Artist mixtapes, as the most effective platform for building hip-hop hype, are inevitably ripest just before the new album drops. The best freestyles and exclusives, not to mention glimpses of the future, are compiled into the cohesive pre-album mixtape—sometimes a better listen than the anticipated album. It’s unlikely such will be the case with Juelz Santana’s and Lil’ Wayne’s upcoming albums, but if their recent mixtape offerings, Back Like Cooked Crack Vol. 3 (Fiend Out) and The Suffix respectively, were to be our only document of their recent activity, they’d still convince as top-shelf talent.

Giving a taste of Juelz’s upcoming What the Game’s Been Missing, Fiend Out features “Murder,” one of two Killa Cam collaborations. Dumpster thump propels the dub guitar of Damian Marley’s “Welcome to Jamrock,” and Juelz launches with “Welcome to Jamrock / Noooo! Welcome to my damn block.” Juelz’s distinguished cadence delivers the repetition of “Murder murder mu-murder murder mu-murder shit” convincingly, and he maintains his knack for abbreviating bars. But is it really Juelz’s “damn block”? Noooo! It belongs to Cam’Ron, whose spot on the song demotes Santana to Dipset deputy. “Nana Nana Santana he be holdin’ Berettas / Killa Killa kill civilians you know I’m no better.” Cam’s modest, he’s so much better, and the master of double-entendres continues to drop lines like, “Put on my Laker’s jersey and then I go rape white.”

The beats Juelz is choosing for his much anticipated sophomore effort are often erring on the side of eccentric. Thus, the best scenario has the quirky, gimmicky samples accent and empower the hooks. The worst sees production leftfield enough to alienate the mainstream and cheesy enough to turn off the real heads. Expect success for “Make it Work for You,” which continues the 808 inspired beat minimalism of “There It Go (The Whistle Song)” and features Santana teaming up with fellow rising stars Young Jeezy and Lil’ Wayne for the pitchfork attack. On paper, Lil’ Wayne seems out of place in this crack rap amongst two titans of the corner, but he continues his excellence on his previous Dipset collaboration, JR Writer’s “Bird Call,” and is able to measure up to Juelz and Jeezy without coming off as a trap star wannabe.

Truth: Lil’ Wayne’s on a hot streak, and The Suffix, full of exclusive freestyles and preceding the release of The Carter II, isn’t derailing Nolia’s finest. Weezy tackles the South’s hottest productions, including Lil’ Jon’s work on Youngbloodz’ “Presidential” with his freestyle “New Orleans.” He replaces Youngbloodz’ green-appreciation with “Where we from? New Orleans / Hurricanes, pussy-poppers, murder scenes.” A very fleeting, empty reference to Katrina, but its enough to excite about the possibilities of The Carter II. Lil’ Wayne has already let us know growing up in Chopper City isn’t easy, but damn, how about now? Hopefully we’ll get equal parts of post-apocalypse anarchy and healing reconciliation. We’re looking at one of the most intriguing issues hip-hop has confronted in awhile, and Lil’ Wayne’s take, as the emergent voice of New Orleans, is going to be crucial.

Perhaps, then, it’s unsurprising that the lead off single for The Carter II is drenched with apocalyptic synth-sirens. The “Fireman” is Lil’ Wayne, who, as advertised, brings the fire on this A-Town scuzz-track. He tells us he’s “been handling the game for so long my thumb bruise.” The kid’s no liar, Lil’ Wayne has been around since Cash Money’s heyday, but still, he’s only 21. He’s made the transition from child rapper to street disciple with a scary amount of ease. Now Weezy can say, “Quick Draw McGraw, I went to art school.” The education has paid off.

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