Review: The Hamilton Mixtape

Fans of Lin-Manuel Miranda‘s smash Broadway musical Hamilton had something to celebrate: it was recently announced that The Hamilton Mixtape debuted at #1 on Billboard. What is The Hamilton Mixtape? It’s an album in which popular artists– ranging from Chance the Rapper to Ben Folds— cover beloved songs from the musical.

In some ways, The Hamilton Mixtape is the inevitable form that Hamilton would take. Miranda first envisioned his Hamilton project as what he called a “mixtape,” or a song cycle about Alexander Hamilton. In fact, in Miranda’s now-famous debut of Hamilton at the White House in 2009, he claimed that the project was a “concept album.” His continued workshopping of the project resulted in the concert version at Lincoln Center in January 2012, followed by a reading at Vassar in 2013– and all of these were known as The Hamilton Mixtape.

We now– finally!– get a proper Hamilton Mixtape, just in time for the holidays. But, is an album of famous musicians singing their favorite Hamilton songs worth your time and money? Heck, is it even any good?

Here’s the thing: The Hamilton Mixtape is a mixed bag. Some covers are brilliant, while others are over-produced, pale imitations of the original songs. To be honest, my listening of the Hamilton Mixtape was clouded by a prevailing concern: why was this album produced in the first place? From what I can tell, it merely was an opportunity for artists to rack up cool points– or simply capitalize on a new market of listeners– by playing karaoke with and fanboying over the indisputably cool Hamilton.

Overall, this album contributes nothing to our understanding of the musical or the characters. Had the album been hip-hop covers of other musical theater standards, it might have been more innovative– an album of Lerner and Loewe covers, for example, might be an exciting venture. But more often than not, the songs were generally loving, unremarkable tributes to a rare musical that has become a cultural movement. One of the standouts among the mediocre covers was “My Shot,” which maintains the narrative power of the original while still sounding fresh and inventive. Usher’s “Wait for It” fares less well, and shows very little interpretative audacity and merely proves how flawless Leslie Odom Jr. was in the role that won him a Tony. Regina Spektor and Ben Folds’ “Dear Theodosia” is a cute and quaint, but forgettable, rendition of one of the emotional highlights of the first act. Sure, it’s fun to hear some of your favorite songs sung by different people. But, ultimately, what purpose is this serving?

The major exception is John Legend‘s brilliant reimagining of “History Has Its Eyes on You,” which is, quite simply, a revelation. Legend is one of the most gifted musicians of his generation– and he has an Oscar, Golden Globe, and numerous Grammys to show for it. So, when John Legend is going to cover a song, you pay attention. Sung by George Washington towards the end of the Revolutionary War, the song demands grace, strength, and dignity. Legend transforms the song into an gospel-inflected hymn of inspiration and change that fits perfectly with Hamilton‘s artistic gaze. It sounds like it could be played alongside “We Shall Overcome,” or any other Civil Rights-era anthem. By giving the song an entirely new sound, Legend gives fans new musical meanings to ponder, analyze, and debate. Legend’s verion brings to mind a world of overcoming obstacles and breaking down barriers– themes that are at the heart of the production.

I wish there were more moments like this on the Hamilton Mixtape, but Legend’s cover is the sole precious gem in this dusty bag of fool’s gold. In a way, I’m relieved– my beloved copy of the OBCR of Hamilton won’t go into retirement just yet.

Photo Credit: Joan Marcus/The Public Theater