From DJ Clue getting a record deal to some kid taping CDs in his basement for his friends, the mixtape is as much of an art form as the DJ puts into it. Some DJs just want to capitalize on the latest beef, hot artist, or whatever exclusives they can hustle. Some want to promote themselves by flexing turntable skills. Others contrast styles or genres, old-school and new school, etc. The mixtape is drawing more mainstream attention, and legit mixtapes are popping up all over. Tony Touch’s Last of the Pro Ricans is the latest project from upstart Sequence, the same label that delivered dope mixtape installments from Dan The Automator, DJ Babu, and Slum Village (that De La Soul joint in Feb. 2003 looks promising too).

People looking for a CD with as much personality and zeal that Tony Toca brings to his underground tapes will be disappointed.  Though Tony Toca is both very skillful on the DJ and mic tip,  neither areas are at that high caliber on The Last Of The Pro Ricans.  Tony Touch uses a few tracks from the likes of Fat Joe and Big Pun in an apparent attempt to bring together Puerto Rican MC’s, but the reasoning for the rest of the tracks are anyone’s guess (even Last Of The Pro Rican’s standout material, Gang Starr’s “Natural” and Pacewon’s “You Know Its Like That” are not incorporated in any special way). Also, one of the most dissapoiting facets is that there’s only one exclusive track, “G’z Up” where Toca and Doo Wop, deliver an incredibly tedious two-syllable chorus (think Cam’ron’s “Hey Ma”). Toca’s verses on the stale “Capicu” and “Prendelo” don’t come close to the spanglish rhymes he kicked on his own album, The Piece Maker. His scratching remains skillful and precise, but he’s not really doing anything aside from trying to spice up what is at times uninteresting material.