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Check it out bro - this dude Andre Legacy is 1/2 Armenian and 1/2 Russian and he's mad tall and has an afro AND he's from Hollywood. And he raps! See that shit is funny and you haven't even heard the music...
expand review yet. He's also got a group called Dyslexic Speedreaders with his boys Dirt Nasty and Mickey Avalon who are both all over this album. Sometimes dude likes to keep it chill ("He Said She Said(1)"), sometimes he likes to go on a "Bender(2)," sometimes he just needs to remind you who he is and what he's about ("It's The Legacy(3)"). I'm saying, dude has mad varied styles - if you don't believe me just check the first and last tracks, "Blow Off My Dick(4)" and "My Dick(5)." (Actually woah, maybe this is a concept album?? ) He also namechecks Flex, Clue and Kid Capri in "DJ Dying(6)" so dude is obv. up on his rap history. If you don't like this shit... you probably aren't cool enough anyway!! Go listen to some French rave bro. Production by Cisco Adler, Beardo and more. 13 tracks. -suicide bangs
Gone are the days where you pick up a hip-hop mix, not knowing most of the tracks (and some of the artists), and really get into it. Indy hip-hop mixes were such a democratic process. You like the beats, you like lyrics,...
expand review then you might check out the artist. Babu has brought back the indy hip-hop mix, but has taken it one step further by producing each track. I've always been a fan of Babu's production, he's got a foot firmly in the diggers' world, and knows what sounds good (picture that Babu head snapping action). As for the guests, it's an all-star list of west coast emcees that have come upon hard times: Dilated, MOP, Little Brother, Guilty Simpson, AG, Doom, Kardinal Offishall, Chace Infinite, Cali Agents, Likwit Junkies, Roc C, Oh No, Wildchild, Percee P, and others. C'mon, these guys deserve a listen. 18 tracks mixed with Babu doubles and scratching. -the mgmnt
You remember how debilitated Karl Malone looked in the NBA playoffs? That's the Beastie Boys on their latest LP: gingerly limping up and down the court on a bum knee. The well-worn single, "Ch-Check It Out(1)," like Malone at the beginning of...
expand review his tenure with the Lakers, is a shadowy projection of the trio's one-time greatness. Their rhymes vaguely resemble the wit, punchlines and interplay that made them current for so long. Like a classic Malone layup, the saving grace is the album's beats, like on "Rhyme The Rhyme Well(2)," which strips down the tracks of their excess and rides on belt-loosening electro rhythms. "Triple Trouble(3)," is the Beasties doing their version of "Rapper's Delight," and it's hard to fuck up even though the concept should be way beneath them (have they become Len?). But mostly, the Beasties appear to be in more pain than they should be in, and only one's tolerance for liberalist platform dropping, like on "Time To Build(4)," or I-Wish-I-Could-Buy-The-World-A-Coke posterity, on "All Styles(5)," will prevent you from wishing they were sitting in street clothes at game's end. 15 tracks total. -Jazzbo
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From the same label that brought you the Biz Markie "Goin' Off" Deluxe edition brings you the BDP deluxe edition. This is really for the fan's fan that just won't be happy with the original catalogue. Besides heaters like "South Bronx(1),"...
expand review "Bridge Is Over(2)," "Poetry(3)," "The P Is Free(4) and the title track(5), you get never before released interviews, The Scott La Rock Mega Mix(6), "Say No Brother(Crack Attack Don't Do It)(7)," The Mos Def borrowed "Stop The Violence(8)," and even a Bladerunner's edit of the "Bridge Is Over(9)." Really drives home the fact that you don't need Protools, Logic, and Ableton to make some timeless music. Scott La Rock and KRS-One was truly the ahead of their time. -C'mish
I was this close to dropping beloved Clipse to the waiver wire a la Theo Ratliff, but street nugs like this get me back on the bandwagon. Put out an album already! Let's admit it, with the Wire on hiatus til next...
expand review season, Clipse are the next best thing for the kinfolk to experience the realness (or getting jacked for their ipods, the new thing in NYC). I mean these guys are straight pre-injury Larry Hughes over stuff like "Drop It Like It's Hot," "You Know My Style," and "Who Shot Ya." This mix also introduces us to their new crew The Re-Up Gang, which includes middleweights Liva and Sandman. Yet even with the extra-baggage, Clipse shine hard here. 25 tracks with the usual street tape chatter. -the mgmnt
Everyone loves the Clipse. Much like the McRib sandwich or Michael Jordan un-retiring, when the Clipse come out of their hidey-holes, it's a muhfuckin' celebration. In preparation for their new album, and in celebration of their dope new single "Mr....
