Considering the growth in hip-hop
mixtapes all through the late '90s and early 2000s, DJs can easily
be forgiven for giving in to what the public wants to hear and
simply airing the hottest tracks in true quick-mix style. DJ
Graffiti has a different mission; he wants to expand your ears with
track after track of the best rappers on hand and plenty of
unreleased exclusives. A few listens illustrate that it's mission
possible with the third volume in his Bling Free series,
especially when the exclusives include tracks or remixes from J-Live, Dilated Peoples, Slum Village (plus Elzhi), and Brother Ali. The sounds and
speech are excellent, but Graffiti wants hip-hop fans to expand
their mind as well, floating new tracks from up-and-comers like
Justice League associates Little Brother and Fakts One (the chant-along
"Grown Folks") and Lawless Element (the
nicely chilled "Against the Rules"). From Jeru to Diverse, the Grouch to Dead Prez, Graffiti's mix
lacks for nothing in his survey of independent hip-hop circa 2004.
Best of all for abstract fans is his bonus mix, "The Vibe," charting
a solid miniset of laid-back hip-hop and R&B. — John
Bush
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