Black Thought & Danger Mouse - Cheat Codes Album Review 

This album is the definition of instant classic sounding

This album will be remembered as a classic. And with this, Black Thought is the only rapper in history to have at least one classic album across 4 different decades. This one as a solo mc, the other 3 with the Roots. Talk about longevity. Tariq f'n Trotter 🐐🐐

I feel like I need Black Thought to finally do a song with Nas on the next solo project.

This album is an exceptional listen. Black Thought also killed his verse on Saba’s album. I can listen to that verse on repeat.

phenomenal album, every song is amazing, every feature brought it Highlights:Belieze, because, aquamarine, The darkest part

I’m not gonna lie I got nervous that y’all weren’t gonna review this one. I should’ve never doubted. Thanks for the quality content for all these years.

we don't know how much work DOOM has in the tuck since he died, and he does (did) very few features. it's perfectly reasonable to not have expected him to pop up on here...

Danger Mouse is one of the most eclectic, smooth, intriguing producers I've listened to this decade. One of them ones that sit on the same mountain as Madlib. Him and Black Thought are SUCH an incredible duo.

Absolutely fucking amazing album. Black Thought keeps keepin on the quest to show everyone he's one of the most talented and consistent rappers ever, if not the absolute greatest. Two fifteen represent!!

So far my favorite album of the year. Black Thought is a legend anyway and Danger Mouse really killed it with the production here. I heard a lot of people complaining about the mixing and that Thoughts voice isn't lood enough sometimes. For me I have different results on different devices. On my loudspeakers everything sounds pretty correct. As always, thanks for the content and I wish y'all more success. It's still crazy and not understandable that you don't have more followers yet. Y'all also already legends on here.😉

This album evoked many visuals and emotions for me personally, the album is packed full of substance and clever lyricism, I was expecting this album to be Experimental and a little out there giving Danger Mouse's knack for doing abstract and complicated but interesting productions but he just kept it skillful, pretty traditional and well suited to Black Thought with the beats, I love the distorted production from Danger Mouse, mixed in with that dusty basement style of production with a Vinyl type sound on the ears, also mixed in with charming and warm soul samples to balance, Black Thought just rapping ferociously and displaying a real spiritual and deep minded style of lyricism, the way the album opens up is perfect, it has a sort of triumphant and turned all the way up Soul sample on the track "Sometimes" , just under 40 minutes of great music, Black Thought recently dismissed a tour for the album in an interview, It just feels like he's also simply leaving it to speak for itself, as great art, I think "Aquamarine" is one of the best songs of 2022 for sure, The tracks are all placed perfectly for me. some of the hooks on here are incredible, outside of the show stealer Michael Kiwanuka, you also get hooks from Dylan Cartlidge & Kid Sister, which are really nice on the ear, engaging and executed with finesse, all three of those hooks evoke that emotion and self-reflection in me I was speaking on, "Aquamarine" "Sometimes" & "The Darkest Part" the 3 entitled tracks with the guest hooks, "No Gold Teeth" "Saltwater" & "Strangers" all have dark and filthy production with plucky baselines, "No Gold Teeth" is similar in style production wise to "Cheat Codes" with its dark and gritty sound but its smoothed out much more with what sounds like Piano, Saltwater" is a dark and eerie beat, it introduces itself with an almost airy and tense anticipation, before the beat drops into a hellishly bleak and eerie sound, which sounds tailor made for the guest Conway The Machine, "Strangers" is a little less gloomy production wise than the 2 afore mentioned but it has a similar urgency and tense feel with the production, Killer Mike gives this beat the nasty flow to close the song out, the most emotional beats and moments on the album have to go to "Violas and Lupitas" which is the closing song, the beat just hit me right in the feels the way it was done, it comes off cinematic, so for me it was the perfect choice of song to end this album, "Belize" is also one of the more emotional beats and most definitely the most emotional spot on the album, giving you get a guest verse from the late MF DOOM, the beat is dreamy and the verses are trippy but soothing on the soul from Black Thought & DOOM, possibly the more Spiritual and resilient tracks as a listener on the feel they give me personally are "The Darkest Part" on the whole & "Because" for the most part, the guests do their thing for sure but the hook in particular really was top notch. Song ratings : Aquamarine 10/10, The Darkest Part 10/10. Belize 10/10, Because 9/10, Violas and Lupitas 9/10, Sometimes 9/10, Strangers 8.5/10, No Gold Teeth 8.5/10, Saltwater 8.5/10, Cheat Codes 8/10, Close To Famous 8/10, Identical Deaths 7/10.

Personally, one of the best hip hop albums of the last decade, might become an all time for me it’s that fucking good.

A.O.T.Y for me so far. This is definitely the album I've been waiting for from Thought. Like Beezy said, the S.O.T volumes were good. But, this is another level entirely! These two went perfectly together. Dangermouse crafted the perfect selection for Tariq to go over. I hope they come with a part 2. Cause I don't think there's a Hip Hop head out there that wouldn't want that after this.

