JPEGMAFIA & Danny Brown - SCARING THE HOES Review
SCARING THE HOES is a celebration of experimental and underground hip-hop by two of the genre’s lead pioneers.
“Dude, you’re scaring the hoes”, is a popular request for someone to stop acting in a weird or off-putting manner arising from ever-present internet culture. Particularly when it comes to music, this phrase can be applied when someone is playing a song that is considered experimental, grating, or downright weird. No two artists fit this description more than the likes of JPEGMAFIA and Danny Brown. These two artists have each built up an impressive catalog of their signature chaotic and out-there sounds.
Peggy’s abrasive vocals paired with his glitchy production and unconventional song structure keep the listener on their toes, while Danny’s nasally delivery and unpredictable flow over more sample-based, noisy production takes the listener on a journey through his psyche. Both artists aren’t the least bit afraid to push the boundaries of music, drawing from countless genres and mashing them together in their respective styles. A collaborative effort from the two of them seemed almost destined to happen as the culmination of the experimental genres they have spearheaded since the start of their careers.
The essence of SCARING THE HOES is perfectly summed up in its title track. Released as the second and final single for the album, everything about it is tongue-in-cheek. Peggy and Danny’s sarcastic chorus details their insistence on taking the AUX cord away from someone playing something esoteric. The drums keep the instrumental steady, while the clapping and erratic saxophone try their best to throw the song into disarray, but the two manage to navigate their way through the chaos like veterans.
Parts of SCARING THE HOES see the madness being somewhat reined in. The mixture of drums and horns on “Burfict!” give the track an obvious rhythm. The horns especially give this track a “victory lap” feeling, and given the two artists’ accomplishments in their careers, it is a well-warranted one. “Orange Juice Jones” and “Jack Harlow Combo Meal” have the smoothest beats on the album that both Peggy and Danny naturally glide over.
On the other hand, a lot of moments on this album sound like a full-blown natural disaster. The opener “Lean Beef Patty”, and “Fentanyl Tester” sees the respective samples of Diddy’s “I Need a Girl (Part 2)” and Kelis’ “Milkshake” glitched into cyberspace oblivion. “Lean Beef Patty” especially sets the tone for the album with its weird instrumental and questionable mixing choices paired with the tone, inflection, and lyrics each artist is known for. The first lyric of the entire album comes from Peggy with his signature politically charged content, declaring “fuck Elon Musk”. Danny also contributes to the dark and drug-fueled themes he’s known for with lines like “numb the shots with that antidote”.
The wildest moment of the album comes on “Run The Jewels”. This mess of a track features Peggy opening over a blaring trumpet that sounds like slam poetry, which eventually transitions with the addition of a beat and Danny’s groovy flow. Credit is owed to the two because somehow, this works.
One of the best highlights of the album comes on the only track with a feature, “Kingdom Hearts Key”. Sampling a song from the 1996 anime “The Vision of Escaflowne”, this track is one of only three songs on the album to surpass the three-minute mark, as most are in the two or even one-minute run-times. Peggy and Danny effortlessly ride this soothing beat as it morphs throughout the track’s runtime. Around the two-and-a-half-minute mark, the 18-year-old redveil comes in with a grandiose performance that ties the track together perfectly. redveil being the only feature on the album is fitting, as the young and flourishing rapper has shown heavy influences from Peggy and Danny.
SCARING THE HOES is a celebration of experimental and underground hip-hop by two of the genre’s lead pioneers. Every track features some level of chaos, and the chemistry of the duo makes the record flourish, with each artist adding their unique sounds and elements to create a wonderfully exciting listen. Throughout its runtime, there is no element left to chance. Each lyric, production choice, and vocal performance is carefully crafted to create one of, if not the best album releases of the year. Over the years of their careers, the duo has perfected their craft of the unnerving, the in-your-face, and the weird. The combination of the two artists highlights each of their strengths in a flawed yet flawless way. This 36-minute album slaps you in the face and leaves you wanting more.