RVA hip hop mixtape review: Chud – ‘Class Of 2014 – The High School Tape’

by | May 1, 2015 | COMMUNITY

I remember when I was about to FINALLY escape High School.

It felt like I had been there forever.


I remember when I was about to FINALLY escape High School.

It felt like I had been there forever.

The excitement of not really knowing what’s next, the hunger to own my identity and making the necessary mistakes to get there; the unsettling truth that nothing that had mattered will really matter anymore looming in the back of mind.

So when I went into Chud’s ‘Class Of 2014 The High School Tape’, that’s where I put myself.

Now upfront, as we often said about school at the time, this thing is way too long. At 22 tracks I often found myself looking at the clock. I couldn’t help but feel like Chud, as a person, really just wanted to get it all out, where as an artist, he would have been a lot more successful in being selective in what made the final cut.

Another problem for me is that this project is comprised of nothing but industry beats, which is cool – I mean I get that you gotta work with what you got – but these are mostly very recognizable beats.

If you’re going to dig in the crates, dig.

Girls, school, classes, when it comes to the rhymes Chud does alright and conceptually he does stick to the program all the way though, but at the end of the day like a high school senior in the real world, I walked away feeling like Chud has much to learn.

While I can’t really pick a stand out record on here, I do look forward to seeing what grown man Chud comes up with next, as I’m sure now that he’s out here in the real world with the rest of us he knows all to well that a piece of paper with words written on it is never enough.

Brad Kutner

Brad Kutner




more in community

GoFundME for Gallery5! Support A New Chapter For A Richmond Icon

Gallery5, a cornerstone of Richmond's First Fridays celebrations, commemorated its 19th anniversary last week—a milestone shared with us at RVA Magazine. This cherished institution is not just a gallery but a community hub, known for its unwavering support of local...

Will 225 People Watch ‘Predator’ With Us at the Byrd?

“You’re one ugly motherfucker.”   — Major Dutch Schaefer, upon making first contact with an Alien species. Since humanity has looked to the stars, a singular question has lingered over our non-terrestrial endeavors — are we alone up there in the night sky?...

Legislators Reject Youngkin’s Skill Games Limits

Will skill game machines resembling slot machines return to convenience stores? Not immediately, but legislators have set the stage for these machines to potentially make a comeback, should the Governor choose not to intervene. In a bipartisan measure, Democrats and...

Congrats 821 Cafe! A Favorite Richmond Hang Out Turns Twenty

821 Cafe, the unassuming diner/restaurant/bar on the corner of Cherry and Cary streets - where Oregon Hill and the Fan meet - turns 20 years old in its current incarnation. Andrew Clarke and Chip Cooke bought the place from its previous owners back in 2004, and have...

JewFro restaurant was robbed. Help them bounce back.

We were made aware of this post from the restaurant and wanted to lend our support. If you have any details that could assist, please step forward and notify the authorities. Additionally, there's a GoFundMe campaign established to aid their recovery, which you can...