Second Season Finale

It's been two whole years since Stack That Cheese was born. What started as a way to get involved within ACRN has become a weekly celebration of all that rap stands for, both good and bad. After looking back at the past 40-something posts, I can positively say that STC has really grown and so have I in the process. Thanks to whoever reads this, no matter what your reason.

To celebrate two years of hip-hop reviews, I decided to compile my favorite releases that I have reviewed. After starting with a list of over a dozen memorable mixtapes, I've whittled it down to a mere five. But before we get to those, let's just remember some of the tapes that didn't quite make the cut but were pretty gosh darn close.

Honorable Mentions:

Young Thug & Bloody Jay - Black Portland

I'm sorry, I couldn't resist. Young Thug is one of the most fascinating rumors of recent memory. From the questionable fashion choices that lead to speculation over his sexuality to the constant rumors involving him and Young Money, Young Thug has taken everything crazy about this current Southern Renaissance and made it even crazier. Whether he will continue to remain so interesting has yet to be seen, but one thing is for sure: I'll always love "Danny Glover," and that's a Stack That Cheese promise.

King Los - Becoming King

Los has been one of the most impressive lyricists since he first stepped in the game. However, he never really had that "it" factor. That was until he became King. Becoming King was the first time that Los actually acted like the star everyone always knew he could be. Honestly, if this was a month ago, this would have made it into my top five easily. However, with King Los leaving Bad Boy (again) and releasing a mixtape that dropped slightly in quality, it seems the King still has some work to do before he rules over a court.

Flatbush Zombies - Better Off Dead

This was by far the hardest tape to leave out of the top five. I was accidentally on a real East Coast kick this past September. Artists like MeLo-X and CJ Fly proved how unique the Beastcoast movement was when done right. But no one, not even Joey Bada$$ himself, had as distinct a sound as the Flatbush Zombies. The Zombies managed to create a rap-rock hybrid that always been impressive. Their gritty sound can be matched by few and the fact that they had a Danny Brown feature launched it over the edge. It was a fantastic effort on their part and I can't wait to see what's up next for the East Coasters.

Now, time for the five best mixtapes this writer has ever reviewed. It was a tough list to compile and I'll probably change my mind within a month, but all of these mixtapes deserve praise no matter what.

5. YG - Just Re'd Up 2

I don't know what it is, but I have a huge soft spot for YG, and it all started with this tape.

YG is that ratchet rapper that you can't help but love. Sure, King Los and the Flatbush Zombies have better lyrics, but there's just something about the way YG carries himself that makes him so irresistible. It doesn't hurt, either, that he's got DJ Mustard on his side.

Looking back, this mixtape is even better now than it was back then. Since this tape was released, multiple guest stars have gotten fame of their own, from Ty Dolla $ign to Young Scooter, Just Re'd Up 2 has become a who's who of guest stars.

And then there's how awesome My Krazy Life turned out to be. On one hand, that shows how much better Just Re'd Up could have been, but on the other hand it just makes you like the guy even more. Plus, as much as I love "My Nigga," nothing will replace the pure insanity that is "Make It Clap."

4. Big K.R.I.T. - K.R.I.T. (King Remembered in Time)

As much as this Southern Renaissance in hip-hop is growing on me (I'm even starting to like some Future), there's still nothing better going on in the South than Big K.R.I.T.

K.R.I.T. has long been a power house in the Southern hip-hop community. Ever since he first burst on the scene in 2010, he's proven to be one the most authentic lyricists that hip-hop had to offer. And K.R.I.T. proved that stereotype to be true.

On his self-titled mixtape, K.R.I.T. brought a classic Southern sound that could have easily been on a UGK album. And the lyrics, as always, were spot-on. I'm really looking forward to his next project due out this year, especially since his last one turned out so good.

3. Action Bronson - Rare Chandeliers

Four words: Action Bronson and Alchemist. That's all you need to know in order to confirm this is a good mixtape. Alchemist has this way about him that allows him to make every artist sound good, but Bronson is a whole 'nother story.

