Kairi Chanel was issued through Mass Appeal just before
Dave East announced his alliance with
Def Jam. Named after his daughter, the mixtape starts with a nod to executive producer
Nas' second album that effectively sets a predominantly unsparing tone. Steely narratives dominate, exemplified by "Type of Time," the
Wu-Tang-evoking "Keisha," and the blocky, trap-flavored "Again."
East is displaced on the
Zhané-sampling
Sevyn Streeter feature "From the Heart," and the bleary "Eyes on Me," slathered in Auto-Tune with a
Fabolous guest appearance, is beneath him. For most of the tape's duration,
East continues to show he's less a '90s hardcore revivalist than part of a forward-looking continuum. Additional assists come from
Cam'ron,
Beanie Sigel, and
2 Chainz. ~ Andy Kellman