Lee Mazin, ‘In My Own Lane’ – Mixtape Review

Sometimes in an album, mixtape or song, you can really gauge a rapper's level of hunger. Whether it's through the words he or she writes, the flow being used or the beat being selected, it can be easy to determine how bad the rapper wants to be known for his or her skills.

This is of course differs from the rapper who wants to be known for other things, like his lifestyle, crew affiliation or where he' from--which isn't a bad thing. But in the case of Lee Mazin and her latest mixtape 'In My Own Lane,' it's apparent the Philadelphia raptress rather achieve notoriety through her talent than anything else.

'In My Own Lane' contains a list of notable features like Miami's Trina and Ace Hood, as well fellow Philadelphians Freeway and Vinny J. And Lee Mazin already has a list of well-received mixtapes under her belt, including 'Simpleeamazin' and 'Lovelee,' which have earned her tons of respect in the Philadelphia music scene and in other parts of the U.S.

For some reason, the list of producers on 'In My Own Lane' has been suppressed for now, but that only gives the young fire-spitter even more shine. On songs like 'Right Now,' Lee shows just why she won Female Artist of the Year at the 2011 Philadelphia Hip-Hop Awards.

Over an eerie keyboard sound, the Meek Mill-affiliated rapper displays complete control of her flow and choice of words. And again, she chooses to mostly avoid material raps and goes for the you-can't-out-rap-me style of writing, which is a nice change of pace.

"Versace all on my body, my neck, my wrist and my shorties, this is the s--- you want me to talk about. I keep it real I aint really about that life, yo. Don't get it twisted cause you know I shut it down, h--," spits Lee.

And another thing you shouldn't get twisted is Lee's ability to switch back and forth between fierce battle raps and timely messages. Take 'Green Eyes' for example -- a realistic tale over an emotionally charged track, where Lee talks about a young girl chasing money.

Here the producer does a nice job of layering two completely different drum patterns, which gives the song even more feeling.

On it Lee spits, "You're so full of potential, don't let them screw your mental, these men got the gift of gab, I know you learned that from your dad. Different guy every night and you praying that it get better, 200 10s on your pillow, 200 cash on your dresser."

On 'Yesterday,' featuring the late Lil Snupe, who was sadly killed earlier this year, Lee Mazin continues to deliver rapid fire lyrics with precise control and she does the same on cuts like 'They Don't Know' and 'Fallout,' the later featuring Blu June. And on the song 'Not Material,' featuring Marsha Ambrosius, she spits common sense raps with a little sarcasm thrown in.

"If you take that gold out your grill will it change how you talk? If you take Giuseppe off your heel, will it change how you walk?" raps Lee. However there is a slight misstep or two on 'In My Own Lane,' like the song 'Excuse Me' for its repetitive chorus -- but those errors are far and few between.

The vast majority of the mixtape is very solid and does a good job of showcasing just how talented this young rapper is. If Ms. Mazin stays on the same path artistically and avoids the typical industry trappings, she could have a very promising future. It'll be interesting to see what happens with her.

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Listen to Lee Mazin's 'In My Own Lane' Mixtape