Danny Brown, the 44-year-old rapper from Detroit known for his distinct squawking rapping voice, has been through a lot. He has been incredibly candid about his struggles with drug addiction and mental illness in his projects such as “XXX” and especially the experimental rap drug addiction PSA from 2016 “Atrocity Exhibition.”
Brown, called “Uncle Danny” by his fans, is a versatile rapper not only lyrically, but sonically, and is always willing to experiment and try new sounds. For example, he rapped on dubstep beats on the second half of his 2013 project, “Old.” This interest in electronic music has only grown with his time on the Internet and being surrounded by a ton of different artists.
As a huge and vocal fan of hyperpop music, collaborating with acts such as femtanyl, Jane Remover and Quadeca, it was inevitable for Brown to try his own hand at the genre in his own way while platforming hyperpop artists. This coalesced into Nov. 7’s “Stardust,” which features occasional poetry by Angel from electronic duo Frost Children.
The album begins with the extremely introspective and atmospheric “Book of Daniel,” with production and outro vocals by Quadeca. In the song, he shouts out past collaborators Kendrick Lamar and Earl Sweatshirt and says they’re the actual big three of rap. There’s also the extremely relieving line, “Sleeping real good at night ’cause I’m proud of myself / Say a prayer when I wake up because that rehab helped.” Furthermore, he reassures the audience at the end, “Believe in yourself, and don’t have a care in the world about what anybody think.” This song was likely cathartic for everyone involved and it’s utterly inspiring to hear Danny spreading positivity the way he is with his pen and knowledge of himself and the world.
This gets dampened by the obnoxious and comparatively less profound “Starburst.” The first half of the beat is one of the worst on the entire project for how generic it sounds, but it’s passable. The second half is more interesting and encapsulates the chaos of Brown’s lyricism. It was a mistake to place this song right after one of the most profound songs of his entire career, which is a recurring issue with this album.
“Copycats” with hyperpop artist underscores is an appropriate apology for the previous song. It’s a bouncy and energetic song about reveling in success and making fun of shallow fame-seeking people who steal others’ style. Her vocals are a great contrast to the abrasiveness of Brown’s voice; The “ugh” exclamations by Brown were an excellent stylistic choice as well.
“1999” is where things get extremely experimental and morbidly existential. Featuring experimental electronic artist JOHNNASCUS, known for his chaotic screaming vocals, both artists share a theory that the world ended in 1999. The highlight of the song beyond the glitchy noise instrumental that sounds amazing with Brown’s voice on it is the third verse by JOHNNASCUS where he hypothetically people-watches an entire lifespan. Again, this shouldn’t have been placed where it was, especially after a poppy song like “Copycats,” but for those who enjoy abrasive sonic profiles, this is for you.
“Green Light,” featuring electronic and hyperpop duo Frost Children, sounds like it was produced by the influential Swedish cloud rap collective Drain Gang with the melody and usage of subtle sub-bass.
“What You See,” like “Book of Daniel,” is a super confessional and honest song about Brown’s experiences with the intersections between love, romance and sex, both growing up and as an adult with a more subdued voice and also featuring Quadeca. He opens up to having commitment issues.
“Whatever The Case” features an amazing verse by ISSBROKIE, who outraps Brown on his own song with an aggressive flow reminiscent of old Nicki Minaj with some clever lyrics like “I put a stake through they neck, now I’m lookin’ like Buffy” and “Quit hatin’, boy, come out the closet.”
“The End” is Brown’s longest song by far and one of his best with its three-part beat of atmospheric piano over breakcore drums, more breakcore and then acoustic guitar playing. The lyrics in Ukrainian and Polish by ta Ukrainka feels like communications straight to Danny and feels incredibly heartfelt.
“All4U,” featuring production by hyperpop artist Jane Remover, feels like Danny directly rapping to the audience about his experiences and trying to give his listeners hope, especially with the lyrics “Devil in the rear view, I still hear you / I’ma keep goin’ ’til my life is over.”
Regardless of terrible curation, hearing Brown with a more positive mindset is incredibly empowering for those who have followed him during his lowest times. Maybe this is campy, but Uncle Danny is living proof that changing and healing is possible.
Rating: 3.75/5
Great post! I really appreciated how your article on Danny Brown’s *Stardust* highlighted his healing journey and transformation through music. Thanks for sharing such an honest and inspiring perspective!