Key to the Kuffs explained

Key to the Kuffs is a collaborative album by alternative hip hop artists Jneiro Jarel and MF Doom under the moniker JJ Doom. It was released on Lex Records on August 20, 2012.^[1]

Recording

Jneiro Jarel produced the music in his studio in New Orleans. Although he and Doom met several times during the recording the bulk of the work was carried out in their respective studios.^[2] MF Doom recorded the vocals for the album in London between December 2010 and April 2012.^[3]

The album includes guest vocals by Damon Albarn of Blur and Gorillaz, Beth Gibbons of Portishead, Khujo of Goodie Mob and Dungeon Family, and Boston Fielder.^[4]

Release

Two alternative versions of tracks from the album were released prior to the album. The tracks were the Doom/Thom Yorke/Jonny Greenwood version of "Retarded Fren"^[5] and the Dave Sitek remix of "Rhymin' Slang."^[6]

Critical reception

At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average score out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, Key to the Kuffs received an average score of 74% based on 26 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".

The Guardian described Key to the Kuffs as a "killer new album with a spectral guest vocal by Beth Gibbons from Portishead."^[7] Spin listed a lyric in "Banished" as one of the best rap lines of 2012.^[8] Thom Yorke of Radiohead listed "Guv'nor" as his "single of 2012."^[9]

In 2017 Pitchfork wrote that "Key to the Kuffs has aged into excellence in the nearly five years since it first came out."^[10]

Track listing

Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes.

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes.^[11]

Production

• Jneiro Jarel – production
• Metalfingerz Doom – additional skit arrangement

Additional performers

• Shannon Powell – percussion
• Damon Albarn – featured vocals
• Capitol Peoples – outro
• Roderick Skeaping – violin
• Beth Gibbons – featured vocals
• Boston Fielder and Muthawit Orchestra – strings
• Indigo – additional vocals
• Khujo Goodie – vocals

Additional personnel

• Tom Brown – executive production, A&R
• Will Skeaping – A&R
• Who Dat? – mixing
• Metalfingerz Doom – mixing
• Earl Scioneaux – additional engineering, additional mixing
• Stephen Sedgwick – additional mixing
• Drew Brown – additional mixing
• Matt Colton – mastering

Artwork

• Steve Powers – art
• Klaus Thymann – portrait
• DLT – layout

Charts

Chart	Peak position
US Billboard 200[12]	148
US Heatseekers Albums[13]	3
US Independent Albums[14]	24
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums[15]	25
US Tastemaker Albums[16]	17

Notes and References

1. Web site: Listen: JJ Doom: "Guv'nor". Pitchfork. Carrie. Battanon. July 27, 2012.
2. Felipe . Delerme. Interview with Jneiro Jarel, (Frank151, Issue 48). 2012.
3. Steve. Yates. Q Magazine: The Exile Factor. Q. April 2012.
4. JJ Doom Reveal "Key To The Kuffs" Release Date, Tracklist. Complex. Andrew. Martin. July 5, 2012.
5. Web site: Hear Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood, and Doom: "Retarded Fren". Pitchfork. Jenn. Pellyon. November 1, 2011.
6. Web site: JJ Doom: "Rhymin' Slang (Dave Sitek Remix)". Pitchfork. Larry. Fitzmaurice. December 16, 2011. July 28, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120726075557/http://pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/12897-rhymin-slang-dave-sitek-remix/. July 26, 2012. dead.
7. News: Film & Music: The F&M Playlist. The Guardian. July 20, 2012. 15.
8. Spin 'Best Rap Lines of 2012' Reviews. Spin. Spin Staff. December 27, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20200203173123/https://www.spin.com/2012/12/best-rap-hip-hop-lines-2012/121221-Doom/. 2020-02-03. dead.
9. Web site: Uni of Yorke Class 4: Holly Herndon and Arca. Dazed Digital. Flora. Yin-Wong. January 24, 2013.
10. Web site: JJ Doom Bookhead EP. Pitchfork. Nate Patrin. May 30, 2017.
11. Keys to the Kuffs. JJ Doom. 2012. liner notes. Lex Records. LEX028LP. Camden, London.
12. JJ Doom – Chart history – Billboard 200. Billboard. February 24, 2017. February 24, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170224214049/http://www.billboard.com/artist/276586/jj%20Doom/chart?f=305. dead.
13. JJ Doom – Chart history – Heatseekers Albums. Billboard. February 24, 2017. February 24, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170224214927/http://www.billboard.com/artist/276586/jj%20Doom/chart?f=324. dead.
14. JJ Doom – Chart history – Independent Albums. Billboard. February 24, 2017. February 24, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170224213557/http://www.billboard.com/artist/276586/jj%20Doom/chart?f=326. dead.
15. JJ Doom – Chart history – Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. Billboard. February 24, 2017. February 25, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170225132017/http://www.billboard.com/artist/276586/jj%20Doom/chart?f=333. dead.
16. JJ Doom – Chart history – Tastemaker Albums. Billboard. February 24, 2017. February 24, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170224214012/http://www.billboard.com/artist/276586/jj%20Doom/chart?f=407. dead.