Hip-Hop’s Drummer Boy Takes Center Stage

Travis Barker and hip-hop isn't exactly unfamiliar territory. 2006 found the Blink 182 drummer providing the back drop for T.I.'s "You Know Who" off his highly successful King album. Two years later, Barker teamed up with Game for the single, "Dope Boys." And most recently, he joined Lil Wayne, Eminem and Drake on stage at the 2010 Grammy's for what proved to be one of the better performances of the night.

Barker has an (untitled) album coming out sometime this year. He won't be rapping or singing, rather he'll feature some of the hottest names in hip-hop over some of his own creations. He's already been in the studio with Clipse, Pharrell and Lupe. Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, Beanie Sigel, RZA and Game are all rumored to ride shotgun along with Trav on his solo album voyage. Quite the line up for any album.  Barker's compilation could and should be one of the finest of its kind since DJ Clue's heyday. Lofty expectations, sure. But not exactly far-fetched either.

The fact Barker is a musician himself sets him apart from the Khaled's, Drama's or Kay Slay's of the world. Not only can he critique the music, he will be providing  a new sound for each artist.  Where other compilation albums may lack cohesiveness, Trav's has the chance to flow effortlessly since he'll have had a part in the actual creation of each record. Travis has already proven he can combine rap and rock into quality records. Nowadays, piecing together records via e-mail is the norm. Sometimes it's the only way a track or a project can be completed. i doubt that will be the case here. With travis actually being in the studio recording music with artists is the method behind Travis' madness. Hard rock mixed with gangsta rap and lyricsm coupled with a rocker's mentality. What's not to like? As his star power increases by the day, music remains this tattooed musician's primary focus.

"I'm rounding it out right now," he says of the album's many guests. "I just love music. The more I can be around it the better, so with my album it's no one genre. It goes from everything from punk rock to hip-hop to some electro stuff on there to a metal song with Corey Taylor from Slipknot. It's been really fun and interesting up till now."

How the album ultimately ends up is still months down the road. I'm, for one, betting the bank on Travis Barker. It's too much working in his favor for it not to produce something the public is unaccustomed to. So yeah, the warning is simple. Step your compilation game up.