Ok, so I’m a little behind the ball on the Jay-Z “Black Album” remix phenomenon. I did not really listen to the Beatles until I was around 30, so it should not come as a surprise that I’m catching up now. LeeJo tried to turn me on to Radiohead back when “Ok Computer” came out, but I still struggle sometimes to get into what they are doing. I’m not saying they are not good. I’ve never been much for Pink Floyd either. Says more about me than them.
I have been as in to hip-hop as a kid from the suburbs of Nashville could be for as long as I’ve been angry with my parents. Although RUN-DMC first proved a DJ could be a band, I have been more partial to Chuck D and various former members of NWA. Acts that have emerged since then have rarely crossed that bar as far as I am concerned, with the exception of Jay-Z and Kanye West. So it’s worth getting in the Wayback Machine and listening to the Grey Album.
On the off chance you don’t know what the Grey Album is, it was a project by a DJ named Danger Mouse (who is currently producing the next U2 album) and it mixes the lyrics from Jay-Z’s “Black Album” with the Beatles’ “White Album.” You can listen to it on the player below or download it from here.
The Beatles are not the only ones who have had the honor of being mashed up with Jay-Z. According to Wikipedia, there are quite a few, but one recommended by @itswendylou has caught my attention and makes Radiohead more interesting to me. Max Tannone put together this excellent project he calls Jaydiohead:
out of sight.