The Evil Genius! Green Lantern blends and freestyles

During the mixtape boom of the early 00s, Green Lantern was absoloutely killing it. Whereas other DJs had their niche in exclusives, blends or dis tracks, GL would drop mixes filled with all 3. Its like Rectangle, Kay Slay and Dirty Harry combined. His knack for selecting dope beats enhanced the freestyles on his CDs and his attention to detail when he puts his blends together is ridiculous. With that in mind, here's a compilation of some of my favourite moments from a few of his mix CDs.

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Tracklist
1- Green Lantern 'Many Men'
Fat Joe, Eminem & Nas verses over one of 50's finest moments.
2 - Cam'ron & Jay Z 'Welcome To NYC' (Green mix)
Green chucks Cam & Jay's only collabo over the 'Can I Live' beat. There's not much I wouldnt do for an untagged CDQ version of this.
3 - Fat Joe 'U Dont Know freestyle'
A good example of the beat making or breaking the freestyle. Joey Crack over one of the better tracks from 'The Blueprint'
4 - CNN & MOP 'Stompdashitoutyou' (Green mix)
This 03 collaboration was on the Def Jam Vendetta "soundtrack". Turns out it sounds rowdier and better over the 'Straight Outta Compton' instrumental.
5 - Ghostface Killah 'Survivor freestyle'
Tony Starks over 'Ambitions Az A Ridah'? Its a wrap.
6 - Green Lantern 'The Throwback Mix'
Pretty sure I've mentioned on more than one occasion that everyone sounds dope over the 'Ikes Mood' piano break. This is no exception. Jigga, Styles P and Pac all get a run out on this one.
7 - Gang Starr 'Freestyle'
Because I had to get a Primo beat on here somewhere didn't I?
8 - Pharrell 'The Ice Cream Man'
Skateboard P over 'Ice Cream' and 'CREAM' (you see what I was saying about attention to details?). This is something of a guilty pleasure. It shouldnt work but it does. Just dont focus on the lyrical content too much.
9 - Green Lantern 'Addicted To Retail'
I don't recognise the beat used on this one (anyone?) but Biggie, Kanye and Foxy Brown all sound right at home on it.
10 - Jay Z 'Got Me On My Shit'
Another one that might aggravate hardcore Wu Tang-ers a bit. Jay over a beat that's basically 'Shadowboxing' with a few changes. I think the raps are off something on 'Blueprint 2'. Works.
11 - Redman & Paul Wall 'Freestyle'
From Green's show on Shade 45. This is pretty much settles the "writtens vs off-the-dome" debate. To his credit, Paul Wall rhymes off the top of his head, albeit with mixed results but then Redman steps up and kills it.

"Its ridiculous, nobody bust one shot for BIG..."

I try and avoid following the pattern of most other Hip Hop blogs but as the Biggie and Craig Mack freestyle on Westwood was one of the first posts that got this site some attention, along with the fact I actually remembered it was March 9th today, I thought I'd drop a couple of B.I.G related things for you.
Pretty much everything Mr Wallace recorded has already been heard already (although the holy grail seems to his collabo with Onyx and Naughty By Nature - anyone holding that apart from Puffy?) so instead I'm gonna break tradition and come with something a bit more recent.

This is a mammoth posse cut by Busta Rhymes, Maino, Red Cafe, MOP, Uncle Murda, Styles, Sheek & Lil Cease called 'March 9th'. Produced by the UK's Dready, this is probably the most fitting tribute to Biggie. It sounds like it hasn't been mastered/mixed down properly but its still great anyway - nice and rowdy and a million miles away from 'I'll Be Missing You'. Not sure if this ever came out 'officially' but if anyone has a better copy then hook me up.


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As a bonus here's the Green Lantern remix of 'Letter To BIG' by Jadakiss


Artwork by 563 (again!)

If you want an interesting read on the story behind the whole Biggie/2Pac thing, realniggatumblr got something for you.

Shout out to Mike Nice.