Since he made his debut on Slum Village's 2002 album Trinity, Detroit producer/MC Black Milk has benefited from an avalanche of music press and message board praise, all with good reason. His 2008 full-length maintains the same quality control, the same sense of adventure, and the same charismatic plus cocksure attitude found on previous releases, but he's never sounded sharper, in every sense of the word. As cyber-funk as its title suggests, Tronic -- and the pre-release mixtape was called Elec -- is ripe with brittle beats, tight hooks, tighter samples, and those great pro-Detroit, street-swaggering lyrics that so often get overlooked in favor of the man's productions. Add hypnotic melodies and a Kanye-style flow and things are smoother than expected, and while Tronic often sounds like the underground alternative to West's Graduation, Black Milk prefers a more back to the future approach. Instead of Daft Punk, "Hold It Down" gets its riff from Gary Numan's "Bombers," while "Losing Out" with home boy Royce da 5'9" borrows from a much more prog rock spaceman, Alan Parsons. "Hell Yeah" rattles with a vintage tech-step bassline that will have jungle fans crying "Grooverider" and then a cold vocoder brings the robot soul to the short, sweet, and very J Dilla "Tronie Summer." Hip-hop fans looking for more than exquisitely crafted, smart productions will find Pharoahe Monch's guest appearance on "The Matrix" a lyrical knockout ("You couldn't hang if you were Ving Rhames in Rosewood") and the opening "Long Story Short" a career high when it comes to composition. No filler and a logical running order makes Tronic an instantly satisfying effort, an album to return to, and maybe the best entry point to a discography already filled with vital material.
One of the biggest and most pleasant surprises of 2007 came out of Detroit. No, not Eminem. Not even Royce or anything from Slum Village. Instead, it was Black Milk, the producer-first-mc-later artist from the Motor City, with his well received Popular Demand. The joint was complete with neck breaking beats, but its falter landed [...]
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The comparison between "Tronic" to Black Milk's previous album "Popular Demand" (buy mp3 donwloads) is kind of hard as the sounds of the albums are really different from each other. To be honest Popular Demand is a better album in terms of sound and quality. However, if this is your first time hearing Black Milk [...]
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Black Milk's new album, Tronic, is almost here (10/28)! To hold you over, we got a brand new mixtape featuring some of Black Milk's finest. 25 tracks of Black Milk goodness for your listening pleasure. Featuring Busta Rhymes, Jake One, Pharoahe Monch, Kardinal Offishall, DJ Khalil, Bishop Lamont, and Detroit mainstays Elzhi, Royce Da 5′9″, [...]
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Hip-Hop Official's artist of the week is Black Milk . We here at OKP definitely ride for dude as he's without question one of the top up and coming producers in the game. He's also one of the few producers/rappers that I can listen to a whole album of. Speaking of which, Milk also has a new LP coming out called Tronic on October 28th via Fat Beats Records. The features on the album include Phar...
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One of the biggest and most pleasant surprises of 2007 came out of Detroit. No, not Eminem. Not even Royce or anything from Slum Village. Instead, it was Black Milk, the producer-first-mc-later artist from the Motor City, with his well received Popular Demand. The joint was complete with neck breaking beats, but its falter landed [...]
More >
25-year old Black Milk, the accomplished producer, MC, and vanguard of Detroit's rising hip-hop scene will be releasing his third solo album TRONIC on October 28, 2008 through Fat Beats Records. Produced entirely by Black Milk and featuring only three guest verses on the entire album (from Pharoahe Monch, Royce Da 5′9″, and Sean Price), TRONIC [...]
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Even though January's almost over, I've finally put up my favorite albums of 2008 list at Blogcritics Magazine. The list includes the most recent album I reviewed, an album by a Knowles sister, a brilliant Internet mixtape, a comeback album from a group that isn't Guns 'n' Roses, and more. Also, part as a joke and part because I wanted to write more, the article is a "deluxe edition" with extr...
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Out Da Box TV comes through with their latest episode, and this one featuring Black Milk. We give this dude a lot of shine on OKP but it's well deserved. In this episode Milk speaks on a range of topics like the theme behind his new album Tronic , the ways in which J Dilla influenced him, and also the comparisons to the late great Dilla.
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Black Milk ft. Royce da 5'9" - Losing Out Hip-hop heads rejoice, a Black Milk and Royce record and it is dope. The sample in the beat is nice and the beat itself isn't monotonous and it definitely goes in crazy directions towards the end which I liked. The quality of ...
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This new Black Milk album is shaping up to look really nice! Another joint from the forthcoming album Tronic, Black Milk is joined on the verses by Pharoahe Monch and Sean Price, with the legendary DJ Premier offering his trademark cuts on the hook. "The Matrix" features one of the heaviest line-ups in recent memory [...]
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The folks at Hip Hop DX released a new Royce Da 5′ 9″ mixtape hosted by (and somewhat "mixed") by DJ Green Lantern a month ago. I'm sure many probably have heard it before but for those who didn't here it is. Royce, for those not in the know, is a great lyricist, a true MC [...] Related posts:Royce Da 5′9″ | Bar Exam 2 Mixtape More >
The comparison between "Tronic" to Black Milk's previous album "Popular Demand" (buy mp3 donwloads) is kind of hard as the sounds of the albums are really different from each other. To be honest Popular Demand is a better album in terms of sound and quality. However, if this is your first time hearing Black Milk [...]
More >
Black Milk proves himself as a producer and an emcee on his new album Tronic . Watch him take a shot at bandleader in the colorful video for the album's explosive lead single "Give the Drummer Sum". Directed by Anthony Garth. "Give the Drummer Sum" | download Myspace | Buy
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New track from Black Milk off his upcoming record Tronic. The track features everything good with hip hop with Pharoahe Monch, Sean Price and beat meistro DJ Premier. Popular Demand was hip hop gold in 2007 and Tronic out on October 28th is looking like a worthy follow up. Check out the track:Mp3: Black Milk feat. Pharoahe Monch, Sean Price, and DJ Premier - "The Matrix"
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Follow up to the best tracks of 2008 here is the promised best albums of 2008. Let me know what you think. Hope everyone had a very happy New Year. Peace in 2009. 1. Estelle "Shine" R&B giant hits it big with this record. She dominates the R&B sound in 2008 in my opinion. Should be no secret this is my favorite. 1a. Lindstrom "Where You Go I Go Too" This and the Estelle record were my fav...
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Black Milk gives us a jazzy video to match the beat on his single "Give the Drummer Sum". This song is off of his album that is out now called Tronic which is dope. I would really like to see this song performed live with a full horn section band. ...
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| Title | Lyrics | Buy |
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| 1 Long Story Short |
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| 2 Bounce |
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| 3 Give the Drummer Sum |
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| 4 Without U/Electric Ribbon (Interlude) |
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| 5 Hold It Down |
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| 6 Losing Out |
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| 7 Hell Yeah |
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| 8 Overdose |
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| 9 Reppin for U |
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| 10 The Matrix |
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| 11 Try |
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| 12 Tronie Summer |
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| 13 Bond 4 Life |
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| 14 Elec (Outro) |
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Click to purchase…
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 "Tronic")
