There’s a line on “Aquamarine” where Black Thought says he was “born to be a teacher” and that couldn’t be more evident on Cheat Codes, his new collaborative project with Danger Mouse. The Roots’ de facto leader bobs and weaves his way through the renowned producer’s time-traveling production like he’s Muhammad Ali, while spilling some of the hard-won wisdom he’s learned over the course of his life.
“Haters and naysayers is buried in cake layers,” he raps with his baritone bravado. “I take day as a blessing and see the night as a lesson/Twilight is a message for me to write a confession/The matrix, a dominatrix seeking to be served/Ever patiently waiting with the demons we deserve.”
However, nothing could be more telling than when Thought mentions he’s a “survivor” on “Identical Deaths” in which he explores his personal trauma. Over gentle flutes and slow, soulful drums, Thought repeats: “Anger, keep out, danger, keep out, danger,” which could be interpreted as a note to self. Beginning at a young age, Black Thought had to face unimaginable tragedies when both his mother and father were murdered.
In high school, Thought started selling crack as a means to put food in his belly. Suffice it to say, his life hasn’t been a walk in a Philly park. Being aware of his journey makes the song that much more profound; here we have a man who had everything stacked against him, but he managed to break free from his circumstances to become a Grammy Award-winning artist who, at 50 years old, proves he’s still a top tier MC every time he picks up the mic.
Coupled with the air of ’60s nostalgia Danger Mouse effortlessly provides with his lush soundscapes, Cheat Codes mysteriously evokes déjà vu, as if Black Thought and Danger Mouse are able to transport us to another era, putting them in a class all their own. As Thought says on “The Darkest Part” with Raekwon and Kid Sister: “Technically, I guess I’m on another echelon.” As for the Wu-Tang Clan vet, his contribution fits snuggly into the production’s pocket, which was by admittedly by design.
Speaking to HipHopDX, Black Thought explained how they go about choosing their collaborators, saying, “The songs dictate what cadence, what style of flow and what vocal quality is going to be befitting. Everybody can’t get on every record. So when you do a record in this space for someone else to hop on it, you definitely have in mind who you want to hear.”
In other words, Black Thought and Danger Mouse already have the vocals mapped out. Like with “Strangers,” the hurried, nearly frenetic beat was ideal for Run The Jewels to ride. In fact, it would’ve felt right at home on RTJ4, especially with the addition of A$AP Rocky’s street-savvy rhymes. Similarly, on the gorgeously vintage-sounding “Because,” Joey Bada$$, Russ and singer Dylan Cartlidge sound like they belong there, while Conway The Machine’s contribution to the ominous, guitar-tinged “Saltwater” isn’t forced.
But perhaps the most memorable (and understandably emotional) collaboration is “Belize” with the late MF DOOM. Together, Danger Mouse and DOOM made magic in 2005 with their DANGERDOOM project The Mouse and the Mask. Even in death, their chemistry remains intact, with DOOM’s wordplay wizardry slipping off his tongue and pouring onto the woozy elegance of the Danger Mouse creation.
Fans may be slightly disappointed when they realize DOOM’s verse was lifted from 2017’s “Notebook 03” off The Missing Notebook Rhymes. Nonetheless, DOOM’s inimitable voice is a welcome addition, adding more layers to the rich textures cradling the project.
Black Thought & Danger Mouse Explain How A$AP Rocky, Russ, Joey Bada$$ + MF DOOM Landed On 'Cheat Codes'
“The basics of it was after we did the DANGERDOOM record, DOOM and I had done lot of sporadic songs here and there, a lot of things that wound up not being quite finished, and I got busier and busier,” Danger Mouse told DX. “It was just a lot of unfinished stuff, but the best verse was the first thing that he had done and that’s now on ‘Belize.’ I had never finished it and gotten Tariq [Black Thought] to do something with it. So I had it, and while we were doing the record, we finished it. I redid the music, and Tariq did his verse, and we finished it.”
While Cheat Codes sometimes walks the tight-rope of being another installment in the Streams of Thought series, it’s still a lesson in supreme lyricism and pristine production that should have any aspiring MC/producer combo aspiring to get on their level.
