Tyga, Well Done 2

Following the Young Money recipe for building up album hype, Tyga has come through with Well Done 2, a follow up to his 2010 mixtape of the same name. With his sophmore LP Careless World due for a September release, the YMCMB signee looks to gain momentum with WD2, putting his own twist on some of the hardest beats in the game today.

The Compton native goes hard off the bat, linking up with frequent collaborator Chris Brown on “Snapbacks Back.” Breezy surprises on the track with an aggressive verse and the two again show what a strong duo they make. Tyga’s laid-back drawl still works best over the light and buoyant production with which he first found success, but the inked up MC shows his versatility by delivering on a variety of beats from Tyler, The Creator’s “Yonkers,” to Frank Ocean’s “Novacaine.” Like his labelmate Lil Wayne, Tyga has shown a natural knack for taking on the big beats of the industry.

On the flip side, the tape doesn’t give the listener much of an idea of what we can expect from the Cali rapper’s highly anticipated album since so much of what we hear is informed by the current climate of rap. Tyga does a successful job at emulating Drake’s flow on “I’m On One” and Ocean’s on “LovaGain,” but as a result they come out reminding of the originals, lacking some of his original sound. Fortunately for T-Raw, he has the benefit of being surrounded by some of the most creative minds in the business, and considering Young Money’s recent album track record, Careless World will almost certainly propel the 21-year-old up and comer to the next level of stardom. —NMB