Black Milk: Popular Demand - @@@@ 1/4
Phat Kat: Carte Blanche - @@@@ 1/4

It has been a little over a year since legendary track wizard Jay Dee departed the physical plane, leaving a void that wont be filled in not only his home city of Detroit, but Hip-Hop’s culture altogether. In his absence various unreleased recordings have surfaced, but soon will come the point when the last of Dilla’s seemingly endless work will be heard. While a handful of friends and affiliates have sworn to uphold the legacy, “The D” has the heaviest weight on its shoulders. Black Milk and Phat Kat have presently chosen to carry the torch, with their respective releases Popular Demand and Carte Blanche expected to reflect the soul and gutters of the Motor City.

Black Milk has followed in Dilla’s footsteps, wearing the hats of MC/Producer while equipped to make both look easy. Having started out behind the boards for Slum Village, he released the slept on Sound of the City in 2005 and has gone on to produce for the likes of Pharaohe Monch, Lloyd Banks and Canibus while still in his early 20s. Although influenced by Jay Dee, Black Milk’s hyper-soulful style of production is one that only he can lay claim to. Even more impressive is his confidence behind the mic; while Black has established a buzz for his beat making acumen, he wants equal respect for spitting as he takes a relentless approach with his lyrics. Popular Demand’s lead single “Sound The Alarm” (featuring Guilty Simpson) serves as a warning call that he’s arrived to stake his claim and the album doesn’t fail to shine light on the rest of his family from the 313, as he celebrates how far he’s come with Phat Kat on “Lookatusnow” and reunites Slum Village’s Baatin, T3 and Elzhi for the raucous “Action”. Black Milk defies convention with “U” as he manages the rare feat of making a love song that knocks without sounding soft., conversely “Three + Sum” breaks down the art of the ménage a trois without straying from his trademark sound. James Yancey would be proud as Black Milk fully espouses what some would see to be the contrasts of material flossing while keeping his art authentic.

Phat Kat is possibly the most monstrous MC to ever bless a Dilla cut, having long ago established his reputation for classic collaborations such as Welcome To Detroit’s “Featuring Phat Kat” and the “Dedication To The Suckers” 12 inch. Carte Blanche is more of the same as he holds onto the “If it aint broke…” adage for dear life. Diehard fans of Dilla and Phat Kat’s chemistry will take a welcome ride to the future with “Cold Steel” and “Nasty Aint It”, while “My Old Label” is an uncut raw banger and “Don’t Nobody Care About Us” has already come to be considered one of their quintessential works together. Black Milk (considered by many to be the next best thing out of Detroit) holds down production and vocally guest stars alongside T3 on the sinister “Danger”, and also comes strong behind the boards on “Cash Em Out”. Phat Kat’s primary drawback is he limits himself to battle raps (“I’m better/harder than you.”) or discussion of being a rapper (“F*ck a major label, I’m independent now.”) With even the sensual “Lovely” being based around meeting women at shows, there seems to be a lack of creative inspiration at hand with his verses. Vocally Phat Kat explodes on each track as if it’s the last time he’ll be heard but he lacks wit while riding his one trick pony, so he may need more diverse topic material to hold an audience’s attention in the future.

Detroit continues to blaze trails through the underground with Popular Demand and Carte Blanche. Black Milk is steadily grinding, rumored to be doing collaborative albums with Sean Price, Pharaohe Monche and West coast up and comer Bishop Lamont, while Phat Kat will likely be blacking out as long as there’s a mic present for him to rip. Here’s to the Dirty D’s further prosperity in representing its heart, struggle and pain through Hip-Hop.

Black Milk's Popular Demand is out now on Fat Beats Records
Phat Kat's Carte Blanche is out now on Look Records