Danny Brown is easily one of the more unique Hip Hop artists to have popped off in the last 10-15 years. I would say that he could truly be considered an Alternative Hip Hop artist. Pretty much everything he does is outside the box and pretty incomparable to his peers. When he burst onto the scene in the early 2010s with projects like The Hybrid, XXX, and Old, his music had a very brash, sludgy feel. The beats were always grating and bold, and the lyricism certainly matched this sound. Over the years, his sound has changed and become even more eccentric. Starting with Atrocity Exhibition, his music started to sound even more experimental, incorporating some elements of Electronic music into it. This sentiment continued onto uknowwhatimsayin¿, which was probably his weirdest record to date, which is saying a lot. This album has a groovy Electronic undertone throughout, which really stood out among the landscape of most Trap music that his peers were putting out. Danny Brown upped the weirdness and eccentricity even more on his joint record with JPEGMafia, SCARING THE HOES; this was an Industrial Hip Hop record that really challenges the listener; it is sometimes challenging to listen to, but very cool for what it is. Danny Brown released yet another record, Quaranta, near the end of 2024. This one isn’t quite as weird as the last couple, but it was very introspective and lyrically sound. Danny Brown has returned to eccentricity again in 2025, as his new album, Stardust, may be his most wild to date. This record features many artists in the Alternative Hip Hop, HyperPop, and Electronic genres. It has an extremely diverse and wild sound, and really extends the limits of what Hip Hop is supposed to be. Below, I wanted to highlight some of my favorite songs from Stardust, and then give some overall thoughts to close things out. Please let me know in the comments below what your favorite songs are from Stardust, and also comment on how you feel about it as a whole!

BOOK OF DANIEL (With Quadeca)

As I mentioned in the introduction, most of the music on this project is pretty energetic and eccentric. The album’s opening track, ‘Book of Daniel,’ is actually pretty laid back. This one features and is produced by Quadeca, who is a very cool Alt-Hip Hop artist with a haunting sound(that I have covered on this blog before). The instrumental for ‘Book of Daniel’ is calm and enlightening. The track is almost solely driven by the melody; the drum beat does not come in until the end of the song. The melody for this track is very sweet and warm. It is mainly driven by a pleasant piano riff that is complemented by synth and string instruments as it progresses to make it feel very full. Quadeca’s vocals complement this melody, adding depth in the background as Danny raps. Danny Brown is very direct in his approach to this track. He raps with a deliberate flow and tone as he details his past addictions and how he has been to hell and back to get to this point. 

COPYCATS (With underscores)

Danny Brown’s vocals have always sounded good on extremely aggressive and glitchy HyperTrap music. He has messed around with this idea for years(going back to Atrocity Exhibition or even XXX, if we are being fair), but I feel like ‘Copycats’ is the most he has fully dived into this genre. ‘Copycats’ is a very strange and cool song that almost has two distinct sections. The instrumental in the hook and in the verses has a very different pacing and level of aggression. The verses have a jarring and abrasive sound that is pretty much devoid of melody; it sounds as if a robot from the future tried to make pounding Trap music. The instrumental on the chorus is also glitchy, but it is faster paced and has a Pop melody and overall feeling that makes it less negative sounding. I really like the vocals from Danny Brown and underscores mesh. Danny’s rap flow and tone are just as aggressive as the instrumental, whereas the singing from underscores is more subdued and cute. On ‘Copycats,’ Danny Brown and underscores talk about idolizing your favorite artists and working hard at your craft to be able to reach the level they are on.

FLOWERS (With 8455)

When I first listened to this record, ‘Flowers’ was the track I downloaded immediately. Not only is it one of the strangest songs on this record(which is saying a lot), but it is somehow also one of the most palatable as well. Although nothing about this song is really mainstream, it sort of feels mainstream adjacent. ‘Flowers’ is Danny Brown’s take on an Electronic Club anthem. The melody for this one has a huge, luscious sound to it that really draws me in. It sounds like the kind of melody in a Big Room House song that would shake the function. The beat switches up throughout the track. At some points, it matches that Big Room House feel, and at others, it sounds like futuristic glitchy Trap. The vocals from both 8455 and Danny Brown are excellent. The singing from 8455 on the chorus is great, adding to that Club music feeling. Danny Brown’s rapping contrasts with the chorus and gives the song a grittier element that is very cool. On ‘Flowers,’ Danny Brown and 8455 talk about their rags-to-riches stories and how they will make sure they do everything to get what they want. They literally state that they are going to get more than the flowers they are due. 

