When it comes to revisiting past experiences, music can be just as powerful a memory trigger as photographs. Revisiting old songs can take you back to specific moments in time, allowing you to relive the emotions and thoughts you had during those captured moments.
When it's my first time listening to a new artist and I save a song I enjoy, I think to myself, "I wonder where this is going to take me?" Recently, I have been consumed by a Hip-Hop rabbit hole that is filled with great production, witty bars, and collaborations that are fueled by obsession.
It’s funny that I write this now because, I actually used to dislike a lot of the rappers I’m about to talk about. This was inspired by my past post about giving things a second chance.
Collaboration is Art
When a producer and rapper have both put in 10,000+ hours perfecting their craft, it's truly amazing what they can make. Sharing the same musical influences and passion for their art makes it even more special. For me, it's not enough to just listen and enjoy their music; I want to understand the creative process and appreciate all the hard work and dedication that went into making it happen. By learning more about each party's contribution, I can truly connect with the music and become a genuine fan.
Westside Gunn's Pray for Paris (second picture above) is a great example of what I love about this rabbit hole I'm in. After attending Virgil Abloh's Off-White Paris fashion show in 2020, Westside Gunn revealed the album's artwork, which was created by Virgil Abloh using Caravaggio's David with the Head of Goliath.
Tyler, The Creator even said he was inspired to rap again by Westside Gunn after they collaborated on the song 327.
Now, notice Pray For Hati, Mach-Hommy's album. The picture and the name are similar to Westside Gunn's. This is no coincidence. Mach-Hommy and Westside Gunn were frequent collaborators and were there for each other really early on. They had a falling out that sent fans into a frenzy. However, the pair made up late in 2020 and began to collaborate again. In an interview with Rolling Stone, Westside Gunn states that once the pair had reunited, "we picked up where we left off. And from there, we said 'let's just kill this.'" WSG ended up having three features in the album and was labeled the executive producer of the album.
There are many stories that I have come across that are interesting like this, Madvillainy by MF DOOM and Madlib, The Alchemist, and many of his joint albums, and the list goes on. Many of these collaborative albums were products of putting two people who are obsessed with their craft and letting them work; they made the art for themselves and not the fans.
Mach-Hommy says it best in this interview snippet.
I've realized that many of these hip-hop artists I've been talking about don't have as many monthly listeners on Spotify compared to those who are currently receiving more mainstream attention. These artists typically range from 300k to a peak of 6 million monthly listeners, like MF DOOM, which I think is very low for someone like him.
These artists have extreme talent yet live in the shadows; they know they can definitely make it into the mainstream, get radio hits if they changed their style to appeal to a broader audience. Instead, they stay true to their style and aren't worried about fame. If they really wanted to make a hit, they could just collaborate with a huge artist and use that for leverage. Look at what Benny the Butcher did with J. Cole on Johnny P's Caddy. You may not know Benny, but you do know J. Cole, so you’re more likely to listen.
This article wasn’t only to talk about my love for collaborations in music. Being someone who loves diving into the deep end and talking about the underdogs who don’t get enough credit and are often overlooked. I’ve come to the realization that I am surrounded by friends who are currently doing great things, or trying to figure themselves out to be able to create something great. The same way I admire and talk about these great rappers and producers, are the same way I see and talk about my friends and others who have the same vision.
Thank you to those who read my newsletter, support me and/or text me with motivation on days where I need it the most. Hopefully you’ve seen how much you mean to me through my actions.
Keep creating.
See you soon!
-SM
ps: If anyone would like to nerd out about anything, always feel free to DM me.
For some reason no matter what genre of music you like even if you despise rap...I feel like if you are writer you somehow still will FEEL MF Doom.