News

Sinden Announces Free Gucci 2: The Great Burrrtish Edition Mix Tape

27th Jan 2011

It's Gucci Mane mixtape time! This time UK producer Sinden has enlisted his fellow Brits to reimagine Gucci Mane's The Appeal in what they're calling “FREE GUCCI 2: THE GREAT BURRRTISH EDITION”.

A quick google search for Gucci Mane mixtapes reveals a long list. The US Hip Hop don has been chopping things up and spinning them every which way, dominating the mixtape game for years. Diplo's Free Gucci mixtape came out when Gucci was doing hard time, and proved to be so popular it blew the roof off the Mad Decent server. Now our man is feeling the reach of the long arm yet again, making this release even more timely.

In Free Gucci 2: The Great Burrrtish Edition, Sinden has created a mixtape with exclusively British artists. His approach was straightforward: rally together the finest producers and rappers from this side of the pond, keeping the format like a rap tape, with authentic beats, but a decidedly British take. Gucci has always resonated with UK artists, so he wasn't short on ideas for who to hit up. Tinchy Stryder, Wiley and Ghetts are just a few of the high profile MCs who have laid down some verses, along with mixes from Sinden, the Mastermind of this project, as well as Hudson Mohawke, These New Puritans, Terror Danjah, Duke Dumont & more.

Full Tracklist:
Gucci Time (Feat. Swizz Beats) (Sinden Remix Feat. Tinchy Stryder)
Brand New (Rustie Remix)
Party Animal (Hudson Mohawke Remix)
It's Alive (Feat. Swizz Beats) (FunkinEven Remix)
Remember When (Feat. Ray J) (Terror Danjah Remix Feat. Wiley & Dream Mclean)
O Dog (Feat. Wyclef) (Mosca Remix Feat. Trigga Nom)
Weirdo (Swerve Remix Feat. Ghetts)
Trap Talk (Toddla T Remix Feat. Slick Don)
Dollar Sign (Duke Dumont Remix)
Missing (Melé Remix)
What It's Gonna Be (Scratcha DVA Remix) (Dub)
Grown Man (Feat. Estelle) (Rude Kid Remix)
It's Alive (Feat. Swizz Beats) (The Blessings Remix)
Dollar Sign (These New Puritans Remix)
Haterade (Feat. Nicki Minaj & Pharrell) (Mista Men Remix)

Bonus Beat:
It's Alive (Feat. Swizz Beats) (FunkinEven Remix) (Instrumental)

From Sinden:
“Gucci has been on my radar a long time – I've always waited with baited breath for the next tape to drop. To have the opportunity to curate a mixtape of his material and A&R the project is a dream gig and I knew that with the talent over here it would yield some really interesting results.

We've seen how mixtapes are instrumental to the success of rappers in the US, and in Gucci's case it really got the buzz out there. As a rap listener, i'll go straight for the mixtapes – they're a good indicator of what is exciting. To be a part of that Gucci legacy, with this mixtape, is also a big appeal for me – thats some nice history.

On first listen to the instrumentals and acapellas, there were tracks that I know would be perfect for UK remixers and rappers and the slow Southern rap tempos were perfect for the Grime producers and MC's. Terror Danjah, who I've been a long term admirer of, has always been adept with vocals so he was a perfect choice for the track with Ray J. Wiley slots on this so nicely because he's so versatile. Another instant hit up was the Lucky Me camp. They contribute 3 mixes – Rustie, Hud Mo and The Blessings. As a unit they're making some very progressive music and being big rap fans they were very important to this. It was great to get Tinchy on this, who has become such a huge commercial success over the last year or so. He hasn't forgotten his underground roots at all and he shows why he can switch up his style to feature on my remix of Gucci Time.”

2010 was a big year for Sinden. He had his first Top 40 UK chart hit with After Dark (as Count & Sinden), and launched one of the year's most exciting new dance labels – GRIZZLY, which has already released gems by Brodinski, SBTRKT, Wafa and Jon Giovanni (aka Felix from Basement Jaxx).

Kicking of 2011, it doesn't look like he's slowing down anytime soon. In February alone, he is releasing a brand new single with SBTRKT, and a Gucci Mane mixtape – commissioned by the US hip hop don himself. His first solo single is out in April and no doubt a slew of his big remixes will littering clubland over the summer.