MF Doom launched his worldwide hip-hop takeover mission Operation: Doomsday a mere six years ago, and since then weve been witnessing an unstoppable series of expertly executed rap blitzkriegs led by his deadpan wit, commanding gruffness and confounding imagination. Doom is as on point as ever on The Mouse and the Mask, and the fact that hes set up shop with one of underground productions biggest guns, Danger Mouse, is further indication that Dooms war on whack hip-hop is gaining momentum. These two act like a match made in heaven. Dooms presence brings out the best production from Danger Mouse yet laidback and casual with consistent head nodding material, Mouses beats and melodies come off concise and jam-packed with catchiness. For jokes and skit material, Danger Doom made a brilliant move by bringing in the bizarre and hilarious characters from Adult Swim cartoons such as Aqua Teen: Hunger Force, The Brak Show and Sealab 2021. Other outstanding guest appearances by Talib Kweli (on album highlight "Old School), Ghostface (on "The Mask) and Cee-Lo (crooning back-ups on "Benzie Box) only work to further solidify this repeatedly fulfilling and uplifting debut.
How did this project come together? MF Doom: It worked out like it was meant to happen. Danger came to me with the idea of the whole album at first, just based on the fact that Atlanta is where everything is based at and we all got crews out here. So Ds like "Yo, your crews in there and I got the Adult Swim crew and I got my crew why dont we just hook up and do it like this? Danger was the catalyst that introduced the whole thing.
Whats your collaboration process? Danger Mouse: I do a bunch of tracks that I think hell like, pass them to him, then he picks the ones that he does like, and starts writing to them. Either hell record them and send them back to me or if were in the same city like Atlanta or L.A., Ill record him in the studio and then well check it out that way, but you know, he does his own thing, I do mine and we like what each other does, so thats how we work together.
Who decided to bring the Adult Swim characters into the studio? MF Doom: Danger again; hes next to me, and hes like "Yo! Yo, we could bring the guys in, and Im like, "Yo, word. I could rhyme about the shows and Dangers like "Yeah! And you know, it was just like a pow-wow.
(Epitaph)How did this project come together? MF Doom: It worked out like it was meant to happen. Danger came to me with the idea of the whole album at first, just based on the fact that Atlanta is where everything is based at and we all got crews out here. So Ds like "Yo, your crews in there and I got the Adult Swim crew and I got my crew why dont we just hook up and do it like this? Danger was the catalyst that introduced the whole thing.
Whats your collaboration process? Danger Mouse: I do a bunch of tracks that I think hell like, pass them to him, then he picks the ones that he does like, and starts writing to them. Either hell record them and send them back to me or if were in the same city like Atlanta or L.A., Ill record him in the studio and then well check it out that way, but you know, he does his own thing, I do mine and we like what each other does, so thats how we work together.
Who decided to bring the Adult Swim characters into the studio? MF Doom: Danger again; hes next to me, and hes like "Yo! Yo, we could bring the guys in, and Im like, "Yo, word. I could rhyme about the shows and Dangers like "Yeah! And you know, it was just like a pow-wow.