Meyhem Lauren isn’t a name you’ll hear on terrestrial radio, but that’s probably the way the rapper and Fuck That’s Delicious star wants it anyway.
On “Badmon Ting,” the Farhot-produced single accompanied by Action Bronson’s music video directorial debut, Lauren identifies his style as an emcee: “This is grown man rap, rest in peace Sean P.” Essentially, Lauren may not be the first to hop on the next DJ Mustard-esque club banger, but he sure as hell will grace a gritty East Coast instrumental with talk of exotic cuisine, pristine footwear, retro ball players and perennial shout outs to his native borough of Queens. On his latest mixtape, Piatto D’Oro, Lauren further carves his niche as a staple in New York hip-hop.
Released through Fool’s Gold and advertised as a “free album” on Lauren’s SoundCloud, Piatto D’oro comes complete with 15 tracks of Queens-fueled gusto. Lauren flows flawlessly over tailor-made instrumentals, shouting out his loved ones with sports and culinary similes on the Seth Silenser-produced “Vintage”: “Peace to Hologram and Action/ For those two, I would shoot like John Paxson/ I would chop like Michael White in Marea/ Think I’m shining now you need to peep a different layer.”
Action Bronson, the rapper mentioned in that lyric, and the only other person in the world who would think to use Michelin star chefs like Michael White in a rhyme scheme, appears on three tracks on the project, including a standout verse on the show-stealing Alchemist-produced “Dragon Vs. Wolf”: “I no longer eat bacon, I no longer bet the mortgage on the Ravens/ I will no longer hide the drugs inside the playpen.” However, while Bronson is the more famous of the two, Lauren is no second fiddle.
On “Garlic and Oil,” Lauren masterfully paints a vivid picture of the Queens environment that created the man known as Meyhem: “Post bail hit perfections have a drink and we think/ How to calculate correctly while we covered in mink/ Summertime shootouts, springtime stickups/ Tri-colored Gucci skullies wintertime pickups/ Rep for Queens, major since I was a minor/ You might’ve seen me in the Georgia Diner.”
Piatto D’oro is very much a mixtape in its composition. There is no specific storyline or seamless cohesion between tracks, but that’s the way it’s meant to be. This isn’t a full-on concept album, but simply a compilation of dudes rapping really well over banging instrumentals sure to be coming to a Queens block party near you.
In addition to The Alchemist and Bronson, Big Body Bes makes sure the Fuck, That’s Delicious cast is in full attendance with absurd, comic relief-based appearances on tracks like “Bonus Round”: “Allow me to show you myself, I wanna take you out a night on the town/ Pull up in some fly shit/ My driver’s name is Javier.” Lauren wants his friends to revel alongside him in the glory, leading to a feature from Hologram on “Sauce.” While Hologram handles himself on the track, Lauren is at the point where he certainly could garner bigger name guest appearances. With so much pride in his hometown, Lauren would benefit from bringing on the heavy-hitting names in the Queens raps scene in order to send attention the way of his own work. But, for now, cameos from Bronson and friends remain entertaining and enjoyable.
If you can dominate a game of Sports Jeopardy, know each of the Iron Chefs by name or have an undying, unwavering passion for Queens, New York, then Lauren’s Piatto D’oro is the essential project for your summer’s start. And while the mixtape’s title may mean “plate of gold” in Italian, you can stream this bad boy for free — a saintly gift from Lauren that eliminates your own financial misgivings as a sorry excuse not to listen.
