Released November 24, 2009 Release date 24 November 2009 | Artists The Black Keys, Blakroc Label V2 Records | |
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Recorded 2009
(Brooklyn, New York City, New York) Length 35:35 (physical)
31:27 (digital) Producer Damon Dash (exec.), Dan Auerbach, Patrick Carney, Joel Hamilton Genres Blues rock, Rap rock, Alternative rock, Alternative hip hop Similar The Black Keys albums, Blues rock albums | ||
Blakroc (stylized as BlakRoc) is a studio album by American rock band The Black Keys, in collaboration with Damon Dash, co-founder and former co-owner of Roc-A-Fella Records, who oversaw the project. The album features guest appearances from several hip hop and R&B acts, namely Mos Def, Nicole Wray, Pharoahe Monch, Ludacris, Billy Danze of M.O.P., Q-Tip of A Tribe Called Quest, Jim Jones and NOE of ByrdGang, as well as Raekwon, RZA and the late Ol' Dirty Bastard of Wu-Tang Clan.
Contents
Recording and production
After Damon Dash began listening to Ohio-based rock duo The Black Keys, which he says quickly became his favorite band, he reached out to the musicians to meet in person. Dash suggested they enter the studio with his friend and associate, New York City-based rapper Jim Jones, with whom Dash had recently partnered to form Splash Records. While recording with co-producer and engineer Joel Hamilton at Studio G, Brooklyn-bred rapper Mos Def, interrupted the session and ended up recording with them as well. With new artists being called in to work on the album, it was completed after eleven weeks of recording. Included in the project are vocals from deceased rapper and former Roc-A-Fella Records artist Ol' Dirty Bastard, tapes which were signed over to his brief Roc4Life venture under Def Jam, with the intention of an eventual album release. In order to release Blakroc, Dash founded an independent record label in conjunction with the band.
Release and promotion
Damon Dash, co-founder of the project has endorsed BlakRoc Camaros, limited edition Chevrolet Camaro automobiles to promote the album and brand. The Black Keys have stated they did not take part in the promotion.
The song "What You Do to Me" was featured in a 2011 Zales Diamonds Valentine's Day commercial and the fourth-season premiere of True Blood as well as the True Blood volume three soundtrack.
The first single for the album, "Ain't Nothing Like You (Hoochie Coo)", features a singing duet between The Black Keys' guitarist Dan Auerbach and Mos Def, with rap verses from Jim Jones; it was released on September 14, 2009.
Reception
The album was generally received well by critics. The album reached Number 1 and Number 7 on the US Billboard Heatseakers chart and US Billboard Top Rap Albums respectively. Nick Neyland of BBC music stated in his review "this is a surprisingly compelling and welcome rejoining of the rap and rock worlds that successfully captures the off-the-cuff nature of the recording sessions."
Blakroc 2
In early September 2011, a trailer surfaced for Blakroc 2, the second album from Blakroc, the collaborative hip-hop project from the Black Keys and Damon Dash, however, later that month in an interview with Atlanta radio station 92.9 Dave FM, Black Keys drummer Patrick Carney said, "BlakRoc 2 is not coming out soon... there are no plans for that."
Carney said that the trailer is actually an unauthorized video that was pieced together about two years ago. They recorded "about eight songs" two years ago, but the album was never completed. A publicist has confirmed that there is no release date set for Blakroc 2. The trailer was posted on the YouTube channel of Damon Dash's DD172 media collective.
Songs
1On the Vista2:41
2Hard Times2:37
3Dollaz & Sense3:44