Sometimes — often even — patience is rewarded. After waiting years for a first real solo album from Black Thought, the Philadelphia rapper offers us a second only a few months later. Cheat Codes, made in collaboration with Danger Mouse. Appears so these days Glorious Gamein collaboration with El Michels Affair.
It’s not as if Black Thought hadn’t amply shone on The Roots’ extensive discography since the early 1990s. Even if his name never made it onto an album cover, he would be recognized as one of the greatest MCs of all time.
We still wrote that “the talent of Black Thought has never been so magnified as on Cheat Codes launched last August. The contribution of the excellent producer Danger Mouse should not be overlooked. His canvases of vibrant percussion and skilful layering gave Tarik Luqmann Trotter the space and rhythmic variations needed to set the microphone on fire on each of the tracks.
Does the “cinematic soul” group El Michels Affair achieve this as well? Yes, but not in the same way. The atmosphere of Glorious Game is not the same as that of Cheat Codes. On the latter, the objective was to demonstrate who are the best. Rap remains a competitive sport. Glorious Game is more sedate and follows a more defined narrative thread. On the 11 tracks, plus an instrumental piece, Thought talks about his experience, his culture, his career and love. The beauty of the subject does not necessarily mean less sharp rhymes. “At first, love was elusive, this old heart was icy/The cold part: I thought the final wifey was unlikely/My lover friend, my spiritual twin, yeah, nothing like me/And rightfully so, I never met somebody more striking “, he raps on That Girl.
For its part, El Michels Affair does not only offer soul and jazz rhythms. Some beatswe think of that of Hollow Way, are in the pure boom bap tradition. Training leader Leon Michels also makes good use of sampling (sampling). The group made a name for itself through acoustic covers of Wu-Tang Clan songs. This sound is in his DNA.
Contrary to Cheat Codesthere are very few guests on Glorious Game. Kirby, Son Little and Brainstory provide a few choruses, but that’s about it. We wanted a Black Thought solo album. We are served like never before.
Rap
Glorious Game
El Michels Affair and Black Thought
Big Crown Records