Released on Nov. 5, 2021, “TwoPointFive” is Portland-based rapper Amine´’s fourth mixtape and the second edition of the “PointFive” projects, which he has used to break up the releases of his studio albums. “OnePointFive” came a year after his wildly successful freshman album, “Good For You,” which featured the Billboard Top 100 song “Caroline.” His sophomore album, “Limbo,” was released in July of 2020. “TwoPointFive” is a great mixtape full of creative references, creating an overall positive vibe that makes for a fun and easy listening experience. 

From the first song to the last, Amine´ makes it clear that “TwoPointFive” is not like any other mixtape you have ever heard. The mixtape is comprised of 12 songs, with unique titles such as “Dididumduhduh,” “Mad Funny Freestyle” and “meant2b.” The uniqueness of the mixtape is continued with wacky sounds and beats per minute (BPM) never seen before in Amine´’s music. “Yipiyay,” for instance, has a BPM of 148, much higher than his previous hits. It is impressive that each song can still feel as natural as his previous works, with many still containing elements of mainstream hip-hop, such as allusions with many possible interpretations.

One example of a creative allusion is from the song that has been listened to the most on Spotify, “Charmander.” In “Charmander,” Amine´ alludes to Matt Damon’s role as Jason Bourne when saying that he was “Born for this like Matt Dam.” This play on the word “born” suggests that Amine´ was destined for a life of fame—the same type of life Matt Damon lives. 

One thing that I appreciated about “TwoPointFive” is that each song is self-contained, meaning it does not need context from other songs or albums to be understood and enjoyed. Most of the songs also share the positive vibe of “Good For You” and “Limbo.” The chorus of “Charmander” repeats the line “I’ve been living on an island” four times. In his interview with Genius,  Amine´explains the meaning of the chorus. He states that he feels he has been living on an island because he has been working on himself, cutting off people who don’t positively impact his life. This positivity is a refreshing message that you will not often find in songs from other hip-hop artists. 

Positivity is what has made Anime´ so popular, and it is nice to see him come back to it in the second edition of the PointFive projects. “OnePointFive” saw Amine´ at his most laid back and reflective. The return to the upbeat style that he is known for will be well received by new and returning fans. I would recommend this mixtape to any hip-hop fan, especially those who have never listened to Amine´.