I'm Sellin' Dope

iTunes Review

Coming out of West Oakland's Cypress Village housing projects, J. Stalin has been putting in work since the early '00s, and he's one of the most popular and prolific artists in the post–Hyphy Bay underground. Also the frontman for Livewire Da Gang, Stalin has released more than 25 CDs in the last five years alone, and he's collaborated with just about everybody in the scene. Unlike some of his contemporaries, he can switch up his style from track to track, dropping blood-stained crime stories one minute and ultra-smooth love jams or reflective autobiographical tales the next. I'm Sellin' Dope is technically a mixtape, but it plays better than most cats' albums, with 20 songs overflowing with wildly catchy beats, strong choruses, and consistently quotable lyricism. Just about every track here is a winner, with highlights like the thought-provoking, Neptunes-esque "Take It Back," the casual slinger story "Hustling in My Pajamas," and the sax-laced "Cannibus Club.”