Albums to watch

Cheat Codes

Danger Mouse & Black Thought

Cheat Codes

Collaboration between musician and producer Brian Joseph Burton and the lead MC of The Roots

ADM rating[?]

8.1

Label
Warner
UK Release date
12/08/2022
US Release date
12/08/2022
  1. 10.0 |   The Arts Desk

    It's a thrilling reminder of what hip hop can be when you have absolute focus
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  2. 10.0 |   The Observer

    Razor-sharp US rapper Black Thought and his one-time acolyte, now super-producer, Danger Mouse, finally get it together on an album that’s a nonstop joy
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  3. 9.5 |   Northern Transmissions

    This is really, really great music that any appreciator of the sonic arts should dive into. When you dive in, you might not want to leave but that’s a good thing. This is the best hip hop album of 2022
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  4. 9.0 |   Albumism

    As enjoyable as it is to see Black Thought show his chemistry with a myriad of different producers, I believe that Black Thought and Danger Mouse have created something special here and can continue projects as virtuoso as Cheat Codes
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  5. 8.8 |   Sputnik Music (staff)

    This should be an easy sell for anybody who knows their shit: if you don't, sit back, shut your trap, and listen to the master at work
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  6. 8.0 |   NME

    The generationally-acclaimed modern greats are at their best on a long-awaited collaboration that constantly delights
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  7. 8.0 |   Exclaim

    For those who hold the Roots frontman as their example of rap's upper echelon, it's further proof that they just might be right
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  8. 8.0 |   Crack

    A 12-track record that is as unrelenting as it is lush, and a worthy standout among many excellent records leading the revival of socially-aware rap in 2022
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  9. 8.0 |   Clash

    Black Thought’s most complete project to date
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  10. 8.0 |   The FT

    The producer and rapper team up in a collaborative album that feels intently crafted
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  11. 8.0 |   The Guardian

    Contemplating everything from hip-hop to the human condition, the ebullient and long-awaited collaboration is awash with cinematic beats and vivid rhymes
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  12. 8.0 |   Evening Standard

    Densely layered and sophisticated, these tracks immediately feel like familiar favourites
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  13. 8.0 |   Loud And Quiet

    Cheat Codes is a timely reminder of what two great hip hop minds can achieve when they put their heads together. Don’t call it a comeback. This is the start of something new
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  14. 8.0 |   DIY

    This long-awaited album arrives as a tribute to a whole scene rather than just two artists
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  15. 8.0 |   Mojo

    The aesthetic, specifically, is that of finely matured vintage hip-hop, full of cognoscenti nods and crate- digger samples. Print edition only

  16. 8.0 |   Uncut

    Cheat Codes finds Danger Mouse rolling with a new lyrical foil and this one feels like it could run and run. Print edition only

  17. 7.8 |   Beats Per Minute

    Cheat Codes captures the glory of rap’s classic era and brings it to the present through thick mesmerizing samples and the rapper’s incredible vernacular
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  18. 7.5 |   Under The Radar

    It’s evident that the producer-rapper duo complement each other’s work and by featuring other artists, elevate the rappers around them. Because of this, Cheat Codes isn’t just an album for old hip-hop heads – it’s a timeless record that celebrates all artists
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  19. 7.5 |   Spectrum Culture

    A record full of timeless production and memorable rhymes
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  20. 7.2 |   Pitchfork

    After nearly two decades of on-off collaborations, the veteran musicians finally reach the finish line with their first full-length together, yielding a dozen tracks of solid, bare-bones hip-hop
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  21. 7.0 |   Rolling Stone

    The Roots rapper and super producer deliver lush beats and bring on some high-end guests. But Black Thought’s genius sometimes gets a little buried in the mix
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  22. 6.0 |   The Irish Times

    An impressively star-studded collaboration, but not the modern classic they set out to make
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