Black Milk

Detroit's Premier Producer-MC

Curtis Cross — Black Milk — is the rare artist who is equally revered as a producer and as an MC, a dual mastery that has made him one of the most respected figures in underground hip-hop for two decades. He came up in Detroit's post-Dilla era, absorbing the city's tradition of live-instrument-infused beats and pushing it into new territory with his own drum programming and sample work. His 2010 album "Album of the Year" is a landmark of the era — dense, layered, and emotionally complex in a way that few rap records achieve. His 2014 project "If There's a Hell Below" pushed further into experimental territory, earning widespread critical acclaim and cementing his reputation as one of Detroit's most important musical minds. He continues to release and produce for other artists, maintaining a standard of quality that few in the game can match.