Gangsta Revival EP

iTunes Review

Based on the cover art and title, you might think this is a throwback gangsta rap record, something evocative of old-school Cali groups like N.W.A or CMW. You'd be very mistaken. Put out by South Rakka Crew member D-Rakkas (formerly known as Dow Jones), this is best described as glitch meets dancehall, in the vein of previous projects like Stimulus Package, Mix Up LP, and Nuff Remixes. Way more dubstep or broken beat than hip-hop, the only thing this has in common with recognizable hip-hop is that both styles use drum machines and the word “gangsta.” Featured guests include Mercci, RDX, Juakali, Gangsta Kid Fm, and Rage (not the one from The Chronic). The tracks here are inherently frantic by nature, with freaked-out time signatures, overloaded low end, and hyper-processed everything. "Bounce It," "Go Hard or Go Home," and "Renegade Rasta" are standouts.