“I’ve never felt this happy in my entire life.” Significantly for ‘Stardust’, Danny has brought together a selection of younger artists outside the rap scene to help advance his work. “I was just so honored to collaborate with all these artists I’d admired for so long,” he shares. “I was more excited than anything because I recognized their talent. I felt no uncertainty; I definitely had a lot of confidence stepping into this project.” With his extensive contact list, it would be understandable for Danny to choose established names over emerging artists, but currently, his appreciation for new talent feels even more vibrant. Just look at the innovative pop duo Frost Children or the experimental indie musician Quadeca, who contribute to the album, steering his sound in intriguing and unique new directions.
“I’m a huge sports fan, and I view it through a basketball lens,” he explains. “I see myself as the veteran in a locker room filled with young players.” With such a wide range of talent, he emphasizes that maintaining an open mind was essential. “I approached the project asking, ‘What do you all want me to do?’ It was about trusting them, then when they passed me the ball, I had a clear shot. This focus allowed me to concentrate on rapping.”
In many respects, his genuine appreciation for what’s fresh and upcoming can be traced throughout Danny’s career, dating back to his beginnings in Detroit. He recognizes similarities between his past and present when it comes to being motivated by his surroundings. “I think early in my music career, I created a lot of music influenced by East Coast styles, then I discovered J Dilla and that pushed me to embrace the Detroit sound more. Eventually, when I began experimenting with other styles, that’s when everything started to click for me. That experience boosted my confidence to explore and stretch my boundaries.”
As a pioneering figure who has consistently reinvented and transformed hip hop with his work, did he feel a responsibility to help the new talent feel at ease? “Absolutely,” he affirms. “Especially when working with someone like Femtanyl, who had never stepped into the studio before. I believe that all of them will emerge from this album with much greater confidence because I’m their biggest supporter; I’m the elder statesman.”
These developing relationships, which extend beyond mere collaborations, also assisted Danny in finding his voice for this record. “They’re my friends now,” he states. “Quadeca came over to my place, and we would just chat. That’s why we have those personal tracks, as I was still navigating my sobriety and everything felt like a meeting. I was regularly opening up, healing, and exposing my vulnerabilities.” A powerful illustration of this can be found in the introspective album opener ‘Book Of Daniel,’ where Danny narrates his life story over a jangly, Zeppelin-influenced guitar and gospel tones: “Sleeping real good at night 'cause I’m proud of myself / Say a prayer when I wake up because the rehab helped / When I didn't have hope, I was turning to dope / Drinking till I passed out 'cause I just couldn’t cope.”
Following his journey to sobriety and addressing deep-seated trauma, Danny Brown is stepping into the future at his groundbreaking best with his sixth album 'Stardust,' supported by a lively array of collaborators.
