Detroit, MI · hip-hop · producer

Black Milk

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Detroit beat-scene heavyweight — Dilla-lineage production with hard-hitting drums, often backed live by his band Nat Turner for a hip-hop set that swings like a fusion gig.

Black Milk was born Curtis Eugene Cross in Detroit on August 14, 1983. He came up through the city's hip-hop scene in the early 2000s, producing for Slum Village and other local artists, and formed the group B.R. Gunna with Young RJ and Fat Ray, releasing Dirty District, Vol. 2 in 2004 before establishing himself as a solo act.

His beats draw on the Detroit lineage associated with J Dilla, though his own approach favours harder, more heavily processed drums and live instrumentation. That shift became more pronounced across his catalogue, moving from soul-sampling production toward a heavier, almost rock-inflected low end.

His solo run began with Sound of the City, Vol. 1 in 2005, followed by albums including Popular Demand, Tronic and Album of the Year, released through labels such as Fat Beats and Decon. He has produced heavily for other rappers too, handling most of Elzhi's The Preface, and later put out further albums such as No Poison No Paradise and If There's a Hell Below.

In 2011 he released the single 'Brain', made with Jack White and backed by his touring band, AB, Daru Jones and Malik Hunter. That band, since known as Nat Turner, reworks his productions on stage with drums, keys and bass, giving his live sets a looser, band-driven feel than the records alone suggest.

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