Danny Brown – “Stardust” review

Detroit, Michigan emcee Danny Brown staying with Warp Records for his 7th LP. Emerging as a member of the Rese’vor Dogs in the mid-2000s, he would go onto form the Bruiser Brigade at the start of the previous decade & put out his debut album The Hybrid shortly after. This resulted in him signing with Fool’s Gold Records & delivering a near perfect sophomore effort XXX the next year, which was followed up with Old in 2013 as well as his 2016 magnum opus & Warp debut Atrocity Exhibition. Coming off uknowhatimsayin¿ in 2019 & what was originally supposed to be his final Warp Records album Quaranta, the Motor City’s finest has decided to stick around & have them drop Stardust.

Quadeca’s ethereal instrumental on “Book of Daniel” matched with Danny’s lyrics confidently talking about making it by the end of the night couldn’t have been a perfect combination to set it all off whereas “Starburst” fuses experimental hip hop, hardcore hip hop, industrial hip hop, bubblegum bass, trap, hybrid trap, deconstructed club, poetry & wonky for a speechless 2-parter showing no pity for a clout-chasing succubi.

“Copycats” combines pop rap, electropop, electro hop, electro house, grime, hyperpop, electro hop, dance-pop & bubblegum bass into 1 thanks to underscores expressing the importance of staying authentic in a world full of imitators just before “1999” featuring JOHNNASCUS works in some skittery synthesizers from the former Spider Gang member himself to tell us that the world truly ended a quarter of a century ago referencing Y2K.

Meanwhile on “Flowers”, we have Danny over an EDM beat talking about persevering through the hardest times of his life leading into “Lift You Up” embracing a hip house vibe instrumentally suggesting to move slower as a result of things going too fast. To conclude the 1st act, “Green Light” shifts towards a bit of an industrial hip hop/pop rap direction telling the love of his live that nothing won’t stop him from giving.

“What You See” reunites with Quadeca to begin the 2nd half on a colorful note wanting to know what their lovers see in them specifically & once “Baby” featuring Rodney Chrome finds the pair coming together to talk about being the perfect type of guys, ISSBROKIE joins Danny during “Whatever the Case” so they can clarify to those in pain due to their hustle that they won’t be knocked off their axis.

Femtanyl’s drum & bass influence throughout “1L0v3myL1f3!” is pretty cool talking about enjoying how things are going in his life because he has his paper up right when some tried counting him out while “Right from Wrong” advises to continue the journey & focus more regarding what’s ahead of us. “The End” featuring Ta Ukrainka links up for a bilingual 3-parter produced by Cynthoni & Quadeca, but “All4U” featuring Jane Remover stands as the true outro doing everything for those who take the time out to listen to their music.

Not to be mistaken with the lowest point of the current 2-time WWE Champion Cody Rhodes’ entire career, Stardust isn’t necessarily superior compared to Atrocity Exhibition but what I can say that it’s an admirable foray into electronic dance music after getting sober. He’s essentially telling about his recovery from addiction & finding joy in art again through the lens of a 90s-era semi-autobiographical popstar named Dusty Star additionally exploring the styles of pop rap, hardcore hip hop, bubblegum bass, deconstructed club, hyperpop & industrial hip hop.

Score: 4.5/5

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ZelooperZ – “Dali Ain’t Dead” review

ZelooperZ is a 32 year old MC from Detroit, Michigan notable for being a member of the Bruiser Brigade collective. Since the early 2010s, he’s come a long way from his solo debut Bothic by artistically evolving on both Valley of Life & Van Gogh’s Left Ear respectively. In preparation for Bruiser Wolf’s upcoming 4th album Made by Dope produced by Harry Fraud next month & Danny Brown’s upcoming 7th album Stardust the month after, ZelooperZ & Dilip are reuniting to explain why Dali Ain’t Dead.

