Thrasher recently ran a shorter version and video snippet of the interview I did with Detroit rapper Danny Brown (he’s since released a free-to-download album here); here’s the long version:
Is it me or did independent rap just get interesting again? In the same cultural moment where today’s instant-classic album was yesterday’s free-to-download comes Danny Brown, a rapper and producer whose aptly titled 2010 album The Hybrid hints at the myriad, seemingly contradictory qualities that make him so interesting. This Detroiter has an almost superhuman control of his pitch and breath-control, starting and stopping and buzzing and bouncing over beats that allude to the early days of Definitive Jux. Track by track Danny entertains: “All my bitches eat pussy like Missy / But they look like Chrissy / from “Three’s Company”, roll another blunt for me…” He even delivers his disses with a smile: “My chocolate melts in your girl’s mouth, Mr. Goodbar!” More than a punch-line champ, however, Danny, on other tracks, reports on teen pregnancy, splurges with a benefit card, and expresses the bleak ambition of smalltime drug-dealers “I’m trying to make re-up / Fuck around, put a G up, and drink a fifth with my niggas.” Danny simultaneously appeals to rap heads and people who don’t like rap, holding forth with the new guard (The Pack, Odd Future, Das Racist, Ninjasonik), while having nonetheless collaborated with Tony Yayo and almost gotten signed to 50 Cent’s G-Unit. In true rap artist fashion, Danny and I twisted one up in his van after his Death Match set and had the following words.
You asked me what I thought about your set and I said it was funny.
Yeah, that’s cool, because I put a lot of comedy into it, even though there’s a lot of truth and serious shit in there. I feel that’s the way to break it to people when you’re telling them something serious. I think a lot of that, too, is just coming from Detroit rap—that’s what we’re known for. With Eninem, D-12, 8 Mile and the open mic scene—I came up in that. There’s comedy in all that shit, and this is my take on it now. Current times, I’d say Kevin Hart is kinda killing it. I like Ricky Gervais, too.
Why is most rap so unfunny?
Um, I think there are a lot of artists that work on [making it funny] but there are a lot of guys who take themselves too seriously. It’s all macho because they’re trying to be gangster and there aren’t any jokes. Me, I still talk about the same stuff that those guys talk about but I figured out a way to put some humor into it.
Is it true that 50 Cent wouldn’t sign you because you insist on wearing skinny jeans?
Yeah, that’s true.
That’s the funniest reason in the rap world for not getting signed.
But it’s cool, though. I feel like for every door that closes another one opens. You know, I just signed to Fool’s Gold—
–About three days ago. How’d they get you that Fool’s Gold t-shirt to you so quick?
You know, I got this t-shirt when we first did the interview. You know I’m going to raid the t-shirts, man, c’mon.
You’re sagging so I noticed you’re wearing boxer briefs.
Yeah.
Let’s talk about that. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a rapper sag in boxer briefs. Usually sagging is relegated to boxers. Now, don’t get me wrong: I’m a man who wears whitey-tighties with pride. But I am also not a black rapper.
[Laughs] I mean, I don’t like to dangle! I like to keep everything intact. With boxers there’s a little too much movement going on and I get a boner going on every five minutes. With the boxer-briefs, they’re longer…
…So you can sag more.
Yeah. I’ve got all colors, man.
Why did you start wearing tight jeans?
In about ’02, ’03 I went to New York, and it was my first time leaving Detroit. I was going to what you could call “hipster clubs” with rock music and not too much dancing. And, you know, my preference with women are white girls, so I would go to these clubs but I would still have the big pants, army coats, the Air Force Ones, and shit like that, and I was getting no bitches, man! I had to get some bitches. Then I went to LA the next year…
…White pants central.
For three months I was going to clubs and I was shopping out there because I had to dress for the white women. I don’t dress for niggas; I don’t give a fuck what a nigga think about how I look.
Not even 50 Cent.
Yeah, I don’t give a damn. That’s gay! Why you care about how another man look? This is for the women and they might want to check it out.
How’s SXSW been going?
I’ve been taking it slowly. I had a lot of shows. Tonight is the Fool’s Gold show with DJ A-Trak. I’m going to rage out tonight.
Did you check out the skating here at Death Match?
Oh, yeah, it looked like some pretty professional action. Nobody’s hurting themselves; there’s no scrubs up there.
Your music is great to listen to while skateboarding; it actually increases the height of ollies. I speak from personal experience.
I’m glad you said that; it’s an honor. I mean, I don’t know every pro skater but my love for skateboarding came from videogames. I started with Skate or Die, back in the day, on regular Nintendo! Then Tony Hawk Pro Skater started to get better with its soundtracks.
What music did you find?
Cannibal Ox. Aesop Rock. But I mean, right now skateboarders and skateboarder lifestyle has influenced a lot of things, including music.
Do you have a release date for your next album?
No, I’m just working on it right now.
You have a ton of material?
Yeah, I got like a 100 songs.
How many of those 100 do you really like?
Right now I can’t say too many. Sometimes I just do so much random shit that it takes a minute for it to mature. I might make a song and be like “Eeeh…” but in five months it’ll be the song that everybody likes. I might be the worst critic on my music.
Are you the type of artist who is overly critical or do you love everything you touch? You seem to be the former.
I would say I’m overly critical because I’m a fan of my own music. What would I want Danny Brown to do?
How do you like this Blue Cheese? I got it here in Austin.
It’s pretty good. I got some Skittles and some AK-47 mixed from Detroit. I can’t leave home without my medicine.
How’s the Death Match going?
Good. You know, Das Racist are my homies. We’re going on tour soon.
What do you think about that rapper Despot, who shared a few songs onstage with those guys? He was signed to Def Jux for years but never put out an album.
Yeah, he’s my homie, too. I met Despot through Twitter and we started kicking it. He’s actually the guy who put me up on Odd Future and Das Racist. I came up to New York to do a couple shows at CMJ and we hung out. Ever since we’ve been kicking it.
What’s the future of rap? You might have an interesting answer.
Well, rap is back how it used to be, like in the 70s. I feel like it’s back in the park but in a digital way. Back then there were only like five, 12 rappers, and you bought all the records that came out if you were into rap. Right now, you choose what the fuck you want to listen to, and it don’t matter what the label put out. Somebody could just upload a CD from their bedroom, and it could be the hottest shit tomorrow. Now it’s like a digging-thing, where everyone wants to find the most unsigned artist that’s hot but no one knows about. [Previously] it had always been 30-year-old guys running rap. When I was Odd Future-age, it was all about Jay-Z. They weren’t going to let me in the door. Now, with the young guys, it they turn.
What’s the biggest advantage to not having two front teeth?
Um, eating pussy is easy [laughs]. It’s all clitoris action, man!
