| Cancer 4 Cure | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio album by El-P | ||||
| Released | May 22, 2012 | |||
| Recorded | 2009-2012 | |||
| Genre | Hip hop, alternative hip hop | |||
| Length | 49:05 | |||
| Label | Fat Possum Records | |||
| Producer | El-P, Nick Diamonds, Little Shalimar, Wilder Zoby | |||
| El-P chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Cancer 4 Cure | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Aggregate scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 84/100 |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic | |
| The A.V. Club | (A) |
| BBC | (Very Favorable) |
| The Boston Phoenix |
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| Chicago Tribune |
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| Los Angeles Times |
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| musicOMH | |
| Pitchfork Media | (8.5/10) |
| Rolling Stone | |
| Tiny Mix Tapes | |
Cancer 4 Cure is the third full-length studio album by El-P, released on Fat Possum Records on May 22, 2012.
El-P has stated that "I think that I’m trying to create an idea or illustrate a thought pattern, just because there’s darkness that I see and think about, it doesn’t mean I’ve given into it. I think the record is ultimately about not giving into it. For the most part I’m struggling with that darkness throughout the record. When I say it’s about wanting to live, I just say that because that’s how I feel. When you get hit with death, sometimes as horrible as it is, one of the things that can come out of it is a reaffirmation of how much you don’t want to go, and I think that’s what happened with me."
The album is dedicated to Camu Tao.
At Metacritic, which assigns a rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album has received a score of 84, based on 39 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim." AllMusic reviewed the album giving it a score of 4 out of 5, stating "Cancer4Cure is about hip-hop like Glengarry Glen Ross was about sales, but these great works transcend their industries, offering solace and inspiration to anyone who would prefer a satisfied mind over a Cadillac Eldorado, or in current terms, an Escalade."
In contrast The Boston Phoenix stated that "Cancer for Cure is definitely not El-P's Age of Apocalypse; in fact it's the only El-P production that sounds like it's been made on planet Earth, following hip-hop rules that someone else already defined."
The album was listed 15th on Stereogum's list of top 50 albums of 2012.
Track Listing was confirmed by FatPossum.