Review by Loose Cannonz

DJ Shef - Big Chips

Man, have there been a trunkload of blend CD's out in the past few weeks. What to choose, what to choose. Well stop bein' broke mothafuckas and cop em all. You want something different, but not -that- different? Check out Pittsburgh's DJ Shef. Shit is straight HARD. The tracklisting should tell you enuff; when it comes to blending, you know shit ain't troof. Whose BZE, Joey Fattz, Hard Times and Boaz? I don't know. But I do know these kids are hot to def. They bring some hard-yet-reliable street rhyming to topnotch production on the mixtape's opening tracks. "Hello, Hello" is addictive, using the whole chipmunk vocal in compliment, while a deranged drumline rolls onward. I'm assuming these cats reside in the PA area, and Shef ready to expose 'em. The tape's closers blow the save tho, as Wiz Khalifa performs his best Heathcliff Slocomb impersonation throwing nothing over Shef's plate with boring beats from I.D. Labs; Smallz calls himself the "Rap Roethlisberger" and he ain't kidding, blowing the big payoff when wide receivers aren't available; and with "Get Ready," Knowledge will never get called to the majors ("more clips than a movie"). The major reason for coppin' this joint isn't to hear these cats anyways, it's to hear some gun-busting blends, and DJ Shef cookin' that shit up properly. It's evidenced all the way to the last track, which takes Shady's latest pickup Stat Quo reciting "Problems" over a probing synth track from some gangsta flick. Nas adds further emotion to "Small World" when rhyming to the jazzy overtones of "Feel It in the Air," despite sounding out of place next to the hungrier raps from idol Pac, Fat Joe, and Redman-check the Cam'Ronish flow!-over "Down & Out." You've gotta love the choice of emcees and beats on Big Chips, as it represents nothin' but the truest of hip-hop and all that. So yeah rhymes don't always go hand-in-hand with the beat; this ain't no easy game to master. Still, as Big Things Moves had pointed out to me, you can't knock the hustle for homie attempting to do something different: no obvious vocals or beats appear on this blend tape (except "How We Do" which makes the perfect setting for Pac and Beans' "Homeboyz" anyway).

I mean, Cormega's "Montana's Diary"? You kidding me? How many DJ's out there constantly sleep on Mega? The Game's "Like Father Like Son" instrumental with raps from Young Buck, Scarface, and Cam'Ron? Again, roster is excellent, and luckily, the medium-tempo, violin swaying backdrop from Buckwild doesn't require any difficult vocal-to-beat methods. The same goes for Alchemist's "Hold You Down" with 50, Styles P, and Pun hard-earnin they keep over the gangsta soul. Then you got instances where vocals sound like live performances such as "Breath" over "Get Em High," which I was sure was gonna be perfect. It sounds even worse over "Westside Story." Big Pun's vocals to "U Ain't A Killer" is absolutely killin' Ja Rule's "New York" instro!! Evidence shows when Big Pun's rhymes speed up as the background synths kick in; even better the hook matches up perfectly where Ja Rule's hook would normally come in; even better Big L appearing over the synth section where the drums are absent; even better, Pun's second verse popping up in the same manner. This is one of the year's finest blends. Word up. Another point me and my mans from Big Things conversed over was the use of instrumentals DJ's afraid to use; check the concept as "New York" pops up over Banks and Yayo's "Ain't No Click" (it's awfully difficult to make the "New York" chorus match up with any other beat, as I see DJ from time to time fail; this is no different). Fat Joe's hook does blend into his verse on Jae Millz "It's Whatever" using both the Prodigy verse and beat from Big Noyd's "Recognize & Realize," to which Biggie's "Who Shot Ya" is then blended into the beat from the Millz joint. Confused? B.I.G. (there's been an overload of Biggie and Big Pun lately on these blend tapes, don't ya think?), Cassidy, Nas and Jada then rock it to the beat from "U Ain't A Killer." Ahh…told you shit was raw. There's a recurring blend concept here on Big Chips, and its attempt warrants much praise despite the technical blotches that might otherwise make established blend DJ's wince. As Styles P and Jada's (near-perfect) joint over CNN's "T.O.N.Y. shouts, "Fuck You."

RATING SYSTEM
	Trash
	Step Ya Game Up
	Diehards only
	In the Deck
	Straight Crack
	Among Year's Best
	Mixtape Classic