Diverse Hip Hop

Lloyd Banks has been out of the music scene for awhile, after dropping his last mixtape “Cold Corner 2″ towards the end of last year, Banks promised another mixtape and well after countless delays it’s finally here. “V6″ is the 6th installment to Lloyd’s V series of mixtapes. The tape features 15 tracks and appearances from Fabolous, Jadakiss, Vado, Schoolboy Q and more. Check out what I got to say about the tape track by track after the jump.

1. “Rise From The Dirt” – The tape starts out with a sample that fits perfectly with the production, then Banks starts out with his usual flow. The lyrics and flow is consistent as usual with Lloyd Banks, and the ending is dope as hell, don’t know if it’s just what he’s saying or if he’s reading a quote from someone, but nonetheless is a good touch to the intro track to V6.

2. “City of Sin” feat. Young Chris – The beginning of this track reminded me of Drake’s “Killer” track, I love the sample used on this track too. The production is on point and matches what Lloyd Banks would rap on. The hook isn’t that good to me, and that’s what made me hate the track, it’s just sort of annoying to me. Young Chris I thought was a singer at first based off his name, but I was wrong he’s a rapper and a good one at that.

3. “The Sprint” – The production on this is insane, but the flow Banks uses on this track gets boring, no hook can be a good thing sometimes and in this case it wasn’t. A hook would have made it more interesting to listen to but other than that it’s a decent track.

4. “Open Arms” – This track is one I wasn’t feeling at from the day it came out, I don’t like the hook, production is sort of boring, Doe Pesci could have done better and Banks could have come up with a better hook, verses are on point though.

5. “We Run The Town” feat. Vado – Now here’s a banger, from the intro to the hook to the verses to the Vado feature everything about this track is on point. Both artists deliver and the hook is super catchy. Overall one of the best tracks on the mixtape.

6. “Protocol” – Here’s another banger, the production on this track is out of this world. Banks even delivers on the hook which makes this track ten times better. Banks also spits fast fire bars all throughout this track, overall one of the best tracks on the mixtape too.

7. “Can She Live” – Here’s another track that Banks absolutely kills, in a good way. At first I wasn’t feeling this track but after a few listens the hook really grabbed me and made me listen to this track over and over. The subject matter is for them guys that love them hoes too quickly, and we all know a person like that. The Slim Thug sample is also dope, production is on point and overall one of those stand out tracks on the mixtape.

8. “Bring It Back” feat. Fabolous – Do I have to say it? C’mon by now you guys should know here’s another banger from Banks. This track could have been mix/mastered better but other than that everything else is on point, not to mention that Fabolous absolutely killed Banks on his own track.

9. “Chosen Few” feat. Jadakiss – At first I wasn’t liking this track at all but after listening to it a couple times it grew on me like “Can She Live”. The production is really good, I love the strings used on the production. I would say Jadakiss really did his thing and Banks as usual did his thing too, but I felt like the hook could have been better, it’s a good hook but it seems like it was something they just put together quick. Overall a very good track.

10. “Gettin’ By” feat. Schoolboy Q – I knew this track was going to be good, how did I know that? well based off what 50 Cent and Schoolboy Q managed to do on that “Can I Speak To You” track, this song couldn’t disappoint, Banks and Schoolboy Q really did they’re thing. From the super catchy and simple hook to the production to the crazy verses, nothing about this track is bad. Schoolboy Q really delivered once again on both the G-Unit tracks, I would love to see a 50/Banks/Schoolboy track together next time.

11. “Live It Up” – This track didn’t really matter much to me, the production sounds the same as some other tracks Banks has spit on and that’s why it lost my interest. Nothing much to say, it’s a decent track with a decent hook and decent bars.

12. “Money Don’t Matter” – I really like the hook to this track, I think it’s Governor from G-Note Records but if it isn’t it don’t matter it’s still good. The production is more simple on this track and nothing crazy like we are usually use to from Banks and it’s a good thing because you gotta switch it up after a certain amount of tracks. Overall a pretty good track.

13. “Hate You More” – I’m feeling the production on this track but that’s it. The hook is horrible, the verses aren’t that good and that pretty much speaks for itself.

14. “Show And Prove” – Here’s another track that I don’t care about at all, the hook sucks, the verses are decent, overall not that good of a track.

15. “Terror Dome” – Doe Pesci really delivered on the production this time, the chemistry these two got is crazy. From the crazy verses to the catchy hook, nothing bad about this track. Even the surprise you get at the end is crazy.

- The mix/mastering on this mixtape isn’t good at all, it seems like it was rushed. Even though this tape is free, if Banks made us wait a long time just for his mixtape the least he could have done is made it sound right. Small complaint but the tape doesn’t live up to it’s full potential.

- Lloyd Banks has improved on switching up his flow since his last mixtape, but the hooks is now what’s an issue with Banks, he has some good hooks but most of them just aren’t good.

+ The features Banks has on this tape is on point, not too many people on the tape, which means he doesn’t rely on other people to make his mixtapes hot and the amount that he does have is the perfect amount with the perfect chemistry on tracks.

+ The production on this whole mixtape is amazing, besides a few tracks. Banks never seems to disappoint when choosing his beats.

OVERALL SCORE:

8.5 OUT OF 10