August 12, 2022
BMG
1xLP (Standard Black Vinyl, Indie Exclusive Ltd. Edition Red Vinyl)
It's to be expected that Danger Mouse would put together a brilliant collection of beats to be rapped over. It's a given that Black Thought can rap as well (or better) as anyone over a collection of beats given to him. And yet, somehow both of these distinguished elder statesman continue to defy expectations. Cheat Codes is a brilliant album from two consummate professionals who have seemingly been at the top of their (read: THE) game for approximately forever that doesn't necessarily sound like something you would expect from them. It would be more than fair to expect Thought to push out air-tight double-time bars with enough intensity to crack a vertebrae. Danger Mouse can reasonably be expected to compile productions that flirt with odd-ball pop music while maintaining enough air of hip-hop to be rapped over. Instead they delivered something vaguely resembling Pinata with their own eccentricities lining the walls. That's pretty much the recipe for an excellent rap album.