Stepping Into Tomorrow

Blue Note invited Madlib to explore their archive, throwing open the doors to the producer to make anything he wanted. Amidst vintage records from The Three Sounds, Ronnie Foster and Bobby Hutcherson, Madlib landed on “Stepping Into Tomorrow” from trumpeter Donald Byrd’s 1975 album of the same name. The song only consists of four lines, but Madlib’s remix stretches the original into infinitude. Vocals from Stephanie Spruill haunt “Stepping Into Tomorrow,” piercing through Madlib’s effortless production. Tipping a hat to Byrd’s smooth instrumentation – and highlighting future collaborator DOOM – the deep rhythms of “Stepping Into Tomorrow” help cement Madlib as a hip-hop virtuoso and provided a testament to jazz music’s foundational legacy.