If you listen through most of Wiz Khalifa's discography from 2005 to now, you can see he had a range of flows and deliveries back then. For example: from Prince of the City: Welcome to Pistolvania to POTC2, Wiz had a street/gangsta flow. While from Star Power onwards, he had a mainstream/laidback stoner flow. However, a prime example can be in 2010 when he released Kush & Orange Juice.
Kush & Orange Juice was released April 14, 6 days before the 4/20 stoners' holiday celebration and of course, the mixtape was dedicated to his love for weed as this was a pre-4/20 project. The cover was a homage to Gentleman Ruffin, the last album from David Ruffin before his death. Wiz recorded this mixtape at the time when he was on the come up and was already getting minor attention from his sophomore independent album, Deal or No Deal, along with the song "This Plane". Wiz already came off Warner Bros. Records back in 2009 after failing to release his debut on there, and decided to go back to being independent. The mixtape was released on the internet exclusively to HotNewHipHop & DatPiff, and consists of 20 laidback tracks with features from Killa Kyleon, Big KRIT, Curren$y, & Nesby Phips, along with production from Johnny Juliano, Sledgren, Cardo and more. Kush & OJ features his most popular songs including "The Statement", "Never Been", and "Up", and the mixtape showed a heavy laidback flow, used the most in the mixtape than any other project Wiz had put out before.
Although this wasn't his first mixtape or anything (this was actually his 8th mixtape), Kush & OJ was the project that put Wiz in a national spotlight and a better position than Deal or No Deal, along with the tape being highly praised by critics, die-hard Khalifa fans and bloggers around the world. The hashtag #kushandorangejuice became one of the trending topics on Twitter for 3 days and the tape can be known as his best work yet. As anyone would know, Wiz would later get signed to Atlantic (which has recently ended its relationship with Lupe Fiasco), and would release the most-popular "Black & Yellow". His later projects would prove to be either mediocre or decent, with his 2012 mixtape, Taylor Allderdice, being the closest to Kush & OJ. Last year can be known as the worst year for Wiz, releasing 2 godawful projects (28 Grams and Blacc Hollywood), with fans, critics and bloggers bashing them for the heavy autotune & lackluster effort [in 28 Grams] and the mainstream appeal in Blacc Hollywood. Earlier on in the year, he did release 2 songs which people have said had a "Kush & OJ feel" to it. I always loved this mixtape and it is one of my favourites to listen to especially on my way to and back from school.
Well, let's go!
1. Waken Baken
Another thing I didn't mention in the introduction was that the tape can be seen to possibly take a little homage and inspiration from The Listening by North Carolina rap duo Little Brother. An example can be shown here as the average rap album/mixtape intro is a laidback/light vibe instrumental (with a hook at the end) which uses the same unknown sample used in the intro for The Listening (called Morning). If I was to compare the two, I'd probably prefer 9th Wonder's flip on "Morning" than this one. This is good in its own way. Normally, for a rap album/mixtape intro, I could've suggested for you readers to click the skip button, but this is acceptable. Really acceptable.
2. Mezmorized
I always loved this song, with Cardo's laidback beat, Wiz's stoner and weed rhymes. The hook is amazing, rhymes are on point and the song is good, with a Southern-like beat, along with the song plot of his lifestyle (women, weed, cars and money). The song came off really flawless and it is one of my popular songs, especially on this mixtape. Really nice song.
3. We're Done
Even if Wiz didn't even sign to a label yet at the time, I (maybe along with some people) always found this the most mainstream song he did on the tape. The producer even sampled Camp Rock (out of all stuff to sample). It has a good plot about being successful and coming up, but to be honest, the beat doesn't really suit him and it's too poppy and mediocre. NEXT!
4. Skit 1
Oh, just your normal rap mixtape skit...
5. The Statement
My favourite Khalifa song ever. Period. This song is just nice. The sample of Yoko Ono and the plot of being successful and coming up is portrayed a lot more better here than previously. Wiz's rhymes are on point and is really nice. On a smoothed out beat like this, you could expect lazy flows, but he goes hard on a song like this. Not only that, but the content ends up succeeding really nice.I've seen that underground rapper Aesop Rock has made a song which uses the same sample as this, and with many hip-hop junkies preferring the first one to use the sample over the latest, I found The Statement better than Aesop Rock's one. A really recommended track on this.
6. Spotlight (feat. Killa Kyleon)
With this one, it's actually good. This follows how he wants to be successful... again. But in a different type of way. He has already gained success with his songs and Deal or No Deal. So, with this, he is bringing up money and wanting to get in the media more than before. The song is solid. The beat bangs and Killa comes with a decent "killa" verse. I love how he does a Kanye West reference, along with a Amber Rose & Kim Kardashian reference (especially when Wiz would later marry Amber and Kanye to Kim, and he dated Amber too). The beat manages to be the highlight out of the song and Wiz's catchy melodic hook.
7. Skit 2
See what I said about Skit 1 and put it in this one as well.
8. The Kid Frankie
Big Jerm samples a Loose Ends classic for a laidback stoner song. Once again, it's about money, girls and weed. It's alright, but not that special. It's still great though.
