Year Of The Nice Guy is an EP based off the Jim Carrey 1995 comedy hit The Mask. Topeka, Kansas emcee Mike Schpitz plays Stanley Ipkiss, and while the EP isn't perfect, it has moments of stellar brilliance.

The first highlight is Right Of Way. Chicago producer Rob Bates is solid on the up-tempo production while Mike Schpitz rides the beat with precision. This continues into Three Headed Monster. The beat is a little different but once you hear the rhyming begin, it's almost hard to stop listening. "Every flow action packed, bumping like a camel's back, can't stop till I got a deal with some platinum plagues." The lyrics within the song make it easy to love and every listen makes it better than it was before.

Another song worth checking out is Raw Sh*t. Mike Schpitz sounds like he's in a comfort zone throughout and the beat is hit just right. "I'm hard pressed 'cause refs are heartless, but it's never far fetched, my arm's stretched like (Ron) Artest. I'm in the stands giving fans what they paid for, I never punched a clock, that's what ya face for." This song displays Mike Schpitz' lyrical skills throughout and he doesn't disappoint.

Great production and rhymes follow on Your Highness. The hard hitting drums are a nice backdrop for Mike Schpitz to get a bit introspective on the mic but the EP's best production comes with its outro track, Tryouts. The hard hitting beat and sample go together perfect. Mike Schpitz still sounds refreshing even towards the end of EP.

Year Of The Nice Guy is very good! 11 tracks in total, 3 skits, 8 full songs and out of those 8 songs, 6 are extremely good. The EP does exactly what it's designed to do and that makes the listeners want more and after listening to Year Of The Nice Guy you will want more of the Kansas bred emcee known as Mike Schpitz.

- By Eric Merriweather