Mixtape Review: Rotimi – The Resume

There has been a lot of buzz about this guy from Mapelwood, New Jersey - Rotimi. The Resume is his mixtape and it just dropped today 29/03/2011. It had been preceded by promo tracks such “Bottles ft. Gucci Mane” “Already Know ft Dawn Richard”. By the way the mixtape was hosted by Boi Jeanius and DJ L.

Boi jeanius introduces  Rotimi to the us after which Rotimi takes over and gives a little something something about himself and the mixtape.

Its ma turn. Its been a long wait and I don’t want to give to you’ll like this but they call me the future of R&B. What am doing right now am just living ma dream – The Resume. This is ma body of work I put blood and sweat and tear into this music mehn, the highs and the lows, the ups and downs and i want you to be my employer, enjoy the music.

After which the first song Body Ft. Lou Will begins. Needless to say this track will keep you bumping head and the lyrical delivery is good. It also has that “tad-ah tad-ah” along with the chorus to give it a hooky feel. It a bascially Contemporary R&B with subtle hints of crunk (for that head bumping feeling) Just as an FYI the signature line of Boi jeanius goes thus, a female voice saying “Oh my God its Boi Jeanius”


The first song then finely transits into the second track Mr. Maserati without a break in the beat but with a dynamism to it. On this track Rotimi talks about his flyness telling us to call him Mr Maserati. It pretty tongue in cheek (but in a good way)


The third track Already Know ft Dawn Richards exhudes feeling of Omarion’s I get It In (which in this case is a good thing). The first three track are kinda mid-high tempo club-banging-head bumping tracks.


On Try Me ft JB he takes its down a notch to pure classic R&B delivery. It basically a sensual track exhuding early 90’s R&B feelings. He’s asking a girl to give him a chance at going out with him. Track 5 Nothing Compares to You  has the cool feeling of the previous track but in a contemporary R&B production laced with drum machines and a heavy bass line.


On Bottles ft Gucci Mane we are back to the club. As the name suggests its an ode to alcohol and girls in the club. Its pretty a let yourself-go-and-have-fun song. On the following song Rotimi is an apologetic mood saying I’m the One.


On track 8 Rotimi needs a Hero. Rotimi shows his passionate side and his emotion comes through on the slighly rock guitar tinged R&B song.


Well get ready for sexual innuedos on this piano lace R&B song as he likens making love to making Beautiful music. Saying they can make a “hit record” “tempo fast or slow” “the perfect duet” “we can do it accapella, jazz it up…we can do it autotune”. I could go on with the sexual innuendos but am sure you get the picture already but its (the song) pretty amazing and I like it.


If you thought the innuendos were over then you are so wrong cuz on Red Light Green Light Rotimi shows he still has quite a few more stuff from his bags of tricks (in this case bag of innuendos)


Forever is a you’ve-been-gone-a-long-time song (please  excuse me but I couldn’t find the one word that will summarises it all up). On Prescription he’s telling a girl that probably just came out of a bad relationship that he can be her remedy, her love doctor and her prescription for love.


Bare with me is a cool track with minimalistic instrumentation in its production. It is then followed by a personal favourite of mine, a cover of Michael Jackson’s Hollywood Tonight (from his posthumous work - Michael). What makes me like this song is that it is very striped bringing out the soul in the voice of the song. On Rotimi’s cover he gives a more R&B feel than the original pop feeling ditching the drum machine but still retaining the guitars.


The closing track If It wasn’t for Mama is an ode to Rotimi’s Mama. Its a cover/remix of the song originally performed by Trey Songz.


This mixtape  could easily be an LP (after a little touches here and there) because I really loved every track, each one had its own persona and must really say he is really the Future of R&B. If I were to grade this I would give him a B+. With that said guys go an get this awesome mixtape from Rotimi’s website http://rotimimusic.com. You also follow him on twitter @Rotimi1