You Can Be My Wave

I think Danny Brown could easily be in a hip-hop legend status conversation, although he still maintains a modest, almost cult following. What makes Danny Brown so great is his versatility, and hopefully that is what I'll be able to illustrate as we look back on his breakout mixtape, XXX. First, let's talk beat selection. Tracks like XXX and Nosebleeds see Danny Brown hopping onto some classic mystery television soundtrack type instrumentals. We also have some otherworldly and obtuse instrumentals on Outer Space and Adderall Admiral. Danny raps from dark and grimy gutters on Die Like a Rock Star and Blunt After Blunt. He even appears on some classic sounding, jazz infused beats of which DNA and Ewnesw are examples. There's even a track here that sounds like a midi export of a project created in some scoring software like Finale or Guitar Pro (30). Danny Brown has demonstrated on this mixtape - as well as later on in his career - that he is not afraid to rap on any type of beat and he will rip it regardless.

When it comes to what he says, Danny Brown is equally as versatile as his beat selection. We have very conceptual storytelling on Nosebleeds and Party All the Time, which together tells the story of a woman caught in a downward spiral of addiction and excessive partying. First through a third person perspective following the woman (Nosebleeds) and after from the perspective of the boyfriend (Party All the Time), he paints a rather bleak picture involving neglected studies, risky sexual behaviour, infidelity, and unsuccessful attempts at rehabilitation. Danny Brown can also get introspective when it comes to his own drug use. On Die Like a Rock Star, he almost raps from this place of acceptance that his drug use will lead to his early demise, much like many of the famous musicians and actors he name drops in the song. 30 is a particularly harrowing moment in which he highlights the struggles he had to endure to make it as a rapper. He illustrates this unfortunate circumstance in which he saw himself turning to drugs to cope with the stress of not 'making it,' and now that he sees success, he's afraid that his addictions might make his career short lived. Not everything is an absolute bummer though. Danny Brown is also incredibly funny, absurd, and honestly, outlandishly raunchy. Just listening to I Will turns me beet red. Lie4 hilariously calls out all the rappers - in a self-deprecating way - who try their damndest to appear affluent in public when really it's all just a deception. Lastly, Radio Song also calls out rappers and labels for not trying to push the envelope in hip-hop and sticking with only what is trending at any given time.

How Danny Brown says it is just as important as what he says. Depending on the situation, he can deliver a very measured, stoic tone in order to relay the seriousness of some of the more thoughtful and introspective songs. But he also employs his signature hype, cartoonish, high pitched yelp that he uses to enhance the more manic, comical, and off-the-rails numbers. He has two extremes and it is difficult sometimes to reconcile that they are in fact the same person. It is one of the many things that makes him such an engaging, and entertaining talent.

That may seem like a lot to take in, but XXX has 19 tracks and this really only scratches the surface. 19 tracks, 19 vignettes that are all so unique; some nonsensical and fun, others deadly serious. It is quite an emotional trip and it is so impressive to me that he can cover so much territory while never missing a step. Now with 19 tracks, there's bound to be a few numbers that stand out a little more than the rest, but even so, there really isn't a bad track on here. Given how I advertised Danny Brown to be this incredibly eclectic, shapeshifting, maniac, prophet, I really hope that you decide to explore this record further. I don't think you will regret it.