The drumless chipmunk soul intro “1st Instrument” talks about having cheese in collateral amounts & life being an uphill battle for him whereas the early favorite “Mona Lisa Left Eye” is packed with references to some of his influences. “Bebe Kids” works in some quirky synthesizers expressing resentment towards his early years due to the pain he endured while “Push Me Around” featuring Zack Fox angrily talks about no one fucking with them.

“Hypnagogia” hooks up an interesting string sample within the first 30 seconds & a switchup during the final 30 seconds referencing WWE Hall of Famer Arnold Schwarzenegger while “NDA” featuring Paris Texas makes for my favorite guest appearance on the entire album talking about them not coming to fuck around. “Fuck Cigarettes” expresses his dislike for the popular type of tobacco & I agree because weed is far better prior to a soulful diss towards the “Broke Ass Hoes”.

Starting the 2nd half, “Opposite Sex” works in some heavy horns to talk about the difficulty of getting rest because of the run he’s been on while “Describe” gives off a cloudier trap vibe smoothly telling us the kind of guy he is for the woman of his dreams. “I Mac” experiments with synthwave and atmospheric drum & bass continuing to tackle themes of love while “Shrooms” talks about the consumption of psilocybin.

“Take Me I’m Drugs” heavily samples more strings to kick off the final leg of Dali Ain’t Dead carrying over the topic of drug use from the previous track while “Lebanon James” boisterously talks about going crazier than the greatest talk show host of all-time Eric André of The Eric André Show fire to on the Discovery Global division Cartoon Network owned [adult swim]. “Art of Seduction” goes for a smoother approach to master the idea of temptation & “Play with Your Pride” ends the LP by advising not to mess with one’s self-esteem.

Only less than 2 months away from his set at the 11th annual Camp Flog Gnaw, we get a look at ZelooperZ’ life after becoming sober last summer over the course of the 36 minutes that Dali Ain’t Dead has to offer & it. Dilip’s production has grown a lot in the past 5 years blending elements of experimental hip hop, trap, cloud rap & drumless to back the abstract lyricism inspired by this newfound perspective since getting clean dedicating itself to Salvador Dalí.

Score: 4.5/5

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Bruiser Wolf – “Potluck” review

This is the 3rd full-length studio album from Detroit, Michigan emcee Bruiser Wolf. A member of the Bruiser Brigade collective, his 2021 solo debut Dope Game Stupid would become an experimentally gangsta & comedic gem although the sophomore effort My Story Got Stories was more moderately received 16 months ago. “Rope Chain” last summer is already one of my favorite songs in Bruiser’s whole discography & even if it’s not on Potluck, some of the teasers from it held their own weight.

“Say No More” produced by Knxwledge was a groovy opener that sets the tone of what’s to come talking about this being the reason he’s hated & giving the audience what they’ve been waiting for whereas “Write or Wrong” turns up the funkiness thanking God for the microphone in his hand. “Air Fryer” takes a cloudier, sample-based trap approach thanks to Harry Fraud talking about using that very object to cook up dope while “Beat the Charge” brings a soulful flare to the table courtesy of Nicholas Craven likening his life to a movie.

Jake One hooks up a cloudy trap instrumental during “Lock In” so Bruiser can talk about having to focus leading into “Pee-wee Herman” featuring Chilly Gonzales bringing the 2 together over a quirkier beat flexing that both of them are always grindin’ & servin’. “Offer I Couldn’t Refuse” was a great cloudy trap single that F1LTHY of Working on Dying laced explaining that the street made him a deal so good to the point where he couldn’t turn it down prior to the soulful “Trust Issues” talking about trusting someone who eventually snitched.

“Baby You” shows off his equity & discusses a woman who desires to fuck with a real one over a bare chipmunk soul instrumental from both Harry Fraud & Danny G while “Guns & Squares” featuring Sir Michael Rocks finds the pair talking about fuckin’ with those 2 things in the past until ditching ‘em in favor of boom bap on top of prominent bass-licks. “Fancy” featuring Fat Ray crosses over synth-funk & hip hop referencing The Walt Disney Company-owned FX series Snowfall while “Whippin’” featuring Nebr, The Tiger jazzily talks about the drug game.

