Madlib

Last updated

Madlib
MadlibMarch2014Echo (cropped).jpg
Madlib performing in 2014
Background information
Birth nameOtis Jackson, Jr.
Also known as Quasimoto, Yesterdays New Quintet, DJ Rels, Beat Konducta, The Loop Digga
Born (1973-10-24) October 24, 1973 (age 50)
Oxnard, California, U.S.
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Record producer
  • rapper
  • songwriter
  • disc jockey
Instrument(s)
Years active1993–present
Labels
Member of
Formerly of
Website www.stonesthrow.com/madlib

Otis Jackson Jr. (born October 24, 1973), known professionally as Madlib, is an American DJ, music producer, multi-instrumentalist, and rapper. He is widely known for his collaborations with MF DOOM (as Madvillain), J Dilla (as Jaylib), and Freddie Gibbs (as MadGibbs). Madlib has described himself as a "DJ first, producer second, and MC last." [1] [2] His stage name is an acronym for "Mind Altering Demented Lessons In Beats". [3]

Contents

Early life

Otis Jackson Jr. was born on October 24, 1973, [4] in Oxnard, California, [5] to musician parents Otis Jackson, Sr. and Dora Sinesca Jackson. He sampled his first song at 11 years old, sourced from his father's collection. His younger brother is the producer and rapper Michael "Oh No" Jackson. [6] His uncle is the jazz trumpeter Jon Faddis. He was raised in Oxnard, where he began his music career.

Music career

1993–1998: Early career

In the early 1990s, Madlib formed a loose-knit collective composed of rappers who worked with him in his Oxnard-based "Crate Diggas Palace" studio. [7] This collective was composed primarily of his friends, and became known as CDP. The crew included affiliated artists such as Madlib's younger brother Oh No, Kankick, Dudley Perkins aka Declaime, M.E.D. aka Medaphor, and others. Madlib's first commercially released music was production for the rap group Tha Alkaholiks in 1993. He went on to record music of his own with the group Lootpack. Their 12-inch EP Psyche Move was released by Madlib's father in 1995 on a label also called Crate Diggas Palace. This record caught the attention of Peanut Butter Wolf, founder of the Stones Throw Records label, who signed the group in 1998.

Madlib at Stones Throw Records special, December 4, 2005 Madlib.jpg
Madlib at Stones Throw Records special, December 4, 2005

1999–2009: Stones Throw Records

Lootpack's 1999 debut album Soundpieces: Da Antidote ushered in a string of releases on Stones Throw centering on Madlib's production work which would continue for a decade. His first solo work, The Unseen , under the guise of Quasimoto, came in 2000. The album was met with critical acclaim and named by Spin as one of the top 20 albums of the year. [8]

In 2001, Madlib moved away from hip hop music and began a series of releases from Yesterdays New Quintet, a jazz-based, hip hop and electronic-influenced quintet made up of alter-egos or fictional musicians played by Madlib. Over the next several years, through several record releases on Stones Throw and other labels, the growing number of pseudonyms and fictional players came to be known as Yesterdays Universe. [9] Madlib was later invited to remix tracks from the Blue Note Records archive in 2003, which he released as Shades of Blue . In addition to the remixes, the album contained newly recorded interpretations of Blue Note originals, many of which were credited to members of Yesterdays New Quintet. Beginning with the 2007 album The Funky Side of Life by Yesterdays New Quintet spin-off group Sound Directions, the Yesterdays Universe also began incorporating additional session musicians who were not pseudonyms of Madlib.

