Hip Hop
BORN AGAIN
Lex Records / Proper878390009985
Hip Hop
CD
£11.66 (£13.99 incl. VAT)
Tracks:
1. All I
2. Locked Up
3. Me
4. Knuckle Sandwich II
5. Born Again
6. Brooklyn Bazquiat
7. Walk the Walk
8. Where You From
9. Dear Poppa
10. World Music
Remarkably this soul and funk infused hip-hop tour de force arrives two decades
after its creation and the duo's debut LP, Ghetto Pop Life which celebrates its 20th
anniversary this year.
Enthused by the response to Ghetto Pop Life, soon after Danger Mouse and
Jemini began to tour and to write and record Born Again. Finally, having been
recorded two decades ago and indefinitely shelved until now, Born Again will
finally be released to coincide with the twentieth anniversary of Ghetto Pop Life.
The previously unheard record retains many of the elements of Danger Mouse
and Jemini's debut; the fun- loving, shit- talking innocence, but also adopts a
noticeably more introspective and confessional tone. This time, in addition to
light-hearted topics such as being an incredible artist (Knuckle Sandwich II,
Brooklyn Basquiat), living large and being a magnet for attention (Me), Jemini
also delivers highly- personal and occasionally devastating lyrics about missed
opportunities and redemption (All I, Born Again), his time in prison (Locked Up)
and complicated relationship with his father (Dear Poppa).
His effortless free flowing cadence and indelible sing-song delivery elevate each
track with a melodic infectiousness whilst Danger Mouse exhibits an affinity for
resonant instrumentals built from sampled organ, vibraphone, or guitar loops and
infused with his trademark minor key magic. The result is a classic,
timeless hip hop record.