Two days ago, I interviewed fellow Detroiter Black Milk for a new online hip-hop magazine (plug: www.dropmagazine.com). I am doing a column for them that relates to up-and-coming producers with conversations hovering about beatdigging. Well, that got strained in the colander, because the magazine isn't looking to just appeal to beatheads. They want to appeal to everyone. I changed up my questions I asked the young eMCee/producer. Actually, most of the beatdiggin' questions were off the record. I don't think it really matters what records he uses. I don't think it matters how many records he has or what types. I just want to let folks know that this kid is the real deal.Anyway, I'm transcribing the interview and I'm taking breaks while listening the copy of the album he gave me. Popular Demand is really, really solid. It grows on me upon every listen. It is the evolutionary Detroit hip-hop record I have been waiting on. It can't be plugged into any one sect of hip-hop music. It's not conscious rap. It's not backpack rap. It's not an instrumental record. It's not all about partying and b.s.I have felt for the longest time in the D we just waited for Dilla to do something worthwhile for us to talk about. Others have done notable work, but folks have passed on it. I still think the Platinum Pied Pipers record hasn't received the proper respect it deserves on a critical level. I am hoping that folks wake up when Black Milk's album drops next month.He recorded, mixed and mastered the entire joint in his home. That alone is scary to me. This shit sounds really good, at least to my untrained ear. I don't know if Fat Beats knew what they were doing when they got involved with this guy, but this may have been their best pick-up yet. I got lots of respect for most of the acts on the roster, but Black Milk has an appeal that most of their acts don't. He isn't a linear beatmaker. He can write hooks. He has the potential to be larger than the label may be able to handle. Then again, the music industry is not the same anymore. Black may never get large, but he will definitely grow to garner the respect that dudes like Pete Rock and J Dilla get. Shit, that is more than many of us can say.I just want to urge cats to check out this record by Black Milk. I don't gain anything from you doing so. I just get a strong sense of hope in quality rap music when listening to this dude. The 23-year wunkerkind has not even been exposed to that much yet. I mean, he recently got to go to Australia for the Red Bull Music Academy and meet Jazzman and also has been diggin' with Just Blaze. I can only imagine what travelling the rest of the world doing what he loves to do will do for his art.I hope the album title is prophecy for Black Milk. That kid deserves all the hype he may get.So anyway, you can peep my interview in the next couple of weeks or so. I am lining up some other cool folks to interview also. There will be some Strutters I plan to get at once the site is officially up.
