DANGER MOUSE & BLACK THOUGHT
“BELIZE” FEAT. MF DOOM – VIDEO OUT NOW
Debut Album Cheat Codes Out Now
Photo Credit: Shervin Lainez
Not only flexes Danger Mouse’s creativity as a producer, but the always impressive bars of Black Thought, a rapper who has remained consistently excellent
– HIPHOPDX
The math is not particularly difficult: Take two great artists, put them together, magic. Here, you have the prolific musician Danger Mouse… and the incomparable Black Thought… delivering a late-summer gem of an album.
– The New York Times
Cheat Codes captures the glory of rap’s classic era and brings it to the present through thick mesmerizing samples and the rapper’s incredible vernacular.
– Beats Per Minute
Less a rebuke to an era of trap beats and SoundCloud-ready verses than a showcase for their shared, effortless virtuosity, Black Thought (née: Tariq Trotter) delivers razor-sharp, incisive lyrics over dusty samples Danger Mouse (a.k.a. Brian Burton) lends his timeless, cinematic flourish for a tightly-packed, adventuresome, eminently listenable experience.
– The AV Club
Cheat Codes isn’t just excellent…Danger Mouse constructed these beats with Black Thought and his skill set specifically in mind, and the rapper moves through them deliberately, without compromising what are some of his most writerly verses.
– NPR’s All Things Considered
Danger Mouse is a pioneering beat-maker with a knack for blending rock and hip-hop aesthetics. Black Thought is one of the greatest rappers ever.
– New York Magazine
Danger Mouse & Black Thought have released the official video for “Belize,” from their universally acclaimed album, Cheat Codes. The video, filmed by Danger Mouse and directed by UNCANNY, serves as a solemn ode to their friend, the late MF DOOM, who features on the song.
The enigmatic MF DOOM, known for his loose, somewhat conversational rap style, whose rhyme and meter remain unparalleled, unites seamlessly with Black Thought’s unmatched precision sharp lyricism. A testament to what makes Danger Mouse one of the greatest producers of all time: his utterly unique ability to craft a palette complex and flexible enough to enable Black Thought to perform at new heights, yet perfectly suited to MF DOOM’s eclectic flow.
“Belize” moved Consequence to rave “Danger Mouse’s production on “Belize” is steeped in soul, with warm brass and a hypnotic bassline making way for each MC to spit a dizzying array of bars”—just one in a steady stream of accolades for Cheat Codes:
The debut album from Danger Mouse & Black Thought (named one of year’s the most anticipated albums by New York Magazine, Pitchfork, Brookyn Vegan, Stereogum, AV Club, HotNewHipHop, Paste and many more), is a sprawling opus featuring a peerless roster of guest luminaries including A$AP Rocky, Run The Jewels, Michael Kiwanuka, Raekwon, Joey Bada$$, Russ, Conway the Machine, the late MF DOOM, among others.
Hailed by the NME as “brilliant” and as “an out-and-out hip-hop masterpiece” by the Observer, Cheat Codes’ unique brilliance comes not from bombast backed by big names, but rather from the restraint exercised throughout. Black Thought is indisputably one of the greatest rappers that has ever lived, and Danger Mouse’s production, free flowing beats and melodies, coaxed his skill to the forefront on this landmark album. Cheat Codes is a singular work, evoking the golden age of hiphop via an undeniably modern sensibility, while remaining untethered to any era or trend — classic, yet timeless.