Review: Mitchy Slick IS San Diego on ‘The Yellow Tape’

Mitchy Slick “What Happened To The Turf”
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Ise-B, Mak90, Meat Face, Mitchy Slick “I’m Outta Here”
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No introduction to SD rap would be legit without mention of Mitchy Slick, who is maybe the SD rapper with the most visibility outside of San Diego. He was an official member of LA’s Strong Arm Steady with Krondon and Phil Da Agony (though it looks like now he’s just an affiliate and not a member). He’s also put in work in the thriving Bay Area market, having released a full-on collaboration with the Bay’s Messy Marv, titled Messy Slick (no diss to either rapper, but there’s a gay joke somewhere in that title). He says it himself: he’s everywhere!

Thankfully on The Yellow Tape, he comes down from up north and brings it back home. And then he puts like every single rapper in SD onto the album too. Make no mistake: this is not a Mitchy Slick tape. This is a Wrongkind Gang tape featuring Mitchy Slick. I’d rather hear more Mitchy on this release but it still makes sense that he’d drop this. Mitchy makes ultra-realistic gangbanging music, full of coded language, references to specific gang hot spots in San Diego, and mention of stuff he’s done with his gang. He talks about them all the time, specific people, calling them out by name. It’s only right that we actually get to meet these characters first-hand and hear their stories to add to the ultra-realistic style.

But then putting on all his Wrongkind homies from San Diego is only one way he brings it home on The Yellow Tape. Say what you will about Mitchy Slick but his music is San Diego. His music is San Diego the same way that, say, Nas’ music is New York or Devin The Dude’s music is Houston. I’m not trying to compare Mitchy’s technical skills on the mic with Nas’ or Devin’s. I just mean that his music entrenches itself in a place. He talks about specific streets, corners, and outposts that you would never know about unless you lived in Southeast San Diego, using slang that you wouldn’t understand unless you were from Southeast San Diego. For outsiders, it’s a glimpse into the heart of his neighborhood. For residents, it’s a heartfelt tribute.

And he’s got genuine love for the city. He waxes nostalgic about better days on songs like “What Happened to the Turf” and “Free,” speaking on local legends who’ve passed, gone to jail, or who’ve just grown up, missing the lost honor amongst thieves in his neighborhood. He’s got bangers about drugs (“My Connect”), guns (“He’ll Shoot”), and cars (“Shit Sprayed”), for sure, like any good gangster rap should. He’s even got an unexpectedly great ode for the ladies (“I’m Outta Here”). And he’s got a penchant for great hooks throughout. But it’s his love for the city that glues it all together. The Yellow Tape isn’t perfect, with all the rappers not named Mitchy taking up space (some are worth hearing, like Black Mikey). But it’s solid. Mitchy Slick is San Diego.