Fat Joe-The Darkside 3--(2013)
Artist: Fat Joe
Album: The Darkside 3
Label: Independent
Producers: Streetrunner,
Cool and Dre, DJ Premiere, Diamond D, Illa, 9th Wonder, others
South
Bronx’s Fat Joe has been relaxing for a hot minute. Due to his legal actions,
Fat Joe has been taking it easy. The Terror Squad leader holds it down after
dropping one album after another; he made a mark in hip hop history. Fat Joe also keeps his name on the streets
from the Darkside mixtape series. With The
Darkside 3 mixtape finally dropped, has Fat Joe still had what it takes to
body a track? Can he take it to the next level?
Throughout the album, it has the gutter
beats that the fans looking for. The “Darkside (Intro)” has a soulful influence
as Fat Joe’s delivery has not lost its touch; he flows on cue over Streetrunner’s
production. However, the auto-tune Dre chorus slightly dwindle the consistency
but didn’t oversaturated the track. It’s a good way to start off the track but
the standout track. This does not mean the mixtape is a disappointment, not by
a long shot. “Madison Squares” produced by Young Sap and Cool and Dre brings
the excitement back continuing the soulful beats with the highly energized drum
patterns which Fat Joe flows nicely as he raps about the cars, women and the
fast life. Streetrunner brings it again with “MGM” has the production brings
out the high energy from Fat Joe as he rhymes about the fast life. Now this is
the track I’m looking for with the fire piano production with added bass and kicks
it to Fat Joe spits heavy: suicide is a suicide/picture Justin Timberland no
suit and ties.
As the mixtape continues on, producer
Illa gives the added ummph to the mixtape. Tracks like “Pain” and “ Grimey in
the Early 90’s” goes in bringing out the old school Fat Joe as he spits about
growing up in the streets in “Pain” and spitting about his come up in the Golden
Era hip hop days on “Grimey in the Early 90’s”; the grimey cinematic production
puts you in a trance of a black and white video sorta like “The Shit is Real
(remix” video. DJ Premiere came through as well with the old school boom bap
drums and the grimey guitar looped production is hard on the Fat Joe/Action
Bronson tag team track “Your Honor” as Joe spits about his prison sentence to
Jay/Beyoncee’s baby Blue Ivy. He also gives a great description growing up in
public housing on “9th wonder” rhyming over a mellow soulful sample and
hard hitting boom bap drums laced by producer 9th wonder. I was waiting for this to happen but the BX
creation of a Fat Joe lyrical content over a Diamond D beat always equal success.
This worked very well with the assist of Nick Shades on “The Cypher”. Fat Joe
came off strong but Nick Shades bodied the track bringing back that 90’s energy
into the track. It’s the same thing with “Bass” when Nick Shades came correct
surpassing Joe. The mixtape ends with “Angels Sing” which wraps it up in a
nutshell bringing out the other side from Joe as he brings it to the critics
over a high energy beat produced by Young Hype. The beat is fire but Fat Joe
pace of delivery on the second verse kind of lost the listener.
If you are looking for lyrical cadence
and flow, this mixtape is definitely for you. Don’t expect lyrics that will
stick in you like soul food from Joe but you will enjoy his storytelling lyrics
throughout the mixtape. Fat Joe has not lost his step at all. The production on
the album is top notch with its diversity from boom bap instrumentals to more
contemporary beats. Production wise, this album is a gem. Lyrically, Fat Joe
comes correct and still holds South BX down but there were some minor mishaps.
The Dre auto-tune chorus, a few simplistic lyrics from Joe on some of the songs
and Nick Shades over shining Joe throw the mixtape off the loop a bit but didn’t
drain the consistency. This has not changed the overall scope of the project. Although
a few strong heavy hitting songs are short, this is definitely a popping joint
and is worth listening to. This is good enough to wait for his studio album in
the future.
Strong
Tracks: “Madison Squares”, “Pain”, “Your Honor”, “MGM”, “9th
Wonder”, “Grimey in the Early 90’s”, “Bass”
Rating:
out of 
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