Hip Hop 364 Items

In 2017, we’ve only caught a few glimpses of what Ivan has been working on, namely the soulful Kaytranada x Kiefer produced loosie “Also” and the jazzy MNDSGN produced single “Young Eye”. As it turns out, these two cuts are a good indication as to what the Oslo based artist has in store for us with his next LP release. On November 10h of this year, Ave presents his sophomore LP “Every Eye”. “Every Eye”, with its symbiosis of different producers, musicians and vocal styles puts Ivan Ave in his own lane. Leaving behind the sample heavy sound he’s gained recognition with, Ivan embarks on his first musical journey free of chopped up jazz, soul and funk records. But it would be an understatement to say that “Every Eye” still has jazz, soul and funk for days. Enlisting musical homies like Fredfades, MNDSGN, DJ Harrison, Kiefer, Kaytranada and Dâm- Funk on the production side, Ivan carves out his path as an ever-growing MC and singer.
All-though “Every Eye” sometimes hovers in a state of weightlessness genre wise, there is no shortage of gravity in Ave’s lyrical universe. Ivan seems to have written this record as his own self help book, dealing with the mechanisms of the mind, the heart, and the world he sees (or doesn’t see).The title “Every Eye” refers to our various angles of view, the ones we choose and the ones we are assigned to. From any point of view, Ivan Ave’s “Every Eye” will be a treat for every ear on its November 10th release
through Jakarta Records.

Apathy (Demigodz, Army of the Pharaohs) and O.C. (D.I.T.C. - Diggin' In The Crates) combine forces to form 'Perestroika', a supergroup inspired by the cold war being waged on the rap industry.

Anti-mainstream propaganda has become a bit of a cliche, so instead of speaking out against the unflattering direction that today's hip hop music has gone in, Apathy and O.C. have taken action by building a pillar in the ruins of what's left of true school hip hop.

Picture the first time you heard Wu-Tang Clan's debut album "Enter The Wu-Tang: 36 Chambers" and were immediately swept up in to a dark Kung Fu movie, with the sound effects and painted visuals - "Perestroika" is intended to have the same effect... except it transports you to Cold War, Soviet Russia. From the Kremlin, to small villages affected by the economically devastating times of Perestroika, this album is a salute to the underdog and all those who are able to survive the coldest winters.

Not entirely conceptual however, the album allows both wordsmiths to flex their greatest strengths over solid head-nodding East Coast-styled production. Showing up for the cause, guests Celph Titled, Slaine, Marvalyss, Kappa Gamma and Jus Cuz add to the palate alongside production that is mostly handled by Apathy, with MoSS and Illinformed (The Four Owls) contributing tracks as well. In a time of worldly political conflict and scandals, this project plays as the perfect soundtrack to the madness.

When Kay the Aquanaut says, the American dream is a nightmare... and the nightmare is everywhere, on the track American Expre$$ from his latest collaboration, 7 Vessels, with producer Factor Chandelier, it resonates in a way that is particularly salient in these uneasy times. But despite this nightmare, 7 Vessels provides a life raft in the midst of a sea of disingenuousness. 7 Vessels is Kay and Factor Chandeliers sixth album together and the culmination of their long-running collaborative relationship. The result is a work that incorporates Factor Chandeliers signature meticulous hip hop production work seamlessly with Kays thought-provoking lyrics. Chandelier, known for sample-free beats and live instrumentation, creates a soundscape that is so sophisticated that it reveals something new on each listen. On his tenth release, Kay has solidied his reputation as a captivating songwriter and fresh voice. The sharp social commentary combined with the intricate and multi-layered production gives 7 Vessels a power and authenticity that is rare. And despite the political slant of the album, 7 Vessels is still a smooth, sailboat deck at sunset journey through waves of moods. With appearances by Ceschi and Paranoid Castle, the album creates a sense of community weaving together dierent voices.

