Unfortunately, I don’t get to write a whole lot of reviews or really nearly as I would. However, this is one of the few i’ve written about this guy named Nico The Beast and his Dinner Is Served Volume 1 mixtape along with my producer and friend Data I was poorly managing at the time. Let’s take a walk down memory lane…Doc Holliday style…FUCK YEAH!!! It seemed only fitting that the first piece of music I reviewed would be Nico The Beast’s Dinner is Served Volume 1 Mixtape. Of course, in typical fashion I was too fucking busy to even start the shit until I was on vacation. Yes, I already know what your thinking, “ He’s only reviewing that shit because Nico fucks with Official Street Radio” or “He’s only reviewing that shit because he’s Big O’s play cousin and Big O put Doc on”. While some of that is partly true it couldn’t be farther from the truth. Shit, I’m kind of pissed that you would even have the audacity to think something like that. So let me get my third person on for a second and channel my inner egoistical celebrity. Doc doesn’t follow the fucking rules. Doc makes his own fucking rules. Doc prides himself on not following the fucking rules. Doc is the type of dude that would cut off his nose to spite his face. With that said, i’m going to write about who I want to write about because I want to write about them. Not because it may be mutually beneficial, if anything I’ll write about people you probably don’t know about. People that I think deserve credit that they don’t nearly receive. I’m letting you know right now I’m almost certainly going to write something about Hezekiah too fuck stick. He may not be the last guest of our radio show that I write about too…or he could very well be the only guest I write about. I don’t know…it all depends on how the music affects me and how it speaks to me. Enough with all this foreplay, let’s get down to the nitty gritty.
I originally met Nico when I was working on my first mixtape, look out for the re-release of that “special” piece of work coming soon. IT’S OUT NOW BITCHES!!! That was the start of this whole journey, I told him the mixtape was called Who The Fuck Is Doc Holliday. Even though he denies it I know he was probably thinking like who the fuck is this guy and why the fuck is he calling his mixtape that. Shit, that’s what I would have been thinking. Plus, I’m a funny looking dude and you would never think I know as music about music as I do. However, that’s the funny thing about appearances…they can deceptive *Brad Pitt in Burn After Reading voice*. So I’m sure just as Nico was thinking who the fuck is this guy, I imagine everyone reading my blog that doesn’t know me and even some people who do know me are probably thinking the same thing. To be quite honest, I was thinking the same thing about Nico as well. I put his song Make Believe produced by Vanderslice on that aforementioned first mixtape, it was a heartfelt song about his infant son that passed away. It was the song that I liked most from him at the time when I was still trying to figure out the things that made him unique as an artist, most notable his unique voice.
I have a thing for voices no homo, and a lot of times a unique voice can turn me off to an artist. Which is ironic because unlike Guru, I easily have one of the worst voices in history. However, what I found is sometimes you need to hear more music from an artist to understand the things that make them unique like their voice, flow, or style. I was trying to find words to describe this phenomenon on my recent flight to LA…I couldn’t…I don’t know something just clicks sometimes. Then, if you go back and listen to their old music it just all seems to make sense…I don’t know maybe I’m just nuts. In some cases, at least for me, seeing an artist perform live is perfect for helping me understand them. After seeing Nico perform live it all just seemed to click, it also helped that he absolutely killed his set at Vixion’s album release party. He spit this one freestyle poking a little fun at Lil Wayne which I, of course, loved and he had the whole crowd feeling him no homo throughout the whole set. Shit, I didn’t even mind coming out of my usual too cool persona to “help out” with a little crowd participation even though I did pay to come to the show.
So fast forward a couple weeks to the release of his Dinner Is Server Volume 1 mixtape and I was obviously more than eager to give it a listen. Especially, since the mixtape artwork was from one of my favorite movies. If you don’t think the 1st or the 2nd Godfather movies aren’t absolute cinematic masterpieces then we can’t be friends unless your name is Pedro Smith. Dinner Is Served starts off with a wonderfully weird and hilarious intro, it really sets the tone for the mixtape. I, of course, loved it and was a little disappointed I didn’t come up with it myself, in fact, my mom yelled at me because she thought I made it. Oh yeah, in case you were wondering no I don’t kiss my mother with this mouth and yes I was not raised like this.
