Album: Jaylib - Champion Sound (2003)
Track: “McNasty Filth” ft. Frank-n-Dank

Today marks the 6th anniversary of the release of Champion Sound. For the uninformed, Jay Dee (a.k.a. J Dilla) + Madlib = Jaylib. The concept of the album is pretty cool: two of the best hip-hop producers - who happen to both be pretty mean on the mic - link up, each track featuring production by one and rapping by the other. Amazingness ensues.

This is one of my all-time favorite albums for a number of reasons. The obvious first: beats, beats, beats. Like I said, both guys are great rhymers, but it’s the song backdrops that make it a classic. The musical knowledge that each producer posses shines through on their myriad of samples. These are two dudes with encyclopedic knowledge of jazz and funk. At the time of its release, J Dilla (R.I.P.) was already known as one of music’s best producers, but in the years to follow, Madlib has secured his legacy to be spoken of in that same way.

It’s a rare thing in the modern era of music for two musical geniuses - from different regions and scenes, no less - to collaborate with such gusto. J Dilla moved out to L.A. from Detroit prior to the album’s creation (and roomed with Common, no-less) and clearly there’s something about California that you can’t find in the Midwest. OK, sun and warmth, I’m assuming… but regardless, the musical and personal connections were there, and out of it came this classic.

Key tracks include “Raw Shit,” featuring the great Talib Kweli on the mic and a couple personal favorite of mine, “Starz” and “The Official.”

This is such a key album in the history of hip-hop, everyone should have it. And study it. And listen some more. And pass it along…

Tracklist:

01. “L.A. to Detroit”
02. “McNasty Filth”
03. “Nowadayz”
04. “Champion Sound”
05. “The Red”
06. “Heavy”
07. “Raw Shit”
08. “The Official”
09. “The Heist”
10. “The Mission”
11. “React”
12. “Strapped”
13. “Strip Club”
14. “The Exclusive”
15. “Survival Test”
16. “Starz”
17. “No Games”