| Ballin Like I'm Kobe | ||||
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| Mixtape by | ||||
| Released | September 29, 2015 [1] | |||
| Recorded | 2014–15 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 1:06:04 | |||
| Label |
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| Producer | ||||
| G Herbo chronology | ||||
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| Deluxe Edition Cover | ||||
| Singles from Ballin Like I'm Kobe | ||||
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Ballin Like I'm Kobe is the third mixtape by American rapper G Herbo and was released on September 29,2015. [2] The mixtape has been downloaded over 250,000 times on DatPiff. [3]
Following his debut project Welcome to Fazoland ,G Herbo released a surprise mixtape by the name of Pistol P Project on December 26,2014. [4] On August 4,2015,Herb announced Ballin Like I'm Kobe, dedicated to his fallen friend,Jacobi D. Herring. [5] Herb noted that “Ballin Like I’m Kobe is just a transition. The transition of me from Welcome to Fazoland,the man I became,how I mature and what I’m going through now and the situations I been through since then." [6]
The mixtape features production from C-Sick,DJ L,DP Beats,Luca Vialli,Don Robb,OZ,Austin Millz,Young N Fly,Southside and DJ Pain 1. It includes guest features by Lil Bibby,theMind,Sonta,J.Tsunami and Lil Durk.
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| HotNewHipHop |    [7] |
| Pitchfork | [8] |
| XXL |   [9] |
| Consequence of Sound | [10] |
Upon its release,Ballin Like I'm Kobe received critical acclaim from critics.
Patrick Lyons of HotNewHipHop rated the mixtape an 86% saying "This is one of the most powerful tapes of the year,with tracks that grab you by the collar and shake you into submission with their soul-baring honesty. Every line Herb raps,whether political,violent,philosophical or (on rare occasions) celebratory,is cut with all the stress and sadness that's accumulated over 19 years. He truly sounds "19 years going on 39," as he says on highlight cut "Remember," on which he also succinctly sums up his "fuck the world" mentality to outsiders:"I'm already gonna die by the system,so why abide by the system?" [7]
Sydney Madden of XXL Magazine gave the mixtape an XL (4/5) saying "On this tape,Herb seems to be even more raw and ferocious with his flow than ever. Now with a new label to call home,Herbo comes with an enlightened sense of perspective,Herb’s Ballin Like I’m Kobe paints something pretty close to an audible masterpiece. And beauty is pain,right?" [9]
David Drake of Pitchfork gave the mixtape a 7.2/10,saying "No other song on Ballin Like I'm Kobe feels quite so one-of-a-kind. Sometimes it's pro forma;drill records like the DJ L-produced "Gang" sound as if they could have been recorded any time within the past three years. But outside of "I'm Rollin",Herbo's doesn't traffic in the kind of pioneering stylistic breakthroughs common to the first wave of drill artists—King Louie,Lil Durk,or Chief Keef. He is not drill's most versatile talent,preferring to play to his own strengths. His more traditional approach is an ability to wring narrative pathos from the song without letting his voice's cracked shell fully break. His vocal style is ragged but forceful,and in contrast with the East Coast influences to which it might be readily compared—the LOX,say—there's a sense of Herbo's words scratching past the lines,moving with a looser,less precise rhythm,as if to suggest an anxious undercurrent. And likewise,his subject matter seldom moves toward the humor of classic New York mixtape artists,preferring to shift from the autobiographical to very real-seeming threats." [8]
Consequence of Sound gave the mixtape a B+ (8.5/10),saying “You gotta be from that to understand that,”Master P said of drive-bys and stickups early on in that interview. He was talking about New Orleans,but there's similar desperation in cities everywhere,particularly Chicago. Not everyone can relate to the specifics of Herb's struggle;the average person hasn't lost a forearm's worth of names to gun violence. With an open mind,though,it'd be hard for anyone to hear BLIK and miss Herb's desire to set a good example (give or take a few vices) for those around him. Herb illustrates a deeply human set of themes. The details within the story are what make it uniquely his. [11]
Vibe Magazine noted that "BLIK serves as his most focused and poignant work to date,showing a more reflective and introspective Herbo in bars than heard before." [12]
| No. | Title | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "L's" | C-Sick | 3:32 |
| 2. | "Watch Me Ball" | DJ L | 3:24 |
| 3. | "Bricks & Mansions" | DP Beats | 3:06 |
| 4. | "Bottom of the Bottoms" | Luca Vialli | 3:30 |