9. Up
Alright, now this is different from the others in some way. Instead of talking about coming up a lot, he now makes a stoner anthem, which is smoother than the rest. Wiz sings throughout this one and it's good, how he makes the song lovely. A highlight can be "Everything's better when you're high", which is a primary message Wiz tries to send throughout the mixtape. The beat is really nice and the overall concept and content is just amazing. Great song.
10. Never Been
Going through the mixtape many times before, I didn't really care about this. Now, my thoughts have absolutely changed. This song BANGS! Sledgren manages to samples "Schala's Theme" which, along with the video of this song has been bombarded on YouTube by people talking about this song, which offended a lot of video game nerds. The content is nice, and the beat is great. Wiz's lyrics are on point, and the flow is excellent. This is so gooood! The best track and the standout on the mixtape!
11. In The Cut
Cardo returns on the tape to produce a peaceful/stoner beat that samples "Let Go" by Frou Frou. This is a very great song. The only flaw is the beat switch-up which sounds nostalgic but poppy at the same time. Wiz's rhymes are a little generic, but his flow manages to save the track from being a little mediocre. I like the catchy hook and the beat is really nice. Really good track overall
12. Visions
I always loved this song. The rhymes of Wiz coming up and seeing himself successful is really great. Sledgren samples a Cortex song (Huit Octobre 1971) which has been sampled and used previously by MF DOOM (One Beer) and Tyler the Creator. This song is really good. Sledgren's flip on this is great. But like I compared the Listening intro to Waken Baken, if I was to rank the 3 flips of the sample, I'd rank this at #2, with DOOM at 1. This is my favourite and another standout on the album.
13. Still Blazin
Once again, another standout on the tape. This one, just like Up, is another stoner anthem. Of course, this one was the better known one, especially with Sermstyle's flip on the Alborosie song of the same name. Wiz's rhymes are better and isn't that much like the others about girls and money. Wiz is at his conscious stoner self and wants to be alone smoking. The reggae vibe in the song is nice, and to be honest, has the song to be better than the original by Alborosie. Really nice song.
14. Slim (Skit)
This was kinda unnecessary. Why put on a 3-minute skit? I mean, with those 3 minutes, I could've expected a song instead of a skit which sounds exactly like an advertisement for a fragrance that smells like an island (and weed too).
15. Pedal to the Medal
I never cared for this song. Feels more like a mainstream song for the ladies, following an attempt to get a girl with that "buy you a drink" type of atmosphere. The beat is alright, but sounds outdated, like something from 2007. But at least Johnny Juliano improved his beats ever since after Show and Prove. Most of those beats were just mimicking what was hot at the time.
16. Good Dank
This song is nice. I understand why there's no beat to it, and it comes out good. Wiz lays off women and money for a while on this song, and talks about haters and untrustworthy people. The content is better around here and I love it. The guitars in the song give a sombre vibe and shows a serious Wiz singing and rapping. This is a great song, and something smooth and slow.
17. Skit 3
Oh, so you gonna let it slide like "Slim" wasn't a skit, in fact, the 3rd skit? OK then, it's cool. I'm alright with that...
18. Glass House (feat. Curren$y & Big KRIT)
This song has a Southern banging-in-the-whip vibe, mainly because of KRIT's production. The song follows the 3 trying to have fun with their girl in their car. Curren$y starts the song off with his usual lifestyle flow, talking about his car and not being like them "other dudes". Wiz continues and he's not bad with it, but KRIT finally gets in and murks this with his Dirty South flow and his delivery. This song was always good for me, especially when I used to vibe to it and hum the song at some points. A solid cut from Wiz and the 2.
19. Outro
Now it's over...
20. Supply (feat. Nesby Phips)
Welp, no it's not. Just forget about what I said about the Outro.
Sometimes, you can believe what you hear. People say Illmatic was excellent and it turned out to be true. From The Infamous to Late Registration, saying those albums were classic material. What about The Water[s], seen as one of the best mixtapes of 2014. Ok, you get my point. Kush & Orange Juice is damn well a really great and solid mixtape. He manages to rap about 3 generic things right now in the rap culture: money, girls and weed. Many people can ask "why is this his best work? He has been rapping about this even after this tape". I guess they don't know about the delivery and flow Wiz had in the tape, a reason why people are like this, which have been lacking in his recent work [*cough*28 Grams/Blacc Hollywood*cough*).
The ear for beats and samples are shown here as producers uses many samples to create a laidback vibe and light atmosphere. From Yoko Ono to Cortex, Wiz manages to deliver his rhymes nicely, even if it's the "same damn thing". Wiz's dreams of coming up are really interesting, but can turn you off sometimes, especially when he delivers it the same as before in some points.
But you readers and fans act like a great album/mixtape can never have a bad track or a flaw. Mediocre tracks are included in this especially "We're Done", which sounds really poppy and mainstream, with the song sampling Camp Rock out of all things to sample. And "Pedal to the Medal" sounded a little outdated, although it has a great vibe and sound to it. The last track, "Supply" was boring too. But does it mean it's only a download for my recommended tracks or can you download the whole thing? Not really, but DOWNLOAD THE WHOLE TAPE! This tape is pure flames, and Wiz manages to have 75% hit and only 25% miss. A certified classic mixtape and something to wake-and-bake to!
The Furious 5ive
The Statement
Never Been
Up
Visions
Good Dank
Honourable Mentions
Glass House
Still Blazin
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