The false conception about street rap is that it’s just criminals
broadcasting their felonies without any real depth or beneath the surface talk
about the realities of the game. Crill Gates proves that theory is far from
true as his newest tape Broken Bonds and
Burned Bridges is some of the most personal rhymes put on record in recent
years. Through a soundscape of accessible production and incredible sequencing,
Crill doesn’t waste a single track, verse or bar on this tape, providing
guidance for those coming up, relatable quotes for those who have seen the
life, and his own tales of the ups and downs of the life that many rappers will
glorify but few will take you on a true journey through.
The first track alone is a clear indication that this is not
the average coke rapper talking numbers and bodies as Crill provides not only a
biography but a confessional on “Forgive Me For My Sins”. Up next is “Criminal
Enterprise” which is fantastically reminiscent of Jay and Bleek’s “Coming of
Age” as Crill spends the first verse teaching his protégé how to work, and as
Blizzy Blanco proves himself on the second verse, Crill then hands the game
over to him on the third. Immediately following this brilliant conceptual
songwriting, Crill Gates digs deep and delivers a heartbreaking story of loss
on “Mother’s Pain”.
Hip hop used to have the Triangle Offense of Budden,
Fabolous and Paul Cain. It now has Crill Gates, Wink Loc and Rob White (a/k/a
PUSH!) and “Dark Knight”, with its immediate throwback to 50 Cent’s “Thicker
Than Water” is pure raw, uncut dope as all three drop verses that will no doubt
require multiple playbacks not only to catch every line but to have time to let
all that greatness from one song sink in. “Bonds & Bridges” highlights
various famous accounts of backstabbing and contains lessons regarding trust as
Crill acknowledges the game isn’t all gravy, while “Family Business” finds
Preme Da Prez joining Crill over smooth drop top production. The “Rich Forever”
3mix is every bit as epic as the Rick Ross original, and showcases that Crill
Gates is able to make a known beat his own with haunting lines like “homie beat
the body so he copped out to possession” that make it absolutely clear that he
is not just fabricating tales for entertainment, he’s really been in the
trenches where every night could be your last.
“This is War” sounds exactly like the title, as the sample
belts out creepily over the beat while the VMG artists spit fierce bars, and while
“Street Confessions” showed up on Crill’s last tape, Gates Way to Hell, it is every bit as welcomed on this as PUSH!
absolutely bodies the track and Crill more than holds his own with more lines
that prove the authenticity in his raps. Finishing up the tape, “Can’t Love
Just One” is layered with an amazing piano sample and a beautiful and catchy hook
from Broadway and is a perfect way to wrap up what is a solid and cohesive
project from Crill Gates.
Maturity and growth are everything. On Gates Way to Hell, Crill Gates let it be known that he was cut from
a different cloth, but on Broken Bonds
and Burned Bridges he has proven himself to be a well developed and
versatile artist. He has grown so much in just the last year, and while his
first tape was a solid effort, this is a huge step up as he has gotten way more
personal in his bars and has songs that are not just a collection of verses but
amazing stories which make you truly feel what he’s saying. Whether you spent
time in the game or not, this tape has something that everyone can relate to,
and it’s without question one of the finest releases of the year, and a praiseworthy
accomplishment from Crill Gates.
