Remember the Making Da Band episode when Ness (who would later become an incredible battle rapper in his own right) got absolutely annihilated by that kid from Harlem, the same one who would go on to put on classics with Murda Mook & JR Writer inside the ring, and later signed with Young Money alongside Nicki Minaj & Drake in the height of Lil Wayne’s superstardom, well for those who forgot that Harlem spitter is named Jarvis Mills, Jae Millz to be exact, who despite that impressive resume never got to reach his full potential and showcase his wordplay and delivery as was expected.
To date the Young Money Bedrock single is still his biggest moment, and although his previous battle career has him solidified in legendary status, the URLTV roster been calling him out for years and thus far he hasn’t accepted the challenge. Rappers afraid to rap huh, or perhaps he’s just selective and waiting for that 100K, yet in the meantime he’s kept his sword sharp putting out a bevy of mixtapes, most recently Lennox Ave Finest with heavy production from fellow Harlem native Ron Browz.
Without further ado Lenox Ave Legend is critiqued track by track below, yet only in few moments does Millz truly live up to his name.
Lennox Ave Legend
“Im on my 02, 03 Cam shit, I’m on 95, 96 Big L shit, flamboyant with the bars I be floating with the stars, think of all my raps on Saturn, write all of my shit on Mars, record all my shit on Pluto, and mix all my shit on Jupiter, God Son like Nasir, bring Hell like Lucifer, haters try to play dumb but my flow stupider” The intro is a heater 🔥🔥🔥 The bars on point and this is the energy we’re looking for. Harlem!
How Will I Know
“My style different I’m from Harlem I’m sure you can tell, and while we talking Harlem rest in peace to Big L” Millz is Harlem through and through but for the most part the whole record is light bars… in my Tay Roc voice… this light…
Glorious
“She a stripper and her ass is outstanding, but baby girl I’m trying to fuck, fuck dancing” SKIP!!!
In The Field ft Ron Browz
“Hanging out the window when I drive through, Porche blood red like it’s Pyru, and motherfucker you gon try who, cemetary getting full you must want to die to!” Not a skip but arguable filler even though Millz is spittin.. at least he spittin tho… respect to Millz
Get To It ft Ron Browz & Makarel
“Me and Browz back at it you already know, this another bad creation shoutout Red & RoRo” shoutout Another Bad Creation and Millz is spittin but I’m not feeling the production… in my Hollow voice I’m not excited… SKIP!!!
Warm It Up
“Get light on em, milly rock with it, shake the dice on em, I just throw it on the counter then I swipe on em, if I like em I don’t even know the price on em, warm it up” This one is a decent uptempo Harlem style anthem that you can move to, not mad at this at all - we need this for the summer 💯
Cry For Me ft Ron Browz
“Please don’t hold em back, cry for me if it’s real girl” Ron Browz with a good R&B like hook and this a solid mixtape/album cut from front to back, this is reminiscent of a Jada album cut yet not quite as official.
If You Only Knew
“Taking picks next to the beemer fly as fuck in my 88 Dapper Dan stance, my whole style vintage Harlem like Pan Pan, was goin through my mind they don’t understand fam, I’m from Lennox Ave, I understand Cam…” now THIS is Lenox Ave’s Finest and there’s nothing Young Money about it. No Wayne, Nicki, Gudda Gudda, or auto tune, just straight gritty bars over fire Ron Browz production and we’re all thankful for it. I drove through Harlem last month and believe me this one is definitely whip certified 🔥🔥🔥💯💯💯
Flatline
“Flatline… flatline… Doughboy after they killed Ricky I’m on that time…” decent but I’d rather listen to the PeediCrakk/BeanieSigel record of the same name… just keeping it one thousand
I’m Happy
“I’m happy all these ***** wanna rap again” I’m happy Millz want to rap again, because some of those Young Money freestyles were looking shaky baby *Conceited voice,* even still this is cool but far from crazy, reminiscent of Jay’s Dear Summer record but not as fire and I’m not excited at all
Overall this is 10 records of real rap yet sporadic heat, it’s definitely not fire from front to back yet there’s no mumble or auto tune raps on here either. The title track and If You Only Knew does have a few fuck-up-your-rewind-button moments, and as stated before Warm It Up is good enough for the block party in the summer.
In closing this was a decent release but it’s time Millz steps back in that ring, mixtapes like this and independent releases will always be there, but there’s not a better moment for Millz in 2017 than that URL stage where he’s appreciated the most - even in spite of the fact that time is ticking and that window is closing. Nonetheless after a long winter the warm weather finally hit the city, thus there’s still time for Harlem’s finest to remind us all why he’s a legend, where it matters most on that URL stage at Summer Madness September 10th.