Once again, Wax Poetics blesses you all with the deepest and most relevant content of any magazine out there. For issue #23, Rick James gets the long overdue cover shot, along with an extremely revealing and in-depth look at his music. The deeply introspective and autobiographical album "Street Songs" gets thoroughly dissected through interviews with Rick, the players in his band, producers, and even his brother/business manager. Excellent reading on the man who has become a funk legend. Also features even more amazing articles like: DJ Shadow and his personal experience with record collecting, the fantastic story of disco funkster Gary Davis and Chocolate Star, Brooklyn's own DJ Spinna and the importance of the block party, master drumming science with Chico Hamilton, the revealing story of avante-garde cellist and all around dance music genius Arthur Russell (even insight from Francois K!), Lab all-stars the Hypnotic Brass Band and their unbelievable story (they're all brothers!), Dancehall don Bunny "Lee" Striker, RAMP (Roy Ayers Music Project), and amazing vintage photos and stories on the legendary hip-hop venue "The Latin Quarter" (gotta love those shots off Mike Tyson, KRS-1 lookin mad skinny, and Biz Markie lookin' hella goofy!). Please do not sleep on this issue... for serious! Recommended.

reviewed by snackmaster