Red Café is a 49-year-old emcee from Brooklyn, New York who rose to prominence 20 years ago with his debut mixtape “The Supply.” He has since released 10 more tapes and a debut full-length album, and signed with several labels including Desert Storm Records, Hoo-Bangin’ Records and Bad Boy Entertainment, but did not release anything during his tenure. However, upon learning that his 12th mixtape will be produced entirely by Cartune Beatz, I’m more optimistic than usual about his recent work.
The title track features a somber boom-bap instrumental about expensive taste and the safety of beans, while Benny the Butcher’s “TSA Pre-Check” finds these two declaring themselves to be the realest people in the room. The Max B-featuring “Wish Me Well” has a dark trap vibe to the beat that suggests not hating the big guys, and then moves into the So Rich-featuring “Water & Flour,” which is my least favorite song outside of the soul sample.
Elcamino’s “Red Rum” skips some piano so they can talk about their experiences growing up in Buffalo and the place Gang Starr each calls “the planet,” before “Private Room @ 2AM” admits to being tired of all the L’s, snitches and attending funerals, and his twin admiring the beauty of his scars. Conversely, “You Lucky,” starring Boldy James, goes in a soulful, drum-less direction, talking about lucky bitches.
The song “Pray for Me” connects a soul sample with some hi-hats, hoping God will protect him from getting caught on another case and getting home safely, while “Payne Café” bangs the drums again so both he and RJ Payne can talk about having more cocaine on their desks than the late Rick James ever had when he was alive. “ACG (Anybody Can Getit)” ends with a soulful ending that encourages people to achieve their goals.
Most of this guy’s output has been average at best, but I’ve enjoyed some of his features in the past, and all of the singles leading up to “Once in a Red Moon” lived up to the expectations I set for it. If I’m honest, it might even be the best thing Red Café has done in their entire career. Cartune Beatz’s production was a huge upgrade from some of the Shakedown Entertainment founder’s latest work, to which he dedicated the instruments alongside guests.
Score: 8/10
