Taybot: Phil + Numberman Mixtape
So I’ve been TRYING to stay up on Seattle, and I’m telling you they have one of the best underground scenes anywhere. Hands down. So when my man Taybot shot me over his brand new mixtape, I was dying to check it out.
Taybot
For those who haven’t heard, check out his dope freestyle for KEXP right HERE.
This tape really epitomizes the classic mixtape. With only 3 of the songs longer than 3 minutes, there are a lot of filler type tracks that Taybot uses to showcase his different lyrical styles. There are a few skits, and even a few features. It was produced by Phil + Numberman, who I’m not familiar with, but I’m sure they are out in Sea town somewhere. They lay down an interesting selection of beats, some of them drawing a Sabzi like feel, and even one that just reminds me of a older 90s west coast shit. Most of the songs share a jazzy kind of thing, which I’ll be honest gets a little old after awhile. Taybot rides the beats like he’s been doin’ it since he was born. One of my issues with the tape is the mixing. I feel like they beats are too loud and that they sort of drown out the rhymes at some points. Despite that, from a pair of producers I’ve never heard of, they lay down an interesting soundscape for Taybot to showcase his diverse rapping styles. Lyrically, he seems to draw from just about everyone in the game to some degree. On the song ‘Too Gutter’, he basically pays homage to all the rappers that he has drawn upon. This guy definitely has talent, I would love to see him with a little better mixing (nothing against Phil + Numberman, there are for sure some constant head nodders on this tape), and a bunch of the tracks get sort of convoluted about halfway through with random horns and stuff that just drown out the rhymes. Some things just sound out of place, there’s some M.O.P. kinds thing going on track 5 that I’m not down with (even though the rhymes are fucking crazy on that), and the vocals on the last track are not really my thing. The track with Scribes is just straight FIRE. But enough of the negative shit, just listen! I put up 5 of the best joints on the tape for you to listen to, and if you like it, please please PLEASE support this guy and actually buy a tape. More information is on his website (here) and his myspace (here).
Taybot: Phil + Numberman Mixtape
1. New Dawn
2. What It’s All About: DOWNLOAD HERE
3. Dynamite
4. Get This Money
5. Jingle
6. Ride Wit Me Interlude
7. My Pain, Your Pain
8. The Fresco Feat. Praxis: DOWNLOAD HERE
9. Hold Tight
10. Caught in a Scam Part 1
11. Drunken Interlude
12. We Stay Fly Feat. Scribes: DOWNLOAD HERE (best track on the mixtape in my opinion)
13. Constant Heat: DOWNLOAD HERE
14. Caught in a Scam Part II
15. Fire Starter Interlude
16. Get Em Up
17. Never Be Done
18. Shit is Hotter Interlude
19. Keep Ya Head Noddin
20. Too Gutter
21. Small Town Vibe: DOWNLOAD HERE
22. Another Chance Feat. Sheldon Botler
For all you out in Seattle, be sure to check out the release party on August 16th:
Taybot: Mixtape Release Party