LIFT YOU UP

Several tracks seem to try Industrial undertones on more traditional genre styles. In my opinion, ‘Lift You Up’ is one of the most interesting and fun examples of this. The best way I can describe this one is that it’s a glitchy fusion of retro Dance music and modern Underground House with a Hip Hop twist. The melody is provided by a funky vocal sample that reminds me of 1990s Hi-NRG music. The beat also has elements of that Hi-Nrg music, but also has a current House music element to the drums as well. Like every other song on this record, the instrumental is full of weird sound effects that give the song a metallic feeling. I never imagined Danny Brown rapping on an instrumental like this, but it surprisingly works super well. His quick flow matches the energy of the beat nicely, and his quirky tone provides texture to the track. On  ‘Lift You Up,’ Danny Brown raps about a tumultuous relationship that always feels like it is going back and forth. 

GREEN LIGHT (With Frost Children)

For how wide-ranging his music is, I have always wondered if and when Danny Brown would take a plunge into the Emo-Trap/HyperPop fusion that has become popular underground online over the last couple of years. ‘Green Light’ is really the first track of his that I can remember that really leans into this style. ‘Green Light’ is a song that feels welcoming and light while at the same time feeling harsh and brisk. The melody is very bright and balmy, and a very ultramodern feeling to the way it is arranged. The beat hits hard and is very robotic, having an off-kilter Trap tempo. The instrumental is full of bouncy sound effects that add to the HyperPop feeling of the track. As interesting as the instrumental is, the best thing about ‘Green Light’ is the vocals. The Frost Children really stand out on this one, with their husky singing on the chorus bringing so much life to the track. Danny’s rapping on this track is not as lively as it is on others, but his even-keeled flow contrasts The Frost Children nicely. On ‘Green Light,’ Danny Brown and The Frost Children talk about turning up and letting loose with their significant other.

ALL4U (With Jane Remover)

Unlike the way the album started, the closing track, ‘All4U,’ has a very exciting and high-key feeling to it. There is something about this track that makes me feel very anxious(in a good way, I guess?). The melody is actually very shimmering and sunny. This melody is provided by a variety of elements. It consists of various synths and beeping sounds that make it feel very massive. The melody is also contributed to by Jane Remover, who provides backing vocals to the synths and sound effects to make it feel very full. Even though there are drum sounds in the background, there is no real beat for this track. The lack of tempo fits the feeling of the melody, but also leaves me wanting more. Danny Brown delivers a very spirited rap performance in this one. He raps with a rapid pace and high pitch that really fits the sound of the instrumental. On ‘All4U,’ Danny raps about how Hip Hop saved his life. This track is a love letter to his fans and how they got him through everything. 

I have to say, after listening to Rosalía’s album ‘LUX’ last week, this album was a total shock to the system. Going from an album that is totally classical sounding to an album that sounds like it came out of a Dystopian future was a hell of a switch-up. I would argue that some people may see Danny Brown’s Stardust to be similarly impactful sonically, though, because of just how different and avant-garde the record is. Stardust is not only unlike any Hip Hop album I have heard in a while, but it is also unlike a lot of other music in general. Obviously, it has lots of themes based on Industrial and Hyperpop music, as I alluded to throughout my song choices above. Before listening to this record, I saw an interview where Danny Brown talked about how he had always wanted to work with the HyperPop icon Sophie(RIP) before they passed. Well, a lot of the features on this record are artists with whom Sophie was heavily associated. Danny Brown will never actually get to work with Sophie, but they were able to keep the memory of Sophie’s music going by exposing these kinds of sounds to a new audience. Now, not every song on the record is super high-key and abrasive. There are a couple of slower, more introspective-sounding songs that change up the timing and texture of the record, giving it a softer element. As interesting as this album is sonically, Stardust is also very impactful lyrically. Danny Brown bares his heart on a lot of these tracks. He talks about his financial struggles and struggles with drugs, his desire for fame, and issues with past relationships. I know that Stardust may not be an album for everyone, but I believe it is very good for what it is. Danny Brown is someone always willing to push the envelope and grow, and it is crazy that he is still so ahead of the curve this far into his career.