I am by no means an expert on hip-hop. It is only within the last two years or so that I have actually delved into the world of “wicked-ass” flow and “sick” rhymes. That being said, I feel like a “review” of Busta Rhymes & Q-Tip’s latest The Abstract and The Dragon (a play on the aliases of the two rappers) by me would be irrelevant. Besides, the release is mostly a compilation album, featuring the intertwining careers of the two rappers throughout the 90’s to now; the perfect starting point for anyone looking to dive into the music of either of the two. It also serves as a cool nostalgic piece for anyone that’s been a fan throughout the two veterans careers.
Some may feel a little let down by the fact that one of the most anticipated collabs of 2013 turned out to be a compilation album with a smidgen of new material, but it’s also a powerful reminder that these two MC’s have been and continue to be forces to be reckoned with in the hip hop world. With new albums on the horizon from both Busta and Q-Tip (E.L.E. 2; The Last Zulu), this is a great “warm up”, so to speak, for something bigger—as Busta claims in the intro, “That ol’ boom bap…to hold ya’ll over the holiday season…” Plus it’s free. A new listener like me shouldn’t complain about getting some of the best material out there for nothing.
The mixtape features a few skits (the first one gives a little background on the 20 year relationship between Busta and Q-Tip), a couple of A Tribe Called Quest songs featuring Busta, a handful of new tracks, and multiple guest appearances including Missy Elliot, Kanye West, Lil Wayne, Big Daddy Kane, various ATCQ members, and more.
Busta’s aggressive in your face “dragon” style perfectly complements Q-Tip’s slick, smooth, and “abstract” flow (see “Thank You”, my favorite of the six original tracks), and their respective traits have allowed them to age flawlessly in the “rap game”. By the time you reach the end of the mixtape, you’ll realize that these two haven’t sold out like a lot of rappers out there today, and they know it (“You Can’t Hold The Torch”). So do something nice for yourself this holiday season and grab/listen to the 28 track mixtape below.
http://www.livemixtapes.com/mixtapes/25325/busta-rhymes-qtip-the-abstract-the-dragon.html