Mikkey Halsted is one of those artists that is better than people let on. Once affiliated with Cash Money Records, he did plenty of behind the scenes work. However, it never materialized in him becoming the artists he SHOULD have been. So, like many artists from crews led by high profile luminaries, he broke free to do his own thing. Ever since, he has been hard at work spitting reality with lyrical responsibility and intellectual flagrance. With Castro, there is nothing different: he spits asphalt infused lyrics encrusted with jewels and gems.

 

What makes Mikkey’s music work the best is that he doesn’t mince words. “PTSD (Voices)” is so beautifully melodic with a mix of Mikkey’s haunting lyrics that deal with death and hood despair. On the same token, we have tracks like the Pusha T assisted “Momma In My Ear”. What we can see from this mixtape is a pure mix of both reflective/informative songs and the hard hitting hood music that could easily make any hard rock smile.

 

The production, at best and at worst, works seamlessly with the theme of the songs and the mixtape. “Fly Nigga Shit” has the right amount of thump and instrumental fluctuation to make the song work around Mikkey’s flagrant words. “Love Games” uses a sped up vocal sample and piano keys to accent the feeling of love and foolery mixed up into one. To be honest, the production wavers between “good” and “great”. Then again, what can you expect when you have production by Don Cannon, Young Chop, and No ID? You get the picture, then: the production does what it is supposed to do.

 

What do we get from this mixtape if the epitome of Castro: a man that legacy is riddled with doing as much “right” as he did “wrong”. Mikkey can see himself in the same light. As much of the positive situations he introduces, he will probably always have that dark side. Then again, that is the plight of humanity itself. Regardless, this will probably be one of the best slept on mixtapes this year next to Mickey Factz’s Mickey Mau$e.