Post 5a: CLASSIC REVIEW: Madvillainy - Madvillain

Classic Review: Madvillainy - Madvillain

CLASSIC/10

Background: Madvillian is the name given to the collaboration team of legendary underground rapper MF DOOM (all caps when you spell the man's name) and acclaimed producer Madlib. MF DOOM's backstory is a bit long and confusing, so I am gonna leave that alone. Read the link. DOOM has reached cult leader status in underground hip hop due to his incredibly obscure lyrical references, his dense multisyllabic and internal rhyme schemes, and his reclusive personality. Madlib has become equally renown in his own right. His style of mixing obscure soul samples with deceptively complicated beats, as well as his  has earned him fame in the hip hop community. 

Review: Despite this record's attempts to make itself as difficult as possible to enjoy, through some miracle it actually managed to break the Billboard 200. Truly miraculous. This album is filled with songs that feature little to no chorus, lo-fi production, obscure lyrical references, songs less than two minutes, and more. The record becomes considerably less challenging when viewed as a whole, however, rather than as individual pieces and songs that make an album. Madlib's incredible production makes each song flow seamlessly into the next. This is certainly an album made for continuous listening rather than casual, shuffled listening. Yet, the album still works in that capacity once it has been analyzed in full beforehand. Songs like "Accordion" and "Fancy Clown" make for solid singles in their own right, easily digestible and perfect as a starting point in the album. 

Let's discuss MF DOOM for a minute. Easily one of the most talented MC's to ever pick up the mic, this album stands as his most formidable testament. His lyrics are often absurd and non-sequitur on the surface, but upon investigation feature dense references to pop culture, television, other rappers, and even his alter-egos. DOOM combines these references with a monotone flow filled with internal rhymes, that often carries over from song to song. The result is a smooth, hypnotic cadence that seems to twist and complicate itself to the point of breaking. Occasionally DOOM will break up his flow with something different, or use a misleading rhyme to surprise the listener and add emphasis to a certain phrase. It is quite obvious the influence DOOM has had on more modern rappers like Earl Sweatshirt, who also design confusing, dense bars of internal rhymes and deliver them in a monotone tone. 

Now let's turn to Madlib. This production is arguably the finest of Madlib's career. The beats are largely sample driven, taken their primary melodies from old, obscure soul records. They are sweet, melodic, and sound as if they were covered with a film of dust. The beats are also very lo-fi, yet still beautifully intricate and detailed. One of Madlib's main talents is his ability to create beats that are dusty and old sounding, yet mix them perfectly, thus giving each instrument it's proper space and preventing any instrument from being drowned out by the others. The number of producers with this ability is nearly none. On top of the technical excellence, Madlin also offers a sound that is at once a dusty compliment to DOOM's gruff voice, yet also a beautifully melodic and upbeat contrast to DOOM's hypnotic monotone. 

Compositionally, this album is as far from a hip hop album as possible, to the point where an appropriate label for the record could be experimental hip hop. The album features a variety or instrumental interludes, often with a story-telling vocal sample over the instrumental. These interludes are pleasant enough and are vital for maintaining a consistent environment. These interludes will often transition into a track, and on occasion even bleed into a song, taking up the first 15-20 seconds of the song before the beat morphs into its intended form. This is further proof that this album is designed to be consumed in one sitting, or at least so until the listener is familiar enough with the songs to recognize the instrumentals from the actual tracks. 

Legacy-wise, this album is arguably one of the most influential in hip hop. Generations of talented young artists, from all genres, have looked to this album as either a direct influence or a standard of artistry for which to reach. Also worth noting is the artistic significance of the album. Whether or not (it's not) this album's eccentric formatting and lack of pop concessions proved directly influential for future generations, it is still a commendable objective, one that has expanded the span of innovation in hip hop. The fact that this album charted is truly a testament to the ability of hip hop fans to appreciate talent when it is shown to them.