Definitely on my top 10 albums for this year along with Billy Woods, Roc, and Benny. I can’t even think of a single bad verse Black Thought has ever put out. At 50, he raps like he’s still hungry!

The Raekwon verse they are referencing to was Yelawolf's "Rhyme Room" also featuring Killer Mike on "Trunk Muzik Returns". I'm a hardcore Wu-Tang fan, but the chef didn't compliment the Southern style cuisine on that joint.

5:58 I ain't mean to have Myke second guessing himself out here 😂😭💀. But yeah I'm looking for that now 👀.

From 14:55 to 15:30 feefo was on statue mode LMAO 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

So happy y'all reviewed this. I was just thinking if you would have to review it and I'm happy you did. This is definitely one of my favorites albums this year. Fav tracks are Belize and Violas and Lupitas

Masterpiece album. Top 3. Album hip hop. So far. So dope

incredible album, aquamarine sounds like magic, black thought is the best rapper of the year so far no doubt.

Ever thought about having a favorite bar(s) portion of the review? Favorite lines often come out organically during the review but it might be cool to have a section dedicated to it. The favorite tracks and if you're watching sections are great already!

This and JID, top albums in my rotation right now.

Everytime i play it, Aquamarine feels like the theme to a fucking intergalactic space mission like he outta interstellar or some shit😭 its so good. Violas n Lupitas, No gold teeth, aquamarine, the darkest part, close to famous, saltwater… this albums an instant classic in my eyes

Damn I'm really surprised y'all haven't reviewed Meechy Darko's new album yet. Last time I checked y'all was really fucking with Flatbush Zombies. It seems like nobody is really talking about it which is crazy because it's really good. Oh well. Y'all still killing with the reviews so shout out to y'all.

I've been playing this and Nas Magic back to back lately like crazy.

Danger Mouse was on his A+++++ game with the beats on this album

Reporting live from SOUTH AFRICA, Johannesburg. Keep rock bafethu

yesss, I've been waiting for this one for a while, can't wait to hear Beezy's thoughts

B is a real one for mentioning Aquamarine - that track is fucking incredible.

The review I been waiting for. This album is definitely an AOTY contender, next to Billy Woods and Lupe Fiasco for me

I LOVE this project. My only gripe is the audio quality, especially the first 3 songs.. As a music/sound engineer it might be a little worse to my ears, but Black Thought is such a great rapper and Danger Mouse is such a great producer I can overlook the poor audio quality of the tracks. This shit would have been an INSTANT classic with better quality. Now, most people might not play it through unless they are super hip hop heads or fans of BT or DM because of the horrible EQing.

I love the album. Black and Mouse dropped a classic but we'll see in 10 years...Great review DEHH!!!

Feefo up to a B-cup now. Keep goin bro!

“I don’t tune him out I just don’t listen.” Damn Myke

Black Thought and Raekwon has to be two of the most unappreciate Hip Hop Artists ever. Both Brothers spit bars and their tones are unmatched. Black Thought & The Roots are very underappreciated. Love their Northeast Philly Hip Hop Vibes.

Can’t wait for you guys to review the two new Ka projects. Languish arts and woeful studies.

Half of the Roots Feefo? I mean I know most people only know Quest and Black Thought but there are a bunch of members, it is a band.

I thought someone wouldve touched on “Belize” more. My favorite track next to “Aquamarine”

Man what if Andre 3000 had the last verse on because

Heavy. Ps Cheats Codes is a massive classic like Contra. Pps I read about this album 19 years it was going to be called Dangerous Thoughts. I'm glad I was able to buy a copy from Amoeba a few weeks ago.

some of the features I didn't expect like asap rocky and run the jewels...this was a tight solid effort!! but do you all remember Black mentioning a solo album years ago titled "MasterPiece Theater" it was in a source mag

Thanks for getting to this lol I got very nervous for a bit

one thing Feefo gon do is review the whole album before anyone else gets a turn

I didn’t know Feefo was nursing.

and we surely did not forget the collabo with Jemini the Gifted One. Probably the best Album that came out in 2003!

DEHH always coem through with the reviews we want to hear.

Danger Mouse is amazing to me. If you look at his credits over the last 6-7 years, I feel like dude's set for life and now he's just goin around the world making music he's passionate about with people he respects.

I want another Roots album with more Black Thought and Him going in like He did on this album.

DANGER MOUSE🔥 BLACK THOUGHT🔥 TY Heard this yesterday. WOW.

Been waiting for this review. This album 🔥🔥.. No Skip material

The grey album was dope. All sounds. Taken from The Beatles White Album

Feefo's dread looking fly dawg. Keep up retwists brody.

