Danny Brown Lets Us Down
3 stars
Danny Brown has become something of a legend of the underground hip-hop circuit this decade, with the ability to rhyme almost anything, an imppecable wit and a penchant for insane beats. On epic albums like XXX and Atrocity Exhibition Brown explores his lifestyle as a drug dealer-turned drug fiend, painting the synapse-searing highs and depressing lows of the lifestyle in agonising detail. It is these, often experimental records he is best known for.
Relatively fresh off the high of 2016’s Atrocity Exhibition, the news that Danny Brown was working with a “legendary” producer, built hope that he would be able to deliver another stellar blend of lyricism and off-kilter instrumentals. El-P of Run the Jewels tweeted in January that he had heard Brown’s new record and that it was “an instant classic”, news followed in April that Q-tip, hip-hop veteran, MC and producer was the legend Brown spoke of, it seemed certain that uknowwhatimsayin? would be an impactful record, sadly, Danny Brown’s latest offering comes to less than the sum of its parts.
The record opens with ‘Change Up’, a shuffling, low-key beat that sees Danny delivering decent, but ultimately uninteresting verses on how he “never looks back” and has to “keep going”, the track lacks any musical or lyrical elements to draw a listener back. ‘Theme Song’ packs another weak punch, with old-school samples lumbering behind what appears to be a diss track for “bitch-ass” rappers, there is no doubt that Brown knows how to throw an insult but nothing here compares to tracks like ‘Monopoly’ where he decries foes for “rocking crocs at Walmart”.
While Singles ‘Dirty Laundry’ and ‘3 tears’ have interesting beats courtesy of Q-Tip and JPEGMAFIA respectively, Brown once again fails to bring his A-game. On ‘Dirty Laundry’ the influences from comedians (particularly Richard Pryor) Brown spoke of in the lead up to the album’s release are visible, with a lackadaisical delivery full of pauses, serving wordplay filled anecdotes about sex, drugs and laundry.
Tracks ‘Belly of the Beast’, ‘Best Life’ and ‘uknowhatimsayin?’ all bring watery and somewhat aimless instrumentals behind half-hearted bars, but toward the end of the album’s 30 minutes a few tracks do stand out. ‘Savage Nomad’ a direct groove that could have come straight from underground producer Alchemist’s vault sees Brown on respectable form with bars and one-liners about his past life as a drug dealer. Features from Blood Orange and JPEGMAFIA are both standouts, with strong hooks that help pull their respective tracks together.
Finally, closer Q-tip produced ‘Combat’ brings a driving beat, adorned with bumbling jazz-trumpet and Brown’s strongest verses on the record, the line “I’ll die for this shit like Elvis” alone makes the track a worthwhile listen.
While unknowhatimsayin? delivers instrumentals and verses that are more interesting than the average hip-hop record it is far from El-P’s promised “instant classic” and is certainly a weaker point in Brown’s discography.