Black Thought cements his place as top 5 DOA
this album is beautiful. beginning to end. dope production. dope rhymes.
Black thought is the most slept on ever.
Album aint even been out 48 hours yet
I swear reviewers are the reason music has lost vaule
For the 15,000th time, JOURNALISTS GET ALBUMS EARLY.
I haven’t listened yet but I imagine it’s good. Both guys are brilliant. However, the reviews on this site have been terrible for years so I don’t know what to believe without hearing it myself
First time they actually got one right!
Thanks HHDX, you finally used that headline for the right album or at least a straight hip hop album.?
It is probably my also my fav album of the year. I always was a big Black Thought fans, since the early The Roots albums and I sadly wasn’t 100% sold on his last project, Stream Of Thoughts 3.
This one here is phenomenal in my opinion, maybe just one or two weaker guest verses but the rest is fire. Danger Mouse was really spazzing on this album, too. I know it sounds soft as hell but some of these tracks really gave me goosebumps. Overall, that’s what I have been waiting for.
„Prisoners of Azkaban, thinking of a master plan”, I see you BT. Album is beyond unimaginable.
A very solid album. Black thought is a one trick pony though. Beats are dope, plus DOOM.
A very solid album. Black thought is a one trick pony though. Beats are dope, plus DOOM.
A one trick pony compared to who? I respect people not liking someone, to each their own. Just yeah, some opinions are kinda wild.
Are you straight retarded? If I say McDonald’s only has one kind of food. Fast food. Your response will be “one kind of food compared to what restaurant?” Idiot. Every track he has is the same battle rap cadence. He is one of the greatest at that. Like Eminem. I ain’t trying to hear a whole album of that shit. The subject matter doesn’t really change. His delivery doesn’t change. That’s what a “one trick pony” means. Little kid. There. I held your hand and helped your stupid ass across the street. I’ll go wash mine now. You be careful out there in this dangerous world full of people with triple digit IQs.
Ok Internet warrior, lmao about you big mouth mfs. I simply asked for examples of artists he thinks do it better. Well, the album isn’t totally full of battle bars but Black Thought surly has a lot of focus on that. I’ll give you that. Saying he is a one trick pony is still wrong though, maybe on this album he does more of the same than some people like but in general he is one of the greatest ever. I don’t even care if people don’t like it, Iam just interested in what people think is better and why. A lot of what you said is just stupid a…rambling and trying to look smart. I wouldn’t talk about IQ too much here, after all you are the one calling yourself Dummy. This is just as stupid as dissing EM and calling yourself the black slim shady. Salute!
Ok Internet warrior, lmao about you big mouth mfs. I simply asked for examples of artists he thinks do it better. Well, the album isn’t totally full of battle bars but Black Thought surly has a lot of focus on that. I’ll give you that. Saying he is a one trick pony is still wrong though, maybe on this album he does more of the same than some people like but in general he is one of the greatest ever. I don’t even care if people don’t like it, Iam just interested in what people think is better and why. A lot of what you said is just stupid a…rambling and trying to look smart. I wouldn’t talk about IQ too much here, after all you are the one calling yourself Dummy. This is just as stupid as dissing EM and calling yourself the black slim shady. Salute
…wh-what? A great album getting a great review AND score on HHDX? Now I’ve seen everything lol
Gave that new wack game album a miss and instead listened to this! Glad I did it’s ? Black Thought amazing
Absolutely fire ? Black Thought top 10 DOA
Chose to listen to this instead of The Game new album glad I did!
Amazing ?
Black Thought top ten DOA
This and Lupe’s album are master classes in Hip Hop. Artistry at its finest.
Thought and DM met all of my expectations here. Solid piece of art…has my vote for AOTY.
Album of the Year…Producer of the Year. Lyricist of the Year. Danger Mouse is the producer that many others want to be. This album is incredible. It is by far the best body of work to release this year.
