It’s been a while since an artist has come along and made me change how I listen to music. Listening to an MF DOOM album definitely opened up my ears to new ideas on how music should not only be created, but also received. Then comes The Hybrid, a free release by Detroit native Danny Brown.

I was in a bit of a rut, musically, when a friend of mine introduced me to Danny. I found myself constantly going back to the albums of my early teen years in search of some kind of sonic understanding, I felt out of touch with the same old tired concepts from both mainstream and underground artists alike. What Danny Brown achieved was a perfect blend of personality, skill, beats & entertainment. In an overflowing cess pit of mediocrity that is Hip Hop, The Hybrid was and still remains to be a vital breath of fresh air.

Understandably, when Danny Brown announced his next project ‘XXX’, the expectation levels were pretty high and I can tell you now, it does not disappoint. The opener and title track ‘XXX’ sets the mood perfectly with vivid rhymes upon a beat that I could only describe as sounding somewhere between a sci-fi fantasy and a murder scene (don’t think.. FEEL!). ‘Lie4′ and ‘Bruiser Brigade’ provided me with a pleasant surprise in the fact that they sound heavily Grime influenced. I’m from East London, so for the people who don’t know, ‘Grime’ is a genre of music we have over here, I knew Danny was a big Dizzee Rascal fan, but I didn’t think he had this type of material up his sleeve. He got it on the money, delivering a 2003-2006 underground Grime feel to both tracks, kudos.

‘Blunt after blunt’ sounds like The Hybrid’s ‘Great Granddad’ on.. well.. weed, while the Paul White produced ‘Adderall Admiral’ is a symphony enjoyed best while in a severe state of ‘unsoberness’ (I can say ‘unsoberness’ right?). The second half of the album slows the pace down, and this is where Danny is at his most introspective. Songs such as ‘Party all the time’ and my personal album favourite, the Quelle produced ‘EWNESW’, displays another side of the versatile MC, a side which is much more issue-related than funny, but just as impressive.

In order to fully appreciate this album, you have to listen.. then listen again.. then again, not because you have to study it, but because like The Hybrid, it holds so much replay value which is something that is becoming quite a rarity in Hip Hop.

Danny Brown will keep getting better, and his sound will expand even further. If he does indeed ‘Die Like a Rockstar’, I believe he will leave behind a similar legacy of music.

4.5/5