What's so amazing about this mixtape is how perfectly the pairing goes together. Action Bronson is one of the most terrifying rappers around, always striking fear into the listener. And Alchemist makes some of the darkest, grimiest beats around. So together, the duo is basically a horror movie with better music.

I'm still embarrassed I didn't name this the best mixtape of Season One. Rare Chandeliers is the scariest form of perfection. Plus, it is the coolest mixtape cover ever.

2. CyHi The Prince - Black Hystori Project

This one is just flat out unfair. CyHi fans and most people in the hip-hop scene knew something like this was possible, but damn does it feel good to see CyHi actually achieving it.

The GOOD Music artist has been making music for a few years now. His Ivy League tapes and his appearances on GOOD Music affiliated songs have especially proven how strong of an artist The Prince was. But nothing he's done has ever been this good. Hell, I would say this has been one of the best releases in rap all year, and it's been a year crowded with quality releases.

The production on this was perfect, matching the mood of CyHi's lyrics exactly on every single song. And the concept behind this album--to pay tribute to the trailblazers of the black community--isn't a new one, but the way CyHi executes it makes it feel as if it is. This guy has to release a record soon or I'm going to go insane.

1. Vic Mensa - Innanetape

Who else could it be?

Vic Mensa's Innanetape was not only one of the best mixtapes of 2013, but it was one of the best releases of any genre. I ranked it fifth among all albums last year and I'm standing by that claim.

Outside of Chance the Rapper, Vic is just about the most inspired young rapper, embracing styles that most other hip-hop artists wouldn't even think of trying. Innanetape is the perfect example of this.

From the funky "Lovely Day" to the bubbly electronic "Run!" From the trappy "Yap Yap" to the soulful "Holy Holy" (which includes an emotional verse from Ab-Soul), there's nothing Vic Mensa can't do. Thanks to him and Chance, Chicago has a bright future that's only going to get brighter with time.

Post-Danksgiving Edition

Oh, how I missed you, Cheeseheads! How've you been? How was your Thanksgiving? Did you eat a lot of food? Maybe watch some football? Did you participate in Danksgiving? How about Black Friday? Did you get a TV or Blu-ray player? Aww man, it's really great to catch up with you guys. I missed y'all a lot.

Because I was not aware that the last post would be my last before Thanksgiving, I forgot to let you all know how thankful I am for you. So instead, I'll show you with a kick-ass new post! Because I missed a week, I've compiled the most memorable mixtapes from the past two weeks to guarantee a good time.

The Good:

Action Bronson - Rare Chandeliers

(Before I start introducing and reviewing this mixtape, can we just take time to marvel at the awesomeness of this cover?)

You may not have heard of Action Bronson. He hasn't quite hit it big yet, but he's garnered a pretty decent following from underground hip-hop lovers.

And truthfully, I haven't given him much of a look myself. I've listened to a couple of his songs, but none of them really stuck with me, so I never downloaded anything by him. Before Rare Chandeliers, the only Action Bronson I had was his feature on Domo Genesis & Alchemist's latest project.

But I've said it before and I'll say it again: that's the beauty of mixtapes. (What did you expect? It's a blog dedicated to nothing but mixtapes.) And I can say after listening to Rare Chandeliers that Bronson is officially stuck with me.

Bronson kind of reminds me of Rick Ross. He's big, gritty, has the facial hair of a butcher (fun fact: Bronson used to be a gourmet chef, so the facial hair makes sense) and is extremely intimidating. The only difference is, you know, Bronson is good.

He has tremendous flow and good lyrics. "Blood of the Goat" is filled with examples. With a chorus of "Do, I'm liftin' you / Off your feet like my daughter at the park / Don't cross the border 'cause it's slaughter after dark," you know the song will have plenty of intimidating lines.

