This is inspired: Milwaukee rappers KingHellBastard, never much fans of mixtapes, have made their inaugural foray into the format an homage to one of their primary influences, A Tribe Called Quest. Released in conjunction with the 17th anniversary of Tribe's third album, Midnight Marauders, KHB's On The BLVD of Layton mixtape syncs verses from the group and friends including Sadat X, Akrobatik and Stricklin over seminal beats from each of Tribe's five studio albums. Most of the raps are recycled, save for a Milwaukee-proud update of "Award Tour," but for those unfamiliar with KHB, the mix is a fine introduction to the group's party-proud mindset, and a lavish tribute to the records that weaned most every hip-hop fan of a certain age.
The BLVD of Layton mixtape is streaming on the band's Bandcamp site.