Madlib "Shades of Blue" (2003)

So Madlib was given a dream gig for many producers:  access to the Blue Note vault, and authorization to sample and mix as much as he wanted.  The result is probably the best jazz/hip hop hybrid album ever released.

Madlib "Blunted in the Bomb Shelter" (2002)

The titular Bomb Shelter is Madlib's basement studio.  Here he mixes up elements from some insanely large collection of classic Trojan reggae tracks.  There are elements from what sounds like hundreds of classic songs.  While Madlib's cutup technique works against the hypnotic side of reggae, it's a surprisingly enjoyable listen.

Madlib "Medicine Show vol 1: Before the Verdict" (2010)

The first volume of Madlib's "Medicine Show" series is a bit schizophrenic.  It comes across as more of an odds & sods project, with guest vocalist Guilty Simpson being the unifying factor.  That in & of itself is a weakness, at least for me, as I am not much of a GS fan.  In theory, the tension between his dead serious, street level rhymes, & Madlib's playful intellectualism should be intriguing.  In practice, Madlib seems pulled down.  When working with more talented collaborators he steps his game up.  Here, he feels too much like he's going through the motions.

Madlib "Beat Kondukta vol 5 & 6" (2009)

This album cover is so representative of Madlib's sound.  A degrading imagine, strong at first impression, that slowly slips away as you come closer to grabbing it.  Brilliant.

As I listened to this album I kept thinking about how Madlib seems to be underappreciated.  Oh sure, there's a sense that critically he's seen as a talented guy, but there's really only a small cult of Madlib heads who really seem to value his music.  Why is a band like Radiohead seen as perhaps the dominant musical voice of our time?  What do they offer that he doesn't?  My initial reaction is that residual rockism is the answer.  They're seen as musicians, while he's seen as some sort of DJ/producer figure.

This entry in the Beat Konducta series is Madlib's tribute to his good friend & collaborator, J Dilla.  It's an information rich instrumental sound collage.  Highly recommended.