“Very Much Alive” Mixtape Review
Something unexpected happened to me the other day as I was taking my daily stroll through the underground…I think I found it, and nah not the underground been a permanent resident. What I found was “it”. What’s it? It is the reason that reminds me why i even search in the first place. It’s that feelin of hearing sumthin dope for the first time. And even better knowing that you’re among the only few who know about it…
Tre Live…yeah yeah yeah, I know exactly what you’re thinking the automatic reaction is Tre who? Tre What? But this little known producer and rapper out of the even lesser known Prince George, Virginia with his debut mixtape “Very Much Alive” with solid flows and impressive production deserves your attention.
Setting the tone for both his beats and rhymes with an Erykah Badu assisted and Chad Valley sampled “Intro” he reveals that an unexpected breakup and other real life issues of a recent college grad (Virginia State University) won’t keep him down.
“So now I’m dead broke with no wheels but I refuse to start writing my will/The whole time I’m writing songs and bouncin’ back on the daily/Standin’ on my own two I know my feet won’t fail me”
“The Other Side of Town” sounds as if these issues are keeping him up all hours of the night with a choppy yet melodic and mesmerizing hook like:
“cold nights/street lights/ rain/from my/brain/storm”
Providing a visual with a beat easy to get lost in and ride out to making it understandable that
“By the time you get this/ I’m on the other side of town”.
Approaching graduation, Tre senses the realities that await him upon returning home to Prince George:
“Refund checks kept a nigga from workin/now I’m on the way back home/now i gotta pay back loans”.
Before returning home though, Tre reps for the college crowd and summarizes his typical party night with “Go Girl”. A guaranteed classic college club banger with a pulsating beat made for the dance floor. Just listening to this makes me wanna crush a 40 oz. of Steel 211 my favorite malt liquor of choice back in my school days hit up a campus party and get it in, because like Live says:
“Man college is real/I can get educated/I can get money makin/And every study session/turns into fornicatin/Sex in the dorm room/Head in the library/So many women and broads enter my blackberry/Man this is the life”
Well said sir.
“Rule the world” is one of the most creative songs in recent memory, using the classic 80’s sample
from “The tears for fears” Tre manipulates this widely recognized beat and makes it completely his own. Demonstrating a flow with the capability to switch pace between bars and remain on beat throughout each verse, not only does Tre Live begin to further establish his own identity in the game he questions it as well:
“I’m exactly what you’re mama wanted you to be/Maybe that makes me uncool”
It’s refreshing and incredibly brave in an a culture dominated by swag and popularity that an artist would even dare to go against the grain and consider himself as uncool because he remains true to himself. Also debuting is Alexis Marie who both motivates and inspires on an original hook:
“I wake up in the morning when the sun comes up/And I grind till that stars in the skyline/Through the ups and the downs/I will never give up/Gotta prove to the earth that it’s my time/I gotta go, I gotta go, I gotta go, I gotta go….”
Tre delves deeper, further revealing
“Guess I’m outside the box/Grew in a middle class home/With both of my moms and pops/I never hit the block/I never sold any rocks/I never robbed a store/I never ran from the cops/But yet, this is the content of my favorite songs/We haven’t lived none of that shit/But still we sing along”
This is among the many ironies contained throughout “Very Much Alive”, clearly knowing that he has the talent and drive to succeed and at the same time knowing that hip hop’s audience tends to favor a subject matter in which he lacks the expertise or desire to engage in. Ruling the world however would mean nothing without those closest to him having the chance to share in it:
“Believe in the dream/Just look at the team/They all got nice whips/Surround myself with people/Who where I’m tryin to get”.
The last verse is filled with ambition as Tre raps of success:
“What would you think if I told you that/I already started my Grammy speech/Would you point and laugh at me?/Tell me my dreams are sumthin I’ll never reach”
And there will be those who will but Tre could care less as he continues on with:
“Unreasonable doubt my head in the clouds/your comments at my feet”.
