In a group of words least likely to appear together prior to this moment, Detroit rapper Danny Brown has announced that he’s writing a children’s book. While the debauched lyrical content of Brown’s songs might not make him an obvious entrant into that literary field, his jocular musical persona with its hilarious, cartoonish mania suggests he’s actually pretty well-suited. Some scolds might further contest that this shows that the barrier for entry into the world of children’s literature is sinking ever lower. But with unlikely authors such as famed wax replica Keith Richards recently entering the arena, it’s becoming more and more evident that no such barrier exists.
Brown’s as-yet-untitled work, which he revealed yesterday on Australian radio station Triple J, is reportedly inspired by his daughter, with Brown addressing ideas of self-esteem in young women of color in a Seussian style. Given Brown’s facility with loopy rhymes, the Dr. Seuss comparison would seem a natural fit— though Brown should take caution. His propensity for burning trees might land him in serious trouble with The Lorax.