Cassette Review // ullnevano x illien rosewell "Confidence is Everything III" (Already Dead Tapes)

$5 //
Edition of 60 //
https://alreadydeadtapes.bandcamp.com/album/ad295-ullnevano-x-illien-rosewell-confidence-is-everything-iii //

If you think I'm tired of comparing current hip hop artists with A Tribe Called Quest, I'm not.   I'm glad that so much influence of Tribe is still found in the hip hop that I listen to in 2018.    But aside from these beats- which could make a rap cassette from the 1980's or 1990's proud, you know, back when I was buying cassettes like the soundtrack to the movie "Trespass" just because- are the lyrics.

As the cover suggests, a lot of these songs are about basketball and not just basketball but old school basketball.   I used to work with this woman who would always wear one of those t-shirts that looks like a jersey and it was for Michael Jordan but it was number 45 and it always bothered me that it wasn't 23.   Michael Jordan will always be great, don't get me wrong, but his comeback (when he stopped being 23) wasn't nearly as great as anything he ever did as 23.   Sure, his time as 45 was better than any modern NBA player (fight me) but if I'm repping Jordan it's going to be 23.

Another aspect of these songs which I enjoy is that they reference professional wrestling.   From moves to wrestlers such as "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan and Mick Foley, it's the type of thing non-wrestling fans might be confused about but I get it and I'm happy with that.  Though there is also a shout out to NASCAR and Dane Cook, but I'm just going to pretend like that's just to keep the flow more than for the support... I don't know, to each their own, I guess.  You can't love all of the same things as someone else but at least if you can agree on most of the same things you can be cool with each other. 

With an old school feel to the music also comes an old school feel to the lyrics and overall the combination of the two makes me fall in love with this cassette.  I'm not sure how Already Dead does it, but they always somehow seem to find the best hip hop out there and put it on cassette.   If you think about the track record of Already Dead, I can only imagine this is the type of cassette we will still be talking about for years to come (like Michael Jordan) but also we will hopefully hear more from the artists in due time as well.   Get in now so you're cool like 23 and not slightly less cool like 45.