Returning to hip hop music in 2003, Madlib announced two collaborative projects. He joined hip hop producer J Dilla in a duo known as Jaylib, which released Champion Sound . Madlib then collaborated with rapper MF DOOM, known together as Madvillain. Produced by using a Boss SP-303 and a turntable, their 2004 album Madvillainy was highly anticipated and well-received, topping many critics' year-end lists. [10] [11]

The 2005 Quasimoto album The Further Adventures of Lord Quas met with warm reception [12] and continued the Quasimoto tradition of using vocal samples from Melvin Van Peebles, who is credited on the album liner notes as a collaborator. Throughout the rest of the decade Madlib continued to release jazz material simultaneously with his hip hop work: Perseverance with Percee P, Liberation with Talib Kweli, Sujinho with Ivan Conti of Azymuth, his own instrumental hip hop series Beat Konducta, In Search of Stoney Jackson with Strong Arm Steady, O. J. Simpson with Guilty Simpson, and production work for artists such as Erykah Badu and De La Soul.

Madlib and J Rocc in Cologne, Germany, in 2003 Rapper and producer Otis Jackson Jr. aka Madlip.jpg
Madlib and J Rocc in Cologne, Germany, in 2003

2010–present: Madlib Invazion, Madlib Medicine Show

In 2010, Madlib announced his own imprint called Madlib Invazion, formed to release a music series called Madlib Medicine Show. [13] The series would ultimately take over two years to complete, culminating with 13 album releases and several vinyl-only EPs spanning hip hop, jazz, remixes, and multi-genre DJ mixtapes. The label has continued to release records outside of the original series. In 2011, Madlib composed the film score for the A Tribe Called Quest documentary film Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest . [14] Madlib also produced "Cadillacs" with Snoop Dogg for his mixtape That's My Work Volume 3 , released on February 27, 2014. [15]

Freddie Gibbs and Madlib announced plans for a collaboration album late in 2011 with the release of an EP titled Thuggin , which was followed by a second EP titled Shame on June 22, 2012, and a third EP titled Deeper on September 24, 2013. The duo's full-length collaboration album Piñata was released on March 18, 2014, to widespread critical acclaim. The pair, later known as MadGibbs, released a follow-up album titled Bandana on June 28, 2019.

In a 2010 interview with LA Weekly, Madlib stated that Kanye West put five of his beats on hold for the album he was working on at the time. [16] While none of the beats were used, Madlib did take part in the recording sessions for the album, which evolved from Good Ass Job to My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy . [17] He was also rumored to be involved in West's collaboration album with Jay-Z entitled Watch the Throne , but ultimately was not. [18] West was interviewed as part of the 2014 Stones Throw documentary film Our Vinyl Weighs A Ton, in which he opens up about working with Madlib and wanting more of his beats for future projects. [19]

On January 18, 2016, West released the Madlib-produced "No More Parties in L.A." featuring Kendrick Lamar on SoundCloud as part of his GOOD Fridays series. [20] According to reports, the track originated from the recording sessions for My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy in 2010. [21] West also recited a few lines from the track in the Our Vinyl Weighs A Ton interview. [19] "No More Parties in L.A." appears on his seventh album, which underwent several name changes: So Help Me God, SWISH, and Waves, before finally being released as The Life of Pablo on February 12, 2016. West also hinted at the possibility of future collaborations with Madlib via Twitter thanking him for sending over six beat CDs. [22]

Following Mac Miller's death, Chicago producer Thelonious Martin claimed on February 20, 2019, that Mac Miller and Madlib were reportedly working on an album together, called MacLib. [23] [24] Madlib addressed this statement on March 19, 2019, stating that he had recorded an EP with Mac Miller between 2015 and 2017, but that there were no plans of releasing the EP. [25] However, Madlib added during an interview on June 3, 2019, that if Mac Miller's estate gives him the right to, he will release the EP. [26] On February 8, 2020, a MacLib song was leaked. [27] On March 28, 2023, Madlib revealed in an interview on Sway in the Morning that he was "finishing up" his collaborative effort with the late Miller, and that the rapper's estate was on board with a release. [28]

In January 2021, in an interview with The Guardian, Madlib revealed he missed the opportunity to join forces with Kendrick Lamar on his 2015 album, To Pimp a Butterfly . [29]

On April 23, 2021, fellow rapper Logic released "Mars Only pt. 3," a collaboration between him and Madlib, on his YouTube channel under the name Madgic. [30]

Musical style and influences

During an interview on Chrome Children, Madlib stated that his most significant musical influences include Miles Davis, Sun Ra, and David Axelrod.

