Sunday Listen: DJ Critical Hype’s “Damn. Chronic” Mixtape Will Make Your Day (or Month or Year)

If you haven’t heard it yet, listen here: https://pigeonsandplanes.com/music/2018/04/the-damn-chronic-mixtape-kendrick-lamar-vocals-dr-dre-beats

This works on so many levels – the nostalgic value of some classic Dre beats, contextualized with modern rap god Kendrick Lamar’s lyrics, who both just happen to be from the same home town… and how are we only just getting this now? Seriously?

I’ll tell you how: outside of a direct collaboration, this was really hard to put together. Technically, what Critical Hype did here was some serious WORK, and that works pays off in a big way. Read what he’s saying in the Pigeons & Planes interview and recognize that working on this for a year is an accomplishment in and of itself.

I suspect the uptake on this is going to continue for a while. This just dropped April 3rd. I didn’t find it until the 5th and I stumbled upon it. This deserves to spread like wildfire and it might catch several otherwise disparate audiences off guard with how well it works. Go forth, listen and share it if you haven’t already, this is an incredible mixtape.

There’s a business lesson here too. You don’t need formal permission to make informal collaborations. No one is stopping you from combining ideas across time or space in new ways.

I love music and work in finance. I can talk about where they overlap all day (try me).

The possible combinations of things are literally uncountable. When a combination works, like this mixtape, it finds an audience. Mix your own world up – because you’re the only one who sees things your way, and then share it with others. The constellations are in the stars, you just have to point them out.