iLoveMakonnen Stays Consistent on ‘Drink More Water 5′

iLoveMakonnen has had quite a year so far. After first catching the ears of Mike Will Made It, Metro Boomin and 808 Mafia, the 25-year-old MC shot to meteoric success last summer after Drake remixed "Tuesday" for optimal turn up results. Since then, the rapper/singer has signed to OVO Sound, toured internationally and has been the man of the hour on the festival circuit.

Now, with summer fast approaching again, iLoveMakonnen made another bid for attention from those who hail his "midweek weekend" anthem. Representing the most unconventional of Atlanta rap, iLoveMakonnen finally gave fans more material last week (March 31) with his newest mixtape, Drink More Water 5. This tape is Makonnen's first complete project since shooting to Drizzy-assisted superstardom and it's clear he's still floating through the stratosphere of fame, taking it all in as he goes.

Sticking to what he knows best, almost every song on the 11-track tape features a two-line, catchy hook. Rapping a little behind the tempo, the Atlanta upstart makes reference to his cameo appearance in the Noisey Atlanta documentary and reminisces on days of drug trade "gift wrapping" on the opening track, "Drink More Water 5 Freestyle." Cuts like "Super Clean" and "Get Loose With Me" feature a bubble gum pop sound that's normally out of place in hip-hop, especially in the South, but is melded together with Makonnen's cocky yet woozy vocals. "I make a bitch go dumb, coke with the rum," he repeats as if announcing to a party in "Super Clean." In "Other Guys" and "True Thang," Makonnen shows off his softer side and crosses over into full-on serenade mode. "I catch you when you're walkin', We barely be talkin'/You think I be stalkin', I'm just interested," he sings in "Other Guys."

"Whip It (Remix)" featuring Migos and Rich the Kid ties Makonnen back to his roots in classic trapping style. "Dodging 12" featuring Fredo Santana and Yung Gleesh makes for perfect cruising music and there's no way to go wrong with a Gucci Mane feature. But although the collabs are strategic, a majority of these artists outshine Makonnen on his own tape. Migos' Quavo brings new life into "Whip It (Remix)" without spilling the mix and Gucci is front and center on "Cash Cash" with Makonnen playing back up. These tracks show that no matter how big Makonnen is, he's still a beginner in the game. And strangely enough, Drink More Water 5 boasts no sounds from his new crew, OVO.

With an abundance of syrup-soaked, strung out choruses and hard-hitting features to balance out his mellow vibe, the ATL's most intriguing new voice will have no problem getting stuck in our head again this summer.

Filed Under: Drink More Water 5, ILoveMakonnen, mixtape, Review, Reviews

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