On his song "Jazz Cats, Part 1" from his album The Unseen (2000), he gave an extensive overview of his jazz influences. Aside from Davis and Ra who are noted earlier, he named George Benson, Hampton Hawes, Steve Kuhn, George Cables, Cedar Walton, Herbie Hancock, Gene Harris and the Three Sounds, Bobby Hutcherson, Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, Horace Silver, Bill Evans, Terry Gibbs, Gary Burton, Donald Byrd, George Duke, Lee Morgan, Shirley Scott, Groove Holmes, Jimmy Smith, Gene Russell, the Art Ensemble of Chicago, Michael White, Cal Tjader, Weather Report, Max Roach, Freddie Hubbard, Cannonball Adderley, Eddie Harris, Milt Jackson, Ron Carter, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, William Fisher, John Coltrane, Gary Bartz, Kool & the Gang, Modern Jazz Quartet, Johnny Hammond, Carl Saunders, Paul Bley, Thelonious Monk, Norman Connors, Albert Ayler, McCoy Tyner, & Dizzy Gillespie. [31]

Some of his hip hop influences are Large Professor, Marley Marl, Paul C, DJ Pooh, and Dr. Dre.[ citation needed ]

Partial discography

Solo albums
Collaborative albums

Related Research Articles

<i>Madvillainy</i> 2004 studio album by Madvillain

Madvillainy is the only studio album by American hip hop duo Madvillain, consisting of British-American rapper MF Doom and American record producer Madlib. It was released on March 23, 2004, on Stones Throw Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Madvillain</span> American hip hop duo

Madvillain was an American hip hop supergroup formed in 2002, consisting of rapper MF DOOM and producer Madlib. Their only album, Madvillainy (2004), earned critical acclaim and cult popularity, widely regarded as one of the greatest rap albums of all time and a benchmark record for alternative hip hop. Their intricate rhymes and lyrics, short song structures and use of obscure, stylistically diverse samples made for a sound that was generally unfriendly to commercial radio but was lauded for its influence on underground rap. A follow-up album to Madvillainy was rumored to be in production at various times since the late 2000s, but no further original material has surfaced from the duo since 2010, and MF DOOM's death in 2020 has left the future of the project uncertain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stones Throw Records</span> American independent record label

Stones Throw Records is an American independent record label based in Los Angeles, California. Under the direction of founder Peanut Butter Wolf, Stones Throw has released music ranging from hip hop to experimental psychedelic rock. LA Weekly deemed the label an "eternally evolving experiment" in celebration of its 20th anniversary.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Quasimoto</span> Hip hop side project of producer/rapper Madlib

Quasimoto is a side project of hip hop producer Madlib, from Oxnard, California. Quasimoto is composed of Madlib and his animated alter ego Lord Quas. Lord Quas is known for his high-pitched voice, which often interacts with Madlib's regular voice. Quasimoto was conceived one day in the studio, when Madlib decided to rap to his own beats. Madlib did not like the sound of his voice, so he decided to slow his recorder down, rap slowly, then speed the recording back up to produce Lord Quas' distinctive high-pitched sound. Quasimoto's lyrics frequently address themes such as violence and drug use in a comedic fashion, and the character of Lord Quas has been interpreted as a satirical take on gangsta-rap.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oh No (musician)</span> American rapper and record producer from California

Michael Woodrow Jackson, known professionally as Oh No, is an American rapper and record producer who has released several albums on Stones Throw Records. He is half of the hip hop duo Gangrene along with The Alchemist. He is also half of the hip-hop duo The Professionals with his brother Madlib.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karriem Riggins</span> American drummer

Karriem Riggins is an American jazz drummer, record producer, DJ and songwriter from Detroit, Michigan. He met Chicago rapper Common and fellow Detroit musician J Dilla both in 1996, and served as an extensive contributor for releases by both artists. He produced for Common's 1997 album One Day It'll All Make Sense, did so on much of his further projects, and formed the musical trio August Greene with the rapper alongside fellow jazz instrumentalist Robert Glasper in 2018. Furthermore, he formed the Jahari Massamba Unit with Madlib in 2020, and has also worked with prominent music industry artists including Paul McCartney, Kanye West, Denzel Curry, Earl Sweatshirt, and Norah Jones, among others.

