The union of hip-hop and rock has often been a tumultuous one that's yielded some less than favorable results, but the 2009 release of Blakroc is an exception. Project co-founder Damon Dash recruited the Black Keys for their soul-infused brand of rock and hip-hop talents such as Mos Def, Raekwon, RZA, Q-Tip, Ludacris and even obtained a verse from the late Ol' Dirty Bastard's short Roc-A-Fella stint. The finished product is a seamless blend of hard, echoing riffs and eclectic flows from some of hip-hop's elite.
The project received moderate success, thus spawning a 2nd Blakroc album which will feature The Cool Kids, Curren$y, Jay Electronica & Wiz Khalifa to be released at a later date. But for now, this surprisingly compelling mash-up will prove to be a worthy addition to any library.