Loc (rhymes with poke) Saint mixed himself an immaculate collection. If two is company and three is a crowd, you'd think that 18 would be a brawl, but the Bellingham MC works the diverse sounds of his 17 contributors into his Real Mixtape with skill.
This album is not simply rhymes over beats. Each track is complex, with distinct rhythms and smart hooks, sound rhymes and frequent use of effects and counter melodies that create interest and further involve listeners without being overdone.
The album is riddled with the obligatory hardcore references: dealing drugs to get by, caught in the middle of a drive by battle, and – of course – a couple shout outs to The 360. What's distinctive of Loc Saint is that while most thugs-turned-rappers are saved by their music, Loc praises a different savior. One line from "All Original" tells it all: "Used to be a criminal, now I'm rappin' hymnal." That's right, this is hardcore Christian rap.
It isn't just a casual mention of devotion to Jesus Christ. The entire album is a non-stop declaration of faith and testament of spiritual growth. (Loc's bio on his myspace fan page is worth taking a look at.) For Christians who've always avoided hardcore rap because of its graphic content, The Real Mixtape is a godsend.
Though the goal was definitely to reach out to a much wider audience, this album is likely destined to be confined to its extremely small niche market. Though understandable, it really is too bad. This is a locally produced album of exceptional quality, but it's possible most people will not be able to get over the fervent lyrical content in order to appreciate the music
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