Photo by Doug Coombe

We’re extremely proud to officially welcome Detroit’s own Danny Brown to the Fool’s Gold family!

Recording since his teens, 2010 was Danny’s breakout year, with his self-released The Hybrid showcasing a hypnotic, unique flow that Pitchfork called “the most peculiarly infectious voice since Dizzee Rascal,” while the LA Times praised it for “punch lines like Conan O’Brien if he’d come up selling crack.” He built a rabid online fanbase, stole the show on collaborations with everyone from Tony Yayo to Das Racist to the late J Dilla, and covered the Metro Times as the most acclaimed underground Detroit MC since a certain blonde fellow named Marshall. When it came time for Danny to take the next step and find a real home for his new music, it was only right that he would find a perfect fit with Fool’s Gold.

“When we first met, we really didn’t talk about doing business; we talked about music the whole time,” says Danny of what endeared him to Fool’s Gold. “That was the illest thing to me, because I sat down with a lot of labels and all we were talking about was, ‘How can we make this project work?’ and this and that. Fool’s Gold was all about being fans of music, and ‘How can we make Danny Brown better?’ I didn’t know they were such huge hip-hop nerds. A-Trak and Nick Catchdubs, you think of dance music, but they’re real knowledgeable with everything.”

“Fool’s Gold is thrilled to bring Danny Brown into our family,” says A-Trak. “We’ve been supporting his music on our blog for a long time, so we’re fans of his before anything else. Danny Brown represents a return to raw, gritty rap. His skills can’t be questioned. He sounds and looks like no one out there, and that’s something that appeals to us. We share the same grassroots values, and we can’t wait to get behind his new album!”

Stay tuned for more details on Danny’s inaugural Fool’s Gold release. Meanwhile, check him rocking in Austin all this weekend, including a prime performance at the official Fool’s Gold SXSW Showcase.

To get you up to speed, peep this crazy comprehensive mixtape discography, a great Cocaine Blunts Q&A, and this FADER TV video interview.

WEDNESDAY 3.16
The Smoking Section Dot Com Daystage
Ballroom G 4th Floor, Austin Convention Center
Set time: 4:40pm

THURSDAY 3.17
Rappers I Know / Gigacrate Unofficial Showcase
Beso Cantina, 307 W 5th St
Set Time: 10:30pm

Onsmash x 10. Deep Southwest Smash
Suite 101, 101 W 5th St
Set time: 12am

FRIDAY 3.18
Thrasher / Converse Death Match
The Scoot Inn, 1308 E 4th St. Austin, TX
Set time: 3pm

Smoking Section Perfect Attendance
The Light Bar, 405 Congress Ave
Set Time: 4pm

Fools Gold SXSW Showcase
Beauty Bar Palm Door, 401 Sabine St
Set Time: 11pm

SATURDAY 3.19
Supreme Street x Traffic Boutique x RockSmith present: Hip Hop Supreme
District 301, 301 6th St
Set Time: TBD

Michigan Made Showcase
Mi Casa Cantina, 503 East 6th St
Set Time: 5:15pm