Freestyle Rap

Funkmaster Flex's The Mix Tape, Vol. 1 recalls hip-hop's past while pointing toward its future. Featuring a wide array of hip-hop styles graced by amazing freestyle raps by some of the '90s top MCs, the album sounds like a mixtape compiled from the radio and 7" singles - there's simply nothing but first-rate music, with no filler whatsoever. Although there are elements of old-school rap as well as modern funk, the daring production and stunning rhymes make The Mix Tape a rarity of mid-'90s hip-hop - it's a record that sounds like none of its competition. It announces itself as an instant classic.

The third (and final, according to the album's subtitle) chapter of New York DJ Funkmaster Flex's mix albums is the best of the bunch, a gritty combination of old- (A Tribe Called Quest, House of Pain, Naughty By Nature) and new-school rappers (Missy Elliott, Wu-Tang Clan, Busta Rhymes).

The Mix Tape, Vol. 2: 60 Minutes of Funk is every bit as engaging its predecessor, capturing Funkmaster Flex as he spins through a stack of modern and classic hip-hop and R&B, with various guest rappers freestyling while he does so. The energy is equal to Vol. 1, and while some listeners might find the relentless but seamless mixing to be a little amelodic and irritating, any true hip-hop fan will consider the album a treasure.