One thing that I've always loved about hip hop music is the creativity. When you take an art form, flip it, twist it around and make it into something new. I'm referring to samples. Some people don't like sampling because they want complete originality, and there is something to be said for that, but I see nothing wrong with a little bit of sampling to liven up the mix.

And something that I've always enjoyed was hearing an old song and being like, "oh damn, that was what Jay Z used!" or "so THAT was where they got that intro from?" or even "Wow...can't believe Kanye hasn't used THIS yet"

So when I got this tape I was anxious to hear it for several reasons, one of which was to go down memory lane and remember the originators of some of hip hop's greatest hits.

And there were many on Smooth Denali's Coolout #2 that I hadn't even heard before, namely Brenda Russell's A Little Bit of Love, the origin of the pianos at the beginning of Pun's Still not a Player Remix, and while I had heard My Flame by Bobby Caldwell before it wasn't til hearing it this time around that "Sky's the Limit" by Biggie came to mind.

You see, I like that. I like it when hip hop can take something that is old, and make it new. How many people growing up today would even know who Debarge was? And how many times has "A Dream" been sampled? Tupac did it with I Ain't Mad Atcha, Blackstreet did it with "Don't Leave me Girl" and Mary J. Blige covered it. I think that not only should Hip Hop continue to sample the classics, but they should do a better job of letting the younger generation know where it came from. Now how we do that, I don't know. Team up with the original artist for a video, or in some cases release the original along with the new version on the maxi singles.

But see, this mixtape right here is what is necessary to show the younger generation the roots of this hip hop game. Too many people grow up listening to hip hop but not knowing where it originates from. Oh sure, they know the names, but do they know the songs? Do they know the history? Smooth Denali did his thing here, and really does it right. He says it didn't start out as a "Sampled by..." mixtape but what he's put together here is a tape that is just excellence personified. Where in mixtapes are you gonna get Johnny Guitar Watson, Donald Byrd and Ronnie Laws all on a mixtape? And how many people even konw that Redman sampled Superman Lover? Come on now.

I said before that there were several reasons I looked forward to listening to this. when I was younger, there was some music that I had that is what I would refer to as "Summer Laze" music. Music that you can just kick back and relax to. Not too loud, not a lot going on, just some nice chill music. And this is the perfect mixtape to throw on whether it's for you old heads who want to reminisce, and perhaps show your kids where hip hop comes from, or for the young kids who want to know where your favorite artists were influenced by.

This tape is almost a who's who of hip hop as far as original samples go. Do yourself a favor folks, don't miss this. Whatever you do, please don't miss out on something like this, that Smooth Denali has blessed you with. In this day and age of wack ass mixtapes and over saturation with artists saying the same thing over and over, how cool is it to sit back and just chill? This is that "Summer Laze" music for you. Get it at all costs. (4/19/07)