Exclaim!: Danny Brown & Black Milk - Black & Brown

Danny Brown is having a hell of a year. Just months after signing with A-Trak's Fools Gold imprint and dropping the acclaimed XXX mixtape, Danny links with Detroit producer Black Milk for the Black & Brown EP. Black Milk plays to his partner's strengths, supplying mesmerizing, Madlib-esque compositions that complement Danny's quirky flow. There's no real subject matter, just hard, funny punch lines about sex, violence and drugs.

Video for the title track is dope too, even if it's basically the vid for "Killin' Me Softly" on a budget.

I also gave my thoughts on Wale's Ambition and The Extremities' The Mint Condition. Check it.

Passion of the Weiss: The Greatest Producers of All Time, Honourable Mentions

Over at the Passion, we're working on a comprehensive list of the Top 50 hip-hop producers that starts tomorrow. We left out a lot of big names, that's what the honourable mentions are for. In the third part of our Honourable Mentions, I wrote about Dan the Automator, Sir Jinx, J-Swift, Rockwilder, Clark Kent, DR Period and Redman. Click through my Red piece to read about the rest of the producers and check out the other pieces, they're excellent.

There was a recent Redman compilation entitled Funk From Hell, and I couldn’t think of a better phrase to describe the Funk Doc’s production work. Where Dr. Dre imagined P-Funk as gangsta party music for 70s babies, Red digs out funk’s rawest and darkest elements to create something dusted. His best beat work blends discordant vocal sample loops layered with sticky, murky, bass-heavy funk and thumping drums. It’s fitting that Red recorded the largely self-produced Dare Iz A Darkside on an extended acid trip.  See how “Rockafella” samples played out records like “Flashlight” and “I Wanna Do Something Freaky To You” and still sounds like nothing else? That’s real swamp rap for your stanking ass.

I recommend you watch the video for "Whateva Man" again. 

Exclaim!: Redman/Mad Child/In The Raw Concert Review

Caught Redman with the diminuitive cracker Mad Child on Sunday and they tore it down. Red has an incredible amount of energy and enthuiasm for a 41 year old, he just looks like he's having a good time 24/7. Most importantly, he played "I'll Bee Dat"...but not before he led the crowd in shouting "Fuck you Redman". God bless him.
Click the excerpt below for the whole megillah.

"How many of y'all remember '92?" Red inquired before launching into "Time 4 Sum Aksion," prompting instantaneous moshing and fist-pumping. Newer Red/Method Man tracks "City Lights" and the Saukrates-assisted "A-Yo" got equally warm reception. Red then demanded the audience shout "Fuck you Redman" before deigning to play the chest-rattling punchline fest "I'll Bee Dat."