The Champ Is Here 3 ain't perfect, but at least it's for the reasons mixtapes typically ain't perfect. LOX historians can indulge in Jada and Styles' nearly unparalleled tag-teaming raps on "Top 5 Dead Or Alive", while Sheek Louch becomes increasingly entertaining in his delusion, boasting "I wore shiny suits when I was down with Diddy" as if anyone listening to a Jadakiss mixtape in 2010 was unaware of that. And that's perfectly fine- 90s East Coast rap mavens will appreciate Jada rapping over Brand Nubian's "Slow Down" and "Who Shot Ya", as well as Uncle Murda returning from the major label hinterlands to steal "Pussy" and "It's Whatever" with his absurdly hilarious brand of blustery ignorance. This is unlikely to be anyone's introduction to Jadakiss, more likely to appreciate by his connoisseurs. There's a run with instrumentals from the Game's "Bang", Young Jeezy's "Sky's the Limit", and Rick Ross' "Maybach Music 2" that suggest Jadakiss doesn't have the poor ear for beats after all. As with his best stuff, there's a pugilistic grace to his rapping here nearly every line draws contact, but unlike associated "punchline" rappers, there's little wasted movement surrounding his pithier bon mots. Beyond proving Jada can create a cohesive document of his prodigious skill, Champ Is Here 3 combats some of the problems that have dogged him over the years. Like most of the best mixtapes around, Champ is informed by the spirit of competition, and it's no coincidence that boxing and basketball are the parallels to which Jada draws his own work. One of the year's most entertaining mixtapes, The Champ Is Here 3, now makes you wonder if it's a moot point anyway: If nothing else, The Last Kiss helped finance this.
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