David E. Beats – Renaissance (Mixtape Review)

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Renaissance

David E. Beats (The White House Band) has been setting the stage for his upcoming mixtape for a while now. He began a promotional series entitled “White House Band Weekly” back in December and has been going strong ever since. Recently, he took another move in creating buzz for the album by leaking it so that it could be reviewed before the big release date. The tape is entitled Renaissance and is hosted by Mick Boogie. So without further delay, let’s dive into some tracks. One of the tracks off of the project has already been featured. Check out the run down of “TGIF (Thank God I’m Fly)” here. Feedback for three additional cuts can be found after the jump.

“Dream”

The production here is solid. It contains a variety of light sound effects, some instrumentation, and a mellow vibe. The hook is decent. The delivery is clear cut and the lyrics are simple but contain a heartfelt message. There is only one verse present, as this is a shorter cut. The verse is quality though. David comes with an easy going flow and clever rhymes. He brings a nice personal element to the table. Some notable lines include: “I gave my life for it. This dream that I see and I fight for it. Reality checks, setbacks, friends moving up and I’m feeling left back. And I been on the come up for a minute though. But it’s never how you start, it’s always how you finish yo.” Those are deep lines that provide a glimpse of the person beyond the emcee. Overall, this is a fair song. It shows off a different side of the usually extra confident and fierce rapper.

“Guns”

The production here is excellent. It features a low heavy bass, some intense background vocals, and a serious vibe. The hook is good as well. The delivery has a cool mid-tempo pace but is a little hard to hear over the beat. So dialing back the sounds a bit would help a lot. The lyrics are creative and catchy. The verses are on point too. David continues with the quicker paced flow and returns back to his confident aggressive nature. He also brings some sharp wordplay and impressive rhymes. He does a very compelling job of speaking his mind and flexing his skills on this song. Highlight lines include: “And I ain’t going in just for my health. I be going in just for myself. And my jeans torn but b–ches think I’m fly. And when I dumb it down, n—as always think I’m nice. Act like I got a chip on my shoulder. Well I do b–ch. Big like a boulder. And if you hot, then b–ch I must smolder. Got like 500 beats in my holster.” Very blunt and raw lines right there. In the end, this joint is a banger and the favorite off of the tape.

“Everyday”

This is the final song on the tape. The production here is unique. It includes drums, guitars, a slow tempo, and a somber vibe. There is a strong Rock element present. The hook is alright. The delivery is fine but the lyrics are a little flat. They could of used something to give them an edge or make them more memorable. There is only one verse and then a bit of a musical interlude. The verse is satisfactory. David comes with a graceful flow that matches the beat perfectly. His rhymes are up to par. The musical interlude could have been scraped for a second verse though. It sounds awesome but doesn’t do much to enhance the cut. All in all, this track was sufficient. It could have been stronger since it is the last song on the project but it’s still worth checking out.

**My Two Cents: Renaissance makes for an interesting listen. It is for sure not your typical Hip-Hop project which is refreshing. These three tracks show off the range of the tape. Due to it’s wide range, Renaissance has the potential to appeal to a broader audience. It’s geared more towards open minded Hip-Hop fans but it is highly suggested that everyone give it a chance. Real music fans will be able to appreciate the unconventional production and content. Renaissance is scheduled to officially be released on May 29th. Readers can give it a listen early via the provided link though. And don’t forget to keep up with David E. Beats via his website. -MinM