"Big Girls Don't Cry (Remix)" by Fergie featuring Sean Kingston
On the same tip as the "Clumsy" remix with Soulja Boy that I covered last month, a Fergie remix from late last year with a ringtone rap icon that I somehow missed and am just putting in here for archival purposes. I always vaguely wondered if this song was any good, just because I've liked virtually every other Fergie single, but this doesn't really help it seem any less crap. Maybe just a little better than the original, but not enough to actually be good. I feel like Sean Kingston says "I'm feelin' blue" on every song he's ever done.
Best Verse: n/a
Overall Grade: C+

"Customer (Remix)" by Raheem DeVaughn featuring Robyn Janelle
I actually premiered this over on Gov't Names a few weeks ago because some Baltimore producers I know, One Up Entertainment, got to do the official remix (turns out that R. Kelly version was just a freestyle). The new beat and new vox follow the same basic concept and melody of the original with a whole new vibe and different lyrics, turning it into a male/female duet. I also got to hear an unreleased version w/ an MC on it that was pretty good.
Best Verse: n/a
Overall Grade: B

"Gifts (Remix)" by Ray J featuring Lil Wayne and Game
It's kind of funny that Ray J dropped an all-star remix of this so quick after the single itself, which hasn't really taken off yet (but totally should, it's a fucking jam). He really should've re-done "Sexy Can I" with some rappers other than Yung Berg, but I guess that ship has sailed. Wayne's ad-libs on the chorus are funny, but his verse on this is really nothing, only 8 bars and he doesn't say anything remotely interesting. I really hope for his sake that Ray didn't pay $100k for that bullshit. Game sounds too depressed for sex raps, like his mind is on putting a gun to his head and doing another magazine photo shoot. Instead, it's Ray's goofy-ass raps at the end that totally save this thing, because he actually knows this song is great and has fun with it.
Best Verse: Ray J
Overall Grade: B-

"Got Money (Remix)" by Lil Wayne featuring Mack Maine and T-Pain
This is the same as the original with a Mack Maine verse added (well, Wayne does 2 new bars as an intro to his verse), which I usually wouldn't even count here but Wayne already said the official remix would feature Mack Maine and released it to iTunes. A lot of stars seem to throw their weed carriers a bone and let them appear alongside other stars on their remixes, but usually not just by themselves. This song has always kind of sucked, and I don't think a posse cut would've really changed that, so this isn't really a lost opportunity, but Mack Maine is pretty fucking boring, has the same kind of monotone as Curren$y but none of his punchlines.
Best Verse: n/a
Overall Grade: D

"Killa (So So Def Remix)" by Cherish featuring Jermaine Dupri and Kid Slim
The original was a serious potential jam of the year, so I had high hopes when I heard there was a remix. But J.D. really just does his usual boring retro electro style, and jumps on the Autotune bandwagon and sounds absolutely ghastly. Don't know who Kid Slim is but he's pretty boring.
Best Verse: n/a
Overall Grade: D

"Lookin' Boy (Remix)" by Hot Stylz featuring Bow Wow
I could write a whole "Lookin' Boy" verse about what a hopeless moron Bow Wow is. I have no idea why he's on the official remix, especially after R. totally killed it. And putting him on a song like this is totally an invitation for Bow to bring back his animated faux-Wayne style, ugh.
Best Verse: n/a
Overall Grade: F

"Need U Bad (Kwame Remix)" by Jazmine Sullivan
Love the original, love almost every song Kwame has produced in the past few years, and predictably love this too.
Best Verse: n/a
Overall Grade: B+

"Say Yeah (Remix)" by Wiz Khalifa featuring Bishop Lamont and Glasses Malone
Usually these days when a rapper has a big debut hit single, they immediately grab the biggest possible artists they can for the remix, presumably because they realize they may not have more hits and this might be their only chance to work with a big star. Wiz Khalifa goes left with his choices, though, getting two other up-and-comers who are maybe even less famous than he is, which is kind of an admirable decision. But he also gets a new beat, which, considering that the cheesy sample on the original was way more memorable than anything he said on the song, is kind of a bad idea. If I didn't recognize the hook this would just be a random posse cut by 3 guys whose voices I haven't heard enough to recognize.
Best Verse: Wiz Khalifa
Overall Grade: B-

"So Fly (Remix)" by Slim featuring Shawty Lo and Yung Joc
Really the same as the original with Joc that'd been getting spins for months, with a quick Shawty Lo verse added to the beginning for the official single release. I actually kinda like Shawty Lo's whispery flow on this, it suits his voice.
Best Verse: n/a
Overall Grade: C

"Stilettos (Remix)" by Lee Carr featuring Jadakiss
Another tacked on verse to freshen up a song that's been building in buzz for a minute. I generally love Jada on R&B tracks but this is kinda boring. Still love the song, though.
Best Verse: n/a
Overall Grade: C-

"Where The Cash At (Remix)" by Swizz Beatz featuring Foxy Brown
Love this shit, Swizz taking his "I'm A Hustla" drums back after some no-name bit them for "I Get Money" and everyone thought it was hot, putting some crazy apocalyptic strings over 'em. Don't know why he put Foxy on this, though, I generally like her but she sounds goofy as hell on here, maybe he's just the latest dude trying to save her career. It's funny to picture them being friends, though, double dating with Alicia and Rick Ross and shit.
Best Verse: n/a
Overall Grade: D

This entry was posted on Sunday, July 27, 2008 at 9:38 PM. You can skip to the end and leave a response.