“Vote for Tre” sounds as if it was strictly made to provide inspiration for his fellow college graduates with excerpts from a President Obama commencement speech providing added effect on the intro and hook along with a thunderous 808. Forever the role model, Tre Live encourages all to picture himself if they’re lacking focus:
“And if you can’t see yourself hustling/Just imagine me/See I can change the whole world in a matter of minutes/See time is money and the only thing matter is minutes”.
“Too Legit” should be considered as a signature track for the young Tre Live. Filled with an emphatic delivery complemented once again by his unique sound and production his confidence is at an all-time high as “the freshest muthafucka hoppin outta Honda civic” delivers some of the best sixteen’s of his debut along with another complete hook where Tre proclaims:
“Nothing in the world gonna stop me/If I see it/and I want it/and I need it/then I cop it”.
His hunger is evident as he’s out to prove that:
“I am NOT a young nigga/Who just failed to pay attention/Pay tuition/Open pensions/Start a business/Yea I get it”
And with lines like:
“Been focused for a while/But I’m hungry and I’m patient/I’m just fingering the game/till she tell me I can take it”
No Ross. But seriously, this should be in heavy rotation and the first song I would recommend to those who might still doubt the multi-talented artist and producer.
The emotion continues In “Cigarettes And Coffee” combined with a brilliantly used Otis Redding sample embedded throughout the beat, the hook plays like the soundtrack for the stressed out hustling on their daily grind:
“I’m up all day tryna get paid/clockin in hours got me feelin like a slave/Yea homie I’ma slave/I’m chained to the money/I gotta make a way because them bills due Monday/I gotta make it happen/Nobody to do it for me/Put a little in my savings/A lil for lil mama yea its hard work!”
Sources for Tre’s stress range from working “for the biggest business in the f’n nation” while trying to chase his own dreams in the music industry at the same time “And still I wanna start a business I won’t be complacent”.
He’s honest in his assessment of how his vices for dealing with prolonged stress aren’t ideal as
“This caffeine keeps me up like an escalator/this nicotine probably get me closer to my maker”
And reflective while paying respect to the loss of a close relative:
“My granddad couldn’t stand a lazy person/If your hand workin perfect then you workin/I hear ya C/I promise man/I’m just scratchin the surface/of this flow right here/for your memory/Remember me/rest in peace”
“Cigarettes And Coffee” ends with the Otis Redding sample riding out providing more soul and relevance to the lyrical content just displayed.
“Pass the Courvoisier” just might be the smoothest breakup song you’ve ever heard as Tre explains:
“You use to be my nigga/Now niggaz ain’t shit/You used to be my lady/ Then you turned into a bitch/ Now I’m stuck/Tryna teach an old dog new tricks/And I just…
(As his verse blends seamlessly into a smoothed out jazz hook)
“Yea wanna fly away/I take all of the stress you give/And fly away/I thank God that I ain’t got no kids/so I’m a fly away/you only get one life to live/so fly away”
As he regroups in his second verse Tre realizes that his 9 to 5 could quite possibly kill his musical drive and he shows a sense of urgency to succeed before the inevitability of settling down with a wife and kids as he states:
“Now I see why a lot of talent just goes to waste/The more money you make/the more bills to pay/And then you meet the nice lady with the wide waist/ And then its marriage and a baby and it blows away/But for now I’ma just (hook) fly away”
Having flown away, Tre Live continues to separate himself from the crowd:
“They say follow your heart and never trust your ears/I guess I sound like an exception compared to my peers/Cuz these rappers is sounding reckless compared to what’s real”.
All while addressing any possible haters at the same time:
“If you’re not liking what you hear/What a pleasant misfortune/Cuz it still doesn’t compare/To what I haven’t recorded/I’m a couple seconds from hot/And a minute from scorching/I’m tryna get right to tha top /Cuz the bottom is boring/I mean I’m tryna drop the top/When I ride in tha morning”
While continuing to deliver NICE (Fab voice) lines such as:
“Until then I’m face to face with a microphone/reciting rhymes I brainstorm/I hope your wipers on”.
