Ghetto Pop Life

So, in 2003, Lex records released a collabo album from 2 relatively unknown artists. The producer: a quirky guy who named himself Danger Mouse after the cartoon crime solver of the same name. The rapper: a guy who had enough balls to call himself "the gifted one" on his debut album. Together the pair made an album that will not soon be forgotten. Peep this shit!

1. Born-A-MC
Dynamic beat on this one. Danger Mouse starts things off pretty strong. Slow chorus which contrasts with Jemini’s quick rhyming. It’s a short, one verse intro, but it gets the job done, and sets the tone for the rest of the album.

2. Ghetto Pop Life(intro)
First time I heard this I was like… uh what? Its basically just some cathedral choir singing (The Ghetto Pop Choir). But when you get at it and listen, they are singing the lyrics to the hook on Ghetto Pop Life. This track should be ignored unless you are trying to listen to the album front to back.

3. Ghetto Pop Life
The titular (ha) song of the album comes off real nice. Danger Mouse again on a bangin’ beat. It is sophisticated, yet something you could party to, which I feel is Danger Mouse’s biggest strength as a producer. You still got the Ghetto Pop Choir hitting you with some angelic sounding oohs and ahhhs, which adds a lot to the beat. Lyrically, the song is pretty decent. The song features some decent call and response vocals from “the gifted one.” However the chorus is kind of meaningless. Overall though, the track is really memorable. I tend to prefer this album for its production though, and this is one of the better beats on here.

4. Omega Supreme (who?!)
Track starts off decent enough, with some pretty good guitar and hi-hat with Jemini giving a few shout outs. This beat is pretty good, but its not one of Danger’s best. As usual, he keeps it from getting repetitive by continually chopping up the guitar sample. Jemini shows his control of words on this track, and at one point raps increasingly and increasingly fast as the beat drops out. The hook is features some pretty decent singing, but its nothing really amazing. At the end of the track the whole beat drops out except for the drum and Jemini goes on that pretty well.

5. What U Sittin on (feat. Tha Liks)
A song about fine asses. Even before the beat comes in a vocal sample echo’s the theme of the song… “A phat ass, a phat ass…” This song wouldn’t bring much without the humorous rhymes of the Alkoholiks. The beat is surprisingly flat, and uninteresting (except the bass line which is nice), although this allows you to fully appreciate the rhyming, and the chorus. The chorus made me laugh the first time I heard it. Not the actual words, but the way they sing it. Jemini brings it too, but in all honesty, this is the joke song of the album.

6. The Only One
BANGIN’ BEAT! The use of the blues scale is just so nice, the vocal sample is VERY well implemented, and the rest of the samples and the drums manage to keep the song funky and fresh. Love this beat. With that said, I will move on to the lyrics. Jemini does nicely on this track. His flow, timing, and breath control are very nice on this track. He spits some nice rhymes about being innovative and fresh. I love how he doesn’t necessarily bash materialism in general, but instead talks about how people need to stop buying the same stuff as everyone else. He “makes his living deep so you won’t be so shallow.”

7. Take Care of Business (feat. J-Zone)
Nice beat here. A little darker than most of DM’s other stuff on the album, and it’s actually has a little less of a presence, but it definitely works. This is where the album seems to take a turn in terms of mood. This track reminds me almost of Linkin Park, but with a Rakim sample. I would be interested how much of an influence J-Zone might have had on it. Jemini and J-Zone start doing short verses back and forth, and eventually as it comes to the hook they meet up and start going at it together. It sounds real good.

8. Brooklyn Shit
Danger Mouse hits us with some powerful strings, and some slammin’ drums. The beat is pretty good, but nothing too special, except when for brief moments a little bit of accordion come on, adding a new layer to the beat. Jemini raps about and reps Brooklyn. To be honest, I don’t really find this track to be that memorable, but it is still worth a listen or two.

9. Yoo-Hoo!
Track starts out with some funny vocal samples about guys fucking snakes. Then the beat comes in, a more laid back beat, slower tempo than most of the tracks on this album. Beat features some blues guitar, and a nice blues organ with some tremolo. It sounds very good, and sets a nice mood for the song. It’s a song about sex, and the beat is nice and sexy. Jemini lets his braggadocio shine through and talks about how is specialty is “gettin’ her skirt up above her head,” and “getting up in between her legs.” For a song about how much he’s getting, Jemini manages to keep it pretty low key and cool. And the hook is very smooth and catchy. Good track.

