DANGER MOUSE & BLACK THOUGHT: “Up (With Rag’n’Bone Man)” OUT NOW

DANGER MOUSE & BLACK THOUGHT

“Up (With Rag’n’Bone Man)” 

OUT NOW

“The math is not particularly difficult: Take two great artists, put them together, magic.” â€” The New York Times

Danger Mouse and Black Thought have reunited for their first new song together since their Cheat Codes blew the world’s collective minds in 2022: “Up (With Rag’n’Bone Man).” 

“Up” is written and performed by Danger Mouse, Black Thought and Rag’n’Bone Man, produced by Danger Mouse and features Rag’n’Bone Man on vocals and drums. The accompanying video directed by Joshua Ellingson features Danger Mouse, Black Thought & Rag’n’Bone Man and can be seen HERE.

Available now across all digital platforms, “Up” is the very first taste of the long-awaited second LP by Danger Mouse & Black Thought. While the dates of the next full length’s completion and release are anyone’s guess, the pair has provided this gem to make the wait more bearable—though it’s likely “Up” will paradoxically make the interim that much more excruciating: The raw intensity of Black Thought’s performance contrasting with Rag’n’Bone Man’s mournful yet beautiful delivery interwoven with a hypnotic and soothing foundation as only Danger Mouse can provide will inevitably leave listeners craving more.

The duo’s first collaborative album, Cheat Codes, reaffirmed Black Thought as â€œone of the greatest rappers ever” (New York Magazine) and Danger Mouse as â€œa pioneering beat-maker with a knack for blending rock and hip-hop aesthetics” (New York Magazine). It dominated the year-end best-of lists of everyone from Good Morning America, who named it #2 album of 2022 and called it â€œlegendary,” to Vibe, Pitchfork, HipHopDX, Flood, Consequence, NPR Music, NPR’s Fresh Air, The Ringer, and many more. 

Cheat Codes was a testament to the qualities that make Danger Mouse one of the greatest producers of all time: his utterly unique ability to craft a palette complex and flexible enough to enable Black Thought to perform at new heights. On the newly released “Up,” Rag’n’Bone Man’s singular voice and instrumental contribution is equally seamless and sublime. 

British artist Rag’n’Bone Man whose soulful, rich and powerful voice is the embodiment of our collective urgency, and whose hit song “Human” has amassed over 2 billion views on YouTube, joins an illustrious roll call of Danger Mouse & Black Thought collaborators that includes A$AP Rocky, Run The Jewels, Joey Bada$$, Conway the Machine, Kid Sister, MF DOOM, Michael Kiwanuka, and Raekwon.

PRAISE FOR DANGER MOUSE & BLACK THOUGHT’S CHEAT CODES:

“Cheat Codes is brilliant” – NME

“2022’s Most Winning Hip-Hop Album” – MOJO

“From start to finish, it’s flawless” – Zane Lowe 

“an out-and-out hip-hop masterpiece” – The Guardian

“Cheat Codes isn’t just excellent… Danger Mouse constructed these beats with Black Thought and his skill set specifically in mind, and the rapper moves through them deliberately, without compromising what are some of his most writerly verses.” – NPR’s All Things Considered, Editor’s Pick 

“Cheat Codes is a lesson in supreme lyricism and pristine production that should have any aspiring MC/producer combo aiming to get on their level.” – HipHopDX 

“A dense and relentless avalanche of imagery, Cheat Codes finds Black Thought operating at the peak of his still-growing powers. While much of the album’s appeal revolves around his technical virtuosity, Danger Mouse’s production is bold and cinematic. He’s in spectacular form on Cheat Codes, and in excellent company: Danger Mouse is the ideal producing partner for him, with a vintage-distressed style that leaves just enough space for Black Thought’s verbal pyrotechnics.” – NPR Music 

“It’s not a return to form; it’s a reminder that Danger Mouse and Black Thought are the type of artists who define the form… To absolutely no one’s surprise, when two top-tier artists decide to collaborate for an album’s worth of tracks, the final product comes out pretty damn good. Yes, Black Thought is still a Top 5 MC, and yes, Danger Mouse remains a premier beatmaker despite his break from the genre. Even still, ‘pretty damn good’ undersells Cheat Codes, as it’s ultimately a project that exceeds the already high expectations set by its premise.” – Consequence

                              Photo Credit: Shervin Lainez                                           Photo Credit: Max Giorgeschi