Black Milk Takes a 'DiVE' With Latest EP

Expanding on the Sonic Palette and Lyrical Themes of His Critically-Acclaimed 2018 Project FEVER, Black Milk Dives Into A New Age of Politics, Social Issues And Change

Critical Praise:

“As the performance soared into a free-form jam, it was apparent that Mr. Cross and the band had succeeded in pushing the music far from the boundaries of any single genre.” – Wall Street Journal

“Black Milk’s solo career represents a constant cycle of adopting and mastering new production styles and then abandoning them before they become crutches.” – Pitchfork

“His samples are elegant, his rhythms challenging and his drum kits tight.” – NPR

“Sonically [FEVER] is, unsurprisingly, a masterful album: echoey, soulful and old-school” – The Guardian

“Cross has no need for these extras; in his world of soul-tugging productions and machinegun-as-velvet delivery they are merely distractions. On this realization, and in the moment, it was hard not be floored by the obvious: this is what talent with genuine poise really looks and sounds like.” – Dallas Observer

The EP:

Adventurously blending trap, neo-soul, R&B and hip-hop into an electrifying stew, Black Milk “dives” into the future with a renewed perspective on the world and his place in it. Three tracks from Black’s ambitious 2018 album, FEVER, represented different stages of change – “unVEil,” the initial thought; “eVE,” the moment before leaping, and “DiVE,” the moment of action. DiVE, the EP, is an elaboration on the moments of change for Black Milk – changing the way he sees (or chooses not to see) the world, his creative identity, his place in the rap sphere, and the shedding old ways. As he looks forward towards the 2020s, Black also contemplates his legacy, as he rhymes on project highlight “Relate (Want 2 Know),” featuring his younger brother MAHD: “Always in it for the long game/Only decision I ever choose/Let the people put you on a pedestal/Legacies live longer than legends do.”

“I’m always going to have my standard and aesthetic,” says Black Milk. “That’s why I’m not really afraid to step outside of any box because my taste will always keep me grounded.”

Spanning 11-tracks, the EP flows from front-to-back with seamless transitions, mimicking the free-wheeling creativity of the album’s author. Recruiting a group of ace session musicians from his hometown, Black Milk fine-tunes his incendiary genre-blend, which can switch from hard-charging to smooth to ethereal at the drop of a hat. The new EP features two previously released singles: the soulful and nostalgic “If U Say ft. BJ The Chicago Kid” and the aspirational “Black NASA,” which features vocals from Detroit artist Sam Austins. DiVE arrives via Mass Appeal Records/Computer Ugly.

Buy/Stream DiVE: https://BlackMilk.lnk.to/DiVEPR

Buy tickets for Black Milk’s European Tour: https://www.songkick.com/artists/437828-black-milk

DiVE tracklist:
01. Save Yourself
02. Black NASA ft. Sam Austins
03. If U Say ft. BJ the Chicago Kid
04. Relate (Want 2 Know) ft. MAHD
05. Blame
06. Swimm ft. Phil Swish
07. DiVE pt.2
08. Don’t Say
09. Out Loud
10. TYME
11. Now Begin

Black Milk European Tour Dates:
8/10 – Nuremberg, Germany @ Brucken Festival
8/11 – Manchester, UK @ Band On The Wall
8/12 – Bristol, UK @ The Fleece
8/13 – Leeds, UK @ Belgrade Music Hall
8/14 – London, UK @ Jazz Cafe
8/16 – Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic @ Hip Hop Kemp
8/17 – Biel, Switzerland @ Royal Arena Festival

The Background:

Over the past 15 years, Black Milk has amassed a dynamic portfolio. After scoring his first credit for Slum Village as a teenager in 2002, he worked closely with the group and co-produced much of their next two albums. His self-released, full-length Sound of the City (2005) led to an independent deal, before international attention for the Soul-sample-driven style on his proper solo debut Popular Demand (2007). Five additional solo rap albums followed (Tronic, Album of the Year, No Poison No Paradise, Glitches in the Break, If There’s A Hell Below, FEVER), as well as an instrumental LP (Synth or Soul), and a live effort (The Rebellion Sessions) with his touring band Nat Turner. The sprawling and versatile discography also features collaborative LPs (including Black and Brown with Danny Brown as well as Random Axe with Guilty Simpson and the late Sean Price), two singles with Jack White, plus production highlights involving Brown, Kendrick Lamar and Earl Sweatshirt (“Really Doe”), and recent songs for Mick Jenkins and Marlon Craft. His 2018 album FEVER earned critical acclaim from the likes of Pitchfork, The Guardian, The 405, DJ Booth, and more. Through it all, Black Milk is widely recognized as one of music’s most acclaimed live acts as well as an elite artist who has always embraced creative evolution and change.