| 5. | "P Interlude" | DJ L | 0:26 |
| 6. | "Gang" (featuring Lil Bibby) | DJ L | 4:17 |
| 7. | "100 Days, 100 Nights" | Southside [13] | 3:35 |
| 8. | "Peace of Mind" |
| 3:02 |
| 9. | "Remember" (featuring theMind) | Austin Millz | 4:06 |
| 10. | "Don't Worry" (featuring Lil Bibby) | C-Sick | 3:39 |
| 11. | "Eastside" | DJ L | 3:45 |
| 12. | "No Limit" | DP Beats | 4:33 |
| 13. | "Struggle" | Young N Fly | 3:56 |
| 14. | "Pain" (featuring Sonta and J.Tsunami) | DJ L | 6:27 |
| 15. | "Rollin" | Southside | 5:12 |
| 16. | "Ain't Right" (featuring Lil Durk) | DJ L | 3:07 |
| Total length: | 59:28 | ||
| No. | Title | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17. | "Waitin' for Nothin'" | DJ L | 3:02 |
| 18. | "Countin' 100's" | DJ Pain 1 | 3:35 |
| Total length: | 1:06:04 | ||
Joshua Howard Luellen, professionally known as Southside, is an American record producer, songwriter and rapper. He gained recognition in the hip hop industry for producing songs for prominent artists across the American hip hop sphere. In 2010, Southside and fellow 1017 label-mate Lex Luger, established their production and songwriting team 808 Mafia, where Southside currently is at the helm of the group. The basis of his stage name is the place where Luellen grew up, Southside, in Atlanta, Georgia.
Drill is a subgenre of hip hop music that originated in Chicago in the early 2010s. It is sonically similar to the trap music subgenre and lyrically similar to the gangsta rap subgenre. Early drill artists are noted for their explicit, confrontational style of lyricism and association with crime in Chicago, especially the Black Disciples and Gangster Disciples. The genre progressed into the American mainstream in 2012 following the success of pioneering rappers like Chief Keef, Lil Reese, Lil Durk, Fredo Santana, G Herbo, Lil Bibby and King Louie, who had many local fans and a significant internet presence alongside producer Young Chop. Other rappers, such as L’A Capone, RondoNumbaNine, SD, FBG Duck, Lil Jojo and producer Leekeleek also contributed to the early drill scene. As the audience grew, media attention and the signing of drill musicians to major labels followed. After the initial momentum of the subgenre subsided, Chicago drill saw a resurgence in the late 2010s and early 2020s with trailblazing artists such as King Von, Polo G, Calboy and a renewed Lil Durk.
Herbert Randall Wright III, better known by his stage name G Herbo, is an American rapper from Chicago, Illinois. Wright signed to the Chicago-based record label Machine Entertainment Group in 2011 at the age of 16. Through the label, he released his debut mixtape Welcome to Fazoland (2014), followed by Pistol P Project (2014), Ballin Like I'm Kobe (2015), and Strictly 4 My Fans (2016). His debut studio album, Humble Beast (2017) was released through Cinematic Music Group and received critical acclaim. His collaborative album with record producer Southside, Swervo (2018) served his first major label release through Epic Records; its sequel, Still Swervin (2019) served as Wright's second album. His third album, PTSD (2020) peaked within the top ten of the Billboard 200 upon release, likewise with his fourth and fifth albums, 25 (2021) and Survivor's Remorse (2022); 25 marked his first project with Republic Records.
Signed to the Streets is a mixtape by American hip hop recording artist Lil Durk, hosted by DJ Drama. It was released on October 10, 2013. The mixtape features production by Chase Davis, Dree The Drummer, Fade, Nito Beats, Paris Beuller, Sunny Norway, TGM, Young Chop and Zaytoven. The mixtape features a sole guest appearance from Lil Reese who appears twice on the mixtape.
Life Ain't No Joke is a mixtape by American hip hop recording artist Lil Durk; hosted by DJ Moondawg and DJ Victoriouz. It was released on October 19, 2012, by his independently record label OTF. The mixtape features guest appearances from French Montana, Soulja Boy and Yo Gotti. As of October 31st, 2022, the mixtape has been downloaded over 259,000 times on DatPiff and is certified platinum.
Remember My Name is the debut studio album by American hip hop recording artist Lil Durk. It was released on June 2, 2015, by Only the Family and Def Jam Recordings. The album's production was handled by C-Sick, DJ L, FKi, London on da Track, Metro Boomin, Vinylz, Young Chop and more, with fellow Def Jam label-mates Jeremih and Logic were the featured artists. The album garnered a positive reception but critics were mixed on the gangsta rap content and Auto-Tune delivery of them. Remember My Name debuted at number 14 on the Billboard 200 and only released one single: "Like Me". The album features guest appearances from Jeremih and Logic. The deluxe edition adds appearances from Hypno Carlito and King Popo.