expand review Me Too," we've re-upped (sorry) on their last two mixtapes - and at a nice price, too. Volume Two in the We Got It 4 Cheap saga finds Malice and Pusha freestyling (ahem) over some of last year's biggest beats, in addition to some new production from Pharrell. Their take on N*E*R*D's "Maybe" is flat awesome, snatching the beat out from under it and replacing it with Outkast's "Elevators." (Even more awesome is the Pusha intro, where he says he doesn't ghostwrite anything for Pharrell.) You don't need me to tell you about this one. If you don't know, get familiar. 18 tracks of crack; 60+ minutes total. -Chris Lemon-Red
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The fourth album from Lab favorite Count Bass D (didn't know he had an album on Sony in 95?). Count's albums are more like sketchbooks, he mixes up rough instrumentals and off-the-cuff rhymes with more polished material. He even gets into...
expand review singing here (think hip-hop lounge singer in Fort Greene bar). It's really candid stuff, you can picture Count in his basement tapping out the beats on his MPC making random track changes on the fly. For all the beatheads and producers, Count has always been known to uncover some of the tastiest unused loops... the album is chock full of em. This endeavor is 20 tracks deep, for a diverse sampling, check "Case O Dilla(1), Tradin Whore Stories(2), False Or True(3), Half The Fun(4), No Time For Fakin(5)," and "Junkies(6)." Double vinyl.
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Special Offer: All orders for the Dudley Perkins album will also receive the
Stones Throw Bonus 45 featuring the "War Goin' On" vocal and instrumental,
neither of which are available on CD or LP.
We love Dudley being Dudley, something like a Devin The Dude...
expand review cousin who took a little too much acid and decided to fuck rapping for a minute. He gets another full beat collaboration from Madlib here, and if the lead single "Funky Dudley(1)" b/w "Testin Me(2)" is anything to judge by, this is going to be even better than A Lil Light. Both guys sounding (fuzz) focused! -the mgmnt
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If you have been checking our blog, you know we've been riding Egyptian Lover hard recently (no-homo); but it's totally justified. Dude has some of the best record covers ever, put out a big pocketful of electro classics, and is humble enough...
expand review to come DJ at our small east village shop. This is his greatest hits collection from 1989 (peep the benzo-coupe steez) and comfortably falls into the category of "fucking electro essential." Not only that, when Egyptian Lover put this together, he picked his favorite mixes from the singles, so you're getting full 12" mixes or 12" dub versions. Of course, you gotta have the 12" version of "Egypt Egypt(1)." The 12" dub mix(2) of "Freak-A-Holic" is a huge score, and by all accounts, this was track that brought the house down at his show at Studio B. The Dub Mix(3) of "Girls" is begging for a revival, I totally forgot about how dope this song was until EL played it at our store. You even get "Alezby Inn" (Remodeled Vocal Version)(4), one of EL's more pop-like moments. I could probably name-check ever song on here, but I'll just leave you with "My House On The Nile(5)" and you'll know why he's called The Egyptian Lover. 8 tracks total. -the mgmnt
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West coast indy hip-hop from Giant Panda and the Tres label. Chikaramanga, Maanumental, Newman combine to form one of the brightest spots on the traditional indy scene, working both the booth and boards on their second proper album. 13 tracks in all. -the mgmnt
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SPECIAL OFFER: Get a Stones Throw Fan Club 45 (featuring Madlib's "Footwork Size 12 Version" and instrumental) when you purchase this item.
So the Stones Throw squad is armed and ready for combat in '08, and Guilty's leading their street platoon. The dirty...
expand review Detroit native has been frontmanning their entire ghetto rap faction for some time with a fair share of singles and featured guest tracks, but the time has come for his full length debut album to drop. Will he be able to stand on his own two? Only time will tell. At least he has the help of some of the Throw's finest producers to back him up on beats - Dilla, Madlib, Oh No, Mr. Porter, Black Milk, J-Rocc and Babu (damn, that's quite a roster!). You might already know the singles, "Get Bitches(1)" and "Ode To The Ghetto(2)," but you gotta check the street game come through on "Footwork(3)," the ghetto love vibe on "Kinda Live(4)," the b-team emcee haterade on "Run(5)" and the ill Madlib beat backing him up on "The Future(6)." For now, he's the only alternative filling the space between average thug rap and intelligeble indie rhymes. It's a dirty job, but somebody's gotta do it. 16 tracks total. -Chris Lemon-Red
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Okay I'll spare you the teenage love story (see review for Hiero Oldies Vol. 1), let me just reiterate that I used to listen to these kind of songs on hiss saturated eighth generation tapes on the daily. By far the...
