Who is Danny Brown? Danny Brown is a rapper hailing from the Motor City aka Detroit, Michigan and this is his fourth project and a follow-up from his last album in 2013, Old. I first heard about Danny from his breakthrough mixtape (later re-released as an album) in 2011 the project titled, XXX released under his former label, Fool's Gold. It was one the most experimental albums I heard at the time with insane production, rhymes, and his voice being high pitched and very hyped and quite insane, gave me some reminisce a bit of an Old Dirty Bastard from Wu-Tang. In 2012 he did a collabo EP with fellow Detriot producer Black Milk, named an XXL 2012 freshman and went on tour with Childish Gambino. In 2013 he finally released his first album to be available for purchase and not be free or later re-released titled Old. It was a very different change of pace and album for Danny Brown to do from XXX to this, it was a decent album with sort of a mainstream appeal but without selling himself out. I wish it was rawer and personal like XXX, I understand he had a different audience to appeal to but I'm happy he got some appreciation for his craft and rise with his music. I was curious what's he gonna do next since it's been a good minute since we heard anything new from Danny Brown, Will he go back to his XXX days or continue with his new sound or a mixed of both. The album is titled under the same song from the band Joy Division second and final album and the novel written by J.G. Ballard. So was this album worth the wait?
Well, fuck yeah it was, This album is one of the wildest hip-hop records I heard this year. What I enjoy about this project a lot it's he went back to his XXX days but times ten with more experimental beats, insane rhymes and topics about not only drugs and sex but also depression and mental illness. I feel like this album will be very different for the average casual fans of Danny's who only knew from the Old album and not his older work but the die hards will fuck with this heavy.
The album kicks off with the intro "Downward Spiral" and Danny raps over this cluttered and abrasive beat about being lonely, his drug abuse and suicide. The track has very Nine Inch Nails vibe which I know Nine inch Nails have a song like this under the same name, its a very solid opener and gives us what the rest of album theme is what gonna be. Next track "Tell Me What I Don't Know" has Danny rapping about his gang past quite a bit and reading and listening to the lyrics for this track it's quite deep. You can feel that Danny has been through a lot of his life and everything he raps about is hundred percent facts and not just some gimmick. One thing that through me off a bit was Danny's voice, it is not high pitched like most of his songs but more of a normal pitch which I did like cause you feel the emotion and the pain in this track. "Rolling Stone" comes up next and the hook from South African singer Petite Noir is very eerie and send a chill down my spine. I love bass guitar and the low key cowbell in the background and Danny rapping about his rockstar life, everything blends well together here.
"Really Doe" was of the most talked about tracks on the tracklist just based on the features alone, Earl Sweatshirt, Ab-Soul, and Kendrick Lamar and production from Black Milk, This was one posse cut people could not wait to hear. The track was released as of the singles leading up this album and man he lived up to damn hype. Each rapper here did their verse justice and if I had to pick one who had the best verse, I have to pick Earl, mainly cause he went last and he to show up to bring his best material here. He sounded awake and aggressive and I was curious how he was gonna do here cause he's known for his low-key, monotone flow, Also shout out to Black Milk on the boards he did his thing here. "Lost" comes up next and this is a follow up to the first track and love Danny's wordplay here. Comparing himself like Kubrick with two bricks or "Roll a hundred dollar bill now my sinus all clearer". Also highly enjoy the beat here sounds like old school wu tang and works perfectly with Danny's voice.
The next track that comes up is probably the best track on this entire album, "Ain't It Funny". This beat that produces by Paul White, my god, It's mind blowing to listen. The other reason why I enjoy this track while the beat is insane to listen to but you should pay attention to lyrics and what Danny is rapping about. He's dealing with how fucked up his life right now with his drug abuse and face to face with the devil, He knows that his substance abuse as something wrong but he doesn't what to do and there is no other way. I love his energy here, his flow, and the lyrics how descriptive they are. He rides the beat so smoothly here and it's quite depressing to hear what's he rapping about saying he should go to rehab but that too pussy. "Goldust" continues the trend of his drug abuse mostly about cocaine addiction. I love the sample here and the pounding drums. When hearing and reading the lyrics here he's talking about popping an Adderall for lunch with a blood mary, he's numbing the pain way to hide his feelings and his error in his life, and praying to heavens cause he's letting the demons get to him, You sense some fear in this track. He says here too he wants to say no and quit but he never will take a no and will continue on with substance abuse. "White Lines" continues with the cocaine abuse theme but Danny details about more on his drinking abuse here on the first verse and references Captian Morgan here with him saying when I drink so much it feels like I'm walking the plank. And the last line of the song is quite depressing when he screams I hope it ain't my time to go, it is quite eerie to hear him saying that since he's quite young for him to go being only 35.
Pneumonia was the 2nd single to drop from his album, overall good track I don't have too much to say cause the track is that damn good , Danny drops a few clever bars and the beat is low key and I enjoy the ad libs from Schoolboy Q. Dance in the water is an another banger and I love the tribal screams in the background and I love how catchy hook and love the reference about doing something without facing the consequences. Also as a wrestling fan I enjoy that line about former WWE superstar Ryback aka The Big Guyrd he might be MMA fighter like CM Punk? Bit weird to say the least. From The Ground has Danny rapping again in a normal and he's looking back at his humble beginnings and far how his come up in life. This a highlight for me cause I noticed when he raps with a normal and low pitch you can tell shit is really serious and I wouldn't mind if he did tracks like this more often, mostly for people who ain't huge fans of his high pitched vocals.
As we are winding here "When It Rain" was the first single to drop leading up to the hype of the album and I enjoy the energy here on this track. The track reminded me of the first half of XXX and I love how Danny fast flow and the energic beat work together well like PB&J.U enjoy the idiom in the hook with when it rain, it pours but with a twist meaning saying duck down away from the bullets. "Today" is another personal favorite highlight of mine with Danny rapping with the Andre 3000 flow from the track Outkast track "B.O.B." and he does reference the track here. "Get Hi" is probably my least favorite track on here if I had to pick one. It's too laid back and a for a Danny Track but it is a stoner anthem with a feature from Cypress Hill own B-Real, I do like the production here a bit it's pretty smooth. The Album ends with the track "Hell For It" and ends with a positive note and sort of a happy ending for Danny despite the drug abuse and crazy antics. At the end of the day Danny says that despite dealing with his personal demons, he's not going down without a fight and will continue being successful and it's a very solid ending for this album here.
Final thoughts here is that this is easily my favorite hip-hop album of the year and most likely album of the year. I love how the album flows with Danny rapping talking living the fast life to dealing with his own personal demons and his life crashing down but at the end, he will continue to fight on. It gave memories of XXX but this album here is god tier compare to XXX. This is some of the wildest production I have heard in hip-hop in a good awhile, I have to shout out Paul White for handling most of the production and Danny to spending some money to get these samples cause you can sense he cares about his craft. I really Danny doesn't overdose and maybe get clean cause he is one special talented artist. It is depressing to hear at times but that sometimes the pain does bring good art and I would say mostly focus on what Danny is saying more than how insane the production is or read the lyrics. Yeah, Atrocity Exhibition was well worth the wait and shout out to Danny Brown for this amazing album. Thanks for reading.
Favorite Tracks: Ain't It Funny, Really Doe, Lost, Pneumonia, Dance In The Water, When It Rain, Today, Hell For It, Downard Spiral, Tell Me What I Don't Know, Rolling Stone, Lost, Goldust, White Lines, From The Ground
Least Favorite Tracks: Get Hi
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