The potential for this album is almost infinite. Jaylib brings together the two acclaimed rappers/producers Jay Dee and Madlib for a project in which they alternate rapping over each others beats. The result is Champion Sound, an album that, while certainly ingenious, disappoints on many levels.
As a solo artist (Welcome 2 Detroit) and as a producer, Jay Dee has consistently shown the possibilities for traditional bass-heavy rap beats mixed with subtle under-layering. The prolific Madlib (Shades of Blue, Unseen as Quasimoto) seems capable of laying down killer beats constructed out of pretty much anything and has also shown his chops as a rapper.
The beats are nearly flawless throughout the album. Both producers lay down some terrific tracks. Madlib’s use of a muted trumpet loop on “The Official” harkens back to his work last year remixing Blue Note jazz classics, while Jay Dee’s deep, syncopated beats provide a perfect format for Madlib’s delivery. The rapping proves the main weakness; Jay Dee has never been exemplary on the mic, and the rappers brought in as guests tend to disappoint, especially the poor performance from Talib Kweli. Madlib delivers well, and the occasional use of his high-pitched alter ego “Quasimoto” fits a few of the songs perfectly.
This is not to say that there aren’t some stellar tracks. Jay Dee’s strongest performance at the mic, “Champion Sound,” rides a reasonably traditional beat based on a vocal loop and serves as a convincing club track. “The Red,” easily the best cut on the album features an extremely laid-back, blunted performance from Madlib on top of a simple drum track with a vocal sample and quiet piano loop layered underneath to terrific effect. This album delivers some standout beats and serves as an interesting new form of collaboration. It also certainly builds anticipation for the forthcoming MF Doom/Madlib collaboration (under the alias of Madvillain) which has the potential to blow Champion Sound out of the water.
