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Listen to track 7, "99 Problems"
Listen to track 14, "December 4th"
When Jay-Z released an a cappella version of his Black Album, remix projects were to be expected; but at this point there’s a whole color spectrum of HOV remixes ranging from Kevin Brown’s Brown Album to Danger Mouse’s Grey Album, a unique blend of The Black Album and the Beatles’ classic White Album. Perhaps the most impressive color yet on the Jay-Z remix rainbow is The White Albulum, spelled like the southern slang pronunciation of "album," produced by Kno of ‘southernunderground’ hip-hoppers CunninLynguists.
While every new beat on the album works well with the original vocals, clearly some work better than others. Kno decided to change the track listing around for The White Albulum, a move that makes each track compliment the last. Kno’s intro with trumpets and saxophones sets the vibe for the album and gives the listener and idea of what is to come: a jazzy remix, focusing on various classic instruments to support Jay-Z’s lyrics.
Kno manages to revive even the most played-out tracks, giving them a fresh new sound. "Dirt Off Your Shoulders," is the perfect example, cutting out Timbaland’s catchy but overplayed beat and replacing it with something that sounds almost as if the Funky Meters sat in with HOV to create the perfect backup with high pitched trumpets throughout the track. Midway through the album, Kno takes a stab at Rick Rubin’s "99 Problems," giving it a Latin style in what is arguably the best track on the album. The Neptunes and Jay-Z is a combination that has never seemed to work well, even on The Black Album, but Kno has the solution: replacing your typical Neptunes beat with his own, Kno gives us a Jay-Z album that we can actually listen to straight through. It’s obvious that Kno has mastered this remix thing; it actually sounds like Kno and Jay-Z were working together on The White Albulum. While drastically different from the original production, each track sounds as if it was meant to be that way.
With so many respected producers throwing their hats in the Black Album remix ring, it may seem audacious to tackle a project like this, but Kno clearly proves himself up to the challenge, having fashioned an exciting remix project that is worthy of your dough and attention. CunninLynguists fans, on the other hand, may find themselves wishing these beats were used for their next album, as Kno’s production is at a higher level here.
1. Intro
2. PSA
3. Dirt Off Your Shoulder
4. Allure
5. Lucifer
6. Threat
7. 99 Problems
8. Justify My Thug
9. Change Clothes
10. Moment of Clarity
11. My 1st Song
12. What More Can I Say
13. Encore
14. December 4th
*a-FILI-ated*
This is without doubt one of the best hip hop remix albums ever, period!!!! Kno is truly on inspirational form as he lays down his sick beats over the Black Album acapellas, he also changes the track listing around so each track compliments the next. 9th Wonder remixed the Black Album, so did Danger Mouse & Kev Brown but Kno's version is definitely the best of the lot, don't sleep!
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