Summer Knights

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Summer Knights
Joey-Badass-Summer-Knights.jpg
Mixtape by
Joey Bada$$
ReleasedJuly 1, 2013
Recorded2012–2013
GenreEast Coast hip hop
Length70:00
LabelCinematic Music Group
Producer
Joey Bada$$ chronology
1999
(2012) 		Summer Knights
(2013) 		B4.Da.$$
(2015)
Singles from Summer Knights
  1. "Unorthodox"
    Released: January 14, 2013
  2. "My Yout"
    Released: September 9, 2013

Summer Knights is the second mixtape by American rapper Joey Bada$$. It was released on July 1, 2013, by Cinematic Music Group. The mixtape was planned to be released as an EP, to prelude the release of his debut album B4.DA.$$, but instead it was announced to be a full-length mixtape. The mixtape features production from Chuck Strangers, Kirk Knight, MF Doom, Statik Selektah, DJ Premier, Lee Bannon, Oddisee, Navie D, and Bruce Leekix. The mixtape features more original instrumentals than his first mixtape 1999 which was primarily samples.

The extended play has inverted into the re-release from the mixtape, titled Summer Knights EP; released on October 29, 2013.

Background[]

Joey Bada$$ worked with many producers for the mixtape, including MF Doom, Statik Selektah, DJ Premier, and Oddisee among others.

On May 22, 2013, Joey Bada$$ announced the official release date of his next solo project, Summer Knights EP on June 12, 2013, which marks as the one-year anniversary release of his breakthrough mixtape 1999. On May 28, 2013, Bada$$ announced Summer Knights will no longer be an EP, and instead announced that this project will just be a full-length mixtape. He revealed that the mixtape will feature 17 tracks, along with the production, which will be handled by Statik Selektah, Lee Bannon, Chuck Strangers and Kirk Knight, among others.[1][2]

The mixtape features guest appearances by his fellow Pro Era members, along the additional production by DJ Premier, The Alchemist, MF Doom and Oddisee, among others.[3] On the announced release date, Joey Badass revealed on Twitter that the mixtape was pushed back until July 1, 2013.[4] This was also said to be a "rest in peace" mixtape to Pro Era founder and close friend Capital STEEZ, further indicated in the 16th track entitled "#LongLiveSTEELO."

Critical reception[]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
CMJ(favorable)[5]
Consequence of Sound3.5/5 stars[6]
Exclaim!7/10[7]
RapReviews.com7.5/10[8]
Rolling Stone3.5/5 stars[9]
Spin7/10[10]
XXL4/5 stars[11]

Summer Knights received generally favorable reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 66, which indicates "generally favorable", based on 10 reviews.[12] Exclaim! magazine's Chris Dart found Badass' rapping versatile and skillful, and said that the mixtape is exceptional at its high points, despite being a few unnecessary songs overlong.[7] Abrea Armstrong of XXL felt that his lyrics are still confident, but now informed by new life experiences, and recommended Summer Knights to hip hop buffs rather than Badass' typically teenage listeners, although she wrote that "Joey is here to prove that they're one in [sic] the same."[11] In a mixed review, Phillip Mlynar of Spin felt that Summer Knights lacks the immediacy of his early music and found his rapping dull and enervated, which he mused is a result of pressures and expectations from the music industry.[13][14]

On December 24, 2013, XXL positioned it at number 19 on their list of the best mixtapes of 2013. They commented saying, "One thing is clear when you listen to the tape, he’s not kidding around, as he unleashes some bone-shattering bars with a calm cold assassin-like demeanor. 1999 was more of a coming-of-age tale from Joey while Summer Knights provides as a worthy follow-up illustrating his maturity and growth. Pro-Era’s boom-bap ’90s chill-vibe is still prominent in the album, however with an extra kick making it sound very refreshing."[15]

Track listing[]

All credits are adapted from Allmusic.[16]

