The 2012 Remix Report Card, Vol. 8
"Birthday Song (Bugatti Boyz Remix)" by 2 Chainz featuring Rick Ross and Diddy
Diddy has the right vibe for this song, Ross really just doesn't, and at times just has that awkwardness in his flow that he kinda shook off earlier in his career.
Best Verse: Diddy
Overall Grade: C+
"Celebration (Remix)" by Game featuring Bone Thugs-n-Harmony
Since the original was already loaded with the kind of overstuffed guest list Game needs to get attention these days, he went the other way and went back and got the cats he sampled to stunt all over the shit and remind everyone how much better "1st Of Tha Month" is than this crap. Enjoyable, but in a kind of empty perfunctory way.
Best Verse: Krayzie Bone
Overall Grade: B
"Do It (Remix)" by Mykko Montana featuring Gucci Mane, Yo Gotti, Nelly, Travis Porter, Jeremih and Nitti Beatz
This Nitti-produced ATL song charted briefly months ago, and for some reason 92Q in Baltimore became seemingly one of the only stations outside Atlanta to put it in rotation the last few months, but now apparently Mykko Montana is on UMG and September saw the release of the official video and this remix, so I guess it's still building momentum, which I'm happy about, it's a pretty catchy song. The remix is actually kind of a well chosen spectrum of artists who all sound good on the song, and Nelly is especially hilarious coming in with that "Country Grammar" voice and yelling "biiiitch I'm the best/ you ain't never had D like this." Yo Gotti is a mess, though.
Best Verse: Nelly
Overall Grade: B+
"Hold Me Back (Remix)" by Rick Ross featuring Gunplay, French Montana, Yo Gotti and Lil Wayne
Really hate this song, just such a boring and annoying "BMF" retread that it almost makes me glad most of the rest of Ross's album is so soft and not even trying for that sound. Remix gets off to a good start with a better Ross verse than what he did on the original, though. Wayne's slow deliberate flow is kind of refreshing given how flailing and insufferable he's been on most of his guest spots lately.
Best Verse: Gunplay
Overall Grade: B
"Let Me Love You (Remix)" by Ne-Yo featuring French Montana
Doing a downtempo remix of an uptempo record worked well for Ne-Yo on that sequel to "Miss Independent" but this doesn't quite work, mainly because of the hapless guest rapper but also the melody doesn't quite translate to the new production.
Best Verse: n/a
Overall Grade: C
"Neva End (Remix)" by Future featuring Kelly Rowland
This is the 5th time now that a track off of Future's Pluto has raised its profile with a remix featuring a bigger star. Musically most of these remixes have been downgrades -- Drake and Wayne and Luda/Diddy all added nothing to (and in some cases subtracted something from) the songs they jumped on, although T.I. improved "Magic." This one is a little more interesting because it's a singer bringing out the melody in one of Future's softer joints. When I first got the album I may have actually preferred this song to "Turn On The Lights" but as a follow-up single it feels a little redundant and minor, so Kelly kinda does give it a different vibe that helps.
Best Verse: n/a
Overall Grade: B
"The Recipe (Black Hippy Remix)" by Kendrick Lamar featuring Schoolboy Q, Jay Rock, Ab-Soul and Dr. Dre
I kinda hated the original, so it's nice to hear some of Kendrick's other homies that I haven't heard too much from on, although it seemed like a big minus to me to re-use one of KL's verses from the original, specifically the verse that made me hate the song to begin with.
Best Verse: Jay Rock
Overall Grade: B-
"Swimming Pools (Black Hippy Remix)" by Kendrick Lamar featuring Schoolboy Q, Jay Rock and Ab-Soul
I really really hate the original of this, although the extended solo version of Kendrick's album redeemed it for me somewhat, and this turns out to be that outro with the new beat from that plus other Black Hippy verses on the original beat. Seems a little silly to have his crew on remixes to both of his radio hits, could've gotten some stars on at least one of them, but maybe he was making some deliberate point with that.