Only complaint is that Black Thought’s vocal mixing was low. I had to battle the (absolutely dope) production to be heard. Outside of that. A perfect album.

I love Thought but Danger Mouse blew me away! "Aquamarine" is one of the most beautifully produced songs this year... The whole album just sounds incredible and Thought bars are always top tier but it seems even better somehow! Insane project!

Finallt its mousin time

Black thought & Raekwon are One in the same so it shouldnt be surprising with them collaborating.

Danger Mouse is my favorite producer, not just in hiphop. He can merge into any genre and excel in it. He's done full albums for Norah Jones, Electric Guest, Portugal The Man, Gorrilaz, CeeLo Green, MF DOOM just to name a few. DOOM to Norah Jones is such a huge range.

Streams of Thought Vol...3 was his debut album

Been waiting for this one.

Amazing album just pure hiphop no sub genre

Bout time!!!

Been a while since I seen Granddad Willy!

To be fair. In "La Maquina" Conway did rap in different type of beats thatn the usual griselda type. I honestly thing that Danger Mouse was excited to do a griselda type beat and it was a good opportunity

I was beginning to think you guys were gonna pass this one up. I'm super glad you didn't!

Then he followed with the grenade guns and ammo. Perfection

Granddad Wooly where is this guy?? I loved his channel and his reviews..

Damn you guys questioned everything Feefo said 😂

Feefo gained some weight Dayum. Crazy to think these guys been creating content for over a decade.

Album of the YEAR, yes it edges Kendrick!

I think Russ' verse is a reciprocation of Black Thought's verse on Russ' song Momentum.

“Raekwon the line cook” 😂😂

Album of the year for me

I think it would benefit a multitude of elder statesmen in hip-hop to follow Pusha and Kanye's, Nas and Hit-Boy's, Royce & Premier's, RTJ's example. An MC + a singular producer lock in with each other and keep dropping until the well drys up. I think these projects would sound more focused and have more replay value. Plus it would help the veteran rappers who want more relevance. Like imagine if someone the likes of a Cam'ron, Lil Wayne, Game, 2 Chainz, Yasiin Bey worked with (1) dope producer it could possibly be some of their best work.

I rlly wish y'all talked more about Belize

Black Thought is the GOAT.

Black Thought & Nas for Me far as rappers getting better & better with age and still being able to put out quality work.

Belize is god tier

finally yall reviewed this since i wanted to see if beezy wasn't gonna like it like with atcq, day 1 of asking dehh to react to yuno miles

Favorite album of the year so far

Raekwon the Line Cook 🤣🤣🤣

Love this video. Loved this album ❤️❤️❤️💎❤️

9:29, dangerdoom. Its danger mouse, lol.

The review he talking about is the wutang saga continues review. About 5 years ago myke didn’t like how ghostface voice was altered on a hook. The dehh crew agreed that most of the verses on that project didn’t actually feel like a wutang project, from a production and energy standpoint. “Dirty water feel”

Y’all didn’t talk about the MF DOOM verse unless I missed it :(

1 thAnG bOut MusIc whEN iT hItS YOu FeEl No Pain

Something about this album is holding me back from liking it. Maybe is the compression on the mix or BT vocals sounding like he recorded it on a IPhone speaker or some of the features that didn't stick the landing... Either way decent album and i wish it could of been better and hopefully they make something better next time around.

Album is crazy

DEHH is important 💪💪

Black Thought wasn't the only Mc in the Roots. Their best albums Malik B was part of. Dice Raw, Greg Porn and Truck North definitely were part of the Roots Crew. He did hold 2 Roots albums down dolo. But that 2 out of 11. Like the album. Was expecting a little more from both Thought and Mouse. Some of the mixing on certain songs could have been better. But love the love Thought is getting.

Aquamarine is the dopest song on here 🤞🏾

how is Black Thought half of The Roots? he is one of twelve members, if I remember correctly :)

Best Hip Hop album this year.

I feel like this album is going to be very underappreciated for hip hop fans this year. I personally don't live it as much as y'all do as I have some issues with it but I definitely see why people think it's the BEST album of 2022. Great review y'all

Bars on Bars on Bars. I wish his song structure was better. But he’s a back pack rapper through and through

Black Thought top 15 rappers of all time. He falls short on his concept albums tho ... unlike Mavi "Laughing so Hard it Hurts."

Are y'all going to review KRS-ONE "IMAMCRU12" album. Hope y'all get to listen. Hip hop. Fosho.

Russ's verse on "Because" was not that bad or really bad at all.

mike said danger doom so many times dawg lmfao

My biggest problem with black thoughts solo work is that they do not hold my attention. Dope songs but I'm never in the mood to listen. The mixing was off on this album too. Overall dope shit

Russ verse on Because was fire and I'm not even a Russ fan. It wasn't even one of those kind of songs lol it was a very enjoyable verse smh