BlackenedWhite is the debut studio album by Odd Future sub-group MellowHype. Production for the album was handled by Left Brain. It was made available for free download October 31, 2010, and re-released on July 12, 2011, through Fat Possum Records.
| BlackenedWhite | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | October 31, 2010 | |||
| Recorded | May–October 2010 | |||
| Genre | Alternative hip hop | |||
| Length | 45:03 | |||
| Producer | Left Brain | |||
| MellowHype chronology | ||||
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| Singles from BlackenedWhite | ||||
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| BlackenedWhite (Re-release) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | July 12, 2011 | |||
| Studio | The Trap (Los Angeles, California) | |||
| Genre | Alternative hip hop | |||
| Length | 31:07 | |||
| Label | Fat Possum | |||
| Producer |
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| MellowHype chronology | ||||
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| Singles from BlackenedWhite (Re-release) | ||||
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Release
editSingles
editThe first single "Right Here" was released on October 14, 2010.[1]
The first single for the re-release, "64", was released on June 13, 2011.[2] The music video of the single was released on the same day.[3]
BlackenedWhite (Re-release)
editThe mixtape was re-released on July 12, 2011, by Fat Possum Records, without the song "Chordaroy" because the label did not have permission to use Earl Sweatshirt's vocals.[4][5]
Track listing
editAll tracks are produced by Left Brain.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Primo" | 2:13 |
| 2. | "Gunsounds" | 2:43 |
| 3. | "Brain" (featuring Domo Genesis) | 2:30 |
| 4. | "Loaded" (featuring Mike G) | 4:23 |
| 5. | "Hell" (featuring Frank Ocean) | 3:34 |
| 6. | "Deaddeputy" | 2:26 |
| 7. | "Right Here" | 3:11 |
| 8. | "Loco" | 3:54 |
| 9. | "Stripclub" | 3:00 |
| 10. | "Fuck the Police" (featuring Tyler, the Creator) | 3:12 |
| 11. | "Chordaroy" (featuring Earl Sweatshirt and Tyler, the Creator) | 5:01 |
| 12. | "Rico" (featuring Frank Ocean) | 3:07 |
| 13. | "Gram" | 1:36 |
| 14. | "Circus" | 3:07 |
| 15. | "Based" (featuring C. Renee) | 1:42 |
| Total length: | 45:03 | |
Re-release track listing
editAll tracks are produced by Left Brain, except "Game" produced by Tyler, the Creator.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Primo" |
| 2:13 |
| 2. | "Gunsounds" |
| 2:45 |
| 3. | "Brain" (featuring Domo Genesis) |
| 2:31 |
| 4. | "64" |
| 2:57 |
| 5. | "Loaded" (featuring Mike G) |
| 4:24 |
| 6. | "Deaddeputy" |
| 1:59 |
| 7. | "Right Here" |
| 3:12 |
| 8. | "Igotagun" |
| 2:06 |
| 9. | "F666 the Police" (featuring Tyler, the Creator) |
| 3:14 |
| 10. | "Rico" (featuring Frank Ocean) |
| 2:37 |
| 11. | "Circus" |
| 3:09 |
| Total length: | 31:07 | ||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12. | "Gunz" |
| 2:14 |
| Total length: | 33:21 | ||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12. | "Game" (featuring Tyler, The Creator) |
| 2:03 |
| 13. | "Gunz" |
| 2:14 |
| Total length: | 35:24 | ||
Notes
- The re-release does not contain the tracks "Chordaroy", "Hell", "Loco", "Stripclub", "Gram", and "Based".
Critical response
edit| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AnyDecentMusic? | 6.7/10[6] |
| Metacritic | 72/100[7] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [8] |
| The A.V. Club | B[9] |
| Consequence of Sound | F[10] |
| HipHopDX | 3.5/5[11] |
| Now | 2/5[12] |
| Pitchfork | 8.0/10[13] |
| RapReviews | 6.5/10[14] |
| Rolling Stone | [15] |
| Slant Magazine | [16] |
| Under the Radar | 6/10[17] |
BlackenedWhite was met with generally positive reviews. At Metacritic, the album received an average score of 72, based on 21 reviews.[7] Aggregator AnyDecentMusic? gave it 6.7 out of 10, based on their assessment of the critical consensus.[6]
Drew Beringer from AbsolutePunk called it "the most accessible Odd Future release to date" and went on to say that it's "another strong album from the Odd Future pack."[18] David Jeffries of AllMusic said, "The original mixtape is worth checking for the Sweatshirt bits alone, but this version does a better job of putting the spotlight on Mellowhype, the Odd Future crew's secret weapon."[8] Evan Rytlewski of The A.V. Club said, "In spite of its marvelous production from Left Brain, who shares Tyler's ear for beautifully deformed grooves and Lex Luger's gift for epileptic bangers, BlackenedWhite doesn't boil over as maniacally as Goblin, and it never fully reaches that album's reckless highs."[9]
Omar Burgess of HipHopDX said, "Ultimately, BlackenedWhite is conflicted, but quality music."[11] Jordan Sargent of Pitchfork said, "The catch-22 for MellowHype is that while their centrism certainly has its merits, their music is unlikely to convert anyone that has, at this point, already written off Odd Future. Which leaves them with a solid, fun rap album to satiate a feverish cult and a growing number of casual fans."[13] Steve "Flash" Juon of RapReviews said, "It's clearly a release intended for hardcore Odd Future fans."[14] Huw Jones of Slant Magazine said, "The duo strikes a fine working relationship throughout BlackenedWhite too, with Left ensuring his colleague's standout bars are accentuated with a quirky sample or a sudden key change. In all, this is a far more accessible affair than Goblin; it never comes close to being as downright offensive, and Hodgy's breezy flow helps make this a far easier album to digest."[16]
