Forget Jay Z’s Holy Fail, Yeezus and the rest, there’s only one hip-hop album worth getting excited about in 2013 – Event 2 by the mighty hip-hop triumvirate of Del Tha Funky Homosapien, Dan The Automator and Kid Koala – collectively known as Deltron 3030.
Back in 2000 they released an awesome futuristic self-titled concept debut album set in the year 3030 – and now they are finally releasing the follow-up. Called Event 2, the new album picks up the story arc of the hero Deltron One (rapper Del’s alter-ego) and his fight against totalitarian corporations. Here’s Del’s explanation about the album’s concept and Deltron 3030’s recording process:
The Deltron world has gone too far with technology. Everything’s destroyed, and you just see the remnants of our technology. The streets are run by criminals, the police are outnumbered and outgunned, and we’re like pirates, running rogue, doing what we do to survive. That’s the scene of it. We’re trying to be as literary as possible while dealing with a musical format. I don’t know if you could even categorize this as a hip hop album – it’s more like a rock opera, but using rap. This record took 13 years, and the whole time fans are telling us we better come out with Deltron right now – quit teasing me. Well, this is beyond a regular album. Because I would say, me, Dan and Koala, we aren’t limited by what other rap groups do – we’re musicians first. I studied music theory for ten years. Dan and Koala been learning music since they were kids. We’re bringing it all together here, everything, and the fans, the critics, they all going to be surprised by what we got. You’ll see.
If you’re looking for inventive and imaginative hip hop by three of the best alt.rap protagonists then you can’t go wrong with giving Event 2 a try!
The album is streaming online now via Pitchfork Advance and features guest spots from actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt, former Rage Against The Machine front-man Zack De La Rocha and Damon Albarn amongst many impressive others.
Event 2 tracklist:
Stardate [ft. Joseph Gordon-Levitt]
The Return
Pay the Price
Nobody Can [ft. Aaron Bruno of AWOLNATION]
Lawnchair Quarterback Pt. 1 [ft. David Cross and Amber Tamblyn]
Melding of the Minds [ft. Zach De La Rocha]
The Agony [ft. Mary Elizabeth Winstead]
Back in the Day [ft. The Lonely Island]
Talent Supersedes [ft. Black Rob]
Look Across the Sky [ft. Mary Elizabeth Winstead]
The Future of Food [ft. David Chang]
My Only Love [ft. Emily Wells]
What Is This Loneliness [ft. Damon Albarn and Casual]
Lawnchair Quarterback Pt. 2 [ft. David Cross and Amber Tamblyn]
City Rising From the Ashes [background vocals by Mike Patton]
Do You Remember [ft. Jamie Cullum]