Soul Jazz Records’ new Boombox 2 is a new selection of early rap music from the period 1979-83, with barely a household name in sight. Featured here are some the earliest hip-hop records that came out of New York City following the enormous commercial success of the first ever rap record, ‘Rapper’s Delight’ by the Sugarhill Gang, in September 1979. Artists and producers alike tried to jump aboard the new commercial possibilities of hip-hop. By the end of the year there were 30 hip-hop singles, all released by independent New York labels. The following year there were over 100 more, and so on.
Boombox 2 tells the story of how hip-hop went from its evolutionary roots in the Bronx through DJs Kool Herc, Grandmaster Flash and Afrika Bambaataa through to its second phase where veteran music producers – Paul Winley, Peter Brown, Joe Robinson and others – all based in Harlem, began to put rap on vinyl for the first time.
Harlem is also where the separate worlds of disco and hip-hop met through the styles and influence of earlier ‘uptown’ DJs - DJ Hollywood and Eddie Cheba. In similar fashion these veteran Harlem-based producers instinctively tapped into a long lineage of African-American rhythm and blues, soul and disco.
Boombox 2 is a triple-vinyl set (+ download code) LP and double CD pack that features extensive text, exclusive interviews and stunning photography by Jamel Shabazz, Martha Cooper and others.

“A Safe Place to Be Naked” is S.Fidelity’s debut album, which will be released on May 5th via Jakarta Records. It features 12 tracks, capturing the producer’s quest for a fresh sound, which he elaborated over the last two years, locked in his tiny basement studio in Berlin. Evolving from there the he has also released an EP with Feelin Music in 2014, and “Sidekicks”, a joint project with long-term friend and collaborator Bluestaeb in 2016.
By working with artists like Tru Thoughts singer Harleighblu and label mate JuJu Rogers as well as fellow producers Bluestaeb and Shuffle Jack, his LP “A Safe Place to Be Naked” plays with sampled vocals and even his own voice – often distorted, but still present.
S. Fidelity was born in St. Gallen, Switzerland, mainly works in Berlin and currently resides in London. As a producer he developed a unique and always driving sound, combining sampling techniques and classic beat making with unusual drum patterns, modern synth and atmospheric sound effects. S. Fidelity’s laid-back eclecticism is marked by a deep knowledge and fascination for Pop culture as a whole. His idea of fresh HipHop references to various genres, including Jazz, Ambient, Disco and Electronica.
The LP contains an A2 poster & metall sticker.

This is a story about a young Russian girl named Jinna Morocha who had a vision of one day flying to the Moon.
Many years ago during the hard times of life in Moscow, the young girl saw the Moon consciously for the first time and at that very moment the dream began. These vivid thoughts remained in her mind and she started to ask herself “How can I get to the Moon?“. Soon she found the label Project: Mooncircle over the internet and told them her story, at once she saw a chance to come a few steps closer to her dream. By now Jinna lived in Germany and it was possible for her and the label to meet, her key question was “Can you bring me to the Moon?“. The answer was a faltering “No, but maybe we can let you fly to the Moon in your mind. Let’s build the soundtrack to this vision, close your eyes, clear your thoughts and let us begin on your journey“.

That was the beginning of “The Moon Comes Closer“, come embark upon this voyage with us lead by the next level soundscapes of:

Robot Koch, fLako, Pavel Dovgal, I.D. 4 Windz, John Robinson, Lambent, 813, Nienvox, Juj, Mr Cooper, MyOwn, Long Arm, Daisuke Tanabe, Graciela Maria, Scienz Of Life, Andy Kayes, Abnormal, Capella, Comfort Fit, Kansano, Gards From KC, Puzzle, Sense of The Q4, Sotu The Traveller, V. Raeter, Himuro Yoshiteru, Skyence, Dexter, Portformat, 40 Winks, Dela, Brazzaville & Killing Skills.

Finally new material from suisse wonderboy Dimlite, now on Stones Throw's Now Again label.