Durk Derrick Banks, known professionally as Lil Durk, is an American rapper and singer from Chicago, Illinois. He first garnered a regional following with the release of his Signed to the Streets mixtape series (2013–2014), which led to his signing of a recording contract from Def Jam Recordings. The company would release his debut studio album, Remember My Name (2015) and its follow up, Lil Durk 2X (2016) before he parted ways with the label in 2018.
Welcome to Fazoland is the debut mixtape by American rapper G Herbo and was released on February 17, 2014. The mixtape has been downloaded over 375,000 times on DatPiff.
Pistol P Project is the second mixtape by American rapper G Herbo and was released on December 26, 2014. The mixtape has been downloaded over 575,000 times on Spinrilla and 125,000 times on DatPiff.
Lil Durk 2X is the second studio album by American hip hop recording artist Lil Durk. It was released on July 22, 2016, by Only the Family and Def Jam Recordings, his final release under the latter label. Following the release of Durk's debut album, Remember My Name (2015), after suffering numerous delays. The production on the album was handled by C-Sick, DJ L, Wheezy, Sonny Digital, ChopSquad DJ, Southside, Young Chop and Zaytoven, among others. The album features guest appearances from Young Thug, Ty Dolla Sign, Yo Gotti and Dej Loaf. The deluxe edition adds guest appearances from Future and Kid Ink.
The discography of American rapper Lil Durk consists of eight studio albums, one collaborative album, four compilation albums, one live album, one extended play, thirteen mixtapes, and 175 singles.
Humble Beast is the debut studio album by American rapper G Herbo. It was released on September 22, 2017, by Machine Entertainment Group, 150 Dream Team, Cinematic Music Group and RED Distribution, serving as his first commercial release with Cinematic and RED. The album features production from Da Internz, Southside, C-Sick and DJ Ron, among others. It features guest appearances from American rappers Lil Uzi Vert, Bump J, Lil Bibby, Lil Yachty and Jeremih, among others.
Strictly 4 My Fans is the fourth mixtape by American rapper G Herbo. It was released on November 24, 2016. Unlike his other mixtapes that were made for free download, this one was up for purchase.
Le'Quincy Anderson, better known by his stage name Don Q, is an American rapper. He is best known for his collaborations with labelmate A Boogie wit da Hoodie.
Kobe Vidal Crawford Jr., known professionally as NoCap, is an American rapper and singer. He is signed to Atlantic Records and Never Broke Again. Since 2017, he has released 6 albums, one EP and five mixtapes. His highest-charting project, Mr. Crawford, was released in April 2022, peaking at number 8 on the Billboard 200. He is noted for his use of wordplay.
Dayvon Daquan Bennett, known professionally as King Von, was an American drill rapper from Chicago, Illinois. He is largely considered one of the most influential figures who represent the drill genre.
PTSD is the third studio album by American rapper G Herbo. It was released on February 28, 2020, by Machine Entertainment Group and Epic Records, and was originally digitally marketed and distributed by The Orchard. The production on the album was handled by multiple producers including C-Sick, D.A Damon, Don Cannon, TM88 and DJ Victoriouz, among others. It features guest appearances from fellow rappers 2Pretty, 21 Savage, A Boogie wit da Hoodie, BJ the Chicago Kid, Chance the Rapper, Jacquees, Juice Wrld, Lil Durk, Lil Uzi Vert, Polo G and Sonta.
Levon James is the second and final mixtape by American rapper King Von. It was released through Only the Family Entertainment/Empire on March 6, 2020. It is a 16-track project in an assortment of drill heavy beats executive produced by Chopsquad DJ and with various others productions from Mike WiLL Made-It, EY3ZLOWBEATZ, Ant Chamberlain, Budda Beats, Blue Nightmare, Dr. Flow, Bruce "Jaggerwerks" Billingy, MVAbeats, Mike Mvjor, JAYSTONBEATS. It has guest appearances from Lil Durk, Booka600, G Herbo, NLE Choppa, Tee Grizzley, YNW Melly, and Yungeen Ace. The project peaked at number 40 on the Billboard 200.
"Faneto" is a song by American rapper Chief Keef from his mixtape Back from the Dead 2 (2014). It slowly achieved underground success, eventually reaching over 60 million cumulative YouTube views, and becoming sought after by MCs, DJs, and radio.
Darrell Gregory Jackson, known professionally as Chopsquad DJ, is an American record producer, songwriter, and DJ. He is known for his frequent use of dark piano melodies in his beats. His name is adapted from his former role as the in-house DJ for record producer Young Chop's record label, ChopSquad.
