Gucci, on an impressive winning streak since being released from prison, is still sitting pretty on his strong 2nd album of the year, Woptober. Lead single and anchor track “ Good Drank” is demonstrative of 2 Chainz’s ability to be where the action is, a tendency he’s exhibited from “ Duffel Bag Boy” to “ Beez in the Trap” and beyond, as it features 1017 Brick Squad founder Gucci Mane and former 1017 protege Quavo. Continuing his recent preference for Curren$yesque mixtape lengths of between six and ten songs, this jaunt is just twenty-two minutes long, a complete circuit that feels cohesive and organic.

Serving as a refreshing counterpoint, 2 Chainz has now provided us with Hibachi for Lunch, a seven-track mixtape that benefits from strong production, well-placed guest spots and thoughtfully written lyrics. While DS:ND had enjoyable moments, it felt rushed, a publicity grab more than an artistic statement. Then in March, Collegrove came out, a highly anticipated collaboration with Lil Wayne which birthed such notable songs as “ Bounce” and “ Gotta Lotta.” Summer came and went, and on August 5th, 2 Chainz released the Daniel Son: Necklace Don mixtape, featuring the song “Big Amount” which contains, to date, the best Drake verse of 2016. January’s Felt Like Cappin’ mixtape was a delight for tired ears, and friends of mine that don’t even like 2 Chainz got on board.

“ Watch Out” became a runaway hit, setting the stage for 2016 to be a big year for Mr. While I suspect the passage of more time might make that mixtape relevant in a different light, it did not elevate any of the featured performers and served merely as filler until, almost another eight months later, Trap-A-Velli Tre came out.

Instead, eight-and-a-half months passed before 2 Chainz followed up with TRU Jack City, a posse project featuring his The Real University crew: Skooly, Cap 1, and Fresh (AKA Short Dawg). Propelled by club-ready jams like “ Crib In My Closet,” “ Trap Back,” and the title track, it seemed Chainz was poised to release the album which would set straight the record after BOATS II failed to vindicate the rapper’s awful songs like “ Yuck” and “ Birthday Song.” I was thirsty for the Tity Boi of Trap-a-Velli, the 2 Chainz of “ Mercy,” the epitome of what makes Tauheed Epps a star in his late thirties. Atlanta’s golden child of hip-hop was popping up in TV shows and on YouTube serials as well as being featured in Noisey’s notable documentary series about the ATL trap scene. 2 Chainz is having the kind of run I wanted to see in 2014 following the mid-year release of his milestone FreeBase EP.

2 chainz mixtape 2016