Vizion Magazine June, 2014 | Page 6

Fat Trel "Gleesh Mixtape"

Written By Justin Davis

Anyone who`s been following Rick Ross` MMG imprint can`t help but notice his recent rush to sign new talent to the label. Over the last year Ross has signed singer Omarion and Houston new comer Tracy T to his label, and shows no signs of slowing down any time soon. Baring more conscious efforts from DC artist Wale, there has also been a noticeable trend of content from all of MMG`s artists, their music leaning more toward vivid depictions of street life laid over speaker thumping instrumentals. Ross` latest addition to the fold, yet another DC artist, Fat Trel fits right in on the label and his new project Gleesh accomplishes what Ross has strived to achieve on his own releases (at times in better ways that Rose` has himself.)

The intro of the mixtape, "Datz Kool", features Trel rhyming over the type of swinging, bass heavy instrumentals seen prevalent in much of Chicago`s drill music scene. (An aggressive style of music made popular by artists like Chief Keef, and Lil Bibby) Here listeners find Trel covering much of the same content made popular by other drill artists, but what separates him from others in his genre is that underneath the brash delivery found on the song, there is actual attention paid to lyrical ability. On the intro his lines feature a myriad of intricate internal rhymes as well as some melodies. Example: I be, wild as a fool/walkin through the crowd blowin loud with the crew/roll the window down hear the sound of the tool/ never come around cuz my shooter he a fool. No matter what you may say about Trel`s content (which will be covered later) you can`t say he doesn’t know how to rhyme. I found myself repeating these lines in my head after I heard them and singing along with the chorus, and I`m a self-proclaimed “hip hop purist”.

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