This is gonna be a review between Mike and me, since this is one of our all time favorite mixtapes. I’m gonna skip the skits because although they aren’t bad, there is no need to review them.
The Drive-in by the Dean’s List
J: The first time I heard of the Dean’s List or “the King’s Dead” as they are now called, was when Mike showed me a song of theirs in class. I’ve listened to all of their songs and kept up with them since that point. Childish Gambino and them have been huge influences on my life.
The Dream
J: I enjoy the deep voice and the singing intro at the beginning of the song. It kind of sets up the whole mixtape. When Sonny does start rapping it’s such a mellow song. The beat is mellow and so is his voice. Strong beginning for this mixtape.
M: Probably my favorite song off the entire mixtape. This is the most played song I have in my library. It helps that it's only a little over 2 minutes long, but yeah. The actual song part starts about a minute in, and even though the subject matter is very usual (fame, trying to "make it"), I think I like this song so much because you can feel the emotion in this verse. The whole song is him discussing his conflicting emotions; his dream. Becoming real or fake with fame, trying to rush his fame to appease his friends, not wanting to fall off after getting so close, money and happiness, and more are all discussed. The instrumental also really helps the song out, and the meaning.
Breakfast Talk
J: This is one of my favorite songs of the mixtape. It has so much energy and the lines are so good. He uses the phrase “Simmer down” which might be one of my favorite phrases. I know this song is super short, but it’s so good.
M: One of the stronger tracks on the mixtape. As with The Dream, pretty damn short. I love the beat on this song and even though the subject is pretty usual, I like the quick lines on it and the feel that the song gives. The first line off the verse is kinda like Shook Ones Part II's "I'm only 19 but my mind is older."
The People
J: Sick sample was used for this. A lot of energy is in this track. This song is deep and I really like the line:
“ The good die young and the bad don’t life,
I’m somewhere in the middle screaming out “What gives?”
Such a sick line. I really like this song. It’s Sonny talking about how he’s working up to fulfill his dreams.
M: Not necessarily a bad song, and not a bad sample either. With that being said I don't really feel the sample on this one as much. It's chopped nicely but I feel like a pitch change or something that made it sound more serious would be nice. Song's beat gets better, in my opinion, at about 1:30, after the line James posted.
Dear Professor
J: This is the first song of theirs that I had ever heard. Mike showed it to me during class and that kickstarted me listening to them. This song is amazing. The sample they used is crazy and the energy they bring is insane. This song, although sounding upbeat and happy, is not a really happy song. In this song he says that he doesn’t like how he is living but he doesn’t want to die. He then later in the song says again that he doesn’t wanna die yet but it’s whatever if he does. It’s a song about how he wants to be big in the rap game no matter what.
M: First song I heard from The Dean's List, too, and one of my favorites. If I Die Young is a good standalone song itself, but the sped up sample is really nice on this one (kinda wish they did this sorta thing on The People). The song is definitely energetic, and he even claims that "this the come up song." Enjoying the life, and questioning it with different perspectives, is all relative.
All Systems Go feat OnCue
J: I really like this song. The beat is so dank. Sonny and OnCue really compliment each other. My friend once made a joke, that Sonny sounds like a white rapper in this song and OnCue sounds like a black rapper. I kinda see it. OnCue destroys the song. Such a good verse.
This is another one of those songs, that sounds happy, but has dark undertones as well. That he didn’t fit in as a young kid and at the end he says that he fears dying old and yea.
M: I like the first verse off this song the best. Beat's aiight, OnCue isn't bad but he's done better in some of his other songs. He's really gonna come on this track and be like "They can suck my dick / Oh! Is the mic on?" Yeah bruh... Song ends off on a familiar note of living young, dying old, and not giving a fuck.
Troy
J: I love this song. The beat is so dope and Sonny goes so hard in this. The whole song is just a massive amount of energy and dope lines. One of my favorite songs on the mixtape.
M: Beat on this is nice, and I like the chorus. Some good lines on this one, but not one of the most memorable off the mixtape for me.
The Toast (Interlude)
J: I really like this interlude. It’s a sick ass freestyle. Apparently he wrote this and performed it when he was actually hella drunk off Bacardi. That makes the song even better. It’s a fun little freestyle/skit.
M: The actual skit part isn't too bad, and fits with the song well. The main thing about skits is making them not annoying. You gotta go back to classics like Doggystyle, AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted, Ready to Die, etc. before you ever even think do to a skit... Learn off that shit. This one isn't bad, but yeah.
