Coke Wave is a collaborative mixtape by rappersFrench Montana andMax B. The mixtape was announced in 2008 and released on February 6, 2009.[1] It features guest appearances from Mak Mustard,Dame Grease, Meeno, E-Snaps andMaino.Producers on the project include Dame Grease,J. Cardim, Young Los and Rome.
Coke Wave received mixed reviews from music critics. While initially met with skepticism, it has managed to garner a sizeablecult following among listeners. David Drake ofComplex magazine commended the "strategic alignment" between French and Max B,[2] and complimented Max's songwriting and "slurred, sing-song style", comparing it to a "slick, casual delivery of a drunken street poet."[3] In contrast, Infamous O ofXXL magazine was not a fan of the former's slurred delivery style or attempts at harmonizing, but complimented French for his energy and style.[4] David Drake praised the artists' and producer Dame Grease's ability to take instrumentals from varying genres and reinvent them into new molds, such as Marvin Gaye's "I Want You", which became the inspiration for "I Warned U", or Sting's "Englishman in New York", which became the track "We Run NY". The latter of which, with itsBranford Marsalis saxophone and French Montanahook, he termed "one of the grittiest, catchiest New York street anthems in recent memory."[2][3]
In 2013, Complex magazine listed the mixtape at #33 on its list of "The 50 Best Rapper Mixtapes".[3] In 2016,Pitchfork listed the mixtape at #49 on its "The 50 Best Rap Mixtapes of the Millennium" list.[5]
