Kairi Chanel was issued through Mass Appeal just before Dave East announced his alliance with Def Jam. Named after his daughter, the mixtape starts with a nod to executive producer Nas' second album that effectively sets a predominantly unsparing tone. Steely narratives dominate, exemplified by "Type of Time," the Wu-Tang-evoking "Keisha," and the blocky, trap-flavored "Again." East is displaced on the Zhané-sampling Sevyn Streeter feature "From the Heart," and the bleary "Eyes on Me," slathered in Auto-Tune with a Fabolous guest appearance, is beneath him. For most of the tape's duration, East continues to show he's less a '90s hardcore revivalist than part of a forward-looking continuum. Additional assists come from Cam'ron, Beanie Sigel, and 2 Chainz.