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The Beatles & Jay-Z, The Grey Album

Producer: DJ Danger Mouse

Reviewed by William Miller

In 1968, the Beatles released a self-titled recording soon to be known better as "The White Album."

In 2003, Jay-Z released his swan song The Black Album.

Now, DJ Danger Mouse has taken Jay-Z's Black Album vocals and grafted them onto samples from "The White Album."   And like the famed meeting between chocolate and peanut butter, its a damn good match. It is called... Grey Album.

Many Beatlefans may shout heresy, but the Grey Album is a fab listen. Where it could have easily dovetailed into a Frankenstein novelty, most of the sound collages DJ Danger Mouse fashions perfectly complement the lyrics of Jay-Z's raps. More to the point, the Grey Album rocks like a mutherf****r. "99 Problems" takes "Helter Skelter" to even greater heights of beautiful dementia while "What More Can I Say" spotlights "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" mounrful piano to startling effect. Conceptually, the best track is probably "My 1st Song" as it fleshes out the "The White Album" unlisted ditty "Can You Take Me Back" into an actual tune.

A side note... I wonder if DJ Danger Mouse or Jay-Z have any idea that Charles Manson, in his warped philosophy which lead to murder, believed "The White Album" to be a call for Black Power. Also I wonder if DJ Danger Mouse will mix The Black Album with other hue titled recordings. He could combine it with Spinal Tap's Black Album to make The More Blacker Than Black Album or the Simpson's Yellow Album to create The Butt Ugly Color Album.

Bad ideas aside, DJ Danger Mouse isn't getting paid for the Grey Album, and you can only find it on the internet. It's a labor of love for a guy who convincingly shows that the worlds of the Fab Four and Jay-Z need not be mutually exclusive. Seek it out. You'll enjoy the trip.

Rating: (3 1/2 out of 4 stars)