Cheat Codes (album) explained

Cheat Codes
Type:studio
Artist:Danger Mouse and Black Thought
Cover:Cheat Codes 2022 Album.png
Genre:Hip hop[1]
Label:BMG
Producer:Danger Mouse

Cheat Codes is a collaborative studio album by American songwriter/producer Danger Mouse and American rapper Black Thought, released on August 12, 2022, by BMG. It followed three albums of solo work for Black Thought, but was Danger Mouse's first hip-hop album since The Mouse and the Mask in 2005.[1]

Dates for the start of the album's production differ, including 2005 when the pair worked on their first tracks together,[2] 2017 when they first had the idea for an album, and 2018 when the bulk of the work was started.[3] After delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic and tracklist changes, it was first announced in a 2020 radio interview with Black Thought where he mentioned its draft title Dangerous Thoughts.[4]

Promotional campaign

The first single from the album, "No Gold Teeth", was issued on May 11, 2022.[5] It was accompanied by a promotional video in which Black Thought raps while his head is permanently obscured by changing images.

The second single to be released was "Because" on June 8.[6] This was promoted by another UNCANNY directed video, released nearly a month later on July 7.[7]

A third single and accompanying video, "Aquamarine", followed on July 13.[8] The final pre-LP single, "Strangers", emerged on August 9, three days before the album's release.[9] A promotional video for the song followed on August 12 to coincide with the release of the album.[10]

After the album's release, a video for the MF DOOM collaboration, "Belize", was released on October 18.[11]

Critical reception

Upon release, Cheat Codes was met with critical acclaim. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from professional publications, the album received an average score of 83, based on 17 reviews.

Reviewing the album for AllMusic, Andy Kellman described it as a combination of "'60s and '70s psych, prog, and soul recordings that are moody, trippy, and sometimes eerie. The crisp if soot-coated drums, smeared strings, moaning organs, and gnarled guitars are all very compatible with Thought, who scythes through it all with unparalleled wordplay delivered with surgical precision."

Former US President Barack Obama listed "Belize" as one of his favourite tracks of 2022.[12]

Track listing

Samples

Personnel

Charts

Chart (2022)! scope="col"
Peak
position
Australian Digital Albums (ARIA)[19] 14
Australian Hitseekers Albums (ARIA)1
Australian Physical Albums (ARIA)25
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[20] 33

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Ruiz . Matthew Ismael . 2022-05-11 . Danger Mouse and Black Thought Announce New Album Cheat Codes, Share New Song . 2022-08-12 . Pitchfork . en-US.
  2. Kaufman . Gil . 2022-05-11 . Danger Mouse and Black Thought Team Up For 'Cheat Codes' Album . 2022-08-12 . Billboard . en-US . Danger Mouse and Black Thought first met up in 2005 and worked on some songs together at the time for a project that was then rumored to be called Dangerous Thoughts..
  3. Web site: Eustice . Kyle . 2022-08-09 . Black Thought & Danger Mouse Explain How A$AP Rocky, Russ, Joey Bada$$ + MF DOOM Landed On 'Cheat Codes' . 2022-08-15 . HipHopDX.
  4. Web site: Mancini . Maggie . 2022-05-12 . Black Thought, Danger Mouse release lead single 'No Gold Teeth' from upcoming collaboration . 2022-08-12 . PhillyVoice . english . When Black Thought made the announcement to radio show Ebro in the Morning in 2020, the album name was rumored to be called "Dangerous Thoughts," a spin on both musician's well-known stage names..
  5. Web site: Farrell . Margaret . Danger Mouse and Black Thought Refuse to Stop on "No Gold Teeth," the First Taste of Their Newly Announced Collaborative Album - May 11, 2022 . floodmagazine.com . 13 December 2022.
  6. Web site: Krol . Charlotte . Listen to Danger Mouse and Black Thought's soulful new single 'Because' - June 8 2022 . nme.com . June 8, 2022 . 13 December 2022.
  7. Web site: Brown . Preezy . Black Thought And Danger Mouse Take Over Times Square In "Because" Music Video - July 9, 2022 . vibe.com . July 9, 2022 . 13 December 2022.
  8. Web site: Skinner . Tom . Danger Mouse and Black Thought team up with Michael Kiwanuka on soulful new single - July 13, 2022 . nme.com . July 13, 2022 . 13 December 2022.
  9. Web site: Gallagher . Alex . Danger Mouse and Black Thought recruit A$AP Rocky and Run the Jewels for 'Strangers' - August 10, 2022 . nme.com . August 10, 2022 . 13 December 2022.
  10. Web site: Skinner . Tom . Danger Mouse & Black Thought share dizzying new 'Strangers' video - August 12, 2022 . nme.com . August 12, 2022 . 13 December 2022.
  11. Web site: Paul . Larisha . Black Thought and Danger Mouse Deliver Pensive Ode to MF Doom in 'Belize' Video - October 18, 2022 . rollingstone.com . October 18, 2022 . 13 December 2022.
  12. Web site: Fragassi . Selena . December 24, 2022 . Barack Obama Shares 2022 Playlist Featuring SZA, Lizzo, Steve Lacy . 25 December 2022 . Spin.
  13. News: Murphy . Lauren . August 12, 2022 . Danger Mouse & Black Thought: Cheat Codes — Punching below its pedigree . The Irish Times . August 27, 2022.
  14. News: Hoffman . Tim . August 8, 2022 . Review: Danger Mouse and Black Thought maintain control with Cheat Codes . Riff . August 27, 2022.
  15. News: August 15, 2022 . Danger Mouse and Black Thought: Cheat Codes . Song Bar . August 27, 2022.
  16. News: Pattison . Louis . August 12, 2022 . Danger Mouse & Black Thought – Cheat Codes . Uncut . August 27, 2022.
  17. News: Empire . Kitty . August 13, 2022 . Danger Mouse and Black Thought: Cheat Codes review – an out-and-out hip-hop masterpiece . The Guardian . August 27, 2022.
  18. News: Cober-Lake . Justin . August 15, 2022 . Danger Mouse & Black Thought: Cheat Codes . Spectrum Culture . August 27, 2022.
  19. The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 22 August 2022. The ARIA Report. Australian Recording Industry Association. 1694. 6, 10, 24. August 22, 2022.
  20. Web site: NZ Top 40 Albums Chart. Recorded Music NZ. August 22, 2022. August 20, 2022.

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