Lil B - Illusions Of Grandeur (Remix) (based, 2011)

Lil B’s Illusion Of GRANGER was released yesterday on XXLMag.com with little to no hype proceeding it, then took over my timeline for a good three-to-four hours, with some mentions still being made to it now. Very similar to his Red Flame mixtapes stylistically - mostly consisting of lo-fi boom-bap with extravagent left-field samples - Illusions of Grandeur seems far more focused that those tapes, although suffering from some of the same flaws, those being the poor mixing of the audio quality and lack of mastering (Lil B states in the liner notes that he acknowledges these problems, but that he wants us to ignore those faults and focus on the overall package - after thanking us for our continued support). Grandeur gets its boost from have a loose concept - that being of, no surprise here, Illusions of Grandeur. Although most would identify that phrase with a thirst for power, or a more illustrious future, Lil B’s illusions of grandeur mostly focus on his positive, worldly vibes and his triumpth over the negative shortcomings he’s faced in his life.

Illusions of Grandeur was originally the strongest track found on Red Flame: Devil Music Edition, and it serves (appropriately) as the intro and title track here. Just as heartwrenching and melancholic is its remix; more correctly labeled as a reimagining, as it features an entirely new beat and even more regretful verses laced with pain from B as he reminisces on his days as a thief. The entire mixtape, behind the boards, serves for me as a list of producers that read this site as well as fuck with me on Twitter; Georgio MoMurda produces Who You Love, Clams Casino produces Live From Da Hood, Keyboard Kid produced something I haven’t pin-pointed yet, and the producer I have the closest connection with, Beautiful Lou, provided this somber, codeine-drenched banger for B to let loose of soul on. I’ve heard this beat before in a different context - on Yachtsmen’s Promptly, previously reviewed here on YAYODANCING, but B does it great justice here with his darkly-twisted recounts of his past-life. They proved they had great chemistry on Cocaine last year, but here, B’s #based flow and Lou’s lean-inspired gothic stomp provide a song with great potency.

You can grab Lil B’s Illusions of Grandeur here, and while you’re out it, check out the Yachtsmen x Beautiful Lou EP here, entirely produced by Lou. Also, be on the lookout for Lou’s first solo outing, Beautiful Lou Thinks You’re Beautiful Too, very soon, possibly within the next week or so.

beautifullou:

This is gonna change my life isnt it? aha

yeah, it will big homie.