Cancer 4 Cure


Cancer 4 Cure is the third solo studio album by American hip hop artist El-P. It was released through Fat Possum Records on May 22, 2012. It peaked at number 71 on the Billboard 200 chart.

Background

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 American rapper and producer Camu Tao. In an interview with Rolling Stone, El-P said, "Camu was a huge inspiration on this record, mostly because he had a huge effect on my life and who I am."

Critical reception

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".
David Jeffries of AllMusic stated, "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, Dan Weiss of The Boston Phoenix stated that the album "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."

Accolades

Track listing

Track listing was confirmed by Fat Possum Records.

Personnel

Credits adapted from liner notes.