The song “Confusing” begins the final moments of Potluck stripping the drums once again venting over the perplexing nature of bitches that’re usually around him & lastly, “Over Looks” luxuriously finishes up the LP telling this women that she’s so much more than looks on top of pointing out the shallow nature of society these days & hoping the message he’s trying to convey doesn’t get disregarded.

Potluck exemplifies of how nobody in the game cooks like Bruiser Wolf as he invites us to a world where truth, absurdity & wisdom are doled out in even portions. Known for his signature voice along with vivid street narratives & off-kilter humor, Bruiser carves out his own space & singular voice further than before with the most expansive album in his discography taking on the sounds of drumless, jazz rap, Detroit trap & chipmunk soul telling the gangsta life.

Score: 4/5

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Danny Brown – “Quaranta” review

This is the 6th full-length LP from Detroit emcee Danny Brown. Emerging as a member of the Rese’vor Dogs in the mid-2000s, he would go onto form the Bruiser Brigade at the start of the previous decade & put out his debut album The Hybrid shortly after. This resulted in him signing with Fool’s Gold Records & delivering a near perfect sophomore effort XXX the next year, which was followed up with Old in 2013 as well as his 2016 magnum opus & Warp Records debut albeit Fool’s Gold’s last Atrocity Exhibition. But coming off the uknowhatimsayin¿ & more recently Scaring the Hoes with JPEGMAFIA this past spring, Danny’s finally releasing Quaranta as his final Warp album.

The title track is a cavernously dark opener with Danny talking about turning 40 a couple years ago whereas “Tantor” fuses elements of hardcore, abstract & experimental hip hop with elements of rock & even punk music thanks to The Alchemist looking to dock in the low tide & that it’s time for him to spit. Quelle Chris & Chris Keys both whip up a shimmery boom bap vibe for “Ain’t My Concern” reminding that “when it’s time, it’s time” that is until “Dark Sword Angel” talks down on the Bruiser Brigade leader’s competition over a dusty rap rock hybrid.

“Y.B.P. (Young, Black & Poor)” featuring Bruiser Wolf finds the 2 discussing the way they both came up over an uncanny trap instrumental from Skywlkr leading into “Jenn’s Terrific Vacation” brilliantly tackling the themes of gentrification fusing glitch hop, nu jazz & broken beat. Paul White provides groovier aesthetic to “Down wit It” detailing the lifestyle of this music shit just before the spacious “Celibate” featuring MIKE admits that they used to sell a bit and they don’t fuck around with the streets no more at this point in their careers.

The song “Shakedown” gives off a cloudier tone instrumentally provided by Kaelin Ellis advising to get your head out of the clouds & get yours now while the crushing “Hanami” talks about age catching up to him so he’s running from death as a result. “Bass Jam” fulfills Danny’s deal with Warp & ends Quaranta by atmospherically looking back on the days where it was hard for him to sleep as his mother played many classic bops.

“Cheaters” featuring Bruiser Wolf starts the deluxe run with both of them over this funky Black Milk beat pointing out the fact that those who cheat never win in the end & the final bonus track “Keep It to Me” was actually supposed to be the original closer, grimly linking up with Black Noi$e for this incredibly depressing cut revolving around drinking the pain away hoping things’ll change & smoking until he’s free from being trapped within his own thoughts.

For him to sign off on Warp Records by reflecting on the past 4 decades of his life is actually an album that’s more darker & personal in comparison to uknowhatimsayin¿ is exactly why he’s one of the illest to come out of this reviewer’s hometown in recent memory because this is his best since Atrocity Exhibition. It’s more predominantly conscious & experimental with some additional elements hardcore & abstract lyricism.

