Oschino “Appetizer 4″ Review
Rating: 5/5

Appetizer 4 has put Philly in a feeding frenzy. As I’m still down in North Carolina it’s crazy to me how I can call back to my hometown and hear everyone I know saying “ El that Appetizer 4… that thing is flamez, that jawn is the craziest thing to hit the streets since Flamerz 2”-Shout out to Meek Millz, Oschino’s partner in crime. But back to the review, Oschino has definitely fed the streets with some heat. This mixtape is definitely the pinnacle of his appetizer series and it leaves room to wonder how much better the Full Meal will be.

The mixtape starts with Hold On ft. J.I. ( check out the video at allflamerz.com,p.s.p ). This song is an emotional life story of Oschino Vasquez, as he explains his trials and tribulations of life growing up. He pours his heart out describing the life of a child growing up with both parents addicted to crack, in and out of foster homes, in and out of jail because he had to fend for himself which led to bad decisions. Trying to survive in the ill streets of North Philly is definitely a war story. Next, Oschino shifts gears to Laughin At Em ft. Meek Millz where the two brag about the way they shining while other dudes is hating and they rip the beat with rapid flow. From this point on, the mixtape has an upbeat tempo and oschino rips through every track showing versatility, flow, and creativity. Notice Me has Oschino showcasing his flow and is strictly lyrics over percussion. Oschino brags the entire time but flow keeps it oh so interesting. He dives deeper into his bag with Gillie Da Kid on Paper Chasing as they rap about how they came up over what sounds like an new mix of Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rocks’ jam It takes two 1988.

Its on to the new age of Hip Hop as Oschino hits the listeners with Mr. Vasquez ( one of the highlights of the mixtape) This song has all the fundamentals of today’s radio hits: great production, song concept and a killer hook and Oschi takes it a step further with lyrics. The hook sets this song off as you will be bouncing in your car screaming “Hey baby what’s your name, my name is Mr. Vasquez/ I’m from 12th and Huntingdon/ that ain’t that far from Badlands/ Diamonds in my rolle cost like 15 of your hand bags/ I love your face I love your smile and I just wanna smash that.” Here, Oschi describes how he steals another man’s girl and basically turns her out. Oschi definitely merged the concept to this production very well.

Oschino covers every area with this mixtape. He gives the listener reality rap with songs like Ride Wit O and Hold On, then he gives you those fun joints like Mr. Vasquez and Pop Her Right. He goes into is old school bag which seems to be a sound Philly is very much into with songs like Break it Down and Paper Chasing, then he brings it down south with Grand Mark and Police Cuffs. This is a well rounded mixtape, club bangers are present with 808 Boom and more. For you trap music lovers, O got you covered just check out Crack Rules or Hustler if Laughn At Em wasn’t enough. On top of the mixtape being well rounded, O is accompanied by a host of Philly artist bringing their heat. No guest verse goes unnoticed, they all add to the pot, from Black Deniro to Ape Gang to Daddy O and more. Each guest delivers without a doubt.

In all, I would say out of 21 tracks only 2 tracks were duds. One track I do want to discuss is Hate A Hater. The hook just didn’t go with the beat, and if fails in comparison to the first version of Hate A Hater on Appetizer 3. The lyrics prevail but the song structure is just off and again this is in comparison to the version on Appetizer 3.

Oschino earns stellar praise for this mixtape, Where that “Full Meal” at Mr. Vasquez?

By Ellis Patterson

Rating: 3.5/5
Just days before the release of the “Stimulus Package”, Freeway drops a little something to help build that anticipation with the “Freelapse”. This mixtape is more of a tribute to the well known Eminem’s work. Free takes the chance to go in on 13 of Eminem’s best tracks from “Shady’s Back” to “Cleanin out my Closet”.

