Trigger Warnings: Suicide, Drug/Alcohol Abuse
American rapper Danny Brown may fly under the radar when it comes to mainstream success, but when it comes to creating some of the 2010s most influential hip-hop music, he stands near the top. Brown made it clear with his sophomore record XXX that he wanted to be a loud and abrasive figure in the space, even being recognized as third in the “50 Best Rap Mixtapes of the Millenium” by Pitchfork. Brown wouldn’t just stop there; he would continue his rap career with Atrocity Exhibition, collaborating with other great MCs like Kendrick Lamar, Ab-Soul, Earl Sweatshirt, and Petite Noir. To this day, Atrocity Exhibition gets its flowers as the best album released in 2016 by many, including YouTube’s busiest music nerd, The Needle Drop. What made Danny Brown so recognizable within the hip-hop space was his distinctive voice, eccentric style, and experimental approach. So it would come as a surprise when, in 2023, Brown announced his album Quaranta, which completely abandons his original style to open up about his personal issues.
Prior to releasing the album, Brown dropped details on the album’s subject matter in a Rolling Stone article. He dubbed Quaranta his “most personal” album, on which he “explores his experiences with pain, isolation, and hitting rock bottom.” In context, the production of this album occurred while Brown spent time in rehab to recover from drug and alcohol addiction. He explained while referring to his new album, “It was almost like, if I died, this is what I have to say.” Danny Brown is no stranger to dark topics at all; his music was presented in a way to horrify the listener with meticulously honest lyrics yet nihilistically danceable production to cover it all. This juxtaposition makes Brown’s past music electric, yet with this new album, he strives to strip it back and let his writing shine.
Quaranta may only be 34 minutes long, but its emotional potency makes up for it. The record comes out of the gate already displaying Brown’s turmoil within the rap game, explaining how hip-hop became a double-edged sword for him on the title track, “Quaranta.” The lyric reads, “This rap s*** done saved my life, and f***** it up at the same time.” For Brown, rap came with money, but with drug abuse. He continues the track, explaining the pain and trauma in his inner self. He also outlines his past thoughts on suicide, saying, “I could’ve ended it in seconds, just time on my side,” introducing the recurring theme of the album: time is of the essence.
Throughout the tracklist, through songs like “Jenn’s Terrific Vacation,” “Down Wit It,” and “Hanami.” Brown would continue to explore his hardships since the COVID-19 pandemic. While the Atrocity Exhibition was thrilling, Quaranta feels more like a cry for help. The more laid-back production compared to his previous work also reflects a sense of maturity in Brown’s career and further highlights his lyricism by putting it at the forefront of the LP.
This isn’t to say that there are no eccentric tracks on this album, as there are a few in classic Danny Brown fashion. The examples include ‘Tantor’ and Dark Sword Angel’, and although, in theory, they would stand out like a sore thumb with the rest of the album, they strangely fit. These two tracks within the record are a much-needed change of pace and represent Brown’s chaotic state of mind, never finding any peace.
Quaranta is truly a bold record from someone who, prior to this, found it hard to confide in others because of his feelings about switching up his signature style during the peak of his career. The record is cohesive and captivating, never letting up the emotion, creating a tear-jerking 34-minute experience that is unforgettable. The album is completely unique compared to Danny Brown’s prior discography, making it a once-in-a-lifetime experience that deserves the utmost respect and praise. It must’ve been undeniably hard to write these lines, let alone release them to the world, and I think it’s time to once again give Brown his flowers for curating the best hip-hop album of the year.
Final Rating: 4.5/5 stars