Yeah. The way he made beats with lyrics in the sample that drown out the MCs voices was very original. I like assuming the guys are doing a great job rapping without understanding what’s being said. SMH
I personally like the way all of the trucks that have samples of vocals drown out the actual lyrics of the MCs and I can’t understand a goddamn thing anyone is saying. You know. Something a producer with ProTools on his computer in his living room wouldn’t fuck up.
The thing is that it was intentional. I get it why you don’t like it. I don’t like it either, but it was 100% intentional
You could try listening to them in studio quality headphones.
Vocal mix is so so in my car but it shines in my cans.
Studio technology is almost surpassing our listening devices.
This album is HORRIBLY mixed. Several of the beats have vocal samples in them. They are too loud to hear the lyrics of the MCs which end up in the background. Also, Black thought is easily one of the. Eat right now for simply bars. An entire song though? The whole thing sounds incredibly repetitive. That’s when you can hear the lyrics or understand what’s being said. Definitely nowhere near album of the year.
Sorry I didn’t mean you, makes me look hella stupid now hahaha..whatever.
dope features, amazing bars from black thought, immaculate samples, aoty contender for sure
Album for a depressed generation. Album of the year is an understatement. The album 2022 desperately needed. Indeed a masterpiece. The tracks “Aquamarine” and “The darkest part” with Raekwon are truly fire ? Hip-Hop hall of fame worthy. As a human being alive today you deserve to hear this album. Take a day off. Listen to the message. 5/5
If you rated this album anything other than a 5/5 you need to shut the fuck up and remove your ignorant ass self from discussions about rap music immediately.
Eat a dick, backpacker dork. Half of the songs are inaudible. Mixed horribly. Vocal samples going on in the background that are louder than the rappers lyrics, as several people here have pointed out.
This is without a doubt an album of the year contender. Incredible lyrics. Incredible beats. Sonically it sounds super gritty which is great. Samplework is crazy good. Nothing but praise. Proof that music can still be art and not just a business.
Wow, I thought people only hated on some of my favorite artists, evidently the hate is widespread. I’m not a real fan of this rapper by himself or the producer, I liked some of the older roots albums but solo black thought wasn’t my favorite but his skills are great and I thought danger had kind of wonky beats in the past. But this album right here shattered my expectations it’s a great listen, lyrics are great and beats are great. If u like REAL rap u should like this or respect it at least. Great album
This is the first time outside of The Roots that Black Thought had a producer deliver beats worthy of him. That said, this album isn’t AOTY like people are saying, it’s surely top 10 though. Only because this year has been so bad. Only two tracks off of this that I really loved, the one with Raekwon and the one with DOOM. Solid album though, in a poor poor year of music.
Definitely top 10 album of the year so far to me. I enjoyed the production and Black Thought is among the few MC’s who still can inspire.
I’d give this a solid 7 out of 10. Personally I find the Danger Mouse/Alchemist lavish soul production style punctuated with MPC chopped beats to be somewhat played out. To be honest all this overzealous rhymes over old man beats makes me feel sad. I was hoping for beats a little more varied in style like Illmatic. I’d say this is on the level of the Double Jay record from a couple years ago. Definitely worth listening to probably someone’s favorite album this year but not mine. It’s ok though
Impressed by the overall sound and consistancy. Pure hiphop, very needed. Mixing seems messed up tho, to weird for it to be a stylistic choice it appears to me. However, I’ve been waiting for on some time on a Black thought album with production to match his lyrical greatness, Danger mouse came through with it.
BT is ofcourse amazing. Lyrically I’m sure it’s very good when you really analyze it. Beats is great by themselves. But this hole thing feels like it’s just run of the same recipe. It’s the same over and over. So flat. No highs. This is for sure for for special interest. Was really hoping for something new. Expected to be a little mind blown, but I feel like I entered an aggressive poem reading accompanied by stock beats. Not a single song will be going on my list. Good for background music at a fitting party. Disappointed…
You misspelled whole … your opinion can’t be taken seriously.
I’ve only heard a few songs but anything under a 4/5 seems ridiculous.
VERY GOOD ALBUM WITH NICE BEATS AND NICELY PLACED GUESTS. THIS IS A HEADPHONE ALBUM AND WOULD SOUND GREAT ON VINYL.