<i>Champion Sound</i> 2003 Album by Madlib and J Dilla

Champion Sound is a collaborative album by the duo Jaylib, consisting of producers J Dilla and Madlib. The album was released in 2003 and is considered a classic in the underground hip-hop scene. The title track, "Champion Sound," features a sample from the 1978 film The Deer Hunter and showcases the duo's signature blend of soulful beats and intricate rhymes. The album also features guest appearances from Talib Kweli and Percee P.

<i>Liberation</i> (Talib Kweli and Madlib album) 2007 studio album by Talib Kweli & Madlib

Liberation is a collaborative album by Talib Kweli and Madlib. It was made available as a free download from Stones Throw's Rappcats website, and Kweli and Madlib's MySpace pages for the first week of 2007, beginning New Year's Eve 2007. It was removed about a week later. One cover for the album is an adaptation of a piece by guerrilla artist Banksy, and an alternative cover is a collage of Talib Kweli, a dollar sign, and the Statue of Liberty.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Madlib discography</span>

The following is a list of Madlib releases under that name or Yesterdays New Quintet, a fictional jazz group created by Madlib.

Jack Brown, better known by his stage name Wildchild, is an American rapper from Oxnard, California. He is a member of Lootpack.

<i>Madvillainy 2</i> 2008 remix album by Madvillain

Madvillainy 2: The Madlib Remix is a remix album by American hip hop duo Madvillain, consisting of rapper MF DOOM and producer/rapper Madlib. The album is a re-working created by Madlib of their 2004 debut album, Madvillainy. It was released via Stones Throw Records in 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Freddie Gibbs</span> American rapper (born 1982)

Fredrick Jamel Tipton, better known by his stage name Freddie Gibbs, is an American rapper. He signed with Interscope Records in 2006 and recorded his debut album for the label; however, its release was cancelled and he was dropped from the label due to executive shakeups. Gibbs later signed with Young Jeezy's CTE World in 2011 and released a number of mixtapes through the label, including his highly acclaimed Baby Face Killa (2012).

Mind Fusion is a 5-volume series of albums produced by Madlib.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Talib Kweli</span> American rapper (born 1975)

Talib Kweli Greene is an American rapper. He earned recognition through his collaboration with fellow Brooklyn rapper Mos Def in 1997, when they formed the group Black Star. Kweli's musical career continued with solo success including collaborations with producers and rappers Kanye West, Just Blaze, and Pharrell Williams. In 2011, Kweli founded his own record label, Javotti Media.

Nick Rodriguez, better known by his stage name M.E.D., is an American rapper from Oxnard, California. He was formerly known as Medaphoar. He has been signed to Stones Throw Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Freddie Gibbs & Madlib</span> American hip hop duo

Freddie Gibbs & Madlib, sometimes known as MadGibbs, is an American hip hop duo formed in San Francisco, California, in 2011. The duo is composed of Gary, Indiana-based Freddie Gibbs rapping and Oxnard, California native Madlib producing. The duo has released two studio albums, Piñata in 2014 and Bandana in 2019. They have also released five extended plays (EPs) together.

