DJ Shadow + Keak Da Sneak

Keak Da Sneak: 3 Freaks Feat. Turf Talk
From [Unknown, 2005]

I've been meaning to do a Bay Area rap post for a minute, and while this isn't exactly what I had in mind it'll have to do for now. I was turned on to this new Keak Da Sneak track the other night, apparently produced by DJ Shadow. For those of you that have been following Shadow's output over the last year this collaboration may not come as a surprise as recent mixes like Diminishing Returns and Funky Skunk feature extended passages of Dirty South and Bay Area rap tracks. I've heard some say that he's just jumping on the bandwagon, but there's no doubt in my mind that dude's been down since day one, seeing now as the perfect opportunity to branch out.

As a Bay Area native Shadow definitely captures the aesthetic nicely on "3 Freaks (referring to Keak, Turf Talk, and Shadow I would presume)," while adding a little more depth, especially the breakdown towards the end. I wasn't too sure about this the first time I heard it, but after a few listens it's definitely starting to grow on me. If anything, this beat is perfect for Keak.