Misery feat Jordan Brown
J: This song is good and short. Thats not a bad thing. I like it because it packs a lot of energy and good rapping into 2 minutes. It’s just a nice sounding song.
M: Instrumental on this one is nice. The middle chorus part isn't bad, but seems a little bit too long. The voice switching adds to the purpose of the song and the alteration after the first half is a pretty nice touch.
Mainstream
J: This is my second favorite song on the mixtape. He goes HAM in this song. The beat is crazy and he destroys it. This song is making fun of the rap industry. Just look at hte first lines. All about being wrecked and girls and money. He also asks that when he gets the cars and jewelry if we will like him. It’s a great song with a great message.
M: One of my favorites off the album. The change of voices for each perspective is nice and adds to the song. Stuff like this has been done before but it's nice to see this switch up in it. This is another one where he goes in on the beat, and you can really feel the energy.
Light Up the Sky feat Dani Ummel
J: This is a really catchy song, although I don’t like the singing that much. I do like the rap verses good, especially the French part. Typical song about making it and being dank AF.
M: I actually don't mind the sample that much on this one (which is a surprise to me mainly). I like how the beat goes through that transition sound in between chorus and verse, and how it continues in the background. Song's made to be catchy and it is, I dig it yo.
La Vie (The Life)
J: I really enjoy this song. I think the french sounds so dope. The beat sounds sick and so does the girl’s voice at the beginning of it. I really like the line:
“The good die young and I’m in between”
I find it interesting how he keeps talking about dying young and not living to an old age. It’s a dark undertone of this mixtape, that I didn’t really notice until now.
M: Up to the line James posted is probably my favorite part of this one:
Just a little bit of fun in my cup, no ice
Me and my friends, livin' our dreams
The good die young and I'm in between"
then the complimentary verse later:
"Me and my blunt, up all night
Just a little bit of green and I roll no white
Me and my friends, look so dead
Good to be alive, sip wine, break bread"
Song is exactly what you'd expect from the title, and another one of my favorites.
No Sleep feat Dani Ummel
J: I don’t really like this song. It’s not bad, for some reason it’s just not that appealing to me. I do like the line:
“I’m too damn focused to worry bout a broad”
I don’t know, it’s not bad, but not the beast.
M: Papa Was A Rolling Stone is a great song itself... but does this sample do it justice. Probably not, but it's not too bad of a sample. This isn't a bad song, but it doesn't stand out too much and it's not memorable to me after having this mixtape for literally years.
The Beast
J: This song is kinda interesting, seeing how it is only one verse. It’s decent.
M: Intro isn't bad, a little long. Not one of my favorites but the voice stuff isn't terrible... but it gets to me a little more on this one and I don't like it as much.
Burn It All
J: This is my absolute favorite song of theirs. Ever. It’s full of so many good lines. Here are just a couple (and yes, you need to read them and listen to this song):
“Pop a bottle for the girl with no boyfriend.
Drink it all we don’t care we just order more in.”
“In the game like a playbook
Zonin’ out, no Idea where we’re goin
One day we will figure out
Everything was meant to be don’t trip,
It’s only bitter now”
Just listen to it and you will like it as much as I have hopefully. It’s such a hype party song. All my homies in Germany know what I’m talking about.
M: Definitely one of the best, but not my #1 off the album. Which is good, cause everyone's taste is different. Almost a continuation of La Vie, and continues with the theme of the mixtape. This would've been a more appropriate ending track for the album, and a stronger one, but then we get this...
K2YL
J: This is a really mellow song and a very good ending for the energy-packed album. It’s a song just about smoking weed and I don’t really like songs purely about smoking but whatever. It’s still a good ending
M: As said in Burn It All, probably shoulda just thrown this one out and had the last track as the final track. Song's not bad but Burn It All has more of the feel of the mixtape in its entirety, and would've been more appropriate in my opinion. Not a memorable song for me.
J: I really like this mixtape. It’s one of my all time favorites. This group really grew if you listen to their newer stuff. I’ll prob end up doing a review of their newest mixtape or their unreleased one when it comes out. I give it a 9/10.
M: Still my favorite from The Deans List/The King's Dead. I've listened to more recent stuff, but I simply have more songs I'd go back and listen to on this one than any of the others, before and after this mixtape. Probably helps that my favorite song of theirs is on this one, but yo I'm just being real with it. As an overall mixtape with the skits and shit, probably would give it a 8/10, but the tracks that are good are solid as fuck, and there are not that many throwaway songs. I'd say a 9/10 for me personally, but 8/10 unbiased.
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