Coldplay is ablaze right now. The British band's most recent studio album, Viva La Vida, sold over 2 million records worldwide (with 720,000 copies sold in the U.S. in the first week, 316,000 on the first day). Not only that, they were commissioned to perform at this year's Grammy's, and are in the midst of a worldwide tour that has received high praise and is drawing huge crowds (not to mention of course the endless TV appearances and magazine coverage they've received).
The rap industry seems to have also picked up on the Coldplay buzz, and I must say, the results have been spectacular. Drake Drizzy had a bonus song on his recent mixtape ("Congratulations") which sampled "Viva La Vida" and was pure fire. And now we get a second Jay-Z/Coldplay collaboration (Jay joined the group in a live performance of "Lost" at the Grammy's). Ohio-born producer and mixtape "composer" Mick Boogie - along with his partner in crime Terry Urban - have taken Coldplay instrumentals and mixed them with verses from hip hop patriarch and legend, Jay-Z.
[I am really enjoying this album. It is a fresh new mixtape which combines two artists who are at the top of their respective genres; they also happen to be two of my favorite artists in music right now. I had my reservations about this album, but I can say confidently that this album met and exceeded my expectations (it scrapes The Gray Album). Hova's verses are well chosen, taken from songs - i.e. "Takeover", "Ignorant Shit", "Heart of the City", "Song Cry" - off two of his best overall albums (The Blueprint and American Gangster). Similarly, the Coldplay songs chosen represent some of their newest and most well-known material, including "Lost!", "Homecoming", "Speed of Sound", and "X & Y".
Unlike previous mixtapes which pair a rapper with an artist from a different genre (The Gray Album, The Black and Blue Album, etc.), the sound quality on this album is very good. Coldplay's soft melodies compliment Hova's smooth flow quite nicely on this mixtape, and the songs do not sound choppy - a testament to Boogie's and Urban's mixing ability, and the seriousness with which they approached this project. Aside from a couple lame tracks, my only criticism is that the album would have been better if it had more verses from Coldplay, rather than strictly instrumentals.
All in all, Viva la Hova is without a doubt one of the best mixtapes of the year. Do not sleep on this album!!]
The rap industry seems to have also picked up on the Coldplay buzz, and I must say, the results have been spectacular. Drake Drizzy had a bonus song on his recent mixtape ("Congratulations") which sampled "Viva La Vida" and was pure fire. And now we get a second Jay-Z/Coldplay collaboration (Jay joined the group in a live performance of "Lost" at the Grammy's). Ohio-born producer and mixtape "composer" Mick Boogie - along with his partner in crime Terry Urban - have taken Coldplay instrumentals and mixed them with verses from hip hop patriarch and legend, Jay-Z.
[I am really enjoying this album. It is a fresh new mixtape which combines two artists who are at the top of their respective genres; they also happen to be two of my favorite artists in music right now. I had my reservations about this album, but I can say confidently that this album met and exceeded my expectations (it scrapes The Gray Album). Hova's verses are well chosen, taken from songs - i.e. "Takeover", "Ignorant Shit", "Heart of the City", "Song Cry" - off two of his best overall albums (The Blueprint and American Gangster). Similarly, the Coldplay songs chosen represent some of their newest and most well-known material, including "Lost!", "Homecoming", "Speed of Sound", and "X & Y".
Unlike previous mixtapes which pair a rapper with an artist from a different genre (The Gray Album, The Black and Blue Album, etc.), the sound quality on this album is very good. Coldplay's soft melodies compliment Hova's smooth flow quite nicely on this mixtape, and the songs do not sound choppy - a testament to Boogie's and Urban's mixing ability, and the seriousness with which they approached this project. Aside from a couple lame tracks, my only criticism is that the album would have been better if it had more verses from Coldplay, rather than strictly instrumentals.
All in all, Viva la Hova is without a doubt one of the best mixtapes of the year. Do not sleep on this album!!]
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