GMC – Three Letter Mixtape: Volume G

GMC – Three Letter Mixtape: Volume G

If you asked me three or four years ago who my favourite local emcee was, I would have been tempted to answer with three letters – GMC. Of course, that answer would have been a bit strange back then, when GMC’s official output was limited to a handful of unfinished solo tracks and mixtape cameos. Now, finally, the acronymic rapper has given his long-waiting fans something to hang their headphones on – the Three Letter Mixtape: Volume G.

For the uninitiated, GMC represents a style of hip hop that is almost completely absent from the Australian scene. While so many local artists (and fans) focus mechanically on just lyrical content and flow as the essential characteristics of a “good emcee”, he doesn’t ignore these elements but instead combines them with effortless style, swagger and delivery (and if you don’t think those elements are equally fundamental, go listen to the Sugarhill Gang again).

There is no better example of G’s mastery of this than on ‘Dreamkiller 1’, where he laces punch after punch that can’t be repeated here simply because the delivery just doesn’t translate in text. Another great example is the killer ‘Three Times G’, where GMC spits seamlessly over three different beats, each time with a different flow (check out his harmonic effort over Ciara’s ‘Oh’ beat).

While some of the best stuff here is when G unleashes his egotistical side, it’s the more vulnerable moments that perhaps provide the biggest highlights. Confrontation with self-doubt is the dominant theme of tracks like ‘Out on a Limb’ (over Eminem’s ‘Sing for the Moment’ beat) and the old but undeniably classic bonus track ‘Confessions of an Emcee’. I call the latter a classic because it so perfectly articulates the accent debate issue from the perspective of an “accent” rapper, but in doing so makes a better, more poetic and engaging song than most naturally accented rappers could even aspire to.

Guest spots are wisely scattered throughout this mixtape, but chosen mainly from GMC’s closest associates – Justice, Tommy Carson, Pez, Ken Hell, Jhay V, Notion, Cee For, Fluid, Luke Vexx, Weapon X and 360. All are featured on tracks which allow them to stick to their strengths while allowing GMC to show his own versatility.

If there was one criticism of this mixtape, it would be that occasionally G lets his appreciation for Lil’ Wayne influence his style too heavily – ‘Shoulder Lean Freestyle’ in particular might be interpreted as a tribute to, but is otherwise a blatant imitation of, Young Weezy. It’s a small gripe, however, because this would have to be my favourite mixtape of the year so far.

Three Letter Mixtape: Volume G can be downloaded from http://www.grounduphiphop.com/gmc/.

- Tommy Gunnz

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