The math may not quite add up in this case, but Converse’s “Three Artists One Song” series is delivering a new installment on Monday and the lineup is a thriller: the all-too-dormant Frank Ocean in collaboration with twerk-friendly super-producer Diplo and legendary punks Mick Jones and Paul Simonon of the Clash. (Apparently those last two count as a half each.) The song will debut on the shoe purveryor’s Tumblr.
Past Converse team-ups have included Gorillaz (of which Jones and Simonon are touring members) with James Murphy and André 3000; Matt & Kim, Soulja Boy, and Andrew W.K.; Best Coast, Vamire Weekend’s Rostam Batmanglij, and Kid Cudi; Hot Chip, Hot City, and New Order’s Bernard Sumner; and Julian Casablancas, Pharrell, and Santigold. Diplo, via statement, shared some elucidating thoughts on the new addition:
The Clash were always teachers to me, even before I shared a studio with Paul and Mick. Their musical anarchy and constant attitude to disregard rules and forge their own path was inspirational to me. They meant death to genres, music and message above everything. Frank lives by the same creed in being married to his vision and seeing it through at any cost. We had to challenge each other to make something that we hope no one could expect and Converse valued everyone’s artistic freedom to let us shine throughout the past few months to make this thing happen.
