Black Milk

As a hip-hop producer-turned-MC hailing from Detroit, Black Milk (né Curtis Cross) has naturally garnered comparisons to the late J. Dilla. With 2010’s Album Of The Year, he moves away from the brilliant electro-heavy Tronic, pushing things even further by introducing live drums, distorted guitars, and warm analog bass to the mix, creating a huge, organic sound on stand-outs like “365” and “Distortion,” while still taking time for solid soul-sample loops on “Deadly Medley.” Black Milk’s new production style more than likely had something to do with Jack White seeking him out to record the first hip-hop release for his Third Man Records, but his collaborative effort with Guilty Simpson and Sean Price, Random Axe, is a back-to-basics, classic hip-hop record.

Updated 02/15/2012