As expected, Detroit rapper Danny Brown is currently working on his next studio album, but more surprisingly, he also has just given out information regarding a project of a completely different medium. In a recent interview with Australian radio station, Triple J, Brown revealed he’s hard at work on a children’s book inspired by the work of Dr. Seuss. “It’s really about self-esteem in black girls,” he explained in his interview. “You know how black women do so much – process their hair, change their eye color? It’s really about a little girl who does all these things to herself and changes herself, and she realizes she’s just better off the way she is.”
Those that have followed the rapper in interviews may have picked up that Danny Brown is fathering a 13-year old girl at the moment. When he and his former high school sweetheart reunited, he took on her daughter as his own, and has been providing for her. He has referred to her in his songs (most notably on “Clean Up”), and says that this book is indeed dedicated to her.
As for the book’s tone, Brown stresses that he wants it to be very much indebted to the work of Dr. Seuss, and eagerly shows his admiration for the late picture-book author. “I don’t know how Dr. Seuss did it. “I don’t know how he wrote The Grinch and Green Eggs And Ham and One Fish, Two Fish – what was going on in that guy’s brain to be able to write those things?” The rapper also said that he feels the whimsical nature of Dr. Seuss comes out through his rap persona. “I think I am Dr. Seuss! I’m the Grinch. I’m all his characters come to life in rap music.”
There is no word yet on a release date for Brown’s next studio release, nor this currently untitled children’s book, but updates should be revealed soon. Both are expected to see the light of day this year, though, especially as Danny Brown was fairly quiet last year in terms of releasing new material. Perhaps we can expect Brown to do a book-signing-trek alongside a concert tour.