Luu Breeze

Apparently "the hottest mixtape in the streets right now,” The Prince of the Dot Vol. 2 tends to be a little boring. That’s not really the fault of Breeze, who aptly displays both swagger and street-orientated wordplay with his gruff, near-monotone flow, or his capable guest rappers. The problem is the lacklustre beat selection. A mix of dubs and exclusive beats, Prince of the Dot Vol. 2 tends towards smooth hip-hop jams and minimalist, Southern-influenced beats with weak drums and simple synth lines. While the latter works best for Breeze, they just don’t bang as much as they should. Most of the best songs appear early in this 23-track mix, with Ill Trackz hooking up two of the most infectious Dirty South productions, "Hiding Out” and "So Fly,” while dubs "Proud Scotian” and "Lovin U Right” give Breeze a chance to drop something somewhat meaningful. But the highlights are "Swank 4 Sale,” thanks to a minimal but creative beat by Legion of Beats, and "P.S.A.,” which rocks hard hip-hop dub. Unfortunately, the sequel, "P.S.A. 2,” is an a cappella that lasts much too long and only adds to the amateur feel. And the track trickery and rewinds that occur throughout this mixtape are more annoying than anything. Not bad for a mixtape but Breeze has yet to prove himself as the prince of my Toronto.