Free does considerably well, especially with the type of sound that Em is known for; it is very different from what we expect from Freeway. Freeway is known for riding tracks with soulful production, but he takes a chance to show his versatility and flow by riding the awkward and eerie or the silly and light-hearted tracks of Eminem. Tracks like “Shady’s Back”, which he labels “Freezer’s Back”, is the type of production that warrants fun content, not the hardcore content Free usually gives and he definitely delivers. On eerie tracks like “For the Moment” you will find Free’s life story, what his focus is as of now and where he is headed in the future with this music industry.

Free shows three strong points in this mixtape: lyrics, flow and cadence, and willingness to experiment outside his comfort zone. He rides these Eminem tracks so well, as a Freeway fan, I was shocked because I really didn’t expect him to own those tracks the way he did. Eminem’s production is not easy to grasp especially with the distinct flow that Free possesses himself. Highlights of the mixtape include “Do’s and Don’ts”, “Laugh At Them”, “Cleanin out My Closest” (which features a hot verse from Philly’s Jakk Frost), “For the Moment” and a few others.

The weak points would be content and production that Free just didn’t grasp. As a mixtape I wouldn’t expect a wide range of content lyrically, but Free has a knack for talking about constant murdering and killing tracks in every verse. It’s always those two points he make, which isn’t bad, but it can get tiresome to hear. The comparison is made in every verse; it would be nice to hear Free speak on other things. He speaks on fucking girls of course, but it be nice to hear him speak on how he got the girl, the game used. He focused on not being able to be touched, lyrically but don’t just say it gives us the metaphors and punchlines to prove it. He just needs a broader range of topics I think. He had some misses in on the mixtape; “No Brains” has an awkward hook that has nothing to do with the lyrics. Check out the mixtape to see if you agree or if it’s just me bugging.

By Ellis Patterson

Now days there are more aspiring rappers then any other profession. The Internet has both helped and hurt hip-hop music. Just because everyone wants to be a rapper doesn’t mean they will. Leave it up to the professionals like New Jersey/London’s own Cymarshal Law. Cymarshall Law is a professional rapper meaning he has no day job and he gets paid to do shows and put out albums. Cymarshall is somewhat of an international star doing tours and shows overseas he is way ahead of the game.

For all aspiring rappers take notes from my interview with Cymarshall Law and his older brother and partner in rhyme Skit Slam. Cy has a lot of knowledge and listening to his interviews and his music is like going to a college class. Check out the interview as we talk about how he got big overseas, why its important the old generation teaches the new one, and how to actually make it in the music industry independently. His E.P, “The Creators Kid” is available now so if you love lyrics and real Hip Hop check it out

Redhands: The name is Cy Marshall Law I was curious where it came from?

CM: My real name is Cymar and my dad invented the actual name. When I first started rapping Playstation one came out and I was looking for a name. There was a game called Tekken and it had a character named Marshall Law in it and I was kicking everyone’s ass. I decided to call myself Marshall Law after that and I kept hearing about other people named Marshall Law. I always want to be original so I was trying to change my name and it just clicked by mixing my real name with the character name, which is Cy Marshall Law.

Redhands: Your dad actually created your name wow. So that kind of shows the type of person you are and that you were raised a certain way. Did you have a different childhood then most did you read a lot or your parents taught you certain things.

CM: Skit whose on the line is my biological brother and my partner in rapping. We are a spiritual family not so much a religious one. My parents always told us stuff about life and energy, but nothing to crazy. My dad used to be a Rasta so he taught us a lot of things. My parents didn’t hide anything from us and that’s the main thing some parents are over protective.

Redhands: What kind of music did you listen to growing up?

CM: My brother and I were born in England, but my parents are from Jamaica. Most American kids listened to Jazz, Soul or Rock and Roll, but we listened to a lot of Reggae music and stuff like that. That type of music has a lot more consciousness too it so we learned a lot from that music.

Redhands: So you were born in England when did you move over here?

CM: Yea in 1990 we moved over and I was 8 almost 9 so I have been to the states for a while.

Redhands: I think that’s important that the older generation teaches the younger generation stuff. How else are they supposed to know about Biggie, Kool G Rap people like that?

