The Finale
The Martin Luther intro is nice and started things off on a cool note,First verse laid out nicely ,some really beautiful poetic stuff,, the speeches got really long tho .2nd verse was really needed. Talked about the rap game.’ Local vs. Punchline vs Imitation` The 3 main types of rappers in Nigeria`s hip hop scene. deep lyrics and really nice poetic stuff.. But the flow was kind of lazy and the speech made the track stretch out a bit.. felt a tad bit boring .The last 20 seconds could only be described as top notch production

Stayed away from beef they say that I got no kohonas
If I kill this rappers off I’ll still receive condolence
In the end nobody wins it’s a game that’s goalless

Local versus punchline versus imitation
You have to realise that there’s no limitation
Just turn your inspiration into innovation

Give them bars to set them free and not to build a prison
One is gold one is steel you decide which is it
7/10

Everything I Seen
The beat sampled on the previous track beautifully transitions into this, the beat is simply amazing, M.I is a genius at killing soulful beats and he does justice to this one,,,Arguably the best flow on the tape. Talked about lessons learned from his issues at Choc City etc. ,, kept it together overall and it stayed interesting from start to finish.

Keep my hand to myself you can never shake em
Hand is on my rifle just incase they try to take her ra
I don seen brothers turned they back against they brothers
N!ggers think I’m toast but know my bread is always buttered
Me I never eat alone my family is covered
Ya’ll with every loyal motherf**ker I discovered
Gotta get a broom I got some roaches in my cupboard
If a n!gger tripping I can do without the luggage
People left the family and started chatting rubbish
Gangsters move in silence I got sh!t that I can publish arh
8/10

Black Bill Gates
The beat is weird to be honest,,,but somehow MI still managed to stay on it but the hook was kind of mediocre .When I saw khaligraph jones I wasn’t sure but when I heard his verse, he was alright,,flow`s nice and his rhyme scheme is pretty impressive. MI had a lots of quotables .Fire bars

Now everywhere I go they be turning all the lights on
Bill Gates see I put the I on the IPhone
When I ride or when I pass bruh I got the mic on
Never lie eating cyphi am a python
Cause I crush beats smoke em out like Tyson
Got your shawtty moving her body just like a cyclone-Khaligraph Jones

But you n!ggas ain’t getting rings you n!ggas are Charles Barkley
A n!gga J!gga with the trigga on the net
And we headed to the Barkley’s
When you see the black Bill Gates at the mall
No n!gga it ain’t window shopping
And check the data better get your investigators we will
Am like a mutherfucking calendar ma n!gga cause I never take a day off-MI
6/10
All Falls Down
The production so far is top notch to be honest. The beat is laid back and the flow was smooth over it ,,Really cool verses from M.I and Poe who killed it..Never heard his name before but he delivered and almost renegaded M, but M.I came back to do justice to the beat, M.I`s lyrical accuracy on the 2nd verse is the highest point on the tape so far.

Spoke to Jesus this morning he told me proceed with caution
Told me there’s many people with no truth inside em
He told me with no blemish still they crucified him
I said those people are sick should I euthanize em
He said your in charge of what you see (sea)
Your the new poseidon-M.I

I’ll put myself to the level where no one is currently rapping mehn
I’m sick of throwing punchlines
Instead of throwing life lines
Save yourself the trouble of keeping up
And everybody watching from the sidelines
I know you know is my time
Cause nothing done for love is worth giving up-Poe

Flow is still sick tho this rappers are re remission
Yeah, let em know they should get some ammunition
I’m back to schooling rappers
Better ready your tuition
Cullenery art I’m so experienced in the kitchen
It’s gonna be hard to eat now cause M.I is competition-M.I

8/10

Notjustok/Savage
Whoo..a semi diss song. I Know M said he doesn’t respect any writer/critic`s opinion but I will still give mine anyway. The Soke sample on this is the zenith of the production on this tape. Bars bars bars. The shots at bloggers and the headies based on the lyricist on the roll awards was also addressed ,valid points M.I. The interview skit in between is hilarious too. The lyricism here is top notch and the punchlines are heavy and kinda humorous. The second part of the track `Savage` kind of brought the quality down tho.Flow was kinda lazy ,,it still had bars tho..mainly aimed at online haters

Short memories you n!ggas need extra gigs
Silly n!ggas gon learn to respect the king
Do I have to die before they say I’m the best to live
Switch to god mode and bring yall pestilence
If you didn’t help make it
N!gga don’t rate it
Sheep controversy tryna boost your ratings-M.I

Calculating but I’m calm arresting me prone
Not every rapper born will get to be grown
Not every royal family member will get to the throne
There’s nobody on my level just let be known
You wanna talk comparisons just let it be Mode
Or better be Eldee-MI
7/10
Head of the family
Has to be my favourite song on the tape. The la Familia Jay-Z sample is nothing but pure mastery. Nice story telling on this. Basically Brother part 2..talking about Choc Boyz,Jagga and Ice prince etc. The decision to include one of my favourite Kanye West song`s chorus `Never Let me down` is a genius choice..fits perfectly with the message also.. Wow.. Just wow. M.I trying to sing Halo by Beyoncé is laughable and didn’t fit into the concept of the song and brought down the track.



