Okay, so I been hypin this mixtape since early January when Ballerina…err…Bandana P dropped several singles: “Return of the Mac (New York Sh**)”, “Mac 10 Handle,” and “Stuck On You.” I felt all three songs, along with their respective videos, were so representative of that true New York gritty, raw sound that has been lost over the years. We heard a little bit of those raw, street ballads when Busta dropped “The Big Bang.” Since then many of our mainstream New York artists have come short of really illustrating what it was that put New York on the map in the first place.

****Disclaimer: Being from Brooklyn (Broooooklyn Stand Up!!!) I sort of have a bias to this kind of steez so pardon me if I come off one-sided. Try and understand that i’ll try and be objective****

Out of all of the 14 tracks on the mixtape (yep…just a taste folks…look out for HNIC 2)…i’m feeling 14 of em…I like all of the tracks for different reasons of which I won’t go into right now cause i’m hella tired and well, i’m just trying to exercise brevity. Here are stand-out tracks that you must listen to immediatement:

1. “New York Sh**”- With Busta previously dropping a song with the same title, I am so glad that Prodigy took the track to a different level and showed that you don’t have to ride the same beat. He put a different flip on New Yawk style and life and I think cats respected that. Using Pac’s, “and all my niccas in the pen here we go again. Ain’t nuttin separatin us from mah Mac 10,” made the song extra raw and uncut. It was also beautiful to see that East Coast/West Coast can still blend to make fine music. This song will never go bland in my book. This is a true New York anthem….roll ya window down and blast this while ridin down Flatbush Ave or Upper East Side… 5/5

2. “Stuck On You”- First off, the production on this track is just headknocka status. This is that “don’t say a damn word and just bop ya head” type joint. P’s flow, story telling, and swag on the track was impeccable. He seemed very comfortable staying in his zone and not trying to be overly lyrical. He stayed in his lane and laced up a nice/smooth chorus. Excellent sample choice. Did I say that the production was insane? 5/5

3. “Mac 10 Handle”- I think the video to this track matched the mood of the track to the tee. His voice on this track was so dark and you could just follow him through his stories of what he wants to do to his enemies. He also explains how bugged out he be while high. Who doesn’t or hasn’t felt bugged out or felt they would do some crazy ish when they were high or intoxicated. lol. Real talk! “SCHEMIN ON YOU N*****” So few words but so potent. lol. 5/5

4. “The Rotten Apple”- In a crazy way i think this track is somewhat poetic. He explains that he is who he is because of his environment and that being reared in New York has made him a schemin, hustlin, cautious type individual. His words, “New York made me this way, I’m all about a buck. My close friends was murdered i bulletproof my truck” What’s so interesting about that line is that you could trace P’s state of mind to Nas’ thought scheme when he said, “That buck that bought a bottle coulda struck the lotto” or when Jay in “Politics As Usual” said, “Ya’ll feel a ni**as struggle, ya’ll think a ni**a luh to hustle behind the wheel, tryna escape my trouble” It’s like one of the beautiful things about emcees is their ability to make you visualize just exactly what they’re going through…P did an excellent job on this song.

5. “Nickel and a Nail”- P explains his whole motivation and steez in the first minute of the track. “Tried my hand on drugs, that shyt wasn’t for me. Compared to these royalties that shyt is like chicken feed. Some chose ball and music was my callin as long as it sound gutta, you’ll hear me all on it.” The 1st verse on the track was crazy…you could just zone out. This track is probably the best on the whole mixtape. He rode the beat so perfectly. P really studied the track and knew exactly how to insert his swag (no Foley) to let ya’ll know he aint slippin. The track had that 70s funk with the horns type style. 6/5 (lol…im wildin…)

6. “Legends”- “Gangsta’s dont die they just turn to legends. All we go thru is hell, what the fu** is a heaven” P switched up the topic and gave homage to legends in the game. There was some, as Honorable would call it, Miami Vice-esque feel to the production. That Rocky 4 type feel when Stallone contemplatin fightin Drago and he speedin in his whip in the night…This is a very introspective track. Again, P remains absolutely consistent throughout the album and he doesn’t fail to show us his story tellin versatility on this track. This track had that soul in it!!! Oh man…don’t let me get my hands on the instrumental. I could play it for hours….while on the herb essence (sssssh…..dont tell nobody). lol 5/5

7. “Stop Frontin”- Yo, this is probably the hardest track on the album because he’s so subtle with his messages and his intentions. Now here at HM, we don’t subscribe to birthing gossip but I swear up and down that Prodigy had a line against Hov or anyone who shitted on him within the past few years. He makes it a point to let them know that he aint that dude to sleep on. “You act like i’m not that ni**a who pop that rounds at ya top hat, blazer, and slacks. F**k up ya suit, send a couple troops that’ll go find ya frinds and get them too. You, know the name. Ni**as call me Bandana. They wanna write me off but my songs is bangers……B**ch Stop Frontin” 5/5

The O’Jays, Barry White and Dramatics sample is absolutely smooth and adds to the groove that P set throughout the whole song and served as a proper closure to the mixtape yet foreshadowed what’s to come from Bandana P. This is what New York has been missin’

~Thesis

…yaaaawn. gnite!

P.S: Here are some otha fiyah tracks worth mentioning…

“Take it To the Top”-  Pretty much P talkin that grimy ish and braggin…basic street/club type track…lotta bravado! 4/5

“7th Heaven” ft. Un Pacino-  Nice beat! Not really one of my fav but it’ll do… 3/5

“Bang On’ Em”-  “Look don’t ask me why Queensbridge can’t stick together. If you don’t know the answer, then you don’t know the ghetto” P really drops some nice lines in this story-tellin’ type track about friends who turned on you and other shyt that can happen in the ghetto. The beat is so soulful… 3.75/5