Local Flavor - Baltimore

So Baltimore isn't much known for it's rappers unfortunately, unless you count the short lived success of B. Rich and the even shorter shot at the mainstream for Bossman, but there are some decent rappers, some of which I have covered before like Japiro and Skarr Akbarr. More well-known at least for those who pay attention to Sean Puff Daddy' Comb's signings is Los.  Now I'm not a Los fan but this song, featuring his boo Lola Monroe (who i mentioned before ight want to go back to posing and put the mic down) actually rocks pretty much. So i will give the dude credit where it is due so check out "King Los"



Speaking of Japiro, he recently put together a new video for his single "I Hustle" which reminds me of an old school AZ video from Rap City only in higher quality.




I also recently listened to Syncere aka Homicide (click to request on twitter and get his mixtape) who is just releasing 21225, a mixtape he has been working on for a while. It's a decent listen but it does take a while to build up and get going, older tracks like "Ice Cream paint Job", and his freestyle over "Gucci, Gucci" don't really work as well because they aren't classic tracks and he doesn't absolutely murder the beats. However, "The Curse" which is a freestyle over the 'Mafia Music' track is well above average and shows SynCere's best type of track and tempo to rap to. "Ray Rice" is more of what's hot today in hip-hop trendiness where someone just uses a celebrity and some superficial aspect of their life to represent what they're trying to get across on the hook. The beat will knock your trunk though if thats what you're looking for.



"Fast Lane" would be the single since it has a video and features local mainstays Test Me and Nick Rich who don't do anything outstanding or negative. I can't say the same about 10 Hunnit who cleans up the track. "Bill Cartwright" with Tec Diamonds and NC-17 is what the mixtape should have had more of when talking about freestyle type material. All three rappers deliver good verses though 17's deliver is an acquired taste. "MOB" also rocks and Syncere does his thing over the Niggas in Paris track on "Niggas in East Baltimore". "Chasing Paper" is a bit different from the rest of the material as Syn goes more the 2Chainz route with his verse on normal subject matter but it will fit right in with radio songs today, with a little bit of work on the hook it would be a certified radio single.  "Forever Freestyle" should have been an original song because I think it would have been a better impact for what he's saying.

Overall, there are some decent cuts on the mixtape and it picked up for me after "Ray Rice". I felt like there were probably five more tracks than were needed especially some of the older tracks. Todays mixtapes have to be more original material but for a first time to be putting out a project it is solid. I would suggest that he focus on getting more of his own material and eliminate some of the features which take away from the product at hand. Syncere isn't a bad rapper and has a lot more polish than another rapper I showcased named Rock Solid and more potential as well. However he has to bear down and be focused on staying true to the things that he does well and not jump around to try and please everyone.

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