10. Copy Cats (feat. Prince Po from Organized Konfusion)
Beat reminds me of ‘Fiddler on the Roof:’ that sort of Jewish/Russian sound that is almost like a marching song. Pretty good, and pretty memorable. This is where the album starts coming back to that fun sound that Danger Mouse is known for. Prince Po hits us with a verse on copycat rappers who can’t create a style of their own, and Jemini follows suite. “You can put your foot in my shoe, but you just can’t fit it.” That pretty much sums up the lyrical part of this song.

11. Don’t do Drugs
A sample of Chris Rock asking an audience member if he does drugs opens up the track with a little scratching session of the words “I’m so high.” Danger Mouse brings it on this beat. Anyone who knows anything about Danger Mouse knows this is his creation. It sounds like one of those old song-cartoons in washed out color. It definitely carries a piece of Brian Burton’s soul. Jemini plays the part of the drug dealer on this track, as well the potential drugee. He basically exposes the way that dealers are very keen to hook new customers, and all that.

12. Medieval
Probably my favourite track on the album. Also my favourite beat. It is so dynamic, with lots of different layers that drop in and out with the greatest of ease. Danger Mouse manages to blend medieval piano, a punchy synth and another performance from the Ghetto Pop Choir. Like I said, my favourite beat on the album, and one of my favourites of all time. And obviously, when you get a feature from Pharcyde (although, its only Bootie Brown), you gotta expect good things. This is a nice concept song, everything goes back to medieval times. Jemini flows nice on the mic for a good first verse. Then the show is stolen by “Lord Doja.” AKA sir Bootie Brown.

13. Bush Boys
Going from medieval times into modern ones goes surprisingly smoothly. A sample of George Bush manages the transition. And Danger Mouse hits us with such a smooth beat with an unusual, but nice blend of piano and sitar. Jemini gets all political on us criticizing the Iraq war. Jemini again exhibits masterful control over his words here changing up the flow very well, especially on the second verse. But what really makes this song for me is the ending, when you see what is going on “meanwhile in Iraq.” Have a listen at this one. “The Bush Boys coming.”

14. Here We Go Again
The vocals on this are beautiful. Danger hooks it up with a funkee bass line and some wah wah. But the beat is one of the more subtle ones on the album, and where the album takes its final turn in terms of mood. Jemini gives you an outlook on the world from the “eyes of the disenfranchised.” This is probably the deepest song on the album lyrically and thematically. The song covers so much ground all I am gonna say is check it out for yourself, cause anything I say will not do this one any justice.

15. I’ma DooMee
The intro is nice and chill with some electric piano, some ooohs and aahs, and a dedication to “all the cats in the industry who are on the road with shorties at home,” and the “shorties.” The beat is again subtle, although this time the drums are pretty bangin’. Jemini basically comes through confessing that although he may be committed to his shorty at home, and that he would “never try to hurt [her],” he’s gotta bust a nut when he’s on the road. The song seems to be heartfelt, and even if you take question with Jemini’s morals, you can tell he is not trying to cheat on his girl, or disrespect her. He even encourages us not to do the same.

16. Knuckle Sandwhich
Final track of the album. Its too bad its almost over. DM hits us with another subtle beat that only gains prominence through the jazzy trumpet sample that keeps coming through. The little vocal sample plays a real subtle role, but helps keep the beat fresh. This track is more like an outro than a legit song. Jemini basically hypes himself up the whole track. “A lotta niggas can’t touch me but they still feel me.” After he does his best to get some shine, and gives a few quick shout outs he starts asking, “Why they wanna come at me like that?” Well, for one thing Jemini, you and Danger just made one hell of an album.

This album is definitely one of my favourites, consistently in my top 5. I just love Danger Mouse. His production is so unique, and so dynamic, and I cannot get enough. Jemini “the gifted one” comes through with a solid performance, and the few guest performances helped make some of the best tracks on the album. Overall, I think this album is great, and I give it a 9/10. Cannot wait for their follow up whenever that comes out.