The remix is certainly not a new invention in the hip-hop world, but Madlib’s take on the original Madvillainy is more of a reworking than run-of-the-mill remix. MF Doom’s lyrics are still there, but take on a new story as they are surrounded by the complexity of Madlib’s re-imagined sounds.

After the original Madvillainy release, Rolling Stone magazine tagged the Madvillain duo as “two of the funniest mouths in underground hip-hop.” The humor is still intact if not amplified by Madlib’s constant experimentation.

The songs are short and packed with obscure vocal samples, ’60s soul music and jazzy tunes. It was a risky move to just add sample mixes to an album that was considered a classic within the underground hip-hop community, but the payoff is a well-polished, well-mixed new masterwork of two talented “mad” men.

Grade: A

Madvillainy 2: The Madlib Remix is currently available.