The Grey Album

When Jay-Z released an a-cappella version of his Black Album specifically for the purpose of remixes it set off a free-for-all of amateur mixes and mashups. The best mashup of all was also the one that caught the most attention of EMI and their copyright lawyers. This came as no surprise, of course, since the album in question pitted Jay-Z with none other than the Beatles and samples from their white album. The album's creator, Danger Mouse, came out of the project relatively unscathed by the legal system and with much more notoriety than he had previously. Now he's a famous producer and part of the Gnarls Barkley duo.

The mix itself is well worth a listen, even if you can't stand rap. One of the reasons Jay-Z's work is so widely used in mashups with rock music is his widespread appeal with white audience and his lyrics that tend to transcend the rap genre if only because they don't alienate anyone.

Here's a track that doesn't prove my point about the lyrics but does include a backing guitar track from Helter Skelter:

	Danger Mouse (Jay-Z & Beatles) - 99 Problems
	Found at skreemr.com

And here's the best track, since it samples primarily from "Piggies."

	DJ Dangermouse - Change Clothes
	Found at skreemr.com

Grey Album - Wikipedia (check out the professional review scores)