If chaos was an album, JPEGMAFIA and Danny Brown’s collaborative album titled SCARING THE H*ES, would be the perfect representation. The tracks are filled with eccentric noises, strange titles, and scratchy instrumentals in the background. The album itself seems to be opposing the norm of conventional hip-hop and rap. This collaboration has been teased by Danny Brown and JPEGMAFIA for almost a year now, and they did not disappoint.
Although the music is abrasive, and nonsensical at times, SCARING THE H*ES is phenomenally produced. JPEGMAFIA’s choice of instrumentals enhances the grittiness of the lyrics, which is seen in “Run the Jewels” through the use of unnerving saxophone tunes layering behind short and abrupt lines. Just when a listener thinks the album is calming down with the jazz intro in “Jack Harlow Combo Meal”, the track quickly switches back to the fast-paced and hectic energy. This song specifically is full of witty and niche references, like “Man, I can’t — with y’all —, y’all let Jack Harlow sell y’all chicken”, referring to the growing trend of celebrity-backed meals at fast food restaurants. This album shows JPEGMAFIA’s true strength as a producer behind the boards.
Danny Brown’s lyrics, on the other hand, hint at a deeper meaning, particularly at a possible past decline into substance abuse. This album is structured chronologically, with the second half having a slowed-down, drowsy feeling. This feeling begins with “Kingdom Hearts Key”, featuring samples from anime composer Yoko Kanno. That innocent feeling contrasts lyrics about whip-its and long nights. Additionally, in “God Loves You”, the gospel music samples contrast the rather vulgar lyrics with Biblical references.
The two artists have worked together in the past, but in this album, JPEGMAFIA shows off more chaotic beats. Samples are also used on this album, most notably with the lead single “Lean Beef Patty” sampling “I Need a Girl (Part 2)” by Diddy. When samples aren’t in use, the artists make use of a variety of entertaining noises. On many of the tracks, one can hear echoed handclaps layered in the background. On other tracks, a woman’s chanting voice can be heard. In other songs, nearly every kind of percussion instrument is in use. This variety creates somewhat of a scavenger hunt of music. Every time you listen to a song again, you notice a new aspect that you didn’t notice before. While this is a positive to many, it is also the reason for criticism by many reviewers. They say that the album feels dizzying and “a little messy”.
Danny Brown and JPEGMAFIA have a clear distaste for the drab and boring music world, and this shines through in their album, even when it borders becoming strange. At the end of the day, this album is definitely not for everyone, but the production level and amount of details can be praised by anyone.