Black Milk has something to say on No Poison No Paradise and the more songs or visuals he leaks, the more I want to sit back and listen. He has never been afraid to express himself or to try new things, see his expertly produced third album, Album of the Year. However, something seems to have snapped in Milks normally neutral to positive thought process. Maybe, Detroit’s economic tragedies and the social deterioration they brought plays a part in his sudden shift towards a more bleak outlook. Perhaps, his inner frustrations with the industry and the empty repetition that can be heard through the airwaves.
Whatever the case may or may not be, get ready for Black Milk’s darkest venture yet. No Poison No Paradise seems to be filled with terrifyingly troubled personal anecdotes, harsh realities, and painful moments. His production style takes after his lyrical content, as he returns to the dusty crates that once made him famous, and digs out sample after sample, creating a nostalgic ambiance. Although, he wisely and sometimes abruptly navigates between gloom and nostalgia. Demonstrated perfectly in his latest video.
“Sunday’s Best” and “Monday’s Worst” are two songs that come roughly half way through the album. Even though their titles would lead you to believe that they contain opposing lyrical content, that’s not the case. While the former song is a little more lighthearted and at times humorous, it still grapples with tough topics like religious fervor and sacrilege. It leads right into “Monday’s Worst”, which sees the young child who didn’t want to go to church, grown up and robbing. As frightening of a transition as it seems, when hunger and hopelessness are mixed—something that Detroit has a lot of recently—desperation is formed, which can drive decent kids into bad occupations.
For the video, Black Milk combines both songs. It is stunning and right from the beginning it will have your attention. Following our protagonist from his middle school days, when he is being dragged to church by his parents, until his ultimate transformation into a hardened D-town street dweller. Seeing this process take place visually expounded on the message of both songs. He could have been preachy, and used a lot of selfie shots to show how he overcame. However, he choose to let the story do the talking, and at under five minutes, it feels like a short film.
Black Milk’s No Poison No Paradise is set to drop on October 15. Checking out his soundcloud and his older albums would not hurt. However, this new sound that he is working with is like nothing else he previously released, and it is some of his most interesting music to date. Seriously, look out for his new album.