Best Kept Secret, originally released digitally in 2010, showcases OGC's Louieville Sluggah and his Out of The Park family. Smif-N-Wessun's own Steele also makes an appearance. Hennyville's effortless flow and complex rhyme scheme are displayed throughout this 11-track CD. The production, mainly handled by Smoke the World, is everything a real Hip Hop fan is looking for: catchy, soulful and bangin'. This is the first time this release has been made.

bsd.u (beside u) is one of the musical projects of Matthew Veselisin. Experimentation with lo-fi samples, hip-hop and chill/ambient trap is how he would describe his music for this project. 20 years old and currently residing in Victoria, BC he spends most of his time digging, listening to and crafting musical gems.

KingUnderground presents the debut album - Instrumental beat tapes Volume 1-2, produced in 2008-2009 from Swedish producer Sun Raw aka SRAW.

The ”Beat Week” concept came about in 2008 when Myspace still was the main internet platform for spreading independent music. SRAW wanted to use the social media platform to his advantage and make a release that was adapted to the specific ways of posting music and maintaining an audience on Myspace. He came up with the idea to publish one song a day for the duration of a week so that it would exist as a whole in the Myspace player after the week had passed.
The beats were simply named after the day it was published, making the final beat tape hold 7 tracks. Beat Week #1 was received very well so a year later Beat Week #2 was released in the same way. Around this time Myspace had lost most users to Facebook, and Soundcloud slowly began to take over as the new platform for musicians.

“I guess this is my tribute to the (for many of us) important MySpace days!” - SRAW

Da Great Deity Dah finally returns!
Featuring 10 tracks this album is a true hip-hop masterpiece its most mature album recorded to date.
Recorded with live musicians at Carnegie Mellon School of Music, this is an exercise in lyrical dexterity and complex analysis of the human condition. “The Chronicles Of The Electromagnetic Field General” takes you along for an odyssey thru different chambers in the mind reflecting on current topics but analyzing the ideologies behind the rhetoric.
The music is lush and gives you a 70's feel with a mixture of Jazz, funk, soul, and hip-hop. TIP!!

Smoke On Records presents this limited CD edition of the album “1999” by Nine.

The CD version also contains additional bonus tracks.

Since he first appeared on the scene, ElCamino has been steadily building his resume and reputation within hip-hop. Now, there is no debate, he is here to stay.
Although the youngest member of the acclaimed Griselda group, ElCamino has no problem holding his own alongside Westside Gunn, Conway the Machine and Benny the Butcher. Hailing from Buffalo, New York, ElCamino is no stranger to the struggle. His music pays homage to his upbringing and brings an element of realism that has been noticeably absent from rap and hip-hop music in recent years. In fact, his first four projects were recorded while ElCamino was on house arrest for a prior run in with the law.
ElCamino’s eight track, self-titled debut album ElCamino dropped in late 2017, but it still represents some of his best work to date, receiving praise and acclaim from hip-hop critics. A fan-favorite, ElCamino includes features from the legendary Prodigy and Griselda bosses Westside Gunn and Conway the Machine. With Boodeini, Rowland and Lucky Seven each bringing their signature production, ElCamino’s dark and gritty lyrics jump off the track to paint a vivid picture of his struggle on his road to success.

R.A.S. Posse aka "R.iddem A.nd S.oul" are the inovative collaboration of American rapper/underground producer Soul Gee (Chuck D, Das EFX etc...) and Panamanian reggae rapper Bigga Don who founded the group in Brooklyn NYC.
R.A.S. Posse had a very significant role in the movie House Party 3 and the careers of fellow LaFace Records label mates TLC, Ex Managers Steve Stoute and Kid (Kid n Play), Boyz 2 Men, Usher, OutKast, L.A. Reid etc….
This is EP Vol.1 of there previously unreleased Album on a limited green colored 12“ Vinyl.

Limited deluxe edition of 300 copies on black vinyl incl. all instrumentals!

After well-received collaborations with the likes of Philanthrope (Jazz Dialogue "Quintessenz Und Ihri Nuance") and Devaloop ("Hier & Jetzt!?"), Swiss MC Zaid teams up with one of the illest French beatmakers around, Parental of Kalhex fame. Lex (de Kalhex) provides a remix and Adlib Swayze is down for the cuts. Expect nothing but mellow and jazzy vibes with conscious lyricism.