Maybe You Been Brainwashed

Clinton Sparks is a Boston-based DJ who has made a fast and noisy splash on the hip-hop scene through several shows on terrestrial and satellite radio. Prior to the release of his first proper album, Maybe You Been Brainwashed is an introduction to the rest of the world via that tried and true standard, the mixtape. Consisting strictly of exclusive tracks and new remixes, Maybe You Been Brainwashed includes quality tracks from P. Diddy (whose "Run This City" is as angry and tough as the increasingly lightweight Mr. Combs has gotten in years), Houston-based rising star Lil' Flip (the hardcore Sparks-produced "Underground Legend" is the album's most exciting, brashest cut), and East Coast stalwarts like Mobb Deep and Joe Budden. Maybe You Been Brainwashed even features an exclusive, the last known recording by ODB before his death in summer 2004; unfortunately, "Pop Shots" is a kind of silly trifle, closer to Biz Markie than the Wu-Tang Clan. Like many mixtapes, Maybe You Been Brainwashed is an uneven listen, but there is an underlying logic to Sparks' song choices and subtle, effective remixing that emphasizes his own musical style rather than trying to capture the mood of the marketplace.