The Clipse have been much maligned in their career but none of that really seems to matter. Hardcore fans of their gritty, graphic street poetry embrace them for what they are and what they aren’t is commercial. Album sales don’t necessarily translate into success but since when was going Gold a bad thing? Sure, an album being given a XXL rating by the magazine of the same name should probably move more units then what it did, but the respect factor of making Clipse relevant can be attributed to their work in the streets. Their We Got It For Cheap series has kept fans full in between albums and some would argue that what they spit on mixtapes is just as potent as what they do on albums. Either way you cut it, The Clipse have carved a niche in Hip-Hop and depending on if you’re buying what their selling, the word is out that The Clipse just think they’re better.
The knock on the Clipse has always been that all they talk about is coke. Never one to shy away from such notions, The Clipse openly acknowledge this constructive criticism and have vehemently responded by reiterating that they make music for the ones on the corner. Clearly a product of their environment, as well, The Clipse are surely talented at what they do but you can’t argue against the fact that they’ve been consistent since day one. Not to take anything away from them, or the rest of the Re-up Gang, but in the “spirit of competition” I’d be hard-pressed to label them as one of the best ever. Aside from their delivery, metaphors, and graphic storytelling, I put them on a notch above half the rappers in the game now but they still have more work to do to reach the level of elite. Proudly, We Got It 4 Cheap Vol. 3 may be that one step forward.
Getting things started, “Here’s What They Think About You” is solid as an intro and effective in introducing this new mixtape. Basically a chant of R-E U-P G-A-N-G, one thing’s for sure, the Clipse are making it known what’s about to happen. Segueing into another intro, the follow up has them flowing over B.G.’s “I Hustle” beat and the whole Re-up Gang kills it. Not to mention, a couple of lyrical jabs are thrown at Lil’ Wayne on here so it’ll be interesting to see if Wayne responds. The history between The Clipse and Wayne have not all been rose petals so we’ll have to see how this latest slight will unfold. Continuing, The Re-up Gang rip it over a variety of different beats from Jay-Z’s “Roc Boys” to Jim Jone’s “Emotionless” and delivers a timeless piece of work in the process. Most mixtapes lag somewhere throughout but We Got It 4 Cheap Vol. 3 is hard from start to finish. Further proof of that can be heard on “20k Money Making Brothers On The Corner”. By far, this is the hardest record on here and it’s stereotypical Clipse but I loved it. I haven’t liked a mixtape this much since Wayne’s “Drought 3” but this will definitely go right up there as one of my favorites. Clipse fans rejoice. This Re-up was, seemingly, well worth it.
Rating: 8.0 headphones out of 10
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