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Alowha"Jo-Vaughn Virginie ScottKirk Knight4:41
2."Hilary $wank"ScottLee Bannon3:23
3."My Yout" (featuring Collie Buddz)
Chuck Strangers4:20
4."Death of YOLO" (featuring Smoke DZA)
Bruce Leekix4:24
5."Right on Time"ScottKirk Knight3:24
6."Sweet Dreams"ScottNavie D3:42
7."47 Goonz" (featuring Dirty Sanchez and Nyck Caution)
  • Scott
  • Dirty Sanchez
  • Jesse Cordasco
  • Lee Bannon
3:06
8."Word Is Bond"ScottStatik Selektah3:20
9."Sit N' Prey" (featuring T'nah Apex and Dessy Hinds)
  • Scott
  • T'nah Apex
  • Dessy Hinds
Navie D4:40
10."Trap Door"ScottThe Alchemist2:52
11."Satellite" (featuring Chuck Strangers, Kirk Knight and Dessy Hinds)
Lee Bannon5:04
12."95 Til' Infinity"ScottLee Bannon4:27
13."Amethyst Rockstar" (featuring Kirk Knight)
  • Scott
  • Kirk Knight
MF Doom3:55
14."Reign"ScottChuck Strangers4:49
15."Sorry Bonita" (featuring Pro Era)
  • Scott
  • CJ Fly
  • Chuck Strangers
  • Dyemond Lewis
  • Nyck Caution
  • Kirk Knight
  • A La $ole
  • Dirty Sanchez
  • Dessy Hinds
Oddisee5:48
16."#LongLiveSteelo"ScottKirk Knight2:51
17."Unorthodox"ScottDJ Premier3:37
Total length:70:00
Summer Knights EP – iTunes re-release[17]
No.TitleLength
1."Hilary $wank"3:22
2."My Yout (Remix)" (featuring Maverick Sabre)3:40
3."Sit N' Prey" (featuring T'nah Apex and Dessy Hinds)4:22
4."95 Til Infinity"4:27
5."#LongLiveSteelo" (featuring T'nah Apex)2:51
6."My Jeep" (featuring Flatbush Zombies, The Underachievers and Chuck Strangers)4:35
7."My Yout" (featuring Collie Buddz)3:32
Total length:26:49

Digital download[]

Most mixtapes are digital downloads that are free and are usually not released for any profit. Summer Knights however is available both for free download as well as purchase on iTunes and Google Play (the latter being available for free streaming as well).

Personnel[]

All credits are adapted from AllMusic.[16]

  • The Alchemist – producer
  • T'nah Apex – featured artist
  • Lee Bannon – producer
  • Collie Buddz – featured artist
  • Nyck Caution – featured artist
  • Navie D – producer
  • Dirty Sanchez – featured artist
  • DJ Premier – producer
  • MF DOOM – producer
  • Dessy Hinds – featured artist
  • Kirk Knight – featured artist, producer
  • Oddisee – producer
  • Pro Era – featured artists
  • Rokamouth – featured artist
  • Smoke DZA – featured artist
  • Statik Selektah – producer
  • Chuck Strangers – featured artist, producer

References[]

  1. ^ "Joey Bada$$ Talks 'Summer Knights' Mixtape And His Next Steps – Page 6 of 7 – XXL". Xxlmag.com. June 5, 2013. Retrieved July 7, 2013.
  2. ^ "Joey Bada$$ Talks 'Summer Knights' Mixtape And His Next Steps – Page 4 of 7 – XXL". Xxlmag.com. June 5, 2013. Retrieved July 7, 2013.
  3. ^ "Here's The Tracklist To Joey Badass' 'Summer Knights' – XXL". Xxlmag.com. June 28, 2013. Retrieved July 7, 2013.
  4. ^ "Twitter / joeyBADASS_: Summer Knights pushed back". Twitter.com. Retrieved July 7, 2013.
  5. ^ Review: Joey Bada$$ - Summer Knights (Self-Released)
  6. ^ Coplan, Chris (July 9, 2013). "Album Review: Joey Bada$$ – Summer Knights Mixtape". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved July 9, 2013.
  7. ^ Jump up to: a b Dart, Chris (July 2, 2013). "Joey Bada$$ – Summer Knights • Hip-Hop Reviews •". Exclaim.ca. Retrieved July 7, 2013.
  8. ^ RapReviews.com Feature for July 23, 2013 - Joey Bada$$' "Summer Knights"
  9. ^ Joey Badass, 'Summer Knights' - Rolling Stone
  10. ^ Mlynar, Phillip. "Joey Bada$$, 'Summer Knights' (Cinematic Music Group) | SPIN | Albums | Critical Mass". SPIN. Retrieved July 7, 2013.
  11. ^ Jump up to: a b "Joey Bada$$ – 'Summer Knights' Mixtape Review – XXL". Xxlmag.com. July 3, 2013. Retrieved July 7, 2013.
  12. ^ Reviews for Summer Knights [Mixtape] by Joey Bada$$ - Metacritic
  13. ^ Mlynar, Phillip (July 1, 2013). "Summer Knights Review from Spin Magazine". Spin. United States. Retrieved July 4, 2013.
  14. ^ Music & Film Reviews | NME.COM
  15. ^ The 25 Best Mixtapes Of 2013 - XXL
  16. ^ Jump up to: a b "Summer Knights – Joey Bada$$ : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. July 1, 2013. Retrieved July 7, 2013.
  17. ^ "Summer Knights EP". iTunes. Retrieved October 29, 2013.

External links[]

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