtape of strange songs, none more so than Men I Trust’s opener on this week’s mixtape, “Lifelong Song.” Whatever that vocal effect is, it’s captivating and hallucinogenic.

What made you leave? / What made you go?
Long road, long time ago
Whistling you life of song
Solace is your lifelong song

Amine is one of my favorite rappers right now. I loved 2020’s Limbo and his recent mixtape shows him moving in and out with autotune and some different beats, such as the lullaby-like “Van Gogh.”

Now you want some ridiculousness? DOJA CAT IT IS! True story: I had no idea who Dojas Cat was other than Isaiah Rashad saying something about her on his new album, but I decided to check her album out. She’s got BILLIONS of plays on one album, her song with SZA alone has 890 million plays! I’m totally out of the current stuff, but let me tell you, this album is awesome. Pure pop/rap pleasure.

Doja Cat’s like Nicki Manaj and Cardi B but dare I say more universal? Anyways, one song I love for it’s wildness is “Get Into It "(Yuh)”. I mean, come on, take off the music snob hat and just enjoy it. Love it.

Big K.R.I.T. has been one of those rappers I’ve talked about since the first days of this blog. He’s under appreciated and underrated, maybe because a lot of his stuff sounds pretty similar, but he’s got soul and a real love for his craft. Mad respect for this guy. Two of my fave tracks on here from his 2021 album, Return of 4eva.

Finally, and don’t sleep on this last track because it’s my favorite track of the mixtape, and one of my favorite tracks this year. Ashley Monroe’s latest album is pretty good, but “Til It Breaks” is the clear standout. A beautiful song of heartbreak that really sings in as she slowly pleads,

Let it melt away
Let it melt away
Yeah, it might get bad before it’s better
Sometimes it doesn’t come together
’Til it breaks.