BlakRoc is the collaboration between the Black Keys and a whole bunch of rappers assembled by Roc-a-fella co-founder Damon Dash and their debut self titled album is such an audacious attempt at mixing rock and rap that genres literally liquify and drain away in this albums presence.
Opening with the hip hop heavy ‘Coochie’, Ludacris and Ol’ Dirty Bastard kickstart the album with a wild track that comes more from the hip hop side than the Black Keys, but it’s not long before the rock element comes through.
This album really comes into its own with tracks like ‘Dollaz & Sense’ and ‘Ain’t Nothing Like You (Hoochi Coo)’, where the collaboration really feels like the different artists were on an equal playing field.
It is the Black Keys sound that drives the genius of some of the world’s greatest MC’s on this record, creating a balls-out hip hop records with killer rhymes and a few flattering nods to Dan Auerbach and Pat Carney. “Rock ‘n’ roll I lose control, fuck the white boys, the Black Keys got soul!” Raekwon raps in ‘Stay Off The Fuckin’ Flowers’. With a line like that, it’s little wonder Auerbach had this to say about Raekwon:
“He [Raekwon] was sorta what I imagined watching Bob Dylan work in his prime would be like,” said Black Keys singer Dan Auerbach. “Raekwon came in, heard the music, got inspired and just sat down and started writing. He wrote like 20 verses, just like that, in 45 minutes. And everything that he says is so visual, such a story. His rhyme schemes are just insane.”
Nicole Wray adds a woman’s touch to four tracks on the record, from the R&B tinged ‘Why Can’t I Forget Him?’ to providing some melodic interludes between heavy rap verses in ‘Hope You’re Happy’, ‘What You Do To Me’ and ‘Done Did It’.
It’s nigh on impossible to sum up this review. Every song yields another line, riff or beat that makes me jump up out of my seat and play it to everyone in the office.
This is without a doubt my favourite album of 2009. Do yourself a favour and get it.
The complete track listing for BlakRoc is:
Coochie (feat. Ludacris, Ol’ Dirty Bastard)
On The Vista (feat. Mos Def)
Hard Times (feat. NOE)
Dollaz & Sense (feat. RZA, Pharoahe Monch)
Why Can’t I Forget Him (feat. Nicole Wray)
Stay Off The Fuckin’ Flowers (feat. Raekwon)
Ain’t Nothing Like You (Hoochi Coo) (feat. Mos Def, Jim Jones)
Hope You’re Happy (feat Billy Danze of M.O.P., Q-Tip, Nicole Wray)
Tellin’ Me Things (feat. RZA)
What You Do To Me (feat. Billy Danze, Jim Jones, Nicole Wray)
Done Did It (feat. Nicole Wray, NOE)
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