<i>Bandana</i> (album) 2019 rap album by Freddie Gibbs & Madlib

Bandana is the second collaborative studio album by American rapper Freddie Gibbs and record producer Madlib. It was released on June 28, 2019, by ESGN, Keep Cool Records, Madlib Invazion, and RCA Records. Entirely produced by Madlib, it is the follow-up to their critically acclaimed 2014 album Piñata, and their sixth project as MadGibbs overall. The album features guest appearances from Pusha T, Killer Mike, Anderson .Paak, Yasiin Bey, and Black Thought.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dave Cooley</span> Musician

Dave Cooley is an American mastering engineer and audio restoration specialist. His numerous mastering credits include J Dilla's Donuts and The Diary, Paramore's After Laughter, 40th anniversary release of Bob Marley's Exodus box set, the reissue of Isaac Hayes' Concord Records albums, as well as albums from independent labels Domino, Tuff Gong, Stones Throw Records, and Light in the Attic Records and artists M83, Ziggy Marley, J Dilla, Peanut Butter Wolf, Madvillain, Madlib and Animal Collective. He has worked on Grammy-nominated albums for Silversun Pickups, including their debut album Carnavas, and its follow up, Swoon which included the hit “Panic Switch”, as well as Ziggy Marley's Fly Rasta, which won Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album in 2015. His remastering work for Sixto Rodriguez appeared in the soundtrack for Searching for Sugar Man, which was awarded an Oscar for Best Documentary Feature in 2013. He also mixed These New Puritans' album Hidden, named album of the year in 2010 by NME magazine.

Abstract Orchestra are a British hip hop music group, created in 2011 by Rob Mitchell. The group is signed to independent record label ATA Records. Abstract Orchestra have released five studio albums, Dilla (2017), Madvillain Vol. 1 (2018), Madvillain Vol. 2 (2019), Fantastic 2020 Vol. 1 (2019) and Fantastic 2020 Vol. 2 (2019), and five singles, New Day (2017), Fancy Clown (2018), Air ft MF DOOM (2019), Pray (2020), Jealousy (2020). The "ensemble has become renowned for their distinct sound, which reinterprets some of the most famous hip-hop productions of all time into a unique blend of big band jazz and live hip-hop".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">One Beer (Madvillain song)</span> Song by MF DOOM

"One Beer" is a song recorded by American hip hop duo Madvillain, originally intended for inclusion on their debut studio album Madvillainy. The song instead ended up being used on MF Doom's 2004 album Mm..Food, credited to MF DOOM instead of Madvillain. "One Beer" was released as a limited-press 7" single in 2004, given away by select online retailers with copies of Madvillainy. An animated music video was released on 16 November 2018, 14 years after Mm..Food's release.

