Clipse Working With Super-Producer Rick Rubin

The Clipse are no strangers to critical acclaim. While brothers Malice and Pusha T enjoyed minimal commercial success with their breakthrough album Lord Willin', their rhymes have always caused critics' hearts to flutter.

The Thornton brothers are hoping to keep critics hooked, as well as find some new fans, on their third album, Till The Casket Drops, by working with legendary producer Rick Rubin. Rubin signed the Clipse to Columbia Records in 2007 soon after he became the label's cochairman. According to EW.com, the Clipse and Rubin have completed one track while recording in Malibu, California. They plan to record one or two more tracks in the coming weeks.

Although Rubin has most recently worked with rock groups ranging from Metallica to Weezer and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, he's no stranger to hip-hop. He helped found Def Jam Records and worked with a young LL Cool J, Run-DMC and the Beastie Boys. He also produced "99 Problems" for Jay-Z's Black Album.

This is a departure for the Clipse, whose two previous albums have been produced almost entirely by the Neptunes. The group has had success with the We Got It for Cheap mixtape series, which featured beats from other producers, and the duo are hoping to do the same with Till the Casket Drops.

The album's first single, "Kinda Like a Big Deal," is produced by DJ Khalil and features Kanye West. Pusha T was tight-lipped when we asked him about the collaboration earlier this year, but he said it was something to look for: "Hey, man, it's just one of them joints." The duo hope to release Till the Casket Drops late this summer.