International Hip Hop 416 Items

WATT's first new album in 6 years, "Meguru Uta", has been released in analog LP format! This is another completely self-produced album, with all raps and beats made by the artist himself. The excellent artwork by nadeneco is also an important key to the album. *limited Quantity*

Roméo Johnny Elvis Strauss Van Leaken has made "Morale" a place where each of us can find him in order to listen to his stories. Between self-mockery, references and reflections, we are able to find in this place neat and humorous lyrics, however, not to be taken lightly. The atmosphere is soaring but doesn't prevent us from discovering the failings and the ambition of the young Belgian rapper : "Brussels is coming!"

Circa 2022, Ozo's new songs, stronger-thanever brotherhood and the potent emotional impetus behind Marching On further cements the legacy begun with the band's 1998 self-titled debut. With musician/producer David Garza (Fiona Apple, Sparta) producing in Bpre-pandemic 2020 at El Paso's Sonic Ranch, Ozo were honored with esteemed musical guests who contributed to the 11-song album including B-Real (Cypress Hill), Guatemalan singer-songwriter Gaby Moreno, J.J. FAD (of "Supersonic" Fame) and Lisa Lisa (Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam.)

Sometimes you need to look to the past as much as the future. 'The Overview Effect' by emcee-producer duo Jermiside & The Expert is a vast musical collage of psychedelic soundscapes merged with hip hop’s golden age. A socially conscious psychedelic hip-hop album inspired by Marvin Gaye’s narrative on ‘What’s Going On’ mixed with tripped-out beats reminiscent of Edan’s ‘Beauty & The Beat.’

The production on 'The Overview Effect' takes on late-60s psychedelic folk/rock, viewed through a 90s b-boy mentality of heavy drums and dope breaks. Built with a keen ear for detail, The Expert densely layered his productions with tons of samples, seamlessly weaved together. Swirling strings, sitars, Moogs and crunchy guitars are all present, accompanied by trippy sound effects. “In terms of songwriting, very few songs on this record have a ‘classic song structure’,” says The Expert. “Key influences include bands like The Zombies, The Beach Boys, The Left Banke, and Love’s 1967 cult classic, 'Forever Changes.'”

This album was a way of paying tribute to the artists and music Jermiside & The Expert love, but done in their own way. 'The Overview Effect' is an album that never overstays its welcome and demands repeated listening. “I wanted the songs to have multiple layers, different sections, and intriguing arrangements so there’s something new to discover every time,” adds The Expert.

The carefully crafted collage on the album cover reflects war, greed, injustice, racism, and social ecology. Jermiside’s vivid imagery paints his own picture of a broken world yet one where the power is still in our hands to change it. “I came across a podcast with an astronaut describing his experience in space,” recalls Jermiside. “The feeling was described as ‘the overview effect,’ which is essentially a keen sense of awareness astronauts feel after viewing planet earth from the vantage point of space for the first time.”

Jermiside’s ‘overview effect’ confronts the state of the world we now live in and the struggles we face. This starts on the opening track “I Love You, Still?” with Jermiside questioning his love for his home country. “Black Tears” sees Jermiside and Stik Figa trade experiences about racial challenges and inequalities, while “Bullet shock” deals with police and the use of authority. The album then ends on a positive note with “A Little Love” stating that love conquers all. A closing message in line with the sampled spirit of the 60s.

New album by this Spanish rap duo. G-Funk, Talkbox, catchy melodic choruses and double tempos.

Originally released in 2018 by up-and-coming label "aotl" with Yo-Sea, 3House, Hiyadam and Goodmoodgoku etc...The long-awaited analogvinyl release of the digital-only compilation "x-factor" that produced hits such as "Keep It Real" by IO, Yo-Sea, 3House and "keiju Yo-Sea, "mttg" by Shurkn Pap" ! Gottz, MUD, Weny Dacillo, Hideyoshi, Osami and others also participated!