JJ DOOM (MF DOOM + Jnerio Jarel) - Guv'nor (Chad Hugo Remix) (Single)
Guv'nor is part of LEX XX; a series of previously unreleased remixes from Lex marking the 20th anniversary of the independent, London-based record label. Previous LEX XX releases include tracks by Nevermen and Boards of Canada, Eyedress and King Krule, and MF DOOM and Thom Yorke.
The original version of Guv'nor was one of the standout tracks from Jneiro Jarel and MF DOOM's collaborative album as JJ DOOM, Key To The Kuffs. Written and recorded during DOOM's exile in London and released a decade ago in August 2012, Key To The Kuffs is chock-full of British references ("ello guv’nor!") and features Damon Albarn and Beth Gibbons.
In tandem with the Chad Hugo remix and tenth anniversary of Key To The Kuffs, Lex are rereleasing on vinyl both Key To The Kuffs and 2014 EP, Bookhead - which includes tracks with Beck, Clams Casino, Thom Yorke, BADBADNOTGOOD and more - plus JJ DOOM t-shirts with variations on the original Steve "ESPO" Powers-designed album artwork.
Explaining the backstory behind the JJ DOOM collaboration, Lex Records explained: "Jneiro Jarel and MF DOOM turned in the JJ DOOM album after two years of recording. That summer, we shot a video for Guv’nor on the roof of the Truman Brewery with Ninian Doff directing. D’s old homie Steve “ESPO” Powers illustrated his lyrics for the sleeve art. Klaus Thymann shot the portraits against a London skyline.
There was an actual key for some actual cuffs. It appeared in D’s London flat after an unexplained incident. Key To The Kuffs might mean finding creative emancipation through his forced isolation, unlocking those shackles. The album is his most directly personal. The bars are top tier with a Byzantine matrix of internal rhymes and cross-references.
It’s the last album D released, where every aspect had his attention. He chose to flow outside the box. JJ’s beats are intense, sometimes weird, and some are edits that D pieced together from JJ’s demos. The skits were handcrafted by metal fingers.
We reached out to the Neptunes when we were putting together the remixes for the JJ DOOM Bookhead EP. Tumbleweed. But when we asked Chad Hugo to remix Guv’nor for its tenth anniversary, he was excited about the possibilities. Days later he played us four completely different demo remixes, showing off how many ways he could flip the same track. Hearing Guv’nor over a beat that slapped like a Lord Willin’ A-side was magic.
Daniel Dumile (RIP) was one of the most prolific artists on Lex, releasing three studio albums as lead vocalist and one as a beatmaker. We spent a huge amount of time with him in the 2010s. He’ll be missed always."