(Photo By Facebook)
“Po’ Up” (previous review)
“Wanna Know” (previous review)
Earlier this year Milwaukee rapper Nu Money released one of the most talked about projects of 2014, Perc Kodiene. The mixtape consists of a total of 13 tracks and includes guest appearances from the likes of: Awol, Jae Ace, Pizzle, and more. As a new-found fan of the young rapper and his music, The Illixer decided to check out the tape and discover what all of the hoopla was about. Find out which tracks made the biggest impression on the site after the break.
“On The Way”
This song opens with a few spoken words from Nu Money himself. The beat starts to come in as he verbalizes. The production here is becoming. The deep foundation, somber musical components, listless tempo, and thought provoking vibe result in an attractive combination. The hook is adequate. The delivery is intriguing and the lyrics are stirring. The verses are compelling. Nu Money provides a coherent flow, meaningful wordplay, and substantial rhymes. He pens an expressive anthem about facing adversity in life. Peep it as he spits: “Doing 65 down memory lane. And as of lately I been feeling kinda mentally drained. Physically pained. Even question where I’m spiritually aimed. But majority of the time I’m self inflicting the pain. Not that deep into religion. But I keep that to myself. When my prayers go unanswered I’m dependent on myself. Cause nobody’s gave me nothing. And nothing’s where I came from. Holes all in my hand me downs. Trying to making it home before that rain comes. And when it did pour down, I flooded my composition. Just venting. But in between I was murdering competition.” Those words right there make for an impeccable set of opening bars. The record winds down with a couple more spoken words from Nu Money. All in all, this is a dope selection as well as a site favorite.
“Ten Toes” F/ Hektik & Futro
This single became an instant fan favorite. The production here is decent. The low set base, inferred secondary elements, casual rhythm, and lax vibe mesh favorably together. The hook is excellent. The vocals are quality and the lyrics are authentic. The verses are good. Both Hektik and Nu Money enlist charged flows, respectable wordplay, and unwavering rhymes. They convey the message that they are down for whatever under any circumstances. A few noteworthy lines via Nu Money include: “Eyes full of pain and a heart full of pride is all a n—a ever had coming up. Two full time jobs. Even hustled on the side. But the money I was making wasn’t enough. When your best ain’t good enough and you start to feel down cause ain’t nothing looking up; just take a look around and the people still around are the only ones that genuinely give a f–k. Standing on my word.” Those are some weighted bars right there. Overall, this is a valid effort.
“Nightmare” F/ Bizal McLoud, Inferno, & Awol
The production here is hot. The street style bass, grimy background details, mid-tempo pace, and no-nonsense vibe go hand in hand. The hook is a winner. The delivery is spirited and the lyrics are on point. The verses are legitimate. Nu Money juggles the first section, Bizal McLoud comes through on the second verse, Inferno spazzes on the third verse, and Awol shows out at the end. All four rappers serve up distinctive flows, savvy wordplay, and high grade rhymes. They do a stand up job of fueling the sinister theme of the selection. A handful of memorable lines from Nu Money are: “Been up for days. Scared to go to sleep. Flicking ashes out the window. Ratchet on repeat. See all I know is get it. Cause I grew up without it. Now I need accountants plural. (…) No days off. I think I’m paranoid. Get trailed to the drop. Shooters all in that ready car. F–k around and make the breaking news. Think first, it ain’t April fool.” One has to appreciate the rawness of those bars right there. As a whole, this is a banger and another site favorite.
**My Two Cents: Perc Kodiene certainly lived up to all of the hype it received. The production was first-rate. The guest appearances were finely matched. And Nu Money gave it a good run content wise. I know there were a few people who felt the tape was a little too toned down. But I enjoyed that factor. One doesn’t have to always be riled up to generate a hit that can appeal to the masses. The project in it’s entirety is well worth a listen. So hit up the player above and get to it. On a side note, Nu Money will be performing live at the MidWest Blog Tour 2 event on the 31st. So if any readers happen to be fans of his, they should be sure to come out and support. -MinM
