Take 'em to the Cleaners

Take 'em to the Cleaners' development started in late 2002, with the release of its lead single "Yard 2 Yard", which was initially included on Consequence's mixtape The Cons Vol. 1: All Sales Are Final.^[2] According to Consequence in an interview with Revolt, the majority of the mixtape was recorded at Kanye West's house. During these sessions, West further developed his debut studio album The College Dropout.^[3] Consequence recalled West stating that he was "about to learn how to record" himself. Consequence assembled the mixtape during the early years of his relationship with West's label GOOD Music, with XXL noting that it was the first release affiliated with the label.^[1]

Take 'Em To The Cleaners is a hip-hop mixtape, noted by XXL for its new sound, building on West's established soul production.^[1] The mixtape's sound has been compared to West's The College Dropout, with James Corne of RapReviews stating that it "closely resembles the ‘feel good’ type of tracks that defined the College Dropout."^[4] Exclaim!'s Chris Penrose highlighted the mixtape's soulful production, vast subject matter, and strong guest features, describing it as resembling an album rather than a mixtape.^[5] The A.V. Club described the mixtape's sound as soulful and melodic, with amusing deliveries, advanced by Consequence's lyricism.^[6]

The mixtape was officially released on June 22, 2004, by Sure Shot Recordings on CD; reissued to streaming services in 2023 through 192 Records.^[7][8]

More information Review scores, Source ...

Take 'Em to the Cleaners ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Pitchfork	7/10[9]
Prefixmag	7/10[10]
MVRemix	7/10[11]
RapReviews	6/10[4]
AllHipHop	[12]

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Take 'Em To The Cleaners received generally positive reviews from music critics. Jamin Warren of Pitchfork rated the mixtape 7/10, praising Kanye West's production and the strong guest features, while expressing the flaws of Consequence's assertive take, arguing that he's overshadowed throughout.^[9] Prefixmag's Brian Su-Jen gave the mixtape a rating of 7/10, praising its soulful production, collaborators, and clever lyricism, but criticizing its limited thematic range and the excessive use of skits.^[10] MVRemix gave it a 7/10 rating, applauding the songs advanced by producers Kanye West and 88 Keys, while noting on Consequence's dependency on West and the mixtape's weak hooks.^[11] James Corne of RapReviews gave the mixtape a rating of 6/10, crediting its 'feel-good' sound while slating Consequence's comparatively overshadowed performance to guest vocalists.^[4]

AllHipHop's founder, Greg Watkins, reviewed the project, along with a staff rating of 1/2, commending Consequence's lyricism and ability, but criticized the alleged misogynistic moments.^[12]

Years after its release, several tracks from Take 'Em To The Cleaners have gained retrospective attention. In a 2014 ranking of Kanye West's song catalog, FakeShoreDrive listed "So Soulful", "I See Now", and "Getting Out the Game", noting the strong chemistry between West and Consequence.^[13][14][15]

The mixtape also maintained a small, cult following prior to its streaming reissue. In early 2021, XXL listed Take 'Em To The Cleaners on their list of 'the Hip-Hop Mixtapes We Need on Streaming Services ASAP,' crediting the production, rap style, and its significance in early GOOD Music history.^[16]