JPEGMAFIA and Danny Brown’s new collaborative album brings an offbeat eccentricity to alt-rap

By Rachel Charles

JPEGMAFIA and Danny Brown's collaborative album, Scaring The Hoes, released on March 24th, is one that has garnered lots of anticipation from their cult-like fanbase, and for good reason. This album combines the well-known innovative production and lyricism of JPEGMAFIA with Danny Brown’s iconically clever flow to create a multi-genre alternative hip-hop gem that can’t be placed into a box. With elements of glitch-core, rap, r&b, and more, this boundary-breaking album is multifaceted in its production, creating a unique listener experience for the average hip-hop head. Although this album has fourteen tracks, its run time sits at a short thirty six minutes. Each fast-paced song and all its intricate details, however, encourage multiple relistens. Scaring The Hoes is chock full of satirical quips and jabs at internet and pop culture – it’s a time capsule for listeners to look (or rather listen) back on that reflects our “chronically online” modern times.  

The opening track and single debut, “Lean Beef Patty,” is a song that showcases the dynamic duo in all their glory. JPEGMAFIA opens with his infamous and topical callout of Elon Musk and Twitter with the lyrics, “First off, fuck Elon Musk/ Eight dollars is too much, bitch, that’s expensive.” This theme of celebrity and pop culture allusions continues with references to Kyle Rittenhouse, Hulk Hogan, and Kanye West. “Lean Beef Patty”’s use of sampling sets an impressive precedent for the rest of the album, pitching up the iconic “I Need A Girl (PT.2)” and layering it on top of a hyperpop electronica beat that encapsulates the eccentricity that exudes from every inch of this album. The cunning use of sampling mixed with heavy electronic beats continues onto the second track “Steppa Pig,” which draws from NSYNC’S 2000’s classic “Gone.” Danny Brown opens this track with his witty and well-known raunchy lyricism with details about bodily fluids, sex, and drugs.

The title track, “Scaring The Hoes,” is somewhat eerie in its production, beginning with ominous rhythmic clapping and an avant-garde sax solo sampled from Dirty Beaches’ “Untitled.” JPEGMAFIA and Danny Brown mockingly rap in a conversational flow-state about the disingenuous attempt to impress women at the expense of musical and artistic integrity. With lyrics like “We don’t wanna hear that weird shit no more/ What the fuck is that? Give me back my aux cord” and “How the fuck we supposed to make money off of this shit,” JPEG and Brown humorously call out other rappers and artists in their community who suppress themselves creatively to make themselves easily digestible. This use of cultural commentary within the artists’ own community is a prevalent theme throughout this album in songs like “Garbage Pale Kids,” “Fentanyl Tester,” “Orange Juice Jones,” and “Run The Jewels.” 

“Kingdom Hearts,” the album’s ninth track, has the first and only feature of the entire album. Rapper and producer redveil comes in with ferocity and loud, abrasive adlibs, matching the energy of Danny Brown and JPEGMAFIA’s previous verses. This track samples “Yakusoku Wa Iranai" from the anime The Vision of Escaflowne, and lays it overtop ethereal vocals and thumping 808s. The production juxtaposes the light airy sampling and beats with loud declarative vocals, juxtaposition being a common theme throughout this album. This style continues with the song “God Loves You,” a blasphemous ode to the religious experience of sex. Sampling the iconic gospel track “You Don’t Know,” Danny Brown opens with shockingly explicit lyrics, “That pussy on my face/ Imma talk in tongues.” This motif of sex and religion occurs throughout the song, creating a subversive yet catchy tune. 

The album’s production toward the end begins to placate with the song “Jack Harlow Combo Meal,” and “HOE (Heaven on Earth)," which both utilize tranquil synths and soothing R&B sampling. The final track of the album, “Where Ya Get Ya Coke From?” breaks the pattern of tranquility with turbulence, the production opening with loud dissonant synths and fast rhythmic percussion. JPEGMAFIA switches up his flow in an AB form with Danny Brown following the same formula. This track ends the album, reflecting the same energy from the beginning and making for a coherent full circle ending.

If you are a fan of JPEGMAFIA’s idiosyncratic production and sampling or Danny Brown’s memorable and humorous lyricism, this album is worth a listen. Scaring The Hoes is an album that fits nicely into JPEGMAFIA’s discography and may hallmark some of his best work as a producer. It’s an album you can listen to in one sitting, gaining new discoveries with every relisten. Although this album is quick-paced, it doesn’t lack the attention to detail that reverberates throughout JPEG’s work. Scaring The Hoes reflects everything an alternative and experimental rap album should be while skillfully avoiding overplayed cliches, offering something new and intriguing to the genre of alt-rap.