Hip-hop is a genre that has always been a real melting pot of sounds and styles. Artists and producers alike come from a variety of different backgrounds and cultures that directly influence the energy or vibe of a song. And just like with any genre of music, sometimes the most interesting tracks come straight out of left-field which is kind of what we have here today with "Supreme Ninja Training Montage" from Mr. Green and DMX.
Now don't get it twisted. These are two well-known figures in hip-hop who generally have a particular lane that they run in. DMX is obviously a mainstream rap icon who is currently on his latest come back trail, hyping up a major label album that just might see the light of day in 2021. Mr. Green has been dropping timelessly crafted boom bap driven instrumentals for a minute now, featuring a legendary cast of artists along the way. So what brings these two together now? With the success of his previous releases in Mr. Green's Ultimate Supreme Ninja Champion series (featuring Rick Ross and Gucci Mane), DMX felt like a natural next step for the project so he made it happen.
I chose DMX for this track because it’s loosely based around fight training montages from 1980s movies and because X has always been known for his street training, going back to the Ruff Ryders days when he would challenge ppl to push-ups/pull-ups contests. I’m also a big fan of his performance in the movie Exit Wounds, I wish Hollywood would cast him in more movies, DMX is a great actor.
- Mr. Green
I personally love the track. Mr. Green's choice of dropping those crispy piano keys after that perfectly selected kung fu film intro just sets the stage for X to shine and his words do just that. You never know what you are going to get out of a DMX verse so after giving it a couple listens I was surprised at how well it really fits over the beat. Plus we got a few classic "WHAT!" adlibs, which is really all DMX fans need to get going. I would love to see these guys come together for a video or if we ever get to enjoy live music again, seeing all of the features from this project at one show would be insane.
You can purchase the Fat Beats Records limited edition vinyl release which includes drum and instrumental versions and bonus music from the new G Music Library here.
Or you can stream the track on Soundcloud & Spotify below.
Tracklisting:
A1 Supreme Ninja Training Montage feat. DMX
A2 Supreme Ninja Training Montage INSTRUMENTAL
A3 Supreme Ninja Training Montage DRUMS
B1 Ancient Technology (1000 year old Iphone)
B2 Illegal Laser Gun Dealer
B3 Blindfolded Love
B4 Adorable Baby Dragon”