Madvillainy
It’s been reviewed a thousand times. The timeless pairing of two of the most influential hip hop minds in recent memory. The Super Villain meets the Loop Digga. The music scene around the turn of the century became oversaturated with “typicals”. Bands, one after another, following the same blueprint. After the early and even late 90’s renaissance, people were yearning for something fresh. Something different. Something unexpected. Stones Throw records was born during that late 90’s revival, and with it came a breath of fresh air. Their masterwork in 2004 was Madvillainy, a collaboration between two of the most enigmatic personalities across any genre. Not your typical record label, Stones Throw allowed their artists to breathe without constant pressure about creative output or control. This allowed artists like Madlib the freedom to operate outside typical norms. His vision to work with mysteriously masked MF DOOM seemed like a match made in heaven, and it was exactly that. A once in a lifetime album that exemplified the Stones Throw way, and allowed both artists to operate outside of the box that so many before them constructed and seemed confined to. From beginning to end, Madvillainy sounds like nothing you’ve ever heard before, and still sounds as fresh as it did 18 years ago. A timeless record destined to live in infamy and lore. Madvilliany has been in print ever since it’s release. However, after the passing of MF DOOM last year, it has become increasingly difficult to pin down. It was produced through Stones Throw records, and is continuously restocked from here until eternity. Highly Recommended.