Gnarls Barkley defies classification, succeeds anyway
The illustrious rapper Shaquille O’Neill on his brilliant LP “Shaq Diesel,” once told listeners “Ali Ali Ali Baba/Go tell yo Pops and yo Mama/That Shaq is the man/Period, Comma.” Needless to say, when I heard that an artist named Gnarls Barkley was coming out with his record “St. Elsewhere,” I anxiously awaited its release, hoping that it would match Shaqzilla’s rhyme skills. Also, needless to say, I was pleased (albeit a bit disappointed) to find out that “St. Elsewhere” is not actually the product of the former NBA power forward, Sir Charles Barkley. Instead, the album springs forth from the hands DJ Danger Mouse (of “The Gray Album” fame) and Atlanta hip-hop staple Cee-Lo, and is about as far from cultishly awful athlete rap as an album could possibly be. More »
