Black Milk

Black Milk
Black Milk performing live in 2012.
Background information
Birth name	Curtis Cross
Born	(1983-08-14) August 14, 1983
Origin	Detroit, Michigan, United States
Genres	Midwest hip hop, Detroit hip hop
Occupations	Producer, rapper
Instruments	Drums, Turntable, Sampler, Keyboards, Synthesizer, Fender Rhodes, Drum Machine
Years active	2002–present
Labels	Fat Beats, Decon
Associated acts	B.R. Gunna, Danny Brown, Elzhi, Bishop Lamont, Random Axe, Sean Price, Guilty Simpson, Slum Village, Jack White
Website	blackmilk.biz

Curtis Cross (born August 14, 1983), better known by his stage name Black Milk, is a hip hop producer and MC from Detroit, Michigan.^[1][2]

Career

Performing in Toronto in 2012

In 2004, he formed B.R. Gunna, with Young RJ, and Fat Ray, and together they released Dirty District: Vol. 2, a follow up to a compilation released in 2001 by Slum Village, which he had contributed production to. Black Milk released a solo album, Sound of the City, Vol. 1, the following year and in 2006 he signed a record contract with Fat Beats Records (Fat Beats is currently distributed by Koch Entertainment, the largest independent distributor in the U.S.). In the fall of 2006, he released an EP, entitled Broken Wax. March 13, 2007 he released a second album, Popular Demand.^[1]

In addition to Slum Village, Black Milk has worked with J Dilla,^[3] Elzhi, Phat Kat, Frank-N-Dank, Lloyd Banks, Canibus, and Pharoahe Monch, and handled most of the production on T3's Olio mixtape of 2006.^{[citation needed]}

Black Milk released an album with Fat Ray entitled The Set Up on March 4, 2008 and his third official solo release "Tronic" on October 28, 2008. He also handled the majority of production on Elzhi's album The Preface, released August 12.^{[citation needed]}

Elzhi's "The Leftovers Unmixedtape" was released on December 11, 2009. Black Milk produced four of the tracks on it.^{[citation needed]}

On December 25, 2009, he leaked the first single from his upcoming album Album of the Year. The song is called "Keep Going". He also released two more singles named "Welcome (Gotta Go)" and "Deadly Medley" featuring Royce da 5'9" and Elzhi.^{[citation needed]}

On August 22, 2010, he released the music video for "Deadly Medley". The video features Black Milk, Royce da 5'9" and Elzhi.^{[citation needed]}

Album of the Year was released on September 14, 2010 through Fat Beats and Decon. Black Milk has announced he has already started work on his 5th studio album which he aims to finish and release some time in Summer 2012.^{[citation needed]}

In March 2011, Black Milk released a 7" single entitled "Brain". The single was the result of a collaboration between, Black Milk and his band (AB, Daru Jones and Malik Hunter) and Jack White of the White Stripes. A B Side, entitled Royal Mega, was also released.^{[citation needed]} He plans on releasing his new album in October called "No Poison No Paradise" with guests such as Black Thought, Dwele, Robert Glasper & Quelle Chris.^[4]

Musical style and influences

Cross cites some of his main musical influences as J. Dilla, Easy Mo Bee, Pete Rock, Questlove, A Tribe Called Quest, and De La Soul. His music is very soulful, as he was raised on the sounds of the latter two in the 80s and 90s. The late producer J. Dilla had a large impact on him with his soul-influenced, jazzy beats.^{[citation needed]}

Discography

Solo albums

Collaborative albums

• Dirty District Vol. 2 (2004) (with Young RJ as B.R. Gunna)
• Caltroit (2008) (with Bishop Lamont)
• The Set Up (2008) (with Fat Ray)
• The Preface (2008) (with Elzhi)
• Random Axe (2011) (with Sean Price and Guilty Simpson as Random Axe)
• Black & Brown EP (2011)^[5] (with Danny Brown)
• Searching for Sanity (TBA) (with Melanie Rutherford)

EPs

• Broken Wax (2006)

Singles

• "Sound the Alarm" (2006)
• "Shut It Down" (2007)
• "Stern" (2007)
• "Give the Drummer Sum" (2008)
• "Welcome" (2010)
• "Don Cornelius" (2010)
• "Brain" b/w "Royal Mega" (2011) (with Jack White)

Guest appearances

• Jake One - "I'm Coming" from White Van Music (2008)
• Elzhi - "Fire (Rmx)" from The Preface (2008)
• Guilty Simpson - "Run" from Ode to the Ghetto (2008)
• Nottz - "Blast That" from You Need This Music (2010)
• Apollo Brown - "Hungry" from The Reset (2010)
• Georgia Anne Muldrow & Declaime - "Heaven or Hell" from Heaven or Hell (2010)
• Cadik - "Let It Free" from Travel Agency (2010)

Production

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Black Milk.

• Official website
• Black Milk discography at Discogs