Madlib The Beat Konducta
For a series that began its journey inside the mind of virtuoso beatsmith J-Dilla, and that has since traversed the esteemed sonic blueprints of both hip-hop’s most revered legends (Pete Rock, Marley Marl, Jazzy Jeff) and innovators (will.i.am, DJ Spinna), there could never be a more fitting conclusion to BBE’s The Beat Generation than one provided by Madlib. At all times both eternally eclectic and uncompromisingly innovative, one need only glance at the prolific pacesetter’s 2008 output in order to fully appreciate his importance in the modern hip-hop landscape, and his depth as an artist (the reworking of the entirety of ‘07’s Perseverance, the Badu meditations, Guilty Simpson crack-rap, his 5th Beat Konducta outing through the Dil Cosby Suite, and Jackson’s latest project with Brazilian Ivan Conti as Jackson Conti). It’s this intensely open-minded diversity that Madlib (and therefore Stones Throw) has built his career on, and is proudly on display in his latest release.
Therefore WLIB AM feels like a natural next step; the radio format perfectly able to handle the schizophrenia of Madlib’s creativity, whilst also suiting the conversational style of his presentation. Transitioning from the raw bombast of “Blow The Horns On ‘Em” through to the sing-song Georgia Anne Muldrow number “The Plan Pt.1” has never felt more seamless, the breezy soul provided by Frenza and Stacy Epps never more smooth, and combined with a greater sense of focus in allowing pieces to reach their logical conclusion, King of the Wigflip delivers a more accessible and satisfying package than many of his previous solo efforts.
The guest list is equally strong, and adequately deals with the criticism of Madlib’s strength as an MC, especially considering he is here without the green haze of his Quasimoto releases to hide behind. Fittingly Frank-N-Dank complete the Beat Generation cycle, by appearing here on “Drinks Up!” and delivering the same tongue-in-cheek, party vibe that first garnered them attention on Dilla’s Welcome to Detroit. Both Guilty Simpson joints are crack-funk successes, with “Go!” narrowly beating “Blow The Horns On ‘Em” for its ever more threatening snarl, whilst MURS’ “Ratrace” maintains the same fluid delivery as he demonstrated on his highly recommended ’08 release Murs For President. Overall, Medaphor probably comes off the worst, sounding lyrically lazy and trying too hard vocally to match the strong and vicious production of “The Ox (805)”.
So sure, there are missteps: clichéd lyrics, comic interludes that feel like filler, production that rarely challenges the artist whom it features; but who really cares? Madlib’s records were never meant to be consumed in twenty-first century ADD sound bytes, and of all his recent work, King of the Wigflip most strongly represents this: a hearkening back to a time before shuffling iPods, file sharing and FM dominance; a time when audiences truly tuned in.
Ultimately, perhaps the most irresistible feature though of the entire Madlib discography is the man himself. Through all the aliases and sonic adventures, Otis Jackson Jr. remains the reclusive scientist, the insatiable artist and the loyal beat-head, irrepressibly inventive, whose musical dexterity grows each outing as if on an endless trajectory. Reportedly there are innumerable finished albums lying around his Bomb Shelter studio that will never see the light of day, pure creative overflow that leaves his contemporaries seem idle and uninspired. So WLIB AM may be just another piece of the artistic puzzle; but whatever frequency Madlib’s on, it’s always worth a listen.
What It Do - Madlib feat. Talib Kweli
For a series that began its journey inside the mind of virtuoso beatsmith J-Dilla, and that has since traversed the esteemed sonic blueprints of both hip-hop’s most revered legends (Pete Rock, Marley Marl, Jazzy Jeff) and innovators (will.i.am, DJ Spinna), there could never be a more fitting conclusion to BBE’s The Beat Generation than one provided by Madlib. At all times both eternally eclectic and uncompromisingly innovative, one need only glance at the prolific pacesetter’s 2008 output in order to fully appreciate his importance in the modern hip-hop landscape, and his depth as an artist (the reworking of the entirety of ‘07’s Perseverance, the Badu meditations, Guilty Simpson crack-rap, his 5th Beat Konducta outing through the Dil Cosby Suite, and Jackson’s latest project with Brazilian Ivan Conti as Jackson Conti). It’s this intensely open-minded diversity that Madlib (and therefore Stones Throw) has built his career on, and is proudly on display in his latest release.Therefore WLIB AM feels like a natural next step; the radio format perfectly able to handle the schizophrenia of Madlib’s creativity, whilst also suiting the conversational style of his presentation. Transitioning from the raw bombast of “Blow The Horns On ‘Em” through to the sing-song Georgia Anne Muldrow number “The Plan Pt.1” has never felt more seamless, the breezy soul provided by Frenza and Stacy Epps never more smooth, and combined with a greater sense of focus in allowing pieces to reach their logical conclusion, King of the Wigflip delivers a more accessible and satisfying package than many of his previous solo efforts.
The guest list is equally strong, and adequately deals with the criticism of Madlib’s strength as an MC, especially considering he is here without the green haze of his Quasimoto releases to hide behind. Fittingly Frank-N-Dank complete the Beat Generation cycle, by appearing here on “Drinks Up!” and delivering the same tongue-in-cheek, party vibe that first garnered them attention on Dilla’s Welcome to Detroit. Both Guilty Simpson joints are crack-funk successes, with “Go!” narrowly beating “Blow The Horns On ‘Em” for its ever more threatening snarl, whilst MURS’ “Ratrace” maintains the same fluid delivery as he demonstrated on his highly recommended ’08 release Murs For President. Overall, Medaphor probably comes off the worst, sounding lyrically lazy and trying too hard vocally to match the strong and vicious production of “The Ox (805)”.
So sure, there are missteps: clichéd lyrics, comic interludes that feel like filler, production that rarely challenges the artist whom it features; but who really cares? Madlib’s records were never meant to be consumed in twenty-first century ADD sound bytes, and of all his recent work, King of the Wigflip most strongly represents this: a hearkening back to a time before shuffling iPods, file sharing and FM dominance; a time when audiences truly tuned in.
Ultimately, perhaps the most irresistible feature though of the entire Madlib discography is the man himself. Through all the aliases and sonic adventures, Otis Jackson Jr. remains the reclusive scientist, the insatiable artist and the loyal beat-head, irrepressibly inventive, whose musical dexterity grows each outing as if on an endless trajectory. Reportedly there are innumerable finished albums lying around his Bomb Shelter studio that will never see the light of day, pure creative overflow that leaves his contemporaries seem idle and uninspired. So WLIB AM may be just another piece of the artistic puzzle; but whatever frequency Madlib’s on, it’s always worth a listen.
What It Do - Madlib feat. Talib Kweli
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