Chris Martins of Spin said, "Producer Left Brain breaks ground on bangers that stitch ambient electronica to cracked G-funk, while Hodgy sports the casual swag of Wiz Khalifa or Lil Wayne, with a less cringe-worthy sense of humor than his peers."[19] Jason Richards of Now said, "There's the occasional clever turn of phrase, but MellowHype's brand of vulgarity is subtler and less arresting than Tyler's."[12] Matthew Trammell from Rolling Stone calling it "L.A. gangsta rap for the swag generation that die-hard fans will eagerly lap up."[15] Alex Young of Consequence of Sound said, "The reissue of BlackenedWhite comes as a missed opportunity. Odd Future followers will likely have grabbed the expanded (and notably better) version when it was available free online a few months back; newcomers to the collective's output have better entry points elsewhere in their continuously-growing catalog."[10]
Commercial performance
editBlackenedWhite debuted at number 81 on the US Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 6,000 copies in the United States.[20]
Charts
edit| Chart (2011) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200[21] | 81 |
| US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[22] | 19 |
| US Independent Albums (Billboard)[23] | 18 |
References
edit- ^ Shepherd, Julianne Escobedo (October 14, 2010). "Mellowhype, "Right Here" MP3". The Fader. Archived from the original on July 23, 2012. Retrieved September 18, 2017.
- ^ "Mellowhype – 64 Music Video (June 13th)". Odd Future. Archived from the original on August 10, 2014. Retrieved September 18, 2017.
- ^ "Odd Future's MellowHype Drop Spooky New Video". Spin. June 13, 2011. Archived from the original on April 7, 2016. Retrieved March 27, 2016.
- ^ "MellowHype "BlackenedWhite" Release July 12 | Fat Possum Records". fatpossum. May 31, 2011. Archived from the original on September 27, 2011. Retrieved October 12, 2011.
- ^ Ryon, Sean (June 1, 2011). "OFWGKTA's MellowHype To Release "Blackenedwhite" On July 12 | Get The Latest Hip Hop News, Rap News & Hip Hop Album Sales". HipHopDX. Retrieved October 12, 2011.
- ^ a b "Blackenedwhite by MellowHype reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Archived from the original on November 12, 2016. Retrieved November 11, 2016.
- ^ a b "BlackenedWhite Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More at Metacritic". Metacritic. Archived from the original on August 26, 2011. Retrieved September 11, 2011.
- ^ a b Jeffries, David (July 11, 2011). "BlackenedWhite review". AllMusic. Archived from the original on June 17, 2012. Retrieved March 3, 2012.
- ^ a b Rytlewski, Evan (July 12, 2011). "MellowHype: Blackenedwhite". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on March 30, 2013. Retrieved October 12, 2011.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ a b Young, Alex (July 12, 2011). "MellowHype – BlackenedWhite [Reissue]". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
- ^ a b Burgess, Omar (July 11, 2011). "Hodgy Beats & Left Brain (MellowHype) (OFWGKTA) BlackenedWhite". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on September 2, 2017. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
- ^ a b "Rating from Now Magazine Canada (Nowtoronto.com)". Retrieved March 4, 2012.
- ^ a b Sargent, Jordan (July 29, 2011). "MellowHype: BlackenedWhite [Reissue] Album Review". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on May 28, 2016. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
- ^ a b "MellowHype: BlackenedWhite | Music Review". RapReviews. Archived from the original on November 10, 2012. Retrieved October 30, 2012.
- ^ a b "Rating from Rolling Stone (Rollingstone.com)". Archived from the original on March 31, 2012. Retrieved March 4, 2012.
- ^ a b "MellowHype: BlackenedWhite | Music Review". Slant Magazine. Archived from the original on September 2, 2011. Retrieved October 12, 2011.
- ^ Fink, Matt (July 14, 2011). "MellowHype: BlackenedWhite (Fat Possum)". Under the Radar. Archived from the original on July 3, 2019. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
- ^ "Mellowhype – Blackenedwhite – Album Review". AbsolutePunk. July 13, 2011. Archived from the original on February 21, 2013. Retrieved October 12, 2011.
- ^ "MellowHype, 'BlackenedWhite' (Fat Possum)". Spin. Archived from the original on March 22, 2016. Retrieved February 4, 2016.
- ^ "Hip Hop Albums Sales: The Week Ending 7/17/2011". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on September 11, 2014. Retrieved February 4, 2016.
- ^ "MellowHype Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved June 17, 2018.
- ^ "MellowHype Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved June 17, 2018.
- ^ "MellowHype Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved June 17, 2018.