Murder Was the Case collects some of best songs from the brilliant chain of mixtapes that Gucci Mane released in 2008. Not only does this release give these tunes the quality mastering job that is often missing from street tapes — not to mention the deletion of the annoying DJ drops — but it also provides a picture of Gucci’s development between 2007’s Back To the Trap House and 2009’s The State vs. Radric Davis. Even though he rarely strays far from his favorite subjects — sex, drugs, cars and jewelry — his rhyme schemes are like sleight-of-hand tricks. They at first appear obvious, until you realize that Gucci has made the impossible possible. Take, for instance, “Stoopid,” in which Gucci rhymes “liquorish” with “ridiculous,” “magnificent,” and “articulate.” In “Cuttin’ Off Fingaz” he rhymes “Jacksons” with “fraction,” “mansion” and “glasses.” He saves the best for last: “Sh*tt*n Onum” is an eerie carcass of a beat that flashes shards of random samples (Al Green, a stand-up routine), as Gucci rides the beat with frosty assurance.