The Alchemist creates beats that go hand-in-hand with Bronson's hard-ass persona. The free album has an old-timey gangster feel, with electric guitars, plenty of horns and the kind of bass that you can't duplicate through an electric beat maker.

And there's a couple great features that take Rare Chandeliers to the next level, such as Schoolboy Q and Roc Marciano ("I laughed as the hardest pussy farted.")

Action Bronson gives his old fans new music to listen to and his new fans a reason to continue to listen.

The Bad:

B.o.B - Fuck Em We Ball

I've mentioned before how I prefer mixtape B.o.B to album B.o.B. And I've developed a theory about it: there are two B.o.Bs.

Okay, maybe this isn't ground-breaking. He basically says it himself. The mixtape B.o.B is simply B.o.B. He's gritty, rough and a little harder around the edges. Then there's album B.o.B, also known as Bobby Ray. Bobby Ray is a bit poppier. He has glitzy tracks with high-end pop stars as features. Oh, and did I mention Bobby Ray is catchy as fuck?

Both are pretty good in their own way. But B.o.B is just better in my opinion. If you've heard "Beast Mode"off No Genre, you know how hyped he can make you. And he can also tell a story. "Dr. Aden," also off No Genre, is my favorite example.

But that was then, this is now. And now, B.o.B doesn't seem like he's as good as he used to be. It seems as if he's blended B.o.B with Bobby Ray. And not in a "best of both worlds" way, but in a clusterfuck of confusion.

There's the title track, which is about as B.o.B as it gets. It opens up with "Man I go so dumb that I should get a check for disability / I'm a fucking lunatic you a liability." And featured guest Spodee proves worthwhile ("We done laid more niggas down than a thirsty chiropractor.") But there's still that hint of Bobby Ray's pop sensibilities sprinkled throughout the track.

And then there's the downright poppy, like "Be There," which sounds like it was a reject from his last album as B.o.B mostly sings through the entire song. "I don't want to waste your time / I just want to change your life." Couldn't you just see Taylor Swift or some other pop diva singing that? Then why the hell is B.o.B singing it?

Even his features reflect how he's drifting more to the mainstream side. (See: Mac Miller, Snoop Lion, and T.I.)

Really, this album isn't a bad release, it's just a bad release for B.o.B. It's unclear whether it's one of his albums (just not as catchy), or one of his mixtapes with more pop influences. And neither of those are really B.o.B's (or Bobby Ray's) forte.

The Re-dic-yu-lus:

Yung Word - The Ride

There are very few things you need to know about me. I like piña coladas and walks in the rain, I've seen Inception way too many times and I still haven't developed a solid theory about it, and I fucking love "Mercy." If I took a shot every time I've rapped, "Drop it to the floor, make that ass shake," I would never be sober. Just watch the music video!

Pure genius! The widescreen! The black and white! Kid Cudi dancing randomly throughout the video! Kanye proves time and time again how brilliant he is as a musician, but "Mercy" is his masterpiece! (Okay, maybe not. But I love it nevertheless.)

So, I decided that if anyone were to ever mess with "Mercy" and make it less than satisfactory, I would be beyond pissed at them. They couldn't even buy my love with a picture of Ted riding on a space jet ski with a unicorn-pegasus hybrid (pegacorn, if you will) to his side.

Yung Word, if you're reading this, I'm talking about you. You took a good thing and ruined it for me! Are you happy?!

First off, Yung Word ruins the beat by adding a cheesy version of ASAP's deep voice saying, "All I do is rap" multiple times.

Then, he lives up to his word and actually raps. But you'll wish he didn't. I know I do. "Niggas sleeping on me, had to wake them from their naps," he says. It's like he broke into the Louvre in Paris and took a shit on the Mona Lisa, except worse.

And he does this throughout the entire mixtape. Whether it's another Kanye song in "H.A.M." or ASAP Rocky's "Goldie," he just takes good songs and makes them shitty. If you're going to be a crappy rapper, at least ruin your own beats, not good beats used by actual rappers.