Madlib is regarded as one of hip-hop’s most innovative artists. He is well renowned for his quiet personality, but what Madlib doesn’t bring out in public is his talents that are seen only in studios, as a very impressive rapper and producer. Madlib achieved prominence after working as a MC in the hip-hop trio, Lootpack. The bands debut album in 1999, Soundpieces: Da Antidote, was issued on Madlib’s home label. Stones Throw Records received much popularity. Both critics and artists such as D’Angelo and The Roots’ Questlove, who believed it to be an indie hip-hop triumph, critically acclaimed it.

Madlib’s music reflects influences of jazz, funk, Brazilian, rock and many other genres whose rhythms and melodies enamor him. His personal projects, such as Lootpack, Quasimoto, Yesterdays New Quintet, works for other Stones Throw artists, including Dudley Perkins, Wildchild, Jaylib, Mad Villain and other contemporaries remixes for Bilal, Zero 7, Jazzanova, all reflect his offbeat, patchwork musical style. Madlib seems to balance the essence of the music that he frequently composes which sounds classic and contemporary both. Combined with his own talent to play many instruments, his works render a rich tapestry of sound.

With the help of his invitational skills he combines both the rhymes and beats to transcend a simple project, the best example of this kind of work is the Quasimoto album, The Unseen, released in 2000. His beats are just as animated, presenting soul-jazz, funk bits and psychedelic rock into a vibrant hip-hop fantasy world. It reveals Madlib as a unique hip-hop star.

Recently, he issued Blunted in the Bomb Shelter, a DJ-ed mix-CD of reggae jams on the major label, Trojan Records catalog. His forthcoming projects include, the debut album from Wildchild, which Madlib co-produced; the soon to be legendary Dudley Perkins album, which Madlib produced; Jaylib, a collaboration project with hip-hop producer Jay Dee; and Mad Villain, an already acclaimed collaboration with MF Doom, an MC and producer perhaps as refined as Madlib.

The thought for Shades of Blue: Madlib Invades Blue Note was put forth by the legendary jazz imprint and Stones Throw Records head, Peanut Butter Wolf. Madlib was then given every DJ/producer’s dream: carte blanche entry into the Blue Note hurdles. He rendered the label with a wish list of tracks in the manner he wanted to have, and, when available, he was offered the original multi-track recordings, which gave him the musical opportunity to classify each instrument and vocal part individually. Shades of Blue: Madlib Invades Blue Note is a unparalleled project that moves around over the legacy of the valued Blue Note jazz label to one of hip-hop’s most creative artists, Madlib, aka Otis Jackson, Jr. Madlib’s power to take over his influences and remake them in new forms. This is what makes him the quintessential artist for a project of this innovation. His works give his fans a great idea about his music performances, which are a total entertainer