There are those artists in the hip hop industry that do things by their own rules. Kool Keith will disregard anything that represents “the wack” in his eyes. Andre 3000 will loathe music just to drop guest verses better than many people’s careers. Danny Swain (stage name: Danny!) is that said artist. Instead of being a follower, he would rather be himself and stand out like a sore thumb. Knowing this, he has refused to give up. Payback is the documentation of Danny!’s struggle to strive for better (even if “better” doesn’t exist).

 

 

Notably, the type of guest stars, and how Danny! fit them altogether should be noted. The song “Shit Starters” put Jim Jones, Swizz Beats, DJ Kay Slay and EL-P together on a track and make it work. With Bruno Mars on “Evil” and Janelle Monae is singing on “Little Black Boy”, Payback still doesn’t lose its ground. Even the E-40 featured “Do It All Over Again” is still undeniably Danny Swain. Therefore, don’t expect the features to detract from the appeal of the album.

 

The subject matter of the album stays pretty consistent: dealing with Danny! and the “payback” that he plans on getting from life and the industry. “Hey You”, featuring Tyler the Creator, waxes poetic about metaphorically “raping the industry” only to lead to more confusion. That confusion evolves into “Misunderstood”, which explains the obvious. Concerns with family (“Speed”), life’s struggles (“Get Up”), and staying positive (“Keep Your Head To the Sky”) all get their proper shine. Even with a diverse palette, the album doesn’t musically falter.

 

 

Ultimately, Payback proves its worth by taking advantage of major backing to produce a piece of accessible lyrical art. Instead of making music for radio, Danny! manages to create a work that expresses his thoughts. Swain never gets lost within his own art. On the contrary, he manipulates what is given and still makes the composition his. If it was payback he was seeking, then payback will unequivocally be his.

 

 

Review submitted by contributing writer, Mark A. Harris.