CM: I have a son and he listens to hip-hop. No disrespect but there is certain types of hip-hop I don’t do. I don’t know what you listen to but I am putting my son onto the gritty stuff. My son is listening to CyMarshall Law and not Soulja Boy. We have a studio in my house so he’s always hearing my songs and messing around.

SS: I have a studio too and it’s only right if you’re serious about your craft. We have been recording our own stuff since like the analog days. Some people are self conscious about their age in Hip Hop but I’m not. I used to record on an analog 8 tracks and I am not ashamed of it.

Redhands: I know your overseas really heavy how did you make that happen?

CM: You know what I don’t really know how it first started. We have a strong base in Europe and it’s been like that since before we started touring. Once we got over there we realized “Oh shit these people really know us.” We started first going over there and we were paying our own way. No one was bringing us out there, but we just did our rounds and connected with the fans and the promoters, etc. We keep going back so I think that’s why our base keeps growing. We recently went to the biggest hip-hop festival on Earth in the Czech Republic people come from all over to this. A lot of people from different countries came up to us and showed us love.

Redhands: That is crazy going international is really important and not all rappers really understand that. From what I understand over there the fans are a little behind us and they love older hip-hop sound?

CM: Yea that’s pretty much it.

SS: They really like it when you put on a good show. I spoke to a lot of people of people over seas and they say some of the big name acts will put on a bad show and they don’t get invited back.

CM: They go to Amsterdam and get fucked up and then the show sucks. My favorite show I ever did was in Holland near Amsterdam its on Youtube actually. Type in Cymarshall Law Europe Tour and you can find it.

Redhands: Do you guys usually headline shows over there or is it a mixture?

CM: Sometimes we headline, sometimes we open up it depends. Like we did a show with Pace One overseas a short while back.

SS: We got a song with Pace One as well it’s on group album. The group is called Everliven Sound and our last album came out in May 2008. It also had Wordsworth on it to the albums called Freedom.

CM: Everything we do comes out through our own label, we have our own publicist and we got a digital distribution deal and a physical distribution deal as well. Freedom Entertainment is my brother and me’s label and we are international.

Redhands: I know you also did an album called, “Hip Hop in the Soul” with Mr. Joker the producer from overseas. How did that come about?

CM: My man Pumpkin Head the rapper had some beats from Mr. Joker. I heard them and was really digging them and one thing led to another and we just ended up doing a whole album. That was actually my sophomore album “Hip Hop In the Soul” my first album was originally supposed to be with Mr. Joker but it didn’t work out. That album came out through Ruckus Records when they had the 50 rappers on the label idea. I was signed to Ruckus pretty much after they had Talib Kweli and Mos Def and those guys.

Redhands: So what is in your future what are you guys trying to do next?

CM: It sounds backwards in 2010 but we are trying to get a new label that can really put us out there. It has to be the right situation though because it’s not just about the money with me. If I have to ill spend my own money on my own situation. I always want to move forward and do something new so we are trying to find a way or find a person to take my new e.p to the next level. I just want as many people as possible to hear my music and hear my story.

Interviewer note since this interview Cy Marshall Law signed a digital deal with Hipnott Records http://hipnottrecords.com/artists/cymarshall-law . Since he signed his deal we did a little update for the interview so the people know whats going on with Cymarshall Law:

Redhands: You signed with hipnott records how did that happen?

CM: We had just began searching for a new home for my Creator’s Kid EP and my manager Mentioned Kevin Nottingham had just started a label we liked what he was talking about and felt HipNott was what we needed to make our team stronger and with the package we were bringing could help his label become stronger also it would work out both ways so we sent him over the EP and I was signed about 5 days later.

Redhands: Tell me about hippnot records like who else is signed is it digital indpendent etc

CM: HipNott has a roster of several artists getting ready to drop this year up next I believe is K. Sparks & Nobody Famous for now the label is strictly Indy and digital , although my next two album will be pressed physically too thats were you get HipNott/ reedom both of our companies are handling different parts of the big picture.

www.twitter.com/cymarshalllaw