Almost 20 years after recording the follow-up to their beloved 2003 album Ghetto Pop Life, Danger Mouse and Jemini are ready to share the long-shelved Born Again. Ahead of its August 25th release via Lex Records, check out one song from the project, “Brooklyn Basquiat,” below.
Released on September 9th, 2003, Ghetto Pop Life marked Danger Mouse’s first official album released on a record label. He went on to work with the likes of MF DOOM, CeeLo Green, The Shins’ James Mercer, and Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ Karen O, but before that, he and Brooklyn rapper Jemini recorded Born Again.
A press release describes the unreleased record as more introspective than the duo’s braggadocios debut, but “Brooklyn Basquiat” still has Ghetto Pop Life’s scrappy quality. “I made a few records but I’m still struggling,” Jemini admits, though moments later, he spits, “The issue that I’m trying to address in this song/ Is how a n**** stay fresh this long.” Complete with a flute melody and an interpolation of The Notorious B.I.G.’s “Hypnotize,” the track opens the door to a hip-hop era long gone.
Check out the tracklist for Born Again below. Jemini has stepped away from the music industry since his aughts collaborations with Danger Mouse, while the producer released two projects last year: the Broken Bells album INTO THE BLUE, and the Black Thought collaboration Cheat Codes.
Born Again Tracklist:
01. All I
02. Locked Up
03. Me
04. Knuckle Sandwich II
05. Born Again
06. Brooklyn Basquiat
07. Walk the Walk
08. Where You From
09. Dear Poppa
10. World Music
