When I was introduced to DUBB, through listening to a few songs, I could hear that he wasn’t the ‘average’ West Coast rapper that many people wouldn’t picture to be, although as of recent, every West Coast rapper that comes out, they have their own distinction that really doesn’t feel like the ‘traditional’ California rapper, so there’s that already going for them. Listening to DUBB, you can hear some Nipsey, Problem, or Dom, depending on the feel of the track at the particular time. I listened to his prior mixtape, Black Box, and there were stories to be told especially when it came down to his father passing. A lot of people make it out to be cliche when people say that ‘music is life’, but really there are circumstances that really do help create an outlet when life situations happen (Scarface finding out that his friend’s son died while in the studio recording This Can’t Be Life is one example of that statement). I was interested in hearing just what DUBB was able to cook up, because his verse on No Days Off (which was on Nipsey Hussle’s Crenshaw mixtape) was impressive, and I felt like he could really pull something off.

In the very beginning of the mixtape until the very end, the theme of never being content with his success fuels the hunger. The opening track (Never Content Intro) highlights that, but also the frustration of a growing artist – many independent artists seem to be more vocally open towards majors about their lack of integrity geared towards their best interests. I can’t really comment on it a whole lot, because it’s all hearsay to me, but Nipsey was really the main guy who lashed out in a very honest way towards majors, but I’m not drawing comparisons; just making an example.

Here’s the thing with this mixtape: there’s a lot that I liked, and also a lot that I didn’t because although the subject matter was on point – the sound didn’t always appeal consistently. For one, I’m tired of autotune; I honestly wish that the whole trend would go away, because I know that rappers want to be able to flex their vocals in ways that they didn’t think were imaginable, but often times they should just let it be…imaginable. More often than not, in my case, it’s always been the execution of delivery that really makes or breaks the likeliness of a track for me. There were songs that I didn’t feel the need for, but at the same time I can accept what he’s saying a majority of the time when it comes to the essence of his storytelling – that can’t be taken away from the effort, because they were things I could relate to on a personal level.

There was definitely something for a lot of people’s particular cup of tea wherever their interest in rap was concerned: California has that classic Cali feel to it – laid back and throw W’s in the air (although I’m from East Canada) with a slight head bop; She Gon Roll It had a Bay Area influence that had the name E-40 come to mind; RNB (Real Nigga Blues) gave you a authentic look into his life from a more serious perspective with jazzy production underneath (my favourite song, actually). There was really a collection of differences. Again, there were some that I liked, and some that I didn’t like, but because of the good that I know that’s there, the not-so-good didn’t overshadow it, and as a rapper he has skill, no denying that at all. This mixtape is pretty good, all critiques aside. Check it out and check out the video for Save Me below (also a great song). Enjoy.

One last thing – Shout out to Canadian Producer, Daniel Worthy having a placement on the mixtape. That’s major.

That’s My Word & It STiXX