Score: 4.5/5

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Fat Ray – “Santa Barbara” review

Fat Ray is a 39 year old MC from Detroit, Michigan who came up as a member of the trio B.R. Gunna alongside Black Milk & Young RJ. He would eventually go solo in 2008 by dropping the criminally slept-on The Set Up, but it wouldn’t be until a full decade later when it was followed with both The Lunch Room mixtape & then his sophomore effort Perseus. However out of nowhere, Ray has seen fit to drop his 3rd full-length album.

The title track that kicks the album off talks about being happy to be back on his shit over a jazzy boom bap beat from Raphy, who produced all 3 joints on the entire thing. The next song “Flight Risk / Plead the 5th” gets on the gangsta rap tip over an instrumental, that starts off jazzy, but later switches up into a bare soul sample. The track “Menacing” talks about going to war if you want it over a beat that sounds like something RZA would’ve made for Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) while the cleverly-titled “Ethan Hunt” makes references to the Mission: Impossible franchise over a more chilled out instrumental.

The track “Jordan vs. Bird” gets on his mob shit over a boom bap beat with a dark atmosphere to it while the song “Dopeman Heaven” with Danny Brown finds the 2 talking about slanging drugs over a Black Milk instrumental with some downcast keyboard melodies. The track “Old Faithful” with Bruiser Wolf sees the duo talking about being fresh to death over a sleek beat while the song “Top Ramen” talks about not having much coming up over a psychedelic instrumental.

The track “Bar Smithing / Off-Safety” shows off his lyricism & the beat once again has that vintage Wu-Tang feel at the start, but it switches up into something more apprehensive. “The One” talks about how everyone wants to be that guy over a Crisfantom instrumental that’s clearly inspired by the late J Dilla while the penultimate track “The Sword” talks about being the 2nd level of crazy over an otherworldly beat. The album ends with “Mental Case”, where Ray talks about his homie Kutty over some harmonious vocal melodies.

This dude is a true hometown veteran & Santa Barbara is yet another example of that. Raphy’s production is on point & lyrically, he legitimately does continue to be the hungriest MC in the world.

Score: 3.5/5

Danny Brown – “uknowhatimsayin¿” review

Danny Brown is a 38 year old rapper from Detroit, Michigan that got his start as a member of the Rese’vor Dogs in the mid-2000s. He would go onto form the Bruiser Brigade in 2010, dropping his debut album The Hybrid the same year. This resulted in him signing with Fool’s Gold Records & delivering a near perfect sophomore effort XXX the next year, which was followed up with Old in 2013 as well as his 2016 magnum opus & Warp Records debut Atrocity Exhibition. Fast forward 3 years later, he’s delivering his highly-anticipated 5th full-length album & has brought on Q-Tip to oversee it.

“Change Up” talks about never selling out over a hypnotic instrumental from longtime collaborator Paul White while the next track “Theme Song” is a dedication to the suckas over a gorgeously weapy strong sample. The song “Dirty Laundry” showcases his clever lyricism over an off-kilter instrumental from Q-Tip while the track “3 Tearz” with Run the Jewels gets careless over a psychedelic instrumental from JPEGMAFIA.

The song “Belly of the Beast” talks about drug use over a misty instrumental that later builds up as suspenseful near the end of the final verse while the track “Savage Nomad” talks about going at his competition over an Alchemist-inspired instrumental from Playa Haze.

“Best Life” talks about living good over a boom bap beat sampling Tommy McGee’s “To Make You Happy” while the title track talks about keeping it moving over a disco-esque instrumental. The song “Negro Spiritual” not only finds Danny charismatically showing off over a funky instrumental from Flying Lotus & Thundercat, but Peggy does the best Pharrell impression ever on the hook.

The penultimate track “Shine” talks about getting what’s his over a gargantuan boom bap beat & then the closer “Combat” with both Q-Tip & Consequence finds the 3 talking about how all 3 of them have come a long way over some jazzy horns.

While this obviously isn’t a masterpiece like Atrocity Exhibition, it’s still a fantastic album. It’s pretty much a more mature version of The Hybrid with grander production & you can really hear how much Danny’s pen game has stepped up since then.

Score: 4.5/5