With a wordplay justifying “Red Ropes” (an expression for having a VIP table in a night club) Tre spits a clever double entendre like:
“Who the hell got’em all gassed up?/Your girl nigga, I’m topped off”
This is the anthem for the VIP moment in all of us and when red ropes accompanied with top shelf bottles are a requirement for the celebration Tre’s “Tab game is so f’n strong/When the check come its wholesale” This wholesale check consists of:
“Belvedere in my section/Grey Goose in my section”
And several other popular liquors which complete the hook. Also included, is a lost and found notice for those missing what they came to the club with:
“If you looking for your girl/Dog she probably in my section”
AAAHHHH , The power of the ropes…
But not just any girl gets the VIP invite, you gotta be about your business ladies…
“Can tell she bout her business/So I want to take her home with me/Come to find out her salary bigger than mine/God damn girl/that just made you twice as fine/She ordered Ciroc/but said she usually drinkin wine/And they bought our bottles out/…. at the same… damn… time” while continuing on with his “Future” inspired cadence. Closing with another double entendre the college grad decides to drop knowledge even while partyin and living it up for night:
“I told myself every rhyme/I would teach niggaz a lesson/Yea all these parties is fine/But watch who you keep in your section”.
Preach!
“Rebound” is another example of the young producer’s versatility with a quiet storm smooth jazz feel. Needing to bounce back after his recent heartbreak, Tre finds solace in an unexpected acquaintance which has him contemplating what to do next:
“My nigga side is like what u gonna do/my gentleman side is like yo wait for the first move”.
Being patient proves to be the right decision and Tre Live is rewarded as:
“She Slides across the floor just like Tyra on the runway/And Then she bring it back/Bring it back baby, bungee/And whispers in my ear/I know just what you want Tre”.
On “It’s Okay” Tre proves once again that it’s not all about him:
“When u stackin like I do/everything turns cheap/man don’t worry bout your wallet/cuz it’s all on me”
Or
“And You ain’t got no team/If your squad ain’t ballin wit you/Therefore nobody behind/And if you are/they come and get you”
Struggling with the costs of paying his dues, Tre is eternally optimistic about the road ahead and the success that awaits him if given the opportunity:
“every single night/staying at my brotha crib man/I’m waitin on these checks/so I can save up for some rent damn/ I’m coming off the bench/but watch me crank that Jeremy Lin”.
Derek Rose’s MVP acceptance speech serves as an informative preview for the main attraction to come with the ambitious artists prophesying:
“Yea I’m young hungry and bout it/It’s still moves I haven’t made/ I’m out here with no umbrella/at the bus stop In the rain/But These the same rain drops/that fell on Martin Luther King/ Guess That’s My sideline story/my last dollar and a dream”
You have to admire Tre’s ambition as expressed through the symbolism of the Jeremy Lin quotable to the Derek Rose sample it’s clear that this underdog is aiming for the top.
And In the event the rap game doesn’t work out don’t feel sorry for him, he’s still straight:
“If my flow don’t make me hot/maybe my degree just will/retire at 45/I’ll let you know how it feels”.
Following his smooth relaxed style when speaking to the ladies and continuing to treat the crates like “Dig Dug” Tre emerges with George Michael’s “Never Gonna Dance Again” providing the melody for “Remedy”. In which, Dr. (Phil) Live analyzes a materialistic workaholic who has professional fulfillment but is devoid of meaningful personal relationships:
“And yea I noticed all the Gucci and Prada/But what’s the last thing that you did/that you was proud of?”.
The career minded workaholic has also become increasingly complacent and mistrusting as result of her previous relationships with typical niggaz that:
“Only want you for your physical/last nigga said/he only loved you/cuz you pigeon toed”.
Knowing that he’s the remedy for what’s been ailing her he’s confident yet nervous upon approach:
“Before I even spoke/I see you have the type of looks to make a nigga choke/you see I got that type of game/that women say is dope/But I’m reconsidering things/as I move in close”.
Tre keeps it cool upon introduction and allows the hook to speak for itself.
SWV’s “Use Your Heart” has been transferred into Tre Live’s “September” featuring Zoriada Roman who makes her debut and shines on the chorus while Tre finds himself reminiscing on his old high school crush:
“It’s funny you was the one that I would fall for/But I never typed a text or called ya/Lost hope is the reason I ain’t bother/today I regret not takin up your offer”.