I could have easily have reviewed every track on the mixtape and that is really the best praise I can give to any artist. I hope it is readily apparently amongst my atypical review and shenanigans how much i truly enjoyed the mixtape. It beautifully showcases the South Philly Beast that is Nico over great production. It mixes deep introspective tracks, freestyles, and straight up bangers to craft a solid mixtape from start to finish. First up is my favorite song off the mixtape, Changes Made…shit I have no idea what these instruments are…damn producers. Anyway, whatever the fuck these instruments are I love them. It’s kind of an up-tempo song with a wonderful sample, yet it still retains an old school feel. I could really imagine Nico performing it with an orchestra and 3 chicks singing the sample, in fact, Nico you need to make that happen. Lyrically, it is top notch, it takes us through the changes we have to make in life for the ones we love. Wait, wait…I think that is a violin…and I think I hear drums, where the fuck is Data at when I need him *cough* NRNR. In case you haven’t noticed this is the first review I’m writing…oh what’s that… it shows…whatever fuck you. It’s funny because I went through and read a couple reviews on various sites, I really wanted to do Nico’s mixtape the justice it deserved. As you can see i’m still a work in progress as a writer…how many songs am I supposed to review anyway…I love like every song on the damn mixtape. Production wise I just tend to lose myself in the music a lot of times, I mean lyrically or style wise I could tell you why something is good. However, that other shit is going to take some work, but if I ever sound like one of those typical writers I will have no choice but to end my life with a straight shotgun to the dick. With that said, I think i’m going to need some help with this and thus a more formal introduction is in order. Ladies and gentleman it gives me great pleasure to introduce my good friend and producer, engineer, and at the time of revision videographer of NRNR, Data. Data, and I go all the way back to middle school, back when I was actually “good” at basketball. He’s been producing for about 6 years seriously, and I actually was considering going the producer route until we started working together. I never really understood how much work producers put in until I started working with him as he said, “It’s not about just a beat, but an idea, a tone, or even a good concept for the song that makes a producer great.” I think his production style is all over the place and he agreed, sometimes I’ve seen him use samples and not play a key on the piano for one beat. Other times I’ve seen him not sample at all. He says, “It’s a very personal decision made by the producer on the way he decides to produce. Ultimately, the result we strive for is good music regardless of the production style, the job is making a great track.” Ladies and gentleman, this is why I’m NOT a producer, plus them dudes be in the studio all time PRODUCING. I like to be out in the world and yes a lot of times I do be drunk. Data’s thoughts on Changes Made and this whole idea of having him help with my review:
“When I was asked to review a couple tracks from Nico The Beast’s Dinner Is Served Mixtape from a production standpoint I was very excited, because I’m so submerged in my own projects I rarely have a chance to check out new artist or production [unless Doc makes me]. So with that being said this was a breath of fresh air for me. As a producer I feel strongly that the beat should grab the audience from the first couple seconds, if not you tend to lose some impatient people. Changes Made is a sample based track where Brizzo used a boom bap style of production, which utilizes a steady, sometimes off beat type of snare, kick drum, and what I would call sample chops (pieces of a sample edited to hit at certain sound or words ). During this sample, a women singing “It’s gotta be some changes made in your life …” fits perfectly with the theme of Nico’s song and his style [like 2 things that go together very fucking well]. Way too many artist don’t stick to theme or the tone of the sample and just get lost just rapping all over the place. This song definitely has a classic feel to it [like Doc said] and I can see myself bumping this 5 years from now and it still has that same great sound to it.”
