On March 24, after much teasing, two singles and a deluge of social media posts, JPEGMAFIA and Danny Brown released their much-anticipated collab album, “Scaring the Hoes.” 

The album is a tight 14-track project that runs for 36 minutes. During the span of these 36 minutes, the listener is treated to JPEGMAFIA’s ever-improving production, Brown’s unique voice and JPEGMAFIA’s deft lyricism. 

“Scaring the Hoes” at its core is a triumphant coming together of arguably the two most unique voices in the hip-hop scene today. 

With track titles like “Fentanyl Tester,” “Burfict!” and “Jack Harlow Combo Meal,” JPEGMAFIA and Brown showcase their brand of humor and cultural irreverence. 

So far I have listened to the album at least 20 times, each time still just as much a treat as the first. 

To me, JPEGMAFIA and Brown fans aren’t dissimilar to Taylor Swift or Harry Styles fans. We are all absolutely insufferable to be around when new music is released. 

While the album is undeniably great, the pedestal I’ve put it on makes it seem as if I believe it to be the single most important piece of art to be released this year. 

Preparing for the release of this album was a process for me. Firstly, as is customary, I talked about my excitement for a solid 2-3 weeks with others familiar with JPEGMAFIA and Brown. 

Next, I listened to the two singles that were released over and over again. At this point, I also listened to nothing but JPEGMAFIA and Brown’s discography. This was an important step, I had to be fully immersed to enjoy the album. 

Finally, I made sure to apologize in advance to my close friends and loved ones who were unfamiliar with JPEGMAFIA and Brown’s unique sound. This step was very important, I had the awareness to know that my obsession would definitely make me unbearable to be around. 

In the wake of the album’s release, I proceeded to listen to it as much as possible and then even made sure to wear a JPEGMAFIA-inspired outfit to “scare the hoes.” 

Also in the wake of the album’s release, I did nothing but talk about the album to anyone who made the mistake of talking to me. 

While thankfully I have not lost any friends in the wake of the album’s release, I am sure that it has strained my relationships. 

Now that I’ve had a week to settle in, I can finally get back to my friends as a relatively normal person. The mania of the first week has subsided and I won’t rant about JPEGMAFIA to anyone who has the misfortune of crossing my path. 

Overall, with music as an experience, I highly suggest getting into JPEGMAFIA and Brown. While their music is excellent, the experience of being a diehard fan is probably the most similar I can get to experiencing Beatle-mania. 

For further exploration, Brown has five studio albums released to date, as well as an upcoming solo album called Quaranta slated to release later this year. JPEGMAFIA has four studio albums released to date. 

Adams can be reached at [email protected].