expand review most notable track here is simply titled "Crazy Del Song(1)." From what I gathered (at the time) this was made between the George and No Need albums and is something of a 9 minute sequel to Del's masterful "Eye Examination." With his standout lyrics, layered beats and vocal sample snippets this represented everything a "ill" rap song was supposed to have for me. Back then and today. 92-93 was a great time for the remix and alternate take, and the rougher versions of things like the Soul's "Batting Practice(2)" and Casual's "Me-O-Mi-O(3)" hold their own against the album versions you’re probably familiar with. Also check out the Souls’ story telling command on "Our Secret(4)." It's a true skill when four emcee's can trade off on one story line and it all makes sense. There are a bunch of other mentionable songs on here from the crew, but I think you get the idea. Like I said before, if you’re a Hiero fan or ever wondered why people are, these 11 demo quality joints uncover the fire that made these guys so great. Check it out. -JMS
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Official acapellas for Jigga's American Gangster album. Includes all the tracks from the full length. Start remixing, fellas! 15 tracks total. -Larri Byrd
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If Jay-Z decides to hang up his diamond-studded spurs after this album, at least he can go out a winner. The Black Album is no Blueprint or Reasonable Doubt, though it's at least as good as Vol. 3: The Life and Times...
expand review of S. Carter, and it shares the intensely personal qualities that made those ones so good. As Jay's last statement, The Black Album is a combination of "praise me" and "fuck you;" his coup de grace to detractors as well as fans. His hustler's history ranks prominent in the lyrics here and though you've heard the subject matter all before, Jay finds compelling ways to reintroduce it on songs like "December 4(1)," and "Public Service Announcement(2)," both produced beautifully by Just Blaze. Great touches are all over the place here, and from a host of different producers. Checkout the Max Romeo-lifted vocal on Kanye's "Lucifer(3)" or the straight heat of "Threat(4)," which might as well be "Come and Get Me Pt. 2," produced by newcomer 9th Wonder from Little Brother, who might have the unknowing thinking Primo. The Buchanans likewise pull off a great Just Blaze imitation on "What More Can I Say(5)," where Jay goes on the offensive/defensive about his track record; which could also describe "Encore(6)," the very next song, produced subtly by Kanye West. For a bigger contrast in styles, there's the loud and brash "99 Problems(7)," a Rick Rubin rock smash that finds Jay-Z spitting venom. In other action, the Neptunes turn in beats for "Change Clothes(8)" and "Allure" and Timbaland's bounce fits well with Jay's swagger on "Dirt Off Your Shoulders." But the Madonna-bitten hook for "Justify My Thug," is just too much to take- even if DJ Quik's track is funkalicious. On "Moment of Clarity," Jay goes the Eminem route of somber self-reflection, which seems appropriate since Slim Shady works the boards on a boring, minor key outing. Throughout all of this, Jay exudes an intriguing mix of "why don't people love me?" brow-beating and "I'm the best ever" chest-puffing. If nothing else, Jay-Z exits the game the same way he came in: an MC of considerable gifts and considerable complexity. As he crows on "December 4," "If you can't respect that/your whole perspective is wack." 14 tracks. -O-Dub
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In one of the biggest stealth moves ever, Jay Dee spent the last decade rising from underground prodigy to deified musical martyr, quietly redefining the sound of hip-hop along the way. The Shining was scheduled as the follow-up to the overlooked...
expand review at the time/classic in retrospect Welcome 2 Detroit, but as the truncated timing (36 minutes) suggests, BBE and executive producer Karriem Riggins had to piece the project together when Yahweh decided He needed some beats and called Dilla up to the big MPC in the sky. In spite of the circumstances, Riggins has done a good job of making the finished product sound like a coherent album. The Common/D'Angelo collab "So Far To Go(1)" is about as beautiful a Jay Dee beat as I've heard, definitely some keep-the-instro-on-repeat-and-stare-at-the-clouds shit. The ladies will also love "Dime Piece(2)", which reuses an old Dwele vocal (from "Angel", I think), but don't get worried, in classic Dilla style, there's some nasty gully grooves to balance the pretty stuff out. Check "Jungle Love(3)" where he swings chains--yes, chains--for the hi-hat, or the brutal instrumental "Body Movin'(4)". Longtime homey Black Thought provides lyrical heat on another crackling beat ("Love Movin'(5)") and Pharoahe Monch finally gets a chance to rip over a Dilla treat on "Love Jones(6)". More beats from the vaults will inevitably be released in years to come, but The Shining is a fitting final chapter to the quiet legend's life. -monk
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Solo project from emcee John Robinson aka Lil' Sci of Scienz of Life (duo that debuted on Fondle Em in 1996). These conceptual, thought-out hip-hop albums are few and far-between these days. For the most part, JR achieves this higher art through...
