GRAPETOVEN

GRAPETOVEN

Zaytoven may have earned his stripes as Gucci Mane’s right-hand producer and released projects with USHER and Future, but he’s done more work outside of Atlanta than he may get credit for. He’s worked with artists from the likes of Chicago (Chief Keef), Baton Rogue (Boosie Badazz), and Detroit (Damon Fletcher) for previous joint releases, and for his latest mixtape, he heads to Memphis to connect with Big Moochie Grape, a signee of fallen rap legend Young Dolph’s Paper Route Empire. The duo is here for a good time, not a long time. GRAPETOVEN delivers a tight, concentrated dose of street life and the spoils of ice, cars, and women. Songs like “34” and “She Love Me” actually sound like vintage Gucci Mane, in the best way possible: Zay’s bouncy organs and banging low end are a wonderful match for Moochie Grape’s conversational, in-the-pocket flows. (He even refers to himself as Big Moowop on the former, a possible homage to Gucci himself.) Mixtape closer “13 Days” celebrates a two-week sex romp in graphic detail, and the woman wants to continue it with a vacation. Listeners have to settle for another playthrough.

Other Versions