Collision Course

by Jay-Z

Overview

Mash-ups -- two songs stuck together that were never meant to be stuck together -- have their roots in the bedrooms and basements of computer-savvy music geeks who spend countless hours sticking Christina Aguilera's vocals over the Strokes' chugging backbeat or Missy Elliott's raps over George Michael, Joy Division, the Cure, and about a thousand others. MP3s were the medium of choice, white-label 12"s a distant second. It seemed like it was time to put a fork in the pranky genre when collections like The Best Bootlegs in the World Ever and Soulwax's As Heard on Radio Soulwax series exposed the mash-up to a wider audience, but then Danger Mouse came along. His headline-making Grey Album -- Jay-Z's Black Album vs. the Beatles' White Album -- inspired a ton of spirited imitations, and most likely the MTV-spawned, artists-involved Collision Course. The fact that the artists are involved with the project totally goes against the mash-up philosophy, but luckily Linkin Park -- who are revealed through the DVD as the main architects of the EP -- have that pop-loving prankster spirit and don't let their high-profile, well-funded life ruin it. The liner notes talk of a "once-in-a-lifetime performance" and "music history," but Collision Course is just plain old fun and all the better because of it. Jay-Z's "Dirt Off Your Shoulder" sits nicely on top of Linkin Park's "Lying from You" on the CD's studio version, but it's the fist-pumping live version on the DVD that really justifies Collision Course's existence. The Z-man -- who's "retired" from the rap game while being busier than ever -- has had his excellent "99 Problems" rocked up before, so the version here with Linkin Park's "Points of Authority" and "One Step Closer" isn't so much the revelation the liner-note hyperbole makes it out to be, but it's got an awesome beat and you can still dance to it. If the CD were released on its own, the collection wouldn't be as exciting. Linkin Park's genuine excitement about the project on the "behind the scenes" segment of the DVD is infectious, and watching the furious and fast teaming of "Jigga What/Faint" teeter on the edge of falling apart is gripping. Check the DVD first, and then throw the CD in the car for when you feel half-mack, half-punk. It's doubtful mash-ups will survive corporate handling this well again, and to paraphrase a post-show Linkin Parker, Collision Course is awesomely fun. ~ David Jeffries

Product Details

Release Date:	12/21/2004
Label:	Warner Bros.
UPC:	0093624896210

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Jay-Z   Primary Artist,Rap
Linkin Park   Primary Artist
Big Jaz   Primary Artist,Vocals
UGK   Primary Artist
Phoenix   Guitar (Bass),Bass
Robert Bourdon   Drums
John Legend   Vocals
Rob Bourdon   Drums
Dave "Phoenix" Farrell   Bass
Kimo Proudfoot   Director
Leon Harris   Vocals
Kanye West   Vocals
Don Crawley   Vocals
Amil   Vocals
Chester Bennington   Vocals
Brad Delson   Guitar
Joseph Hahn   Sampling
Mike Shinoda   Piano,Vocals

Technical Credits

Mike Shinoda   Audio Production,Producer,Live Mixing,Art Direction,Digital Editing,Beats,Mixing,Arranger,Engineer
Gimel "Young Guru" Keaton   Mixing,Engineer
Alphonso Henderson   Composer
Marcella Araica   Mixing Assistant
William Squier   Composer
Timothy Mosley   Composer
Timbaland   Producer
Brian "Big Bass" Gardner   Mastering,Digital Editing
Matt Griffin   Assistant Engineer
Fox Phelps   Assistant Engineer
Mark Kiczula   Engineer
Tracy Marrow   Composer
Steve Sisco   Engineer,Mixing Assistant
Chris Wright   Editing
Don Gilmore   Engineer,Producer
John Ewing, Jr.   Engineer,Digital Editing
Jimmy Douglass   Mixing,Engineer
Rob Bourdon   Group Member
Demacio Castellon   Engineer
Guy Charbonneau   Engineer
Lawrence Azerrad   Art Direction
Chauncey Mahan   Engineer
Shawn Carter   Composer,Executive Producer
Janet Haase   Executive Producer
Michele Megan Dix   Original Concept
Joby Barnhart   Production Supervisor
Jason Later   Programming
John Meneilly   Executive Producer
Micheal "Stick" Shefrin   A&R,Representation
Dave "Phoenix" Farrell   Group Member
Michael Oppenheim   Management
Ken "Supa Engineer" Duro   Mixing
Ellen Wakayama   Creative Director
Jason Cohen   Post Production Supervisor
Tom Whalley   A&R
Greg Waterman   Photography
Rob McDermott   Representation,Executive Producer
David Choe   Illustrations
Flem   Design,Cover Art,Art Direction
Eric Weissman   Sample Clearance
Matt Caltabiano   Producer
Jonathan Schwarts   Management
Todd Wachmuth   Assistant Engineer
Jesse Ignjatpvic   Original Concept
Dave Hussey   Colorist
Jonathan Burks   Composer
K-West   Composer
John Ventura   Composer
Kyambo Joshua   Composer
Linkin Park   Composer,Producer,Executive Producer
Rick Rubin   Mixing,Composer,Producer
Kanye West   Producer
Norman Landsberg   Composer
Peter Standish   Marketing
R. Rubin   Composer
T. Marrow   Composer
Lenny Santiago   Additional Footage
Raena Winscott   Associate Producer
Sean Donnelly   Design
Ryan DeMarti   Representation,Production Coordination
Kamel Abdo   Engineer
Andy Wallace   Mixing
Andrew Scheps   Mixing,Engineer
Berry Gordy, Jr.   Composer
David May   Producer,Post Producer
Chester Bennington   Group Member
J.T. Burks   Composer
Brad Delson   Arranger,Group Member
Felix Pappalardi   Composer
Joseph Hahn   DJ,Records,Group Member
Leslie West   Composer