It's been too long since we shouted out the few, the proud, the Dipset B-list. Proteges! Associates! Freeky Zeeky! (J/K on that last one - stay up, Ezekiel!). Fly with us after the jump.
"Dipset Europe" representers S.A.S. returned this week with a new mixtape - we haven't heard the disc yet, but what gives with this newly professional cover art? Fuck the Compacta Bold and the "distressed" Photoshop brushes, and bring back the bright yellow Hot Buttered joints with the flaming Big Ben in the background.
Similarly, we haven't taken a listen to Jha Jha's debut solo mixtape, but we did hear her track with Princess of Crime Mob on the new Jim Jones LP. It made us wonder what the hell happened to the new Crime Mob album.
But all snarking aside, Jimmy's latest is a testament to the best of the Dips' bench players, and the impetus for this whole post: Max B. Easily their most enjoyable crooner since Opera Steve (KILLACAM, KILLACAMCAM...), we'll admit we weren't quiiiiite sold on Maximilian when he first showed up on Harlem: Diary of A Summer dropping monotone sing/raps throughout "Baby Girl" and "Gs Up." But dude found some way to turn that lazy technique damn near into a lifestyle on Hustler's P.O.M.E. cuts like "Bright Lights Big City" (complete with accapella outro) and "Love Of My Life." Max digs up notes that never quite hit their mark ("we on the roooo-wwed, travlin cross the glooo-bbe...") but are filled with personality - sloppy melodies existing in a pocket that's completely their own. And it just sounds cool.
So before we get sent another auto-tuned the fuck out, keyboard-ass album from any of the R&B industry's Interchangable Shirtless Dudes, somone run up on Mr Koch and get that solo album in the works for when Max gets out of jail. In the meantime, you know the PayPal is coming out for this Max B vs Akon mixtape.