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Critic Reviews
100
Ultimately, the thing that sets Cheat Codes apart is focus. There’s simply no filler. No point at which the quality – or the energy – drops.
3y
100
Razor-sharp US rapper Black Thought and his one-time acolyte, now super-producer, Danger Mouse, finally get it together on an album that’s a nonstop joy.
3y
95
The soul, jazz, old school R&B and blues samples are fantastic. It sets a really cool tone that isn’t pretentious and it isn’t overbearing, it’s smooth, charismatic and easy to gravitate to.
3y
92
While Cheat Codes sometimes walks the tight-rope of being another installment in the Streams of Thought series, it’s still a lesson in supreme lyricism and pristine production that should have any aspiring MC/producer combo aspiring to get on their level.
3y
90
The crisp if soot-coated drums, smeared strings, moaning organs, and gnarled guitars are all very compatible with Thought, who scythes through it all with unparalleled wordplay delivered with surgical precision.
3y
90
For this album, versatile producer Danger Mouse has laced some intricate walls of sound for emcee Black Though to paint his dense bars on top of.
1y
90
Danger Mouse’s sample-heavy production manages to simultaneously feel nostalgic and futuristic, with enough variation to make each song feel like a new experience while maintaining the album’s cohesion. Each beat is tailored towards Black Thought, whose pristine lyricism and buttery flow combine to create a consistent 38 minutes of nonstop enjoyability.
2y
90
As enjoyable as it is to see Black Thought show his chemistry with a myriad of different producers, I believe that Black Thought and Danger Mouse have created something special here and can continue projects as virtuoso as Cheat Codes.
3y
90
Black Thought and Danger Mouse have curated a collection of twelve fantastic songs, geared towards old-school rap fans, and filled them with verses from a community of rappers that you need to hear; ultimately making Cheat Codes a vital album for the genre and for the culture of hip-hop.
3y
88
Danger Mouse provides the right kind of support without trying to steal the spotlight, and engineers a smooth album flow that recalls the more cohesive Streams of Thought, Vol. 2 over its more scattershot siblings.
3y
80
Cheat Codes is a timely reminder of what two great hip hop minds can achieve when they put their heads together.
3y
80
The generationally-acclaimed modern greats are at their best on a long-awaited collaboration that constantly delights.
3y
80
Densely layered and sophisticated, these tracks immediately feel like familiar favourites.
3y
80
This long-awaited album arrives as a tribute to a whole scene rather than just two artists.
3y
80
Surprising no one, Black Thought and Danger Mouse are a match made in heaven.
3y
80
Cheat Codes stands as Black Thought's most fully fleshed-out and accessible non-Roots project to date. Despite not veering too far outside his comfort zone or breaking any new ground, it holds the perfect blend of accessibility and complexity, supported by an energetic cast of guests.
3y
80
Serving up a typically soulful backdrop to Thought’s lyrical assaults, Cheat Codes is loaded with the kind of colourful production we’ve come to expect from Danger Mouse.
3y
80
Danger Mouse's illustrious production CV is a big draw ... but it's his classy discretion in play here, giving plenty of space for Black Thought.
3y
80
Cheat Codes finds Danger Mouse rolling with a new lyrical foil and this one feels like it could run and run.
3y
80
Contemplating everything from hip-hop to the human condition, the ebullient and long-awaited collaboration is awash with cinematic beats and vivid rhymes.
3y
80
Flogged into focus by multi-genre producer Danger Mouse, ‘Cheat Codes’ is Black Thought’s most complete project to date.
3y
78
Cheat Codes captures the glory of rap’s classic era and brings it to the present through thick mesmerizing samples and the rapper’s incredible vernacular.
3y
75
A record full of timeless production and memorable rhymes.
3y
75
It’s evident that the producer-rapper duo complement each other’s work and by featuring other artists, elevate the rappers around them. Because of this, Cheat Codes isn’t just an album for old hip-hop heads – it’s a timeless record that celebrates all artists.
3y
72
After nearly two decades of on-off collaborations, the veteran musicians finally reach the finish line with their first full-length together, yielding a dozen tracks of solid, bare-bones hip-hop.
3y
70
The Roots rapper and super producer deliver lush beats and bring on some high-end guests. But Black Thought’s genius sometimes gets a little buried in the mix.
3y
60
An impressively star-studded collaboration, but not the modern classic they set out to make.
3y
when Cheat Codes flourishes into a modern classic imma be sitting here telling y’all i told u so
Black Thought is, in my opinion, one of the best lyricists of all time. from doing the Time: The Donut of the Heart beat justice in ‘06 to his legendary 10 min freestyle, only a select few emcees have a candle to hold to Black Thought. therefore it blows my mind that he hasn’t started his solo career until now. better late than never i guess but holy shit this album is something ... read more
After the great singles, I really didn’t have any doubts that this was going to be good. In some ways, it feels like a love letter to Hip-Hop Heads. Combining an incredible yet underrated producer with a respected rapper, that I think most would agree is one of the greatest to ever do it. But they don’t stop at that, they also got legends of the rap game. Run The Jewels, Raekwon, Conway and DOOM all come through with great bars, making this record all that much more noteworthy. Even ... read more
This feels like Black Thought's Stream Of Thought series on steroids, with a much higher standard of consistency, quality, and production. I'm all for Black Thought venturing by himself away from The Roots, but this is the first time I've heard one of his solo works approach his Roots works in quality. Me likey, especially if it includes one of the best MF DOOM features I've heard in a while. It's boom bappy, it's vibey, it's catchy, and it never strays from its sonic blueprint for too long. I ... read more
The ratings are pretty much based on the production and features cos Black Thought's rapping and lyricism automatically makes the song a 10 (He's crazy with it).
And the production is amazing of course, Saltwater might have my favourite beat, don't know how you even come up with that..
Features are mostly great, MF DOOM on Belize is definitely the best in my opinion.
100% deserves to be recognised as one of the best rap albums this decade.
If there is a Cheat Codes 2 coming ... read more
Amazing production. Rapping was really good as well. Beats definitely carried a lot on this album even though the rapping was also crazy.
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Track List
| 1 | Sometimes 2:10 | 89 |
| 2 | Cheat Codes 2:14 | 88 |
| 3 | The Darkest Part 3:44 feat. Raekwon, Kid Sister | 91 |
| 4 | No Gold Teeth 2:33 | 87 |
| 5 | Because 4:41 | 92 |
| 6 | Belize 3:54 feat. MF DOOM | 94 |
| 7 | Aquamarine 3:58 feat. Michael Kiwanuka | 95 |
| 8 | Identical Deaths 2:41 | 84 |
| 9 | Strangers 4:08 feat. A$AP Rocky, Run The Jewels | 93 |
| 10 | Close to Famous 2:28 | 84 |
| 11 | Saltwater 3:22 feat. Conway the Machine | 89 |
| 12 | Violas and Lupitas 2:21 | 88 |
Total Length: 38 minutes
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2w
"inside of my confessional I decompress alone" is the only thing that makes me feel something
