Hip-Hop’s Most Creative Side Projects
Hip Hop artists are renowned for their creativity, so it’s no surprise that they often venture into other territory. Whether it’s releasing a collaborative music project that is completely different from anything they’ve ever done, or venturing away from music entirely, Hip Hop artists are always trying out new things. While some such projects fail to deliver, here are 10 that managed to capture our imagination.
Gnarls Barkley
Gnarls Barkley is about as unlikely a pairing as possible. Mastermind producer Danger Mouse teamed up with rapper/singer Cee Lo Green for what seemed like a creative flight of fancy, but suddenly became tremendously successful. 2006 debut St. Elsewhere spawned a massive hit in “Crazy,” and 2008 follow-up The Odd Couple managed to somehow surpass the original. Promises of a third album this year have yet to be fulfilled, but fans can only hope this side project bears more fruit.
Deltron 3030
Del tha Funkee Homosapien, Dan the Automator, and DJ Kid Koala teamed up 1999 to record their self-titled debut, a concept album that would become an alternative Hip Hop fan’s dream. The 2000 debut featured contributions from Damon Albarn, Prince Paul, Peanut Butter Wolf, Mr. Lif, and more, and became a cult classic. Fans cruelly had to wait 13 years for a follow-up, but this futuristic hip hop era stands in a class of its own.
Handsome Boy Modeling School
You know a concept is abstract when it’s based on an episode of Chris Elliott’s Get a Life, but that’s what makes Handsome Boy Modeling School so excellent — it’s obscure, subversive, and completely random. A collaboration between Dan the Automator and Prince Paul, the two albums generated by the somewhat short-lived group featured contributions from Mike D of the Beastie Boys, RZA, Mike Shinoda, Jack Johnson, El-P, Pharrell, Black Sheep, and many more. Business disputes doomed HBMS, but at least fans have a pair of albums to show for it.
Yumiko: Curse of the Merch Girl
The first non-album side project on our list, Curse of the Merch Girl is West Coast rapper Murs’ graphic novel, which was, in fact, accompanied by an album. The 70-page comic book was released through digital outlets album with the 10-song album, the former illustrated by Jose Garcia and written by Josh Blaylock, and the latter produced by DJ Foundation. Murs was able to create the project after many delays through Kickstarter funding.
Kanye West’s DONDA
It’s no secret that Kanye West’s creative interests range far and wide, and DONDA is the vehicle for it. Named for his late mother, West’s think tank has its hands in a number of areas: film, art design, concert presentation, and much more. It’s not entirely sure what direction ‘Ye wants to take DONDA, but one thing’s for sure: it’ll be unlike anything else anyone is doing.
The Roots with Jimmy Fallon
When The Roots signed on to be the band for Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, many thought it spelled doom for the legendary Hip Hop collective. Not so. In fact, The Roots got to be more creative than ever before, creating musical arrangements for their guests almost daily, and letting them really show their musicianship (and comedic) chops juxtaposed with music from all kinds of genres.
A Prince Among Thieves
A Prince Among Thieves is Prince Paul’s highly-revered concept album that chronicles the story of Tariq, an emcee who hopes for success in the music game. However, the young emcee must first navigate the harrowing twists and turns of street life, which Prince Paul masterfully conducts from start to finish. Kool Keith, RZA, Big Daddy Kane, Xzibit, and many more (even Chris Rock) are on deck for this superbly creative outing.
De La Soul’s First Serve
Similar to Prince Paul’s A Prince Among Thieves, De La Soul’s First Serve is a concept album that’s a tale of aspiring for success in Hip Hop. First Serve, however, examines how success can fracture friendships. De La’s trademark charisma and wordplay make this particular project a major treat for those familiar and unfamiliar with their earlier work.
RZA Man With the Iron Fists
RZA’s Man With the Iron Fists is a multifaceted project, consisting of not only a movie, but an accompanying soundtrack. It’s Tarantino meets Wu-Tang Clan, and delivers RZA’s vision of a Kung-Fu revenge action flick just as he always intended. It’s intense and stylized, just like RZA’s music. If anyone ever wanted to see what a Wu-Tang Clan album would look like as a movie, this would be a pretty good visual representation.
Lovage
The last of the Dan the Automator entries on this last, Lovage is a collaborative effort between Dan, singers Mike Patton and Jennifer Charles, and DJ Kid Koala. The group’s 2000 debut is dark, funny, and incredibly densely layered. The trip-hop project is a cult classic, though it only spawned one project, and features the same “Nathaniel Merriweather” persona Dan created for Handsome Boy Modeling School.
Hip Hop artists are renowned for their creativity, so it’s no surprise that they often venture into other territory. Whether it’s releasing a collaborative music project that is completely different from anything they’ve ever done, or venturing away from music entirely, Hip Hop artists are always trying out new things. While some such projects fail to deliver, here are 10 that managed to capture our imagination.