'Cancer 4 Cure' (2012) by El-P

Cancer 4 Cure

Medium: Album

Artist: El-P
Label: Fat Possum
Country: United States
Released: May 22, 2012
First Consumed: May 22, 2012
Genre: Hip-Hop
Rating: 9.0/10

The point of J.R.'s Journal of Unhealthy Consumption was to assess a work on my instant reaction. With an unforgiving work schedule, and general procrastination, I've been sitting on this record for over a month (Shhh). I instantly loved it. It was instantly the best thing I'd heard all year. I've been listening to it almost exclusively since early May.

What has that month done to my opinion? Very little besides reinforce my opinion. I'll admit that a new offering by El-P was likely to appeal to me. 2007's I'll Sleep When You're Dead was one of the best records of the decade; while 2002's Fantastic Damage was one of the best hip-hop records. So when Cancer 4 Cure started off with some of El-P's best material yet, I was worried that my mind was exaggerating the quality this album to a great degree. 

Nope. This is the real deal. It's dark, angry, funny, sarcastic, cynical, brilliant, and ultimately hopeful. These are adjectives that could easily be applied to his past albums, but everything here is streamlined and thrillingly paced in a way that the others weren't. The patient, instrumental build-up in the intro of "Request Denied" gives way to a brutal declaration of purpose, which then leads seamlessly into the bass-pumping black humor vitriol of "The Full Retard". And it continues, seamlessly, through the conclusion of "$4 VIC/FTL (Me and You)".

I've lived with and loved I'll Sleep When You're Dead for the past five years. I'm not ready to oust it as my favorite El-P album just yet. But even that classic had a couple clunkers. Cancer 4 Cure has no filler, no waste. I don't know if it will stand the test of time as well as his previous work, but the evidence is currently suggesting it will.

'R.A.P. Music' (2012) by Killer Mike

R.A.P. Music 

Medium: Album

Artist: Killer Mike
Label: Williams Street
Country: United States
Released: May 15, 2012
First Consumed: May 17, 2012
Genre: Hip-Hop
Rating: 8.5/10

The first of two El-P related albums released in May. He functions as produced on R.A.P. Music, and the combination of his bass-heavy, synth-y music with Killer Mike's Southern drawl is an unexpectedly successful one. Extremely successful.

As much as I love El-P, and as great as the production is, the lion's share of credit should still go Killer Mike. He comes off as a man who's had a lot on his mind, much of it having to do with social injustice (hear the album's stand-out tracks "Reagan" and "Don't Die"). But like any southern gentleman, he manages to mix in the fun, non-politcal content also. This balance is important to what makes the album work. He's never straight beating you over the head with the message songs, and the slighter tracks give Mike a showcase for his incredible rapping skills and the fantastic beats.

For the next couple Consumption journal entries, this is the album of the year so far.