Mixtape Review: Trap or Die 2

After years of buzz & anticipation, Mr. Snowman himself aka Young Jeezy has finally dropped Trap or Die 2:By Any Means Necessary. As we all know in the world of hip-hop, album & mixtape pushbacks are a normal occurrence. From a fan's POV I can't sit here and say that these pushbacks don't piss me off sometimes, but I can relate to a musician wanting to take his time to put out his best work possible. With that said, Trap or Die 2 was wellllll worth the wait! If this is the kind of heat Jeezy is bringing to the table ON A MIXTAPE then the game better be ready for Thug Motivation: 103. I don't plan on bein this in depth for most mixtapes, but since TOD2 could pass for an album (if it wasn't for Don Cannon and his homeboy screaming "The Cannon!" throughout the whole thing) we might as well treat it as one....here's a lil breakdown of how I score the mixtape:

Lyrics: 8/10
I've always appreciated Jeezy's realism in his rhyme. Dude is never worried about heavy wordplay or tryin to throw his listeners some stuff to where we have to break down and process what he says. The same holds true in TOD2, but I've definitely noticed a small improvement in his delivery. After listening to the whole thing through and through a few times it's pretty obvious that Jeezy is putting more effort into HOW he gets his points across. Take the song "ILL'IN" for example...the first thing he says: "I'm the type to boast, I'm the type to brag/I'm the type of nigga (to) play a game of chess on his bag" really shows where he's trying to go w/ his rhymes. The truth & straightforwardness will always be there, but Jeezy's definitely trying to be a little more creative w/ the wordplay.

Production:8.5/10
This is where I think your typical hip-hop head should stop and take note. The production on this "mixtape" is unmatched!! I'm sure yall are like me in that when you hear Jeezy is comin out with something new you expect the beats to be fire. That's definitely the case w/ TOD2. Jeezy chose a versatile array of beats to include on this mixtape, from the smooth retro-soundin "Hood Politics" to the gritty club banger "Insane" Jeezy could let this whole 'tape play out as a set at a live performance and keep the crowd on their feet the entire 78 minutes.

Songs: 9/10
Notable features on TOD2 are Trick Daddy, Baby, Plies, Clipse, and Bun B (RIP PIMP C). Jeezy did the smart thing by putting the majority of the focus on himself instead of riddling something he's been working on for so long w/ other features; TOD2 is already over saturated enough w/ drops as it is. Thats just how the mixtape game is though. In whole, the "mixtape" has a lot of choice when it comes to what this Summer's Young Jeezy street anthem is. Let's not forget about TM: 103 though :)

Overall: 9/10
Trap or Die 2: By Any Means Neccessary is, hands down,the "mixtape of the year" so far. Jeezy has given us yet another reason as to why he is one of the most underestimated rappers in the game. People sleep on his lyrical ability and its becoming obvious that the man will definitely be a power player in rap for years to come. TOD2 has lived up to all the hype, and has done its job of boosting anticipation for Thug Motivation: 103.

Listen or download Trap or Die 2 for free at Datpiff