Tuesday 15 February 2011

Giggs - Take Your Hats Off - Mixtape Review


Giggs has dropped the first ever DJ Whoo Kid hosted UK Rap mixtape 'Take your hats off' his first mixtape since 'Best of Giggs 3' and the release of last years Epic album 'Let em ave it' but with this mixtape Hollowman makes it easy for you to understand why taking your new era off to Giggs is something he actually deserves. Through out last year Giggs has dropped some of the hottest Scene stealing guest spots such as Tinchy Stryders 'Game Over' remix which he destroyed,LLoyd Banks's official Remix to his single 'Start it Up' received the same treatment as did Wileys 'Bright Lights' not forgetting his remixes to 'Hard in the paint ' and his tracks off the 'Rap Factory 3' mixtape and a lot more on top of doing numerous shows and promoting his mainstream debut,but as would be expected in the UK with our messed up way of working things Giggs pays a high price for not towing the line,watering himself down or conforming to the industry pressure which makes a lot of Street artists who reach a wider audience turn their backs on their core fan base whereas I can say Giggs is one of the few successful artist to have stood firm by their core fanbase's and for that alone you should Take you hats off!
This mixtape is a more polished in both production and lyricism than many his former street releases but he remains the same old HollowMan throughout showing that success hasn't gone to his head with 'Bring out the mac' and 'Step out' both are straight lyrical workouts and as Giggs puts it "That exercise shit" but things really get popping with the brutally honest 'Veteran' with Giggs dropping bars on his rise in the game as well as his life in the streets ("I was probably 13 when I dipped your jeans,but I wanted real money so I switched up scenes,used to watch the older Ni**as shotting shit to fiends,took my last bit of change,hit the strip with B.")
Giggs covers a lot of ground and has all bases covered,for the ladies there is 'Birthday' and 'Monster man' with the mandem spoilt for choice as Giggs lays down track after track of high quality street music with no fake half hearted pop attempts or corny love ballads.
Check out the title track 'Take your hats off' where he reminds his detractors of his relevance in the game ("Back in effect,get back in your beds,got the Sn1 links on the back of my neck,when your talking Hollow man better show some respect,first Ni**a to turn to that G-Rap into cheques") there's the UK/US collaboration 'Gangster hop' featuring Waka Flocka Flames this is clearly the highlight on this mixtape as it is geared towards breaking him into the US market and should do well out there and over here but tracks like 'Hard freestyle' which see's Giggs borrowing the Rhianna and Jeezy Beat will have you pressing rewind with lines like ("Yeah they're finally acknowledging,I didn't go college but I got a little Knowledge in me,there's never been a fiend or Alchoholic in me,but I could be somewhere that I never really wanted to be.") Its bars like this which have seen Giggs to the forefront in this overcrowded UK Rap game and hopefully should lead to him cracking the states and from what my People in Atlanta are telling me he's definitely on his way.
A solid mixtape which should fit neatly into any UK Rap collection.Now Take your f**king hats off and show some respect!
9/10

[CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD GIGGS - TAKE YOUR HATS OFF MIXTAPE]

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