expand review his complex combination of producers. His rhymes continually morph over the diverse palettes (which ranges from straight jazz to future LA beats). No surprise, the credits read like a list of who's hot in the beats scene including three tracks from Flying Lotus(1,2,3), two from Jneiro Jarel (4,5), and tracks from Carlos Nino(6) and J Rawls(7). 11 tracks in all. Fresh. -the mgmnt
I know what you're thinking, "Oh cool, they collected up those three volumes of Yosumi Video Game Breaks and put them on a data CD in high quality MP3 format." And you're right, that alone would be cool, but this is actually...
expand review a whole lot more. In addition to that trio of classic break records, Yosumi has compiled over 40 HOURS of additional material from just about every classic game and console your nostalgiac mind could conjure up. The data disc (a DVD actually) is divided into five sections -- Video Game Breaks #1-3, GTA World and Diggin In The Carts -- with all the new material sorted by gaming system (NES, Playstation, Sega Genesis, Super Nintendo). I could list off a bunch of names, but instead I'll just say this: if you're sitting there right now wondering if there are any samples from [video game x] on here... yes, there probably are. Ridiculously thorough, great sound quality on almost all the tracks. Recommended. -Chris Lemon-Red
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It's hard to believe that it's been more than 10 years since the release of J5's essential debut ep/album (1997). In my opinion, J5 never again achieved the chemistry of this release (came close). This double disc plus DVD set (yes 3...
expand review discs) features the original EP in its entirety (plus bonus tracks), 15 additional rarities, and a full length DVD featuring the Jurassic Period movie, the Brixton Academy concert, and the "Concrete Schoolyard" video. Recommended. -the mgmnt
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What's so compelling about Kanye West that makes everyone clamor for anything new the man drops? Four albums deep and I'm still not quite sure - but I do know that if you told me about some other rando artist who whipped...
expand review up an album in a month using mainly Auto-Tune and a TR-808, I probably wouldn't care this much. With Kanye, it's kinda fascinating. Personality aside, the thumping lead single "Love Lockdown(1)" and follow-up "Heartless(2)" are just solid joints by any standards. It's also crazy to hear Fool's Gold's young gun on the come-up as newly inked G.O.O.D. recruit Kid Cudi hops on "Welcome To Heartbreak(3)" and the breezy "Paranoid(4)." The album isn't concerned with guest spots or the usual Kanye chipmunk breaks, but Jeezy turns in a quick verse on "Amazing(5)," and "Bad News(6)" features a sample of Nina Simone's "See Line Woman." 12 tracks; 52 minutes. -Van Hammersly
Ever since College Dropout dropped, it seems as if Kanye's been focusing more on cultivating his over-the-top public persona than making quality music. Where's the beats like "Song Cry" and "Doin' My Job?" Where's the guy from "Through The Wire" who we...
expand review actually wanted to see succeed? Maybe Justice and Simian "stealing" that music video award really lit a fire under his ass, because Can't Tell Me Nothing is definitely something new from Kanye. Everyone's been going wild for the Daft Punk-sampling "Stronger," but how about CRS (the Kanye / Pharrell / Lupe supergroup) freestyling over a Thom Yorke beat? Or Kanye slipping into a Borat impersonation mid-verse on "Porno?" Even just listening to him ramble over Peter, Bjorn & John's "Young Folks" is amusing. From where we're sitting, the coolest track has to be Kid Sister's "Pro Nails" - with a crazy beat from A-Trak and guest shot from Kanye, it's safe to say you'll be hearing more about that one soon. (Says Kanye: "Yo, this is my shit right here. A-Trak didn't ask me to rap on this shit, it wasn't no favor, none of that shit. This is my shit. I love this song right here.") Lots more to be heard here, including a handful of previews from Common's new album and appearances by Lil Wayne, Pimp C, SA-RA, Consequence, Ne-Yo, T-Pain, Jennifer Hudson. 25 tracks total. Recommended. -Chris Lemon-Red
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