However a faithful encounter years later reconnects the two:
“Then I seen you at a spot in Adams Morgan/I told you let me know/when you hit the floor again/then we danced to “Bait”/by Folarin”.
It’s still not meant to be however and after several failed attempts he parts with
“For the next time we meet/just know we all grown up/and I’m Tre”.
The “Outro” is in essence everything that Tre Live is as an artist and a producer. It’s the ironic contradiction of an artist remaining true and humble in an industry where flash and flamboyancy are celebrated and required for relevancy:
“Somebody said the world need a role model/But they don’t listen if you rollin in an old model/And they don’t see if you bragging bout them old models/And they don’t like you less you poppin off them gold bottles”.
It’s Honest. “I ain’t sayin I drive a Benz and shit/tell ya the truth/for three months/I’ve been late with the rent”.
It’s Personal. Tre’s motivation to succeed is as much about providing for his family as it is for himself:
“My nephew asked me why I’m still pushin that old ass civic/I told that nigga I’m saving up for tuition/He said hold on Unc, I thought you finished school/I looked him in the eye and said nigga for you”.
It’s optimistic.
“For every door closed, it’s another open, walk with me”
It’s inspirational.
“As long as you alive, you gotta chance to chase your dreams”
It’s soulful. With Bobby Womack’s “And I Love Her” riding out with the R&B soul legend’s admission that “I give her all my love, that’s all I do” And one can only imagine if this is how Tre Live feels bout the game.
Now Remember “it”? That feelin I found? It’s the same one I had when I heard another unknown (at the time) artist and producer J. Cole with “The Come Up”. Cole’s influences are illustrated with a couple references like “these songs in my bedroom and shit/they gotta get a nigga leg room in the whip” from “Cigarettes and Coffee” and the “Sideline Story” reference from “It’s Okay.
It’s also the same feelin I had when I heard Big K.R.I.T.’s “K.R.I.T Wuz Here”. Now in no way am i saying that Tre Live will be as successful as these two nor am I even comparing their talents as artists. I’m just saying that the first time I heard those two artists/producers with their early projects I knew they were tight and that they had talent and that’s exactly how I feel about Tre.
“Very Much Alive” was very much a surprise. Tre Live not only has a voice that’s his own he has the sound as well. From a production standpoint “VMA” is walking the tightrope between a classic and a masterpiece. Doubt me? Press play and find out just how easy it is to listen to damn near the whole thing and you ain’t even know it. No Ross. That’s because each beat is carefully crafted, every sound, every instrument, every sequence, every sample is intentional and timed perfectly making them feel as if they were actual studio collaborations. Every beat is complete but never cluttered and with an ear eclectic enough to utilize songs by everyone from George Michael to Otis Redding along with timely quotables from movies, professional athletes and even President Obama, Tre Live proves that his production is on some straight next level ish. Maybe that’s because he’s been:
“Making beats since 13/I will never get enough/Ye was making 5 beats/for three straight summers/somebody tell’em/I got him beat/300 by November/Check the resume”
I checked it and well… it’s quite impressive. Tre Live definitely has the prerequisite skill set and this prospective applicant should be hired within the music industry immediately. The way Tre allows the samples to ride out and close the beat is like a music lesson, with each sample enlightening the listeners on why it was selected and adding “Inception” type layers of depth to his verses.
“VMA” is not overly lyrical, and that’s not a knock on Tre whose flow is much more conceptual and comprehensive than it is punch line driven but it’s not dumb downed either. This may be a deterrent for the non-hip hop heads just looking for the quick one liners and “WOOOOOOSSSS” But it’s also the reason this review is so extensive, merely pulling out one line from a Tre Live song does him no justice as you need to appreciate the totality of his verses for what they truly are. However, Tre does possess a nice delivery combined with witty wordplay, the ability to tell vivid stories like “Rebound” or “September” and more importantly substance.
In the “Outro” Tre Live asks “Will you walk with me as I chase my dreams” If “Very Much Alive” is any indication of what’s to be expected regarding his musical endeavors, than we should all walk with, support, listen and in today’s social media driven society follow… @Tre_Live.
By:
@WakinUpDaWeb
Certified Hip-Hop Head
