Sometimes — often even — patience is rewarded. After waiting years for a first real solo album from Black Thought, the Philadelphia rapper offers us a second only a few months after Cheat Codes, made in collaboration with Danger Mouse. Appears therefore these days Glorious Game, in collaboration with El Michels Affair.
It’s not as if Black Thought hadn’t amply shone on The Roots’ extensive discography since the early 1990s. Even if his name never made it onto an album cover, he would be recognized as one of the greatest MCs of all time.
We did write, however, that “Never has Black Thought’s talent been magnified more than on Cheat Codes,” which launched last August. The contribution of the excellent producer Danger Mouse should not be overlooked. His canvases of vibrant percussion and skilful layering gave the space and rhythmic variations Tarik Luqmann Trotter needed to set the microphone on fire on each of the tracks.
Does the “cinematic soul” group El Michels Affair achieve this as well? Yes, but not in the same way. The atmosphere of Glorious Game is not the same as that of Cheat Codes. On the latter, the objective was to demonstrate who are the best. Rap remains a competitive sport. Glorious Game is more laid back and follows a more defined narrative thread. Across 11 tracks, plus an instrumental piece, Thought talks about his life, culture, career and love. The beauty of the subject does not necessarily mean less sharp rhymes. “At first, love was elusive, this old heart was icy/The cold part: I thought the final wifey was unlikely/My lover friend, my spiritual twin, yeah, nothing like me/And rightfully so, I never met somebody more striking “, he raps on That Girl.
For its part, El Michels Affair does not only offer soul and jazz rhythms. Some beats, we think of Hollow Way, are in the pure boom bap tradition. Leon Michels, leader of the formation, also makes good use of sampling. The band rose to prominence through acoustic covers of Wu-Tang Clan songs. This sound is in his DNA.
Unlike Cheat Codes, there are very few guests on Glorious Game. Kirby, Son Little, and Brainstory provide a few choruses, but that’s about it. We wanted a Black Thought solo album. We are served like never before.
