Fat Trel, ‘SDMG’ – Mixtape Review

Washington, D.C., rapper Fat Trel is one of those artists that have been bubbling beneath the surface for quite some time, and with the release of his new mixtape, 'SDMG,' ('Sex, Drugs, Money, Guns') there's a chance he'll be breaking through that surface at any moment.

And that's mainly because of songs like 'Touch Her Soul,' where Trel uses carefully placed words and a patient flow to discuss his sexual prowess. It's clear to see the DMV rapper approaches his music with seriousness and is interested in impressing the listener with each vocal performance.

And though each track doesn't impress on the same level, there are certainly way more winners here than losers.

One of the winners is clearly the mixtape's intro track 'SDMG,' where Trel shows just how skilled he is at the fundamental aspects of MC-ing, seemingly snatching words out of nowhere and forcing them to rhyme. But on songs like 'The Latest,' he's able to show lyrical restraint, making the song fun to listen to.

Most of 'SDMG' is straight up street content, and is kind of a throwback to the traditional gangster rap of the late 90s, early 2000s. The only thing different is that Trel uses a more lyrical approach and mixes East Coast and southern influences seamlessly.

Musically, producers like Young Chop, Lee Bannon, and Butla Beats do a fine job of not making the tracks sound too busy, leaving enough space for Trel to deliver his words. But arguably the producer who put together the most mind-numbing tracks is JGramm Beats, as songs like 'Going Crazy' and 'Money Counting' all have a nice musical element that work nicely.

Another good characteristic of 'SDMG' is its versatility. Both the producers and Fat Trel keep the mixtape moving and supply varied sounds throughout the whole project. Plus, Trel is good at changing up his flow with each song, only using the delivery that's required for that specific track. He even puts in a little social commentary in his versus, like on the song, 'N----s Dying.'

"Another body drop, another homicide, b--- snitching, n--- die, police is watching, mamas cry, choppers in the house, 30's outside," raps Trel.

Features on 'SDMG' consist of fellow Washingtonian Wale, Red Cafe, Smoke DZA, Slim from 112 and others. But despite the numerous guests, Trel shows he's clearly the star of the mixtape, and by having an incredibly tight delivery, along with a decent singing voice, it seems he'll be able to craft all kinds of songs for all kinds of listeners.

Although 'SDMG' is far from flawless, it's definitely one of the stronger mixtape releases of the summer and it could make Trel an even hotter commodity when all is said and done. It'll be interesting to hear what else Fat Trel has up his sleeve, because it's easy to tell he's just getting started.

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Listen to Fat Trel's 'SDMG' Mixtape