Madlib Teams With Your Old Droog for ‘Droogie Otis’ Project, the Hip-Hop Producer’s First Since Altadena Fires Claimed His Home Studio (EXCLUSIVE)

variety.com:

Todd Gilchrist With the release of “Everything Designer,” his third single since the release of “Movie” in June 2024, Your Old Droog continues to maintain a reputation as one of the most prolific rappers in the music industry.

Released under the pseudonym Droogie Otis, the track featuring Boldy James marks the first song from Droog’s upcoming album-length collaboration with Madlib (nee Otis Lee Jackson, Jr.), the acclaimed producer for MF Doom, Freddie Gibbs, De La Soul, Kanye West, Erykah Badu and dozens more.

It’s also the first work from Madlib since he lost his home, studio and legendary record collection in the fires that destroyed much of Altadena, California in Jan.

2025. “I think, just on a personal level, it’s a horrible thing,” Droog tells Variety. “But we keep working. I think when things like that happen, it pushes you to be greater and try to keep going.” With both his and James’ verses, the track showcases the kind of lyrical dexterity that’s become a cornerstone of Droog’s music. “Remember all them days we stepped out, left to wander / Bumping Jimi Hendrix Red House over yonder,” Droog raps. “Flunking out of grammar school, fucking up some commas / Slow at math, always going half like Arnold Palmer.” Droog says that the Droogie Otis project fulfills a goal he set for himself at the beginning of his career. “When I recorded my self-titled debut, my mindset was, I’m in here trying to showcase what I can do from a lyrical standpoint so I could get beats from somebody of the caliber of a Madlib,” he says. “So I kept turning out projects year after year.