We were intrigued when we found out that the Black Keys were doing a hip-hop collaboration produced by Damon Dash and featuring underground MC heavy-hitters like RZA, Q-tip, and Mos Def. While we would call ourselves fans of both the indie blues duo as well as the various underground rap artists, it was hard to imagine the fuzing of the very different genres they represented.
The result: fantastic! We can’t stop listening to the album. The Black Keys provide the perfect bluesy backdrop laced with all the grit and soul so characteristic of the pair. Atop these instrumentals, the MCs provide a various range of lyrics – from the wistful ‘Why can’t I forget him’ to the shake-your-ass tune ft. Ludacris and ODB, ‘Coochie.’ Musically, neither the Black Keys nor the guest artists does too much in breaking new ground, but the collaboration itself is making waves. We hope it will inspire other unlikely collaborations of different genre artists.
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- Melrose
