Fresh from releasing an entire mixtape of
Marvin Gaye samples, the always soulful
Lee Bannon is back on the hip-hop grind with his "
The Checkpoint" mixtape. Mixed by
DJ Flow, "Checkpoint" features lyrical work from the likes of Talib Kweli, Saigon, Zion-I, Termanology, and more. Before you download the entire mixtape, we've refined "The Checkpoint" down to its two best tracks, "
Break Up" featuring Saigon and "
The Return Part 2" featuring U.N.I., Talib Kweli, Zion I and Sha Stimuli.
"Break Up" featuring Saigon
Siagon's been a little, um...unpredictable lately, banging some of the best verses in the game one minute, slipping into nearly incomprehensible rhymes the next. On "Break Up" Saigon is in top form, examining nearly every major hip-hop break of the last twenty years, from Nas and Kelis to Q-Tip and Phife Dawg. It's more than a dope track, it's a lesson in hip-hop history. Oh, and Bannon's production is on point, offering an appropriately heartbroken audio backdrop for Saigon's flow.
Download here or here
"The Return Part 2" featuring U.N.I., Talib Kweli, Zion I and Sha Stimuli.
"The Return" is the mixtapes biggest posse cut, featuring work from a roster of "conscious" rappers (meaning the rhymes are dope, but no one uses the word "swagger."). The sometimes preachy Kweli comes through as always, but the best flow here goes to Sha Stimuli, who spits a faster paced flow that balances the beat's syrupy slow pace perfectly" "The kids can't read, they grammar messes up, plus a chick that's 33 is their grandma." You're gonna have to rewind this one a couple times to catch it all.
Download here or here
If you're digging the refined version of "The Checkpoint" you can check out the tracklisting and download the entire mixtape below.
Intromental
The Return Part 2 feat. U-N-I, Talib Kweli, Zion I & Sha Stimuli
Winter Coat feat. Willie The Kid
I
Painted Gold feat Zion I & Uptown Swuite
Wanna Be Rapper feat. Trife Diesel
The Climb feat C Plus
Break Up feat Saigon
Out For Me feat Poor
Steam
Vitamin B feat U-N-I & Curtains
Lions For Lambs feat S.O.L.
Whats Your Zodiac feat The Jacka & Phil The Agony
Whats In feat Poor
What's The Answer feat Termanology & Ea$y Money
Download "The Checkpoint," here
