Aphex Twin to Public Enemy: See Linkin Park's Mike Shinoda Pick Favorite Records | Page 3 | Revolver

Aphex Twin to Public Enemy: See Linkin Park's Mike Shinoda Pick Favorite Records

Rapper reveals seminal electronic, hip-hop, punk albums that inspire his creativity

It shouldn't be a surprise that a wide range of tastes and influences were necessary to create Linkin Park's eclectic blend of rap, metal, electronic and rock. The group's rapper Mike Shinoda recently hit up Los Angeles' famous Amoeba Records to film a segment for their popular series What's in My Bag? The new clip shows off Shinoda's wide-reaching tastes, and how his perspective in music works its way into the group's DNA. 

Shinoda starts the video pointing out the hip-hop artists that were most impactful on him at a young age, from the likes of Public Enemy and Fear of a Black Planet, to the Pharcyde's Bizarre Ride II. He also connects his art school experience to getting into Bjork, who he said "was more like a gallery artist than a singer." He says, "In the midst of something that is more about commerce, you can inject quite a bit of art into it and still retain your integrity and make an album people want to listen to."

Shinoda continues through his picks, bringing up Aphex Twin's seminal Richard D. James album, and how the album's "stuttering" production worked its way into both Linkin Park's first albums and more modern albums. He finishes up the video with a shout-out to Refused's The Shape of Punk to Come and what they did for the band's aggressive sound, and a bunch of DJ records, including one that featured a never ending breakbeat based on how the album was pressed on vinyl.