Negrophilia (The Album):Mike Ladd

Title: Negrophilia [the album]

Label: Thirsty Ear

Genre: hip-hop/avant-garde jazz

Rating: 6.2 of 7

I can guarantee you that the hip-hop community will not embrace this album, though it is the brainchild of a Bronx-based MC/producer. Then again, I doubt that Mike Ladd had really set out to impress that particular community. Inspired Petrine Archer-Straw’s Negrophilia, the album of the same name does however fit comfortably in the progressive jazz catalog over at Thirsty Ear. Combining a wide array of musical influence, which include but are not limited to avant-garde and contemporary jazz, hip-hop, French, Latin and African music, Ladd has composed an extremely intelligent and cerebral piece of art. Every so often, Ladd does pick up the mic, but it is always done as another instrument, interweaving the music rather than overshadowing it. His flow resembles very few, but Saul Williams immediately comes to mind. To say that this is an interesting album really sells it short, and I can’t remember the last time I heard a bassoon sound so soulful. I would like to see Ladd hook up with someone like El-P; now that would be progressive hip-hop.

Main Page