Best Verse: Jay Rock
Overall Grade: B+
Diddy has the right vibe for this song, Ross really just doesn't, and at times just has that awkwardness in his flow that he kinda shook off earlier in his career.
Best Verse: Diddy
Overall Grade: C+
"Celebration (Remix)" by Game featuring Bone Thugs-n-Harmony
Since the original was already loaded with the kind of overstuffed guest list Game needs to get attention these days, he went the other way and went back and got the cats he sampled to stunt all over the shit and remind everyone how much better "1st Of Tha Month" is than this crap. Enjoyable, but in a kind of empty perfunctory way.
Best Verse: Krayzie Bone
Overall Grade: B
"Do It (Remix)" by Mykko Montana featuring Gucci Mane, Yo Gotti, Nelly, Travis Porter, Jeremih and Nitti Beatz
This Nitti-produced ATL song charted briefly months ago, and for some reason 92Q in Baltimore became seemingly one of the only stations outside Atlanta to put it in rotation the last few months, but now apparently Mykko Montana is on UMG and September saw the release of the official video and this remix, so I guess it's still building momentum, which I'm happy about, it's a pretty catchy song. The remix is actually kind of a well chosen spectrum of artists who all sound good on the song, and Nelly is especially hilarious coming in with that "Country Grammar" voice and yelling "biiiitch I'm the best/ you ain't never had D like this." Yo Gotti is a mess, though.
Best Verse: Nelly
Overall Grade: B+
"Hold Me Back (Remix)" by Rick Ross featuring Gunplay, French Montana, Yo Gotti and Lil Wayne
Really hate this song, just such a boring and annoying "BMF" retread that it almost makes me glad most of the rest of Ross's album is so soft and not even trying for that sound. Remix gets off to a good start with a better Ross verse than what he did on the original, though. Wayne's slow deliberate flow is kind of refreshing given how flailing and insufferable he's been on most of his guest spots lately.
Best Verse: Gunplay
Overall Grade: B
"Let Me Love You (Remix)" by Ne-Yo featuring French Montana
Doing a downtempo remix of an uptempo record worked well for Ne-Yo on that sequel to "Miss Independent" but this doesn't quite work, mainly because of the hapless guest rapper but also the melody doesn't quite translate to the new production.
Best Verse: n/a
Overall Grade: C
"Neva End (Remix)" by Future featuring Kelly Rowland
This is the 5th time now that a track off of Future's Pluto has raised its profile with a remix featuring a bigger star. Musically most of these remixes have been downgrades -- Drake and Wayne and Luda/Diddy all added nothing to (and in some cases subtracted something from) the songs they jumped on, although T.I. improved "Magic." This one is a little more interesting because it's a singer bringing out the melody in one of Future's softer joints. When I first got the album I may have actually preferred this song to "Turn On The Lights" but as a follow-up single it feels a little redundant and minor, so Kelly kinda does give it a different vibe that helps.
Best Verse: n/a
Overall Grade: B
"The Recipe (Black Hippy Remix)" by Kendrick Lamar featuring Schoolboy Q, Jay Rock, Ab-Soul and Dr. Dre
I kinda hated the original, so it's nice to hear some of Kendrick's other homies that I haven't heard too much from on, although it seemed like a big minus to me to re-use one of KL's verses from the original, specifically the verse that made me hate the song to begin with.
Best Verse: Jay Rock
Overall Grade: B-
"Swimming Pools (Black Hippy Remix)" by Kendrick Lamar featuring Schoolboy Q, Jay Rock and Ab-Soul
I really really hate the original of this, although the extended solo version of Kendrick's album redeemed it for me somewhat, and this turns out to be that outro with the new beat from that plus other Black Hippy verses on the original beat. Seems a little silly to have his crew on remixes to both of his radio hits, could've gotten some stars on at least one of them, but maybe he was making some deliberate point with that.
Best Verse: Jay Rock
Overall Grade: B+
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