My brothers is my brother like my brother is
My n!ggas is my brother like my mother’s kids
Not just in good times that’s that sucka sh!t
But in war times it’s just what it is
Head of the family-M.I
8/10
Sedi
A love song lol .M.I singing isn’t really impressive but the production is decent. Sounds a bit out of place on this tapeNot much to say about this to be honest.Sounds like a filler track ,probably was just added to make the tracks up to 10.
5/10
Numbers
Numbers on the board by Pusha t is sampled on the beat. Nice bars. But flow was weird..didnt really kill the first verse ..flow was lazy. Scratch that ..he saved the best verse for the second. Immediately after the blacker the berry intro,,he spazzed whoa, what a verse!!! .Saved the whole track definitely

My lyrics they speak knowledge
And am a bad boy pockets puffy
From big wallets
Even my weak bars if it’s possible rig havoc
Break down my Clipse and you be unable to keep malice
Let’s do some quick logic
Am on my sixth project
Am on my sixty eighth award since we started
I put on some key artists
Even got wiz started-MI

Am the sickest lyricist in 2016
No Mani-low-ill except the one in the Philippines
Am a machine
King of the cc rocket like Billy Gene
Making n!ggas loose their minds like guillotines-M.I
7/10
The Box
Claps, Claps and Claps. Everything is right in this track. Incredible orgasmic production, Nice voice on the chorus. Nice message to upcoming rappers. Laid back and smooth flow.. it .So inspiring. About standing out and thinking out of the box. and Pryse killed Whoa .she needs to drop something as soon as possible .verses like this are 5 star. Definitely best feature verse on the tape

Welcome to a long line of great legends
Promise eLDee when we met, I’m gonna get him
Modenine told me the goal is small brethren
Ruggedman showed me the road to Mocheddah
Dagrin set the street on fire with raw shit
Ice prince show us how to recur hits
Olamide is changing the game.. we’re all kings
Now is your time to rule, come on live-M.I

I promise that I’ll be the one
That others will build upon
I promise that I will go leave the markings on the wall
Fvck what we agreed upon, I’ll rap and I’m singing
I’m trapping I’ll do it all
They say punch line Ejamo
Well some like Martell others feeling Alomo
I pledge to stay connected to the animals
Take it to the ***** im a cannibal…-Pryse
10/10
Remember Me
Production has a gospel feel to it, and the choir on the chorus helps. Nice laid back flow we`re used to on this tape,. Message to all his fans to remember his contribution to the African and Nigerian hip hop scene.. Talked about his Choc Boys and took us down memory lane .Powerful message really and nice way to end this `Semi-Classic` tape.

Remember how I started, remember I was pure
Remember my carrier no one thought it would endure
Remember that I never lost my head to the above
I never sold my soul for gold and frankincense or money
That short black boy he made history didn’t he
We used to rap along to all his songs didn’t we
Others would try to replicate but they just isn’t me-MI

Remember talk about it and the fact it paved the way
It saddens me to watch illegal music fade away
Hip hop is as valuable as pop I made em say
So everyone I’ve touched march on like parades
I won everything there was to win I am him
Don’t never forget, remember like Dagrin
Then hear my music daily let it be your oxygen
I made it so no one will ever think inside the box again-MI
9/10

M.I continues to set the bar higher in terms of soulful hip hop beats. No one does it better than him and this tape just proves that perfectly. This has to be the best production ever on a Nigerian tape, arguably on an African tape.. For MI to dedicate top notch production to a tape shows how much he loves his fans. And it’s refreshing to get a glimpse of the short black boy that made history that we used to rap along his songs, The lyricism shows influence from Kendrick Lamar and TPAB(The Best rap album for 2015 ) ,Kanye West influences on the production and sampling choices could also be felt. The Speech skits and interviews were a fun addition too.
And to refer to M.I`s exaggerated claim that he`s better than 90% of American rappers .I think a well developed project like this is definitely up there in respect to production and subject matter,which can be described as non existent for a while in the Nigerian hip hop but it still lacks a bit in terms of delivery.
Overall it’s a step in the right direction and a nice finale to the best mixtape series in Nigeria and arguably in Africa. While we`re waiting for the Album Young Denzel, we hope its and improvement to this and something raw,deep,thoughtful,poetic and honest not the commercial M.I we saw on the Chairman album.
Overall 7.5/10


https://bankydd./2016/03/31/the-illegal-music-3-m-i-2016-review/
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Madt Album.. Laid bak and precise.. M.I!, the man with the plan.. No doubt! He repping the clan...