In the current hip hop musical climate of blinged-out rappers and wannabes, steps in a timeless new original by the name of Danny Brown. His triumphant 19-track third release Old, is full of fresh hip hop, trill and grime cementing him firmly as a new classic, and one which sees him as a nu-skool force to be reckoned with.
Divided into ‘A Side’ and ‘B side’, it really showcases two different sides to the rapper. The A Side is the slower tracks side, more a freak hybrid of Ol’Dirty Bastard and OutKast, delving into addiction, tackling his demons, dealing, drugs, and escapism, underscored with grime, electronica and sprinkler high-hats and classic ‘old school’ beats. A Side highlights include Old, The Return featuring Freddie Gibbs, and the psychedelic acid-trip rap-rock numbers Wonderbread and Gremlins. The A Side really builds and sets the listener on the path ready to go to that point where they crave a heavier and more intense sound and it when B side hits, it really does deliver.
The B Side is the festival and club-ready anthems side which undoubtedly will provoke you to completely lose your shit to. The intro and outro of Side B (Dope Song) reminds me of that Guitar-Hero South Park episode where they ‘chase the dragon’, and sets us up on the real intense shift in musical direction to come. Side B is nothing but hard-hitting (for lack of a better word) heavy trappy trill bangers. From to break-out hit Dip to Smokin & Drinkin, Handstand and Break it (Go), featuring his trademark ‘Sao’ being shouted out, the B Side does not give up. It is rare for an album in 2013 to be played from start to finish, without skipping any songs but this chaotic and relentless showcase of psychedelic acid-trip rock-rap really does provide the goods from start to finish.
BY MIMI VELEVSKA
Best Track: Smokin & Drinkin
If You Like These, You’ll Like This: A$AP Rocky, Schoolboy Q, Black Milk
In A Word: Classic