Not too shabby Data, I gotta step my game up on this next track. Next, up we have Watch Out Produced by Rhythm J, it’s started off with a very cool intro. Did I mention I love skits, it speaks to the film enthusiast in me. Another thing I happen to love which this mixtape has plenty of is great old school samples, this particular track samples a great classic rock song. I also happen to love classic rock not so much all the new stuff. Yes, I love a lot of things and yes I feel like a whore right now. I originally loved this song and then forgot about it until I was waiting in the Airport in Chicago. It just immediately pulls you in, I was nodded my head all crazy in the terminal and I even had a little air guitar going. I may or may not have bitten my lip and closed my eyes as well. Needless to say, a couple of people looked at me like I was crazy, shit I offered them a chance to hear Nico killing this shit. Unfortunately, no one took me up on my offer. Lyrically, Nico does his thing on the track. I had to run it back a couple of times to really listen to what he was saying because his flow is really what stands out on this track, he rides the beat flawlessly. He almost reminds me of myself on this one. Data’s thoughts on the track:
“Another sample based track, but completely different from Changes Made with a more of a rock feel. Watch Out produced by Rhythm J snatched my ears up immediately with a great sample introducing the song and the artist in one swift motion. Finding a great sample is one thing, but having a great clip of someone actually saying the city you rep inside the sample is icing on the cake. After a smooth intro I was pleased to hear a guitar riff looped in a very vivid manner and Nico’s voice sitting very smoothly on the top of the beat. From there I could picture him in my head doing a heavy band inspired type album. I could see him performing the song with The Roots playing background. Rhythm J, did a very good job of putting the right drum rolls in the correct spots which is really a lost art in production. There are layers of other guitar chords that are nicely tucked (slightly lower volume levels) in the track during the hook and other transition spots. The entire track has a pretty uplifting feel to it and a hidden message about Philly if you listen very closely.”
Last but not least, Nico’s favorite song on the mixtape My Man Streets Produced by Noochman. It’s a wonderfully deep, yet subtly grimy track. Nico spits some heartfelt shit about some off the obstacles and hazards we face in life over the drum and piano laced Noochman track. I could literally image Nico having a conversation with the streets…you know if they were a real person and all. I love the way the track ends too. Data’s thoughts on the track:
“Now I don’t claim to be the man who can break down every sound in a song, but because I produce I tend to hear more than the average person. With that being said, I’m not 100% sure but I believe on My Man Streets Produced by Noochman was entirely produced with live instruments and no samples were used on the beat. Noochman uses a nice piano with an effect to create a very deep and dark feel throughout the track. Noochman uses a very heavy bass line and small synthesizer stabs throughout the song to add to the dark feel. In the midst of the all darkness, Nico pours out his heart giving a very different view of the streets and everything that comes with it. Again he touches on a good topic and sticks with it…this makes me want to listen to the entire track to see how things turn out. In the end, Nico shows a glimpse of a great storyteller on this song and shows he can format his flow to mesh with a lot of different styles of production.”
Yeah…umm I took it easy on Data on that last track…you know because I’m his manager and all I didn’t want to show him up. I guess that about wraps up my first review, thanks for the help Data and thanks for trying to take my job…I’m just kidding…but seriously though what the fuck *Ben Stiller in Dodgeball voice*. If I had any gripes about the mixtape and Nico already knows what they are, it was the fucked up tracklisting and the fact the mixtape was devoid of any Godfather shit. Aside from that “minor” shit I loved it, and I will be eagerly anticipating the album, The Beast Within, due out around Memorial Day NOW!!! Also be on the look out for Volume 2 due out at the end of the summer. Thanks again, Nico, for the honor of making your mixtape my first review. Doc out
Download: Dinner Is Served Volume 1 (Mixtape) [Bandcamp] | Doc Link
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Imma keep it real simple: Nico the Beast’s whole damn catalog is some of the realest hip-hop I know. I’m not saying that cuz I did shows with him and recorded tracks with him. Homie has his own approach , his voice is very identifiable on ANYthing, his style and cadence is crazy and always in pocket and he’s just a straight up dope ass MC. This mixtape is just another of the many reaffirmations of what I think he and his music is…and I think he’s yet to really scratch the surface of who and what he can become…. period…..555(Trip Nix, reppin)