MIXTAPE REVIEW: DJ Nice & Legend present Cambatta-The Visionary

MIXTAPE REVIEW
DJ Nice & Legend present Cambatta-The Visionary

LINKS
http://www.myspace.com/cambattamusic
http://www.myspace.com/djnice013
http://www.myspace.com/thekidlegend
http://cambattathevisionary.wordpress.com/
DOWNLOAD TAPE HERE

DJ Nice is an up-and-coming producer/DJ who has been steadily making a name for himself over the past few years. He has produced for many of the underground's elite and put out some standout mixtapes, including the Joell Ortiz: Brooklyn Bomber and Joe Budden: Lost Sessions projects. He now joins up with Legend to present to the world a new artists who goes by Cambatta, currently hailing from Tampa, Florida. The self-proclaimed visionary, Cambatta is ready to turn his visions to reality by bringing true lyricism back to hip hop. Is he truly a visionary or just delusional? Here is my take on Cambatta's debut mixtape THE VISIONARY.

The opening track “The Visionary” is a perfect introduction with a haunting drum-loop driven beat by D.K.. Cambatta showcases his lyrics, wordplay, and most importantly a combination of confidence and realness rarely seen in new artists. This track definitely caught me off guard and instantly doubled my expectations of the tape.

“In my heart beats an instrumental sent to me from Dilla,
I'll never make a Thriller and I'll never be a Jay Z
I'm satisfied enough that you took the time to play me”

“I got a notebook in my head, and I'm flipping to the next page whenever I blink
but enough about me, let me thank you
for doing one thing I can't do
and that's listen to me from your point of view
so Imma dedicate every single joint to you...”

This humility turns to straight confidence on "Who Am I" as Cam rips apart the track and introduces himself to the world with a battle-rap mentality. Later, Soul Academy provides Cambatta and Torae with a dope soul-sampled beat to inform the masses about their plans for a “Smooth Flight” to the top of the game. There's no holding Cam back as he's intent on letting everyone know that he's ready to take over game and sick of the less than skilled rappers out now.

“Imma name my next song 'water bed with a hole in it'
Wetting ni**as every time its slept on”

“See they put us underground cuz they scared if we surface,
we'll turn your hip hop careers to a circus”

“Man on Fire” has Cambatta spittin' with no restraint over a dope beat from DJ Nice. This track, like the previous 2, is full of energy and punchlines where even Cam's " shittiest rhyme is a genius quote."

What really impressed me was that Cambatta not only held his own, but in my opinion up-staged most (if not all) the guests on this tape, which included some underground heavy-weights (Rain, Skyzoo, Torae). Its not a knock on them either, because they all brought heat. Cambatta just seemed to have more hunger and passion behind his rhymes (which he should). You only have once chance to introduce yourself to the world and Cambatta doesn't take that fact lightly.

When the silky smooth beat by Guilty J for “Rain On Your Mind” drops you'd think Cambatta would slow down the sh*t talking lol, but you would be mistaken. Even over a peaceful and mellow instrumental, Cambatta still takes the opportunity to express his discontent over the wack rappers of today and his plans to take this game over. “And thats some sick sh*t, I mean really tho, I'm just getting started, what happens when I really blow.” D.K. lays a dark, eerie and futuristic backdrop for Cam to hold an exhibition for his “Art of Bars.” Later, Crooked T re-flips Stacy Lattisaw's classic “Let Me Be Your Angel” (sampled by Nas' Stillmatic intro + a host of other tracks) for Cambatta to announce that he is “The One." Honestly, its just banger after banger and there are too many dope tracks to mention. "Do or Die," "True Magic," and "Talk To Em" were some other highlights you need to check for yourself.

Now I really love the hard head bangers and epic instrumental tracks filled with clever wordplay and braggadocio (which this tape has plenty of), but what really separates a regular mixtape cat with an artist who has the potential to craft a complete album is the ability to make those introspective songs that give listeners a sneak peak into the fragile parts of the mind. The two tracks that truly took this tape to another level and in my opinion were the crowning jewels were “Dreams” and “Depression.” There's something said for an artist that isn't afraid to reveal his insecurities, regrets, and aspirations to the listener. "Dreams" might have a re-used sample and an average beat, but its all about the lyrics on this one.

“Its like I”m trying to climb to the top, but I just keep slipping
I shoot for the stars but I just keep missing
I rap for the people but they just don't listen
A diamond in the rough but I don't glisten
Every time I get a good job I lose it
Cuz the only thing I want to do is MUSIC...”

With “Depressions,” Cambatta crafts his own “Suicidal Thoughts,” questioning his decisions in life. The chorus is absolutely haunting so I'll let Cambatta's lyrics do the talking again:

"I'm learning how to separate the lies and the truth
and all this f*cking pain in my life is the proof
I'm standing on the ledge Imma fly off the roof
With the pen I'm committin suicide in the booth
I can't even look my loved ones in the face
Cuz I don't love myself and I'm feeling out of place
My finger's on the trigger and I really want to shoot
With the pen I'm commiting suicide in the booth"

“Fly Ish” is a commentary on society's and hip hop's obsession with being “fly” (queue up Big Tymers' “Still Fly” hahaha). In contrast to most mixtape covers, Cambatta sports a white tee, jeans, and a hoody on the cover; just keeping it simple . He is confident with himself and his skills and is only concerned with bringing it back to the basics of hip hop. “I ain't got a chain or a pair of white shades, all I got is my brain and an EP, I ain't gotta be a fly to be fly b*tch, my kicks never determined the fans I get.” This song is also an exercise in lyricism with Cambatta mixing knowledge with dope punchlines. “What's the point of flossin' with a mouth full of cavities.” This is the type of song that an average rapper could not pull off, but Cam succeeds effortlessly and ends the tape with a bang. Cambatta doesn't need to be fly because “rhymes defy gravity, I'm headed to the top.”

With 23 tracks, I did think a few tracks were just average. Be Like, Black Boy Lost, Righteous Kill, Something You Can Feel, and Rapstar were all solid, but when compared to some of my favorites fell short and were skippable. 18/23 of above average tracks however is amazing in the mixtape game today and is a testament to the hard work put into this project.

Overall, this tape was as complete of a project one can ask for from a debut tape. The production is top-notch with a good variety of styles (Timeless and D.K. definitely impressed me the most). The soulful instrumentals gave Cambatta a nice canvas to paint his words and he took advantage of it to the fullest. While I heard a few Cambatta tracks before listening to this tape, it still blew away my expectations. It is very hard to believe that Cam has only been taking his craft seriously since mid-2008, because he has the wordplay, and lyrics of a vet (he could changeup his flow a bit more tho). I've listened to a lot of great mixtapes from the underground's best over the years (Ali Vegas, Termanology, Esso, Nino Bless, Saigon, Joell Ortiz, Rain, Sha Stimuli, Phene, Maino, Tru Life) and its not too far-fetched to say that with one quick swoop, Cambatta has catapulted himself into their company. There is definitely room for improvement and he needs to keep his hunger and passion but judging by this tape his prediction from the intro might come to fruition: “I promise a couple years from now this tape will be a collectible.”

Favorites
The Visionary (Intro)
Smooth flight
Man On Fire
Dreams
Talk To Em
Depression
Fly Ish