The 2010 Remix Report Card, Vol. 5
"All I Do Is Win (Remix)" by DJ Khaled featuring Rick Ross, Busta Rhymes, Diddy, Nicki Minaj, Fabolous, Jadakiss, Fat Joe, Swizz Beatz and T-Pain
I hate to say it, since I kinda felt like the original was a failed attempt to recapture the vibe of "I'm So Hood," but much like with that song I hated the original but am really feeling the remix. The first couple times I heard it on the radio I missed the first minute or so and thought it was an all-New York remix, which would be kind of interesting, but alas Ross is on it even though he was also on the original, just like with "I'm So Hood." Either way this is pretty entertaining, from Khaled actually spitting 8 bars of ridiculousness, T-Pain altering the hook just to let you know it's a remix, Swizzy showing up just to shout "showtime" during the pause in the chorus, genuinely good verses by Busta and Fab and Jada, and stupid Diddy and Nicki appearances that don't slow down the momentum.
Best Verse: Fablous
Overall Grade: A-
"Beamer, Benz or Bentley (Remix)" by Lloyd Banks featuring Jadakiss, Ludacris, Yo Gotti and The-Dream
In a recent interview on YouTube, Just Blaze talked about the state of remixes today, and while at first he was just going to give a predictable answer about how they're lame because they're just part of a marketing plan now, he made an interesting point: remixes with the same beat tend to get recognized as the same song by BDS computers, so there's almost a financial incentive to not get too creative and change the beat, to help get up the song's spins and make it a bigger hit. But there are still occasionally remixes with new beats, and this one's a pretty good example, hook's the same but I think the track is a total improvement, especially the little changes that come up during Kiss's verse. The-Dream's attempt to work melody into his verse is really awkward and embarrassing, though.
Best Verse: Jadakiss
Overall Grade: B+
"DJ Bring It Back (Remix)" by 8Ball & MJG featuring T.I.
The original felt like so much more of a Young Dro song with Ball & G uncomfortably tagging along, so taking Dro off is immediately a bad look. T.I. generally doesn't do well on this kind of beat, and here just goes for a really bad clear enunciation/precise flow that sounds corny as hell.
Best Verse: 8Ball
Overall Grade: C-
"Hello Good Morning (Remix)" by Diddy featuring Rick Ross and Nicki Minaj
Funnily considering what I just said in the last entry, T.I.'s verse was the only thing I liked about the original "Hello Good Morning," so I didn't expect to enjoy this at all, especially not Nicki's verse. This rubbery synthy beat turns out to be a pretty good foil for her, though.
Best Verse: Nicki Minaj
Overall Grade: B
"Love King (Remix)" by The-Dream featuring Ludacris
This, like the "Bentley" remix, is one of the increasingly rare examples of a remix with a new beat, but one of a different stripe: the last ditch attempt to rescue an underperforming single. The original already had a remix with Jeezy, but this is effectively a re-launch of a whole new song with the same title, to save face and not have to quickly move onto the next single, like The-Dream did with "Rockin' That Thang" after the failure of "Let Me See The Booty." This totally works, though, Dream totally approaching it in R. Kelly mode, and while I don't know if it necessarily sounds like more of a hit than the original it has a certain charm (a certain swag?) that the original, much as I liked it, was missing. Love the "Against All Odds" quote towards the end, too.
Best Verse: n/a
Overall Grade: A-
"Un-Thinkable (I'm Ready) (Remix)" by Alicia Keys featuring Drake
"Successful" is the one Drake song I'm really into, mainly because of that big brooding beat, and it's nice to finally hear that song's producer get another hit while Drake's other go-to producer that fuckin' Boi 1da guy's horrible overstuffed tracks are all over the radio. And while it was inevitable that Drake, who co-wrote the song (I blame him for the idiotic dash put in the middle of the word "unthinkable"), would drop a verse on it, that doesn't actually make it at all a worthwhile addition to the song.
Best Verse: n/a
Overall Grade: C
I hate to say it, since I kinda felt like the original was a failed attempt to recapture the vibe of "I'm So Hood," but much like with that song I hated the original but am really feeling the remix. The first couple times I heard it on the radio I missed the first minute or so and thought it was an all-New York remix, which would be kind of interesting, but alas Ross is on it even though he was also on the original, just like with "I'm So Hood." Either way this is pretty entertaining, from Khaled actually spitting 8 bars of ridiculousness, T-Pain altering the hook just to let you know it's a remix, Swizzy showing up just to shout "showtime" during the pause in the chorus, genuinely good verses by Busta and Fab and Jada, and stupid Diddy and Nicki appearances that don't slow down the momentum.
Best Verse: Fablous
Overall Grade: A-
"Beamer, Benz or Bentley (Remix)" by Lloyd Banks featuring Jadakiss, Ludacris, Yo Gotti and The-Dream
In a recent interview on YouTube, Just Blaze talked about the state of remixes today, and while at first he was just going to give a predictable answer about how they're lame because they're just part of a marketing plan now, he made an interesting point: remixes with the same beat tend to get recognized as the same song by BDS computers, so there's almost a financial incentive to not get too creative and change the beat, to help get up the song's spins and make it a bigger hit. But there are still occasionally remixes with new beats, and this one's a pretty good example, hook's the same but I think the track is a total improvement, especially the little changes that come up during Kiss's verse. The-Dream's attempt to work melody into his verse is really awkward and embarrassing, though.
Best Verse: Jadakiss
Overall Grade: B+
"DJ Bring It Back (Remix)" by 8Ball & MJG featuring T.I.
The original felt like so much more of a Young Dro song with Ball & G uncomfortably tagging along, so taking Dro off is immediately a bad look. T.I. generally doesn't do well on this kind of beat, and here just goes for a really bad clear enunciation/precise flow that sounds corny as hell.
Best Verse: 8Ball
Overall Grade: C-
"Hello Good Morning (Remix)" by Diddy featuring Rick Ross and Nicki Minaj
Funnily considering what I just said in the last entry, T.I.'s verse was the only thing I liked about the original "Hello Good Morning," so I didn't expect to enjoy this at all, especially not Nicki's verse. This rubbery synthy beat turns out to be a pretty good foil for her, though.
Best Verse: Nicki Minaj
Overall Grade: B
"Love King (Remix)" by The-Dream featuring Ludacris
This, like the "Bentley" remix, is one of the increasingly rare examples of a remix with a new beat, but one of a different stripe: the last ditch attempt to rescue an underperforming single. The original already had a remix with Jeezy, but this is effectively a re-launch of a whole new song with the same title, to save face and not have to quickly move onto the next single, like The-Dream did with "Rockin' That Thang" after the failure of "Let Me See The Booty." This totally works, though, Dream totally approaching it in R. Kelly mode, and while I don't know if it necessarily sounds like more of a hit than the original it has a certain charm (a certain swag?) that the original, much as I liked it, was missing. Love the "Against All Odds" quote towards the end, too.
Best Verse: n/a
Overall Grade: A-
"Un-Thinkable (I'm Ready) (Remix)" by Alicia Keys featuring Drake
"Successful" is the one Drake song I'm really into, mainly because of that big brooding beat, and it's nice to finally hear that song's producer get another hit while Drake's other go-to producer that fuckin' Boi 1da guy's horrible overstuffed tracks are all over the radio. And while it was inevitable that Drake, who co-wrote the song (I blame him for the idiotic dash put in the middle of the word "unthinkable"), would drop a verse on it, that doesn't actually make it at all a worthwhile addition to the song.
Best Verse: n/a
Overall Grade: C
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