By Rami Abou-Sabe
Former New England Patriots tight end and animation artist Martellus Bennett continues to express his creative side with a newly released mixtape.
The five song EP, simply titled I Am Not A Rapper But Some Of My Friends Are…, is a fascinating look into the mind of one of the NFL’s most enigmatic stars. Bennett, who goes by MartysaurusRex in his off-field pursuits, covers a wide range of topics from his affection for dinosaurs to shopping at Whole Foods.
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In the SoundCloud release notes Bennett writes, “[I Am Not A Rapper But Some Of My Friends Are…] was just me and some of my friends hanging out in the studio making music for fun and this is what came out of it. Pretty cool to have so many talented friends and be able to create with them at a high level. I am on a mission to express my creativity in as many ways as possible in 2017, this is a part of my creative journey.”
The bouncy, melodic “I Love Cali” and the woozy Lupe Fiasco-inspired “Whole Foods” stand out as highlights. Bennett employs a number of other musicians who make significant contributions to the mixtape including, Keith Jacobs, David Allen Dope, and MatchBoxTony.
Innuendos lace the lead track “Dinosaurs & Dinomite,” while the closing number “ShaqFu” (feat. Low Down, Franchise Tief & Shaud Money) serves as an outspoken rant about playing for the money. Bennett left the Patriots in the off-season to play for the Green Bay Packers on a more lucrative contract.
