Today, Danger Mouse and Black Thought shared “Because” the second track off their upcoming collaborative debut, Cheat Codes – which will release on Aug. 12 via BMG. Danger Mouse, a super producer who has six Grammy wins and 22 nominations and The Roots co-founder and rapper Black Thought, recruited Joey Bada$$, Russ, and Dylan Cartlidge for the single.

“Because” is chock-full of dynamic, dextrous, lyrical ciphers and is another example of the chemistry between Danger Mouse and Black Thought following Cheat Codes‘ debut single “No Gold Teeth.” The song comes right on time for the summer and offers an array of stylings from the featured artists, over Danger Mouse’s signature retro slow-burning beats. Dylan Cartlidge’s vocal hook is original and was created for the track – despite sounding like a vintage sample.

“I’ve always been a big fan of Black Thought and Danger Mouse. I think Black Thought is one of the greatest rappers ever, so when they asked me to get on this record, it was a no-brainer, plus the record is fire!” said Joey Bada$$ in a statement. “I still remember the first time I heard ‘You Got Me’ the video was shot on my great-grandmother’s block and I was actually there that day when I was a child. It changed the way I looked at music. I’m very honored to be a part of this track. We’re making history!”
 
Russ added, “Being able to collaborate with one of the greatest lyricists of all time is an honor and to do it in unison with Danger Mouse is something I’m just really proud to be a part of.” 

Listen to “Because” below: