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Cream coloured vinyl has a few paper scuffs. Lenticular cover is close to NM. With insert

Celebrating the 25th anniversary of Beastie Boys’ 3× Platinum album Hello Nasty. This is a limited edition reissue of the rare deluxe 4LP version of the album that was released as an artist store exclusive in 2009. Long out-of-print and sought after by fans/collectors, it features two extra LPs (w/ 21 tracks) of bonus content, including remixes, live versions and B-sides (all of which are available at DSPs). The 4 LPs will be pressed on 180 gram vinyl and housed in a quad jacket inside a rigid slipcase. A sew-on patch is also included.

Celebrating the 30th Anniversary of Beastie Boys’ 2X Platinum Check Your Head album, this limited-edition deluxe reissue is a rare version of the album that was released as a limited run in 2009. Long out-of-print and sought after by fans and collectors, it features two bonus LP’s including remixes, live versions, and B-sides. Featuring the songs ‘So What’cha Want’, ‘Pass the Mic’ and ‘Gratitude’ - Check Your Head was a somewhat return to their punk roots and introduced the trio playing their own instruments for the first time on record since their early EP’s. This 4LP Deluxe Box Set is pressed on 180g vinyl housed in a fabric-wrapped, stamped hardcover case.

In celebration of hip-hop’s 50th anniversary, the iconic Def Jam Recordings brings us some of its classic repertoire on vinyl in a spectacular “fruit punch” variant – a color emblematic of its longstanding association with Def Jam. Some titles include Public Enemy’s Yo! Bum Rush the Show, Ludacris’ Word of Mouf, Method Man’s Tical, and Slick Rick’s The Great Adventures of Slick Rick.

Incl. exclusive Marvel Comic Book and Hip-Hop Variant Cover Lenticular

Two all-time classic LPs released in one year... DMX was nuts in 1998. This gem of an album has been repressed recently and is available again.

Cover with small tear/dent on opening. Blue vinyl.

In celebration of hip-hop’s 50th anniversary, the iconic Def Jam Recordings brings us some of its classic repertoire on vinyl in a spectacular “fruit punch” variant – a color emblematic of its longstanding association with Def Jam. Some titles include Public Enemy’s Yo! Bum Rush the Show, Ludacris’ Word of Mouf, Method Man’s Tical, and Slick Rick’s The Great Adventures of Slick Rick.

Donda Deluxe, das 10. solo Studioalbum von Kanye West, ist nun endlich auf Vinyl (4lp) erhältlich! Das hoch antizipierte Album erscheint somit knapp zwei Jahre nach seinem Grammy ausgezeichneten Album „jesus IS King“, das mit #1 Debüts in den Rap-Album-, Gospel-Album- und Billboard 200 Charts Geschichte schrieb. Außerdem übertraf er damit die legendären Beatles und zog erneut mit Hip Hop Schwergewicht Eminem gleich, der mit neun aufeinanderfolgenden #1-Albumdebüts in der Geschichte der Charts an der Spitze steht. „Yeezus“ bezieht u.a. auf „Donda“ erneut Bezug zu seiner Religion, wobei er wieder zu seinen anfänglichen Wurzeln à la „My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy“ Inspirationen zieht. Donda enthält Beiträge von der Crème de la Crème der Musik-Welt, wie Jay-Z, The Weeknd, Chris Brown, Ty Dolla $ign, Pop Smoke, Young Thug, Playboi Carti, Travis Scott, Lil Baby, Roddy Ricch, Kid Cudi und viele mehr.

In celebration of hip-hop’s 50th anniversary, the iconic Def Jam Recordings brings us some of its classic repertoire on vinyl in a spectacular “fruit punch” variant – a color emblematic of its longstanding association with Def Jam. Some titles include Public Enemy’s Yo! Bum Rush the Show, Ludacris’ Word of Mouf, Method Man’s Tical, and Slick Rick’s The Great Adventures of Slick Rick.

With insert. White vinyl edition. Cover is close to NM.

20th anniversagy edition with new remixes by Destructo, Wax Motif & Photek!

Def Jam Recordings' 30th Anniversary Reissue!

One of DMXs classic LPs back in print, freshly repressed 2023

In celebration of hip-hop’s 50th anniversary, the iconic Def Jam Recordings brings us some of its classic repertoire on vinyl in a spectacular “fruit punch” variant – a color emblematic of its longstanding association with Def Jam. Some titles include Public Enemy’s Yo! Bum Rush the Show, Ludacris’ Word of Mouf, Method Man’s Tical, and Slick Rick’s The Great Adventures of Slick Rick.

The groundbreaking 1st album is back in print! Bombsquad in full effect.

Grammy®-nominated hip-hop pioneer Warren G is a Long Beach rapper who formed the legendary group 213 (named after the city's area code) with Nate Dogg and Snoop Dogg, who went on to collaborate with step-brother Dr. Dre on The Chronic (providing the samples for 'Nuthin' But a G-Thang') and contribute the track 'Indo Smoke' with Mista Grimm and Nate Dogg on the Poetic Justice soundtrack. After a lively bidding war, Warren signed to Def Jam, which released his debut album, Regulate... G Funk Era in 1994, with the title track climbing to No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. In celebration of Def Jam's 30th Anniversary UMe will be releasing a '20th Anniversary Extended Edition' version with three new EDM remixes by Destructo & Wax Motif, Photek and Jauz.

It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back ist das zweite Studioalbum von Public Enemy, das am 28. Juni 1988 bei Def Jam Recordings erschien. NME und Rolling Stone bezeichneten es als "das größte Hip-Hop-Album aller Zeiten", mit Hit-Tracks: "Rebel Without a Pause", "Bring The Noise" und "Don't Believe The Hype".

In celebration of hip-hop’s 50th anniversary, the iconic Def Jam Recordings brings us some of its classic repertoire on vinyl in a spectacular “fruit punch” variant – a color emblematic of its longstanding association with Def Jam. Some titles include Public Enemy’s Yo! Bum Rush the Show, Ludacris’ Word of Mouf, Method Man’s Tical, and Slick Rick’s The Great Adventures of Slick Rick.

In celebration of hip-hop’s 50th anniversary, the iconic Def Jam Recordings brings us some of its classic repertoire on vinyl in a spectacular “fruit punch” variant – a color emblematic of its longstanding association with Def Jam. Some titles include Public Enemy’s Yo! Bum Rush the Show, Ludacris’ Word of Mouf, Method Man’s Tical, and Slick Rick’s The Great Adventures of Slick Rick. .

In celebration of hip-hop’s 50th anniversary, the iconic Def Jam Recordings brings us some of its classic repertoire on vinyl in a spectacular “fruit punch” variant – a color emblematic of its longstanding association with Def Jam. Some titles include Public Enemy’s Yo! Bum Rush the Show, Ludacris’ Word of Mouf, Method Man’s Tical, and Slick Rick’s The Great Adventures of Slick Rick.

Limited edition with fresh-n-def chrome cover!

Undun is the tenth studio album by The Roots, released on December 6, 2011. It is a concept album that tells the tragic, reverse-chronological story of a fictional character named Redford Stephens, a young man who becomes involved in a life of crime and meets an untimely death. The album explores the themes of fate, choice, and the socio-economic pressures that lead individuals into cycles of poverty, crime, and existential struggle.

Undun is told in reverse order, beginning with Redford’s death and slowly moving back through the key moments of his life that led to his demise. This structure provides a reflective, somber narrative, examining the forces that shaped his decisions and eventual downfall.
The album’s narrative structure emphasizes the sense of inevitability and regret, making it a powerful meditation on the fragility of life and the consequences of choices.
The character of Redford Stephens was inspired by a piece of music by composer Sufjan Stevens, titled "Redford (For Yia-Yia and Pappou)." This instrumental track is reinterpreted and appears toward the end of the album, underscoring its emotional weight.

Musically, Undun is a mix of hip-hop, neo-soul, orchestral elements, and art rock. The production is lush yet sparse, with haunting melodies, complex arrangements, and The Roots' trademark live instrumentation.
Questlove’s drumming and Black Thought’s lyricism are central to the album, with the music often using minimalist beats and atmospheric soundscapes to complement the lyrical themes of existential despair and reflection.
The album also features moments of instrumental interludes, which add to the cinematic and conceptual feel of the project.

Key Tracks and Highlights:
"Sleep" – The album’s opening track (which depicts the final moment of Redford’s life) is introspective and haunting. Black Thought raps about the moments before death, with lyrics like "I’ve lost a lot of sleep to dreams" capturing the sense of hopelessness and inevitability.
"Make My" (featuring Big K.R.I.T.) – This single features a melancholic beat and lyrics that delve into regret and introspection, with Big K.R.I.T.'s verse complementing Black Thought’s meditations on life and death.
"One Time" (featuring Phonte and Dice Raw) – A standout track that focuses on the idea of seizing moments and making choices, set to a gritty, understated beat. Black Thought and guest rapper Phonte trade verses, exploring themes of existential crisis and fleeting opportunities.
"Kool On" (featuring Greg Porn and Truck North) – One of the lighter, more groove-driven tracks on the album, yet still reflective, with lyrics addressing Redford’s attempts to navigate the temptations and pressures of street life.
"The Otherside" – A soul-stirring track that looks at the crossroads between life and death, with deeply philosophical lyrics. Black Thought’s introspective verse, combined with Dice Raw’s somber chorus, reflects the haunting struggle between moral choices and survival.
"Tip the Scale" – A reflection on the difficulty of breaking free from the cyclical patterns of poverty and crime, with Black Thought delivering some of the most emotionally raw and philosophical verses on the album.
"Redford" (the instrumental suite) – A moving four-part instrumental conclusion, drawing from Sufjan Stevens' original composition. This suite, made up of piano, strings, and drums, evokes the emotional depth of Redford’s life and his ultimate fate.

Existentialism and Free Will: The album continually questions the role of fate versus choice. Redford’s life is portrayed as a series of decisions that, while influenced by his environment, ultimately lead to his downfall, raising questions about whether he had any real control over his fate.
Social Injustice and Poverty: Many of the lyrics explore how systemic injustice, poverty, and lack of opportunity can push individuals into lives of crime. The album highlights the harsh realities faced by young Black men in America, grappling with the intersections of race, class, and violence.
Regret and Reflection: Much of the album has a reflective, mournful tone as Black Thought and other guest vocalists deliver verses that look back at life’s moments, filled with what-ifs and regrets, exploring the loss of potential and the weight of past decisions.
Production and Collaborations:
The album is largely produced by The Roots themselves, with Questlove overseeing much of the production. The minimalist yet atmospheric production style mirrors the album’s darker themes, with an emphasis on live instruments.
Undun includes collaborations with Big K.R.I.T., Phonte, Dice Raw, Truck North, and Greg Porn, all of whom contribute to the narrative through their verses and vocal contributions.

Undun received widespread critical acclaim for its ambitious concept, narrative depth, and emotional resonance. Critics praised the album for its cohesive storytelling, complex themes, and innovative production.
Many hailed it as one of The Roots' best albums, with its conceptual depth and musical sophistication setting it apart from conventional hip-hop albums.
The album was noted for its maturity and introspective tone, marking a departure from The Roots’ earlier, more outwardly political works, and instead focusing on the internal struggles of the individual within a broken system.

Undun is often regarded as one of the best concept albums in hip-hop, comparable to works like Kendrick Lamar’s good kid, m.A.A.d city for its narrative depth and thematic richness.
The album’s reverse chronology and philosophical musings influenced other artists looking to explore more experimental and narrative-driven albums.
Undun reinforced The Roots' reputation as one of the most innovative and thoughtful acts in hip-hop, further blurring the lines between rap, live instrumentation, and high-concept artistry.

Undun is a deeply reflective and philosophical album, focusing on the life and fate of a character caught between the societal pressures and personal choices that ultimately lead to his demise. With its reverse storytelling, live instrumentation, and poignant lyricism, the album stands as one of The Roots’ most emotionally complex and musically innovative works. It challenges listeners to think deeply about the forces that shape lives and the fine line between survival and destruction.

Collector's vinyl edition, with a special "fade to black" 3D cover that, when turned to the left or right, turns black, with just the band's iconic cross-hairs visible.

Back in print! The 1st real Wu-Tang solo album!

This special reissue was cut from the original production masters and is presented on 180-gram heavyweight vinyl.

Produced by Rick Rubin and Beastie Boys, Licensed To Ill was originally released November 15, 1986 - making the B Boys the fifth artist to release a full length album on the original Def Jam label after LL Cool J, Slayer, Tashan and Oran "Juice" Jones.

Classic album reissued!

In hugo, there’s a central question that Loyle Carner keeps coming back to: “I’m young, Black, successful and have a platform - but where do I go next?” The answer is explored in this epic scream of a third album. With urgent delivery and gloriously widescreen production, Carner confronts both the deeply personal (“You can’t hate the roots of a tree, and not hate the tree. So how can I hate my father without hating me?) and the highly political (“I told the black man he didn’t understand I reached the white man he wouldn’t take my hand”). Cinematic in scale and scope, hugo is both a rallying war cry for a generation forged in fire and a study of the personal internal conflict that drives the rest of the album - as a mixed-race Black man, as an artist, as a father and as a son. With Mercury and Brits nominations, NME Awards and appearances in global brand campaigns (Nike, YSL, Timberland), Carner has undoubtedly had a meteoric rise to the top, culminating with his second album Not Waving, But Drowning charting at number 3 in the UK albums chart in 2019. However, hugo sees Carner taking a sharp detour from his previous work, putting it down to lockdown and the “hedonistic side of career being stripped away. There were no shows, no backstage, no festivals, no photoshoots”. By continuing to write in these tumultuous times with a renewed clarity and sense of artistic freedom, Carner reached deeper beneath the surface than he ever had before. The result is his most cathartic and ambitious record yet, a coruscating journey into the heart of what it means to be alive in these tumultuous times, and one which looks set to neatly cement his position as one of the most potent and vital young talents around today. Working alongside renowned producer kwes. (Solange, Kelela, Nao), Carner leaves no stone unturned on this album, in both its sound and its stories. In a 10-track album that moves from gorgeous neo-soul moments to thundering hip hop, with immediate, infectious bangers and sampled interludes from non musicians (mixed-race Guyanese poet John Agard and youth activist and politician Athian Akec) Carner shifts seamlessly from micro to macro, confronting everything from strained relationships with family to the societal tears caused by class stratification. It also lays bare bruises in his personal life that he has never revealed before – often in painful, deeply uncomfortable ways, focusing on Carner's experience of becoming a father in the context of growing up without contact with his biological father. With the song “Polyfilla”, against the backdrop of a warm melodic beat, Carner explores his desire to “break the chains in the cycle” of dysfunctional Black fatherhood, commenting on the narrative of fatherhood in the genre, and saying a key part of the process was realising that his father “grew up in a world where nobody showed him how to love or nurture”. The follow up track “A Lasting Place” is an exploration of the MC’s failure and inability to be perfect in this mission. The album closer is a powerful statement of love and forgiveness; with his signature lyrical dexterity, Carner declares his relentless commitment to his son and sees forgiving his father as a key part of this. The song closes with an emotional ending of Carner telling his dad “still I’m lucky yo that we talk”. There’s a striking duality of hugo’s bold, multilayered tracks and its often starkly intimate and tender lyricism, and that dichotomy is deliberate - it is a message for young Black men, but really, anyone, who is listening. Cognizant of the immense pain and fear and confusion that we are faced with everyday, Carner has thrown down the gauntlet, defying us not to rise above the fray, wake up each day and be ambitious. Ambitious in building strong personal relationships. Ambitious in our pursuit of our goals. Ambitious in never refusing to back down against injustice. Rejecting the title of leader, Loyle Carner sees himself “as holding up a mirror”, and that clearly translates into the album's universal messages.

My Life is the second studio album by Mary J. Blige, released on 29th November, 1994 by Uptown Records. Unlike her debut, What’s the 411? (1992), Blige co-wrote fourteen of the album’s tracks, making it her most introspective and personal album at the time. Similar to her debut album, My Life features vast production from Sean “Puffy” Combs for his newly founded label, Bad Boy Entertainment, which was at the time backed by Arista Records.

Considered to be her breakthrough album, My Life became Mary J. Blige’s second album to reach the top ten on the Billboard 200 chart, peaking at number seven, and debuting at number one on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart for eight weeks. In 1996, the album was nominated for Best R&B Album at the 38th Grammy Awards, while in December of the same year, the album was certified triple platinum by the RIAA, for shipments of three million copies in the United States. It also won the 1995 Billboard Music Award for Top R&B Album.

Reissue of this Hip Hop classic for its 30th anniversary pressed on 180gram vinyl.

2014 reissue.

Anticipated new instrumental release from A.M. Breakups, NYC/NOLA-based producer heard on billy woods’ History Will Absolve Me, Cult Favorite’s For Madmen Only (w/E L U C I D), Armand Hammer’s Race Music, amongst countless other singles and deep album cuts across the Hip-Hop underground. Breakups presents a hard-hitting unique vinyl project that taps into the realm of the obscure, funky, ambient, and breakbeat heavy, honing his trademark atmospherics and sample editing with a focus on sound design, texture and composition. With Redivider, A.M. Breakups (aka Marris Mielnick) articulates the soundtrack for the resurgence and fresh envelope-pushing presently occurring in Hip-Hop’s left field of creativity. Breakups’ close affiliation and releases through Backwoodz Studioz in past years, as well as his production & engineering work with the likes of Vordul Mega (Cannibal Ox), Teddy Faley, GDP, Skech185, Uncommon Nasa (Def Jux/Uncommon Records) and many others, make this carefully crafted Limited Edition 180g vinyl pressing one collectors will want to have in their crates and record shelves.

Limited to 2000 copies for Record Store Day 2022 on metallic gold colored vinyl. For the first time on vinyl, released on CD in 2006.

/ number 11

In celebration of hip-hop’s 50th anniversary, the iconic Def Jam Recordings brings us some of its classic repertoire on vinyl in a spectacular “fruit punch” variant – a color emblematic of its longstanding association with Def Jam. Some titles include Public Enemy’s Yo! Bum Rush the Show, Ludacris’ Word of Mouf, Method Man’s Tical, and Slick Rick’s The Great Adventures of Slick Rick.

Wow - here we have a Stunning 10 tracker from Tacoma-based producer DJ Shaggy C & his extended crew of different acts collectively known as Thunder Jam Alliance. There is loads of info in the biography/interview Here but what you really need to hear are the snippets.



A small number of the TJA demos are floating around on the net courtesy of a variety of demo tape collectors but nothing has been formally released, so here is an introduction to this mid-90s Tacoma crew's output. And hot damn, is this stuff special...



Big shout out to my man Hakan Dougpark for the connect and Unikone for his posts on the excellent Hip Hop The Golden Era Blog - 1L

And we're back in Tacoma, WA for more unreleased and unheard 1994-1995 bangers from the Thunder Jam Alliance crew. All tracks produced by Shaggy C. Such a shame a lot of this material didnt drop at the time of recording, but Herring, like Mighty Mouse, has come to save the day!!



Make sure you peep those snippets - some killer material right here for the heads!!!







Big shout out to my man Hakan Dougpark for the original connect and Unikone for his posts on the excellent Hip Hop The Golden Era Blog - 1L

In celebration of hip-hop’s 50th anniversary, the iconic Def Jam Recordings brings us some of its classic repertoire on vinyl in a spectacular “fruit punch” variant – a color emblematic of its longstanding association with Def Jam. Some titles include Public Enemy’s Yo! Bum Rush the Show, Ludacris’ Word of Mouf, Method Man’s Tical, and Slick Rick’s The Great Adventures of Slick Rick.

Record Store Day 2023 first time on vinyl release incl. a download card.

Get ‘Em started as a collaboration between producers, Computer Jay and Dream Dave. It turned out to be Computer Jay’s first attempt on the mic, evolving into Taylor The Terror, accompanied by long-time Cohort Imani the Ghetto Oracle (from The Pharcyde). The project unknowingly snowballed into an LA Riot of features ranging from established wordsmiths to producers and DJs picking up the mic to bring an unknown underbelly of vocals to the canvas. Get ‘Em is undoubtedly cut from the golden era of Hip Hop, but with exponential growth of Technique in the production, cuts, and lyric schemes. This 16-song album has the cinematic action of Fight Club mixed with Blaxploitation films. The Get ‘Em Got it, and it and the Gettin weigh a ton of pounds. The Get ‘Em Gettin, and is of the Weird Science Sound.

Vince Staples’ Dark Times serves as the Long Beach rapper’s sixth studio album and is a snapshot of Staples presently: on top of the world on the surface, but reality might be trickier. Throughout the album’s thirteen tracks, he grapples with life’s heaviness, all while understanding what the gravity of his work means in the grand scheme of things.

Limited to 100 copies. Exclusively available at HHV. The debut collaboration by Harlem, New York City raised, Ugandan born, award winning hip-hop creative Emma Lee M.C. and decorated German producer Roccwell is a potent offering of globally creative proportions. Merging her bold, flowful vocals and piercingly imaginary lyricism with his smooth, classic, world-renowned "boom bap" production over seven tracks, the two who met during a pandemic aimed to stifle their artistry have used the "new normals" as opportunity to create new energy, tell new stories and re-balance tastes in the culture.

On the lead single “Like It’s 93” featuring hip-hop legend Masta Ace, listeners are treated to a unique twist on nostalgia. Emma Lee personifies hip-hop by lyrically describing a dysfunctional but loving relationship using over 40 classic rap album titles all released in the year 1993, with Masta Ace responding metaphorically in a classic rebuttal. The track rolls in with a dreamy soundscape over Roccwell's signature snare drum spine, lifts and waves with Emma Lee's softly layered vocals in the hooks, and ends with a sonic collage of reflective cuts by DJ LP2 reminding us why we fell in love with hip-hop. As mentioned from "Digable Planets to Doggystyle," this track is a witness and poetic questioning of a pivotal time in music.

The follow-up single "Cravings & Withdrawals" with hip-hop legend Bahamadia holds its own as one of the smoothest rap duets put to wax in a long time. As Roccwell riffs the beat like a spacey and jazzy interlude, an elite skill level of emceeing is on display by two generational talents unapologetically pouring onto the track. The dream duo gives us an unbeatable breather during the hooks which are elevated by an adaptation of classic neo-soul R&B, asking whether listeners are "craving something real?" Clever cuts by DJ LP2 once again punctuate the odyssey and are sure to please most music heads.

“Chocolate Bars” by Emma Lee M.C. & Roccwell stays true to its rooted theme and includes a few musical twists, start to finish. From its concept, choice of instruments, variation, undeniable lyricism, sounds and messaging, it creates both curiosity and satisfaction, and leaves hip-hop lovers surely wanting more.

In celebration of hip-hop’s 50th anniversary, the iconic Def Jam Recordings brings us some of its classic repertoire on vinyl in a spectacular “fruit punch” variant – a color emblematic of its longstanding association with Def Jam. Some titles include Public Enemy’s Yo! Bum Rush the Show, Ludacris’ Word of Mouf, Method Man’s Tical, and Slick Rick’s The Great Adventures of Slick Rick.

In celebration of hip-hop’s 50th anniversary, the iconic Def Jam Recordings brings us some of its classic repertoire on vinyl in a spectacular “fruit punch” variant – a color emblematic of its longstanding association with Def Jam. Some titles include Public Enemy’s Yo! Bum Rush the Show, Ludacris’ Word of Mouf, Method Man’s Tical, and Slick Rick’s The Great Adventures of Slick Rick.

In celebration of hip-hop’s 50th anniversary, the iconic Def Jam Recordings brings us some of its classic repertoire on vinyl in a spectacular “fruit punch” variant – a color emblematic of its longstanding association with Def Jam. Some titles include Public Enemy’s Yo! Bum Rush the Show, Ludacris’ Word of Mouf, Method Man’s Tical, and Slick Rick’s The Great Adventures of Slick Rick.

tbc

In hugo, there’s a central question that Loyle Carner keeps coming back to: “I’m young, Black, successful and have a platform - but where do I go next?” The answer is explored in this epic scream of a third album. With urgent delivery and gloriously widescreen production, Carner confronts both the deeply personal (“You can’t hate the roots of a tree, and not hate the tree. So how can I hate my father without hating me?) and the highly political (“I told the black man he didn’t understand I reached the white man he wouldn’t take my hand”). Cinematic in scale and scope, hugo is both a rallying war cry for a generation forged in fire and a study of the personal internal conflict that drives the rest of the album - as a mixed-race Black man, as an artist, as a father and as a son. With Mercury and Brits nominations, NME Awards and appearances in global brand campaigns (Nike, YSL, Timberland), Carner has undoubtedly had a meteoric rise to the top, culminating with his second album Not Waving, But Drowning charting at number 3 in the UK albums chart in 2019. However, hugo sees Carner taking a sharp detour from his previous work, putting it down to lockdown and the “hedonistic side of career being stripped away. There were no shows, no backstage, no festivals, no photoshoots”. By continuing to write in these tumultuous times with a renewed clarity and sense of artistic freedom, Carner reached deeper beneath the surface than he ever had before. The result is his most cathartic and ambitious record yet, a coruscating journey into the heart of what it means to be alive in these tumultuous times, and one which looks set to neatly cement his position as one of the most potent and vital young talents around today. Working alongside renowned producer kwes. (Solange, Kelela, Nao), Carner leaves no stone unturned on this album, in both its sound and its stories. In a 10-track album that moves from gorgeous neo-soul moments to thundering hip hop, with immediate, infectious bangers and sampled interludes from non musicians (mixed-race Guyanese poet John Agard and youth activist and politician Athian Akec) Carner shifts seamlessly from micro to macro, confronting everything from strained relationships with family to the societal tears caused by class stratification. It also lays bare bruises in his personal life that he has never revealed before – often in painful, deeply uncomfortable ways, focusing on Carner's experience of becoming a father in the context of growing up without contact with his biological father. With the song “Polyfilla”, against the backdrop of a warm melodic beat, Carner explores his desire to “break the chains in the cycle” of dysfunctional Black fatherhood, commenting on the narrative of fatherhood in the genre, and saying a key part of the process was realising that his father “grew up in a world where nobody showed him how to love or nurture”. The follow up track “A Lasting Place” is an exploration of the MC’s failure and inability to be perfect in this mission. The album closer is a powerful statement of love and forgiveness; with his signature lyrical dexterity, Carner declares his relentless commitment to his son and sees forgiving his father as a key part of this. The song closes with an emotional ending of Carner telling his dad “still I’m lucky yo that we talk”. There’s a striking duality of hugo’s bold, multilayered tracks and its often starkly intimate and tender lyricism, and that dichotomy is deliberate - it is a message for young Black men, but really, anyone, who is listening. Cognizant of the immense pain and fear and confusion that we are faced with everyday, Carner has thrown down the gauntlet, defying us not to rise above the fray, wake up each day and be ambitious. Ambitious in building strong personal relationships. Ambitious in our pursuit of our goals. Ambitious in never refusing to back down against injustice. Rejecting the title of leader, Loyle Carner sees himself “as holding up a mirror”, and that clearly translates into the album's universal messages.

The debut collaboration by Harlem, New York City raised, Ugandan born, award winning hip-hop creative Emma Lee M.C. and decorated German producer Roccwell is a potent offering of globally creative proportions. Merging her bold, flowful vocals and piercingly imaginary lyricism with his smooth, classic, world-renowned "boom bap" production over seven tracks, the two who met during a pandemic aimed to stifle their artistry have used the "new normals" as opportunity to create new energy, tell new stories and re-balance tastes in the culture.

On the lead single “Like It’s 93” featuring hip-hop legend Masta Ace, listeners are treated to a unique twist on nostalgia. Emma Lee personifies hip-hop by lyrically describing a dysfunctional but loving relationship using over 40 classic rap album titles all released in the year 1993, with Masta Ace responding metaphorically in a classic rebuttal. The track rolls in with a dreamy soundscape over Roccwell's signature snare drum spine, lifts and waves with Emma Lee's softly layered vocals in the hooks, and ends with a sonic collage of reflective cuts by DJ LP2 reminding us why we fell in love with hip-hop. As mentioned from "Digable Planets to Doggystyle," this track is a witness and poetic questioning of a pivotal time in music.

The follow-up single "Cravings & Withdrawals" with hip-hop legend Bahamadia holds its own as one of the smoothest rap duets put to wax in a long time. As Roccwell riffs the beat like a spacey and jazzy interlude, an elite skill level of emceeing is on display by two generational talents unapologetically pouring onto the track. The dream duo gives us an unbeatable breather during the hooks which are elevated by an adaptation of classic neo-soul R&B, asking whether listeners are "craving something real?" Clever cuts by DJ LP2 once again punctuate the odyssey and are sure to please most music heads.

“Chocolate Bars” by Emma Lee M.C. & Roccwell stays true to its rooted theme and includes a few musical twists, start to finish. From its concept, choice of instruments, variation, undeniable lyricism, sounds and messaging, it creates both curiosity and satisfaction, and leaves hip-hop lovers surely wanting more.

Sleepy Soldier finds Tanna pushing the boundaries of his creative expression while embracing a certain emotional complexity in his storytelling. The core message of the album is love, humanity, endurance. He likes to describe it as “human music” because it’s very honest about the span of emotions we all go through in a single day on this planet—all the sadness and disappointment and stress and also the joy. In a perfect counterpart to that vast scope of feeling, Sleepy Soldier offers up such sonically eclectic tracks as “Picasso” (a punk-leaning anthem that transforms frustration into pure catharsis) and “Death n’ Taxes” (a gorgeously ethereal, guitar-laced piece graced with wisdom Tanna gained during a mind-expanding trip to the ocean).

2023 repress.

Mixed by the man who brought you Wu-Tang vs. The Beatles, Tom Caruana.

Mixed by the man who brought you Wu-Tang vs. The Beatles, Tom Caruana.

Mixed by the man who brought you Wu-Tang vs. The Beatles, Tom Caruana.

Nas returns with Kanye West produced Nasir.