Review Summary: Experimental hip-hop rapper, JPEGMafia and alternative hip-hop superstar Danny Brown come together on SCARING THE HOES to prove that true imagination mixed with cleverness and talent is all you need to produce a mystical and stunning record.
It’s times like these in music that call for something that will dazzle and shock our senses with creativity and authenticity. In such moments, the state of hip hop can be seen as stale and uncreative with various artists and rappers releasing various lengthy album projects with sterile production and uninspired lyrics. Experimental hip-hop rapper, JPEGMafia and alternative hip-hop superstar Danny Brown come together on SCARING THE HOES to prove that true imagination mixed with cleverness and talent is all you need to produce a mystical and stunning record. This is pure creativity unlocked.
The duo is unapologetically compelling from the start with hard-hitting, distorted percussion and a playful mix in tracks like “Steppa Pig” and title track, “SCARING THE HOES.” Some of my favorite moments on the record appear when they push the boundaries of their imagination and production like in, “Run The Jewels” that features an opening sample of iconic WWE’s Edge’s stage intro as well as a groovy, walking bass line filling in the space between the two artist’s impressionable verses. The jazz styled “I’m Old Fashioned” sample in combination with a tight, break-beat drum track adds to the sonic rollercoaster that appears in one of the album’s most artistic songs, “Jack Harlow Combo Meal.” Only in very minute moments does the mix become a little overbearing or difficult to grasp but overall, the production decisions featured on this record provide some of the most intricate, well-crafted and thought out sounds that you can hear from top to bottom.
It’s one thing to analyze JPEG’s or Brown’s lyrics on their own, but in unison, SCARING THE HOES features some of the best, most lively and authentic lyrical flows that are ingrained in the pocket of these tracks. In small instances such as in the track, “Fentanyl Tester,” Danny Brown’s vocals are a bit drowned out underneath the entangled production and I would have liked to have heard this verse cut through a bit more. Together, these two have formulated a conventional way of trading off verses but in a way that benefits the integrity of the song and keeps it simple and effective. The record’s lyrics and their deliveries are exceptional and well constructed as well as jovial, original, and deep rooted inside the pocket of the production.
In SCARING THE HOES, there is an impression of unlocked creativity arranged by these two masters of their own craft. Their lyricism is impressive and is just absolutely locked in with each track respectfully. They rarely skip a beat when it comes to their delivery and their lyrical flow fits into each song very well. The production on the album is clean sounding even in moments where the distortion is present or the low end gets boosted in the mix. The production here isn’t as linear or as cut-and-dry as anything present in the mainstream, but this isn’t something I was expecting going into this record. I loved every bit of it and I am just as mesmerized by the two artists’ creativity and ingenuity. In a space where I’ve been finding hip-hop to feature dull, lackluster, standard grade production and delivery, JPEGMafia and Danny Brown remind me that the talent is still alive and thriving. I have an abundant amount of respect for how digestible this album is with its 14-track and 36 minute runtime as each song averages out to about two and half minutes. All throughout, SCARING THE HOES is a collaborative, fundamental staple in experimental hip hop that will stand the test of time and is an essential model that exhibits quality over quantity. I am hopeful that we get to see these two collaborate in the future as this record was an incredible experience from start to finish.
