The Bootleg of the Bootleg EP

Critical reception

Allmusic's Andy Kellman felt that, despite the "weak spot" "Swing Blades" and a 45-minute hidden track of freestyles and "stray material", the EP's strong textures and soul samples suit "Grae's tough, agile, nothing-fancy flow." Michael Endelman of Entertainment Weekly praised Grae's "long strings of witty disses and unflinching self-analysis", and wrote that she has "skills to spare." Del F. Cowie of Exclaim! found her "cast-offs" to be better than most other rappers' "Grade A material" and asserted that "Grae has not only maintained her profile but has a made a strong case to be considered one of the most versatile MCs around." Robert Christgau of The Village Voice found the EP "looser in theme and execution, and also better than" her debut album, and wrote of Grae's change:

Throughout the six official songs she's all rage, bile, and despair, 150 degrees from the bootstraps autobiography and positive shout-outs of her debut; throughout, her dense, explosive literacy gurgles from the beats like an underground brook.

J. Victoria Sanders of PopMatters said that, although "it’s clear she's not afraid of being a maverick or holding her own on the mic", Grae is held back by her "monotone delivery" and, "even with a seamless style, it can be hard not to get distracted from her soft, linear rhyme slipping."

Track listing

1. "Hater's Anthem" – 5:13
2. "Take Me" – 3:36
3. "Swing Blades" (featuring Cannibal Ox) – 2:28
4. "My Crew" – 5:23
5. "Code Red" (featuring Block McCloud and Pumpkinhead) – 3:51
6. "Chapter One: Destiny" – 45:09
   1. "Breathe Easy"
   2. Samples beat from "Lyrical Exercise" by Jay-Z
   3. "A Little Story"
   4. Samples beat from "Day One" by D.I.T.C.
   5. "You Don't Want It"
   6. Samples beat from "Role Model" by Eminem
   7. "Excuse Me Sir"
   8. Samples beat from "Excuse Me Miss" by Jay-Z
   9. "High"
   10. Samples beat from "Purple" by Nas
   11. "Keep Livin"
   12. Samples beat from "On My Block" by Scarface
   13. "You Don't Know"
   14. Samples beat from "U Don't Know" by Jay-Z
   15. "Bum Deal"
   16. Featuring Natural Resource
   17. "Negro Baseball League"
   18. Featuring Natural Resource
   19. "Dichotomy"
   20. Featuring Pumpkinhead
   21. "Spittin' Bars"
   22. Featuring Bad Seed and Pumpkinhead

Personnel

Credits adapted from Allmusic.