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Flame the Ruler delivers his mixtape “A Kings Dream” witty wordplay and a strong song writing ability that are displayed throughout the entire project. Flame’s nasally flows are reminiscent of incarcerated Chicago rapper Bump J, but slick delivery and a slowed down cadence mark the Ruler’s individuality. While the mixtape boasts strong production from DJ Pain 1, SB and Golden Graham the bulk of the production is handled by frequent collaborator Victory. With 23 tracks including the intro and outro the tape falls into the quality vs. quantity debate.
Songs like “Roses”, “Rickys Story” and “Left 2 Early” put Flame’s pen game on full display showcasing his ability to story tell and rap with a message without coming off preachy. Chasing money and making it in the rap game are topics that are rehashed time and again throughout the project with mixed results. “Losing My Religion” is a hard hitting ode to the grind, but “Lately” and the “Lately Remix ” are filler that cloud the overall cohesion of the release. A solid effort with bars like “I use rappin to make me a big plate/When times get hard it becomes my escape” show that Flame the Ruler knows what he wants and how he plans on getting there. Trim the fat and this mixtape goes from a prince’s desires to truly “A Kings Dream”.
-Aaron “Uncanny” Phillips