References

  1. ↑ Aziri (2002).
  2. ↑ Mugshot magazine, Vol 2, Issue 3, 2003
  3. ↑ "Madlib Interview (At the Pool)". YouTube .
  4. ↑ Deming, Mark. "Madlib Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic . Retrieved September 14, 2021.
  5. ↑ Als, Hilton (February 1, 2016). "Madlib's Genealogy of Hip-Hop". The New Yorker . Retrieved January 2, 2021.
  6. ↑ Oh No Talks About His Albums, Having Madlib as an Older Brother, Working with Alchemist & MF Doom – XXL. Xxlmag.com (June 27, 2012). Retrieved on 2014-05-12.
  7. ↑ "History of the Loop Digga" . Retrieved September 29, 2012.
  8. ↑ "Spin Magazine: Year End Lists". Rocklistmusic.co.uk. Retrieved October 5, 2013.
  9. ↑ "Yesterdays New Quintet" . Retrieved September 29, 2012.
  10. ↑ "Madvillain: Madvillainy (2004): Reviews". Metacritic.com. December 15, 2009. Retrieved October 5, 2013.
  11. ↑ "Mad Skills: Madlib in Scratch Magazine". www.stonesthrow.com. Just these little box machines, like the (Roland SP) 606 and the (Boss SP) 303. I like the 606, 'cause it has a gang of effects on it. I like an MPC too, but these are so easy to just turn on and use... I like to move quickly, and these little boxes are easy to use. I can be up in my hotel room in a different city, and just hook up beats right there. I don't like to spend more than 10 minutes at a time on a beat. I get bored and have to move on to the next thing.
  12. ↑ "Quasimoto: The Further Adventures of Lord Quas (2005): Reviews". Metacritic.com. Retrieved October 5, 2013.
  13. ↑ "Madlib Medicine Show" . Retrieved September 29, 2012.
  14. ↑ Rapaport, Michael, Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest, Sony Pictures Classics
  15. ↑ Ortiz, Edwin (February 27, 2014). "Snoop Dogg Is Steady Cruising In "Cadillacs," with Madlib Riding Shotgun". Complex . Retrieved February 12, 2016.
  16. ↑ Weiss, Jeff (June 24, 2010). "The Madlib Mystique". LA Weekly . Retrieved February 12, 2016.
  17. ↑ Harling, Danielle (June 25, 2010). "Madlib Says Kanye West Requested Beats For "Good Ass Job"". HipHopDX . Retrieved February 12, 2016.
  18. ↑ Jacobs, A. (September 25, 2010). "Pete Rock and Q-Tip Production Confirmed On Jay-Z & Kanye West's "Watch The Throne"". HipHopDX. Retrieved February 12, 2016.
  19. 1 2 Newman, Jason (May 28, 2014). "Kanye West Talks Dilla, Creating 'Wrong Music' in Stones Throw Doc". Rolling Stone . Retrieved February 12, 2016.
  20. ↑ "Kanye West – "No More Parties in L.A." feat. Kendrick Lamar, prod. by Madlib". Stones Throw Records . Retrieved February 12, 2016.
  21. ↑ Ortiz, Edwin (January 8, 2016). "Kanye West Recorded "No More Parties in LA" With Madlib During the 'My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy' Sessions". Complex. Retrieved February 12, 2016.
  22. ↑ Leight, Elias (January 22, 2016). "Kanye West Hints At More Madlib Collaborations". The Fader . Retrieved February 12, 2016.
  23. ↑ Donna-Claire Chesman (February 20, 2019). "Thelonious Martin Remembers Mac Miller (Interview)". DJBooth.net. Retrieved March 15, 2020.
  24. ↑ "Mac Miller & Madlib Reportedly Recorded An Album Together". Stereogum.com. February 21, 2019. Retrieved March 15, 2020.
  25. ↑ "Maclib". Rappcats.com. March 19, 2019. Retrieved March 15, 2020.
  26. ↑ "Freddie Gibbs & Madlib Discuss New Album 'Bandana,' Working With Pusha T & Killer Mike | Billboard". YouTube. June 3, 2019. Archived from the original on December 13, 2021. Retrieved March 15, 2020.
  27. ↑ "YouTube". YouTube. Archived from the original on June 24, 2020. Retrieved March 15, 2020.
  28. ↑ Lamarre, Carl (March 28, 2023). "Madlib Says He's Finishing Up His Collaborative Album Featuring the Late Mac Miller". Billboard. Retrieved March 28, 2023.
  29. ↑ "Madlib Reveals How He Missed Collaborating with Kendrick Lamar on 'To Pimp a Butterfly'". Complex Networks .
  30. ↑ "Logic and Madlib form new duo MadGic and share first track 'Mars Only Pt.3'". NME. April 24, 2021. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
  31. ↑ Quasimoto – Jazz Cats Pt. 1 , retrieved March 21, 2024
  32. ↑ Rugoff, Lazlo (December 14, 2020). "Madlib collaborates with Four Tet on new album, Sound Ancestors". The Vinyl Factory . Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  33. ↑ "Freddie Gibbs Confirms "Bandana" With Madlib Is Dropping In 2019". Freddie Gibbs. October 31, 2018. Retrieved November 3, 2018.
  34. ↑ "Declaime & Madlib - In the Beginning, Vol. 2". Itunes.apple.com. August 26, 2022. Retrieved August 26, 2022.
  35. ↑ "LMD & Madlib - Flying High". Itunes.apple.com. September 2, 2022. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
  36. ↑ "Talib Kweli & Madlib - Liberation 2". luminarypodcasts.com. March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
  37. ↑ Lindert, Hattie (December 14, 2023). "Madlib and Karriem Riggins Announce New Jahari Massamba Unit Album, Share Song: Listen". Pitchfork . Retrieved December 14, 2023.

Bibliography

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.