DJ Rapid Ric

Even before he left Austin for Houston, DJ Rapid Ric and his Whut It Dew mixtapes served as some of the strongest links between the two cities' hip-hop scenes. The producer's first proper full-length took nearly an eon to put together – "Call Me," which features Chalie Boy and Chamillionaire, leaked in early May 2008 – but tastefully finding space for 27 featured guests over 16 tracks is no easy task. Fortunately, Texas knows no better floor general. The Mixtape Mechanic gets his intercity clique of rappers and singers everywhere from the local underground (Cali Zack) to Z-Ro and the upper echelons of Dallas rap to hone a true posse album of DJ Screw drip ("Laid Back"), country-fried soul ("Around the World"), and "Getting High." The Album's foremost contributor: local twista Gerald G, who spits lightning-quick on "All About My Change" and teams with Lil' Flip and Da Ryno for disc highlight "Trunk Got the Beat."