UK Hip Hop 236 Items

Although Dirty Dike has been showcasing his incredible production skills as of late with projects with Ocean Wisdom, Rag N Bone Man and Lee Scott, it has been two long years since everyone’s favourite Twat has delivered a full length album! The outspoken voice of the notorious Dirty Dike has returned with arguably his finest work to date - 'Sucking On Prawns In The Moonlight'. The project delivers everything you would expect from a Dirty Dike album and so much more! We have all the classic ‘no holds barred’ dirty elements that make a Dirty Dike album special plus a new injection of perspective and reflection as our hero adopts a new approach to his craft. Ladies and gentlemen, this is a game changer.

Issued in a 6 panel digipak.

"The future of UK Hip Hop" - Times

That new type of british rap … feat. Joe Goddard & Roots Manuva!

North London lyricist Defreitas has been working on his craft ever since hearing Kool G Rap and DJ Polo’s Ill Street Blues. Learning flow and prose from the greats, he’d wear out mix tapes in his Sony walkman having dubbed them from the plethora of pirate radio stations of the 90s. Not content on getting into the studio before his time. Defreitas continued to work on his penmanship, slowly building a vast reel of work to source from. His talents were soon discovered by Melanin 9 who saw the potential in the lyrics and flow and more importantly, the very deep social commentary Defreitas tries to share in his stories. M9 put him in touch with North London producer DJ Drinks and the two began working on his debut, Obsidian Jewels, in 2019.

Obsidian Jewels is Defreitas’ debut LP. Produced entirely by DJ Drinks and recorded at Camden Studios in the summer of 2020, this collection of tracks delves into both the internal and environmental experiences that shape a man. With the usual fire laced beats provided by Drinks who has stated that this might be the only full length LP he’ll work on, we're sure this album will become an instant classic in your collection.

10 years since their debut LP, Jam Baxter, Dabbla and GhostTown make their long-awaited return with 'Cherry Turbo / Death By A Thousand Cocktail Sticks'.

‘Cherry Turbo / Death By A Thousand Cocktail Sticks’ is available to Order.

Limited edition pressing on vinyl, full colour 350gsm reverse board gatefold sleeve. 6 track album. Shrink wrapped.

Dawuna follows that insane ‘Glass Lit Dream’ album with a stunning 3-track whitelabel, burning thru R&B's resinous ash with lilting, minimal production and a neo-soul glow. Some of the best music we’ve heard this year - of any description - essential if yr into anything from Prince/Camille to Coby Sey/Tirzah x Nearly God x D’angelo

The opening moments of 'white boy' define the whole of "EP 1": a pitched-up sample of Black Panthers chanting "no more pigs in our community" looped into an unimpeachable demand. Skip past it at your peril, it's a historical remnant from the tail end of the US civil rights movement that grounds Dawuna's music in tangible real-world politics at a time when police are still unremittingly exterminating unarmed black men across the USA and beyond. Close to a minute later, a brittle pinprick rhythm rattles beneath Dawuna's unmistakable croon and a low, growling bassline, with the lightest, most evocative drones as accompaniment.

Lead track 'baby boy' is even stronger, matching a svelte, dismantled trip-hop shuffle with one of Dawuna's craziest vocal performances to date. It's impossible not to fantasise about Prince on this one - the layered, panning vocal transposed and deployed in multiples, like Bob George and a Camille production merged into one of the most immersive pieces of soul music you’ll likely ever hear. Dawuna's vulnerability transports the sound into 2022, offering a level of melancholy that feels funereal, mourning the broken promises of the past.

The sentiment carries into the heartbreaking finale 'yout done tried', a deliriously lo-fi stepper that sounds like a ‘Baduizm’-era Erykah demo dubbed to overworn tape. Dawuna's vocal is pitched and distorted before being chipmunked for the chorus, crying over bone-dry acoustic drum bumps and gut-piercing sine wave warbles. It's a sensual lullaby for the modern age.

Levels.

Village Live Records are proud to present 'Time & Tide', the new album by Mancunian poet and emcee, D'Lyfa Reilly.

The 12-track album is entirely produced by Village Live artist Aver and is the last release to be overseen by the label's co-founder Joey Deez, who sadly passed away earlier this year.

D'Lyfa burst onto the UK hip-hop scene in 2011 aged 19. After releasing a slew of mix tapes and videos he gained notoriety across the UK, most notably being featured on BBC Introducing and Charlie Sloth's 1xtra national radio shows.

It was during this period that D'Lyfa befriended fellow Mancunian hip-hop producer Aver. The two had a shared vision of an alternative, no-nonsense approach to music and worked together for years on a number of projects that never saw official release. 'Time & Tide' is a combination of reworked tracks from this era and new music the pair created in 2019.

The album will be available on limited edition 12" vinyl in two colour ways: standard black, and the other an aquatic-themed transparent blue with white swirl. The digital version of the album, along with the instrumentals will also be available to stream/buy when 'Time & Tide' is fully released at the start of 2021.

Seeing himself as a social commentator, Coops continuously draws inspiration from everything around him and is feeling more inspired than ever. Having signed to the label in 2018 he has already released 2 poignant albums and continues to create at rapid speed. The 8-track project - which was made in just 4 studio sessions - is unlike Coops’ usual 14+ track albums both he and his fans have become used to. Coops turned the album around in record time to ensure his music was released during this unparalleled time in history. The homegrown beats come from his close friend and long term collaborator Talos who has produced almost all his beats to date. In the opening track, ‘ Boom Biddy Bye’ Coops doesn’t waste a second in putting his fellow rappers through their paces. A block rapper with no one to please but himself, Coops professes that he barely listens to what other rappers release to ensure they don’t infiltrate and influence his own music. Highly appropriate for these times, title track ‘ Crimes Against Creation ’ is the stand out voice of this generation and his message to the world. ‘W arped perception, thwart connections, they force perfection, then claim the antidotes an injection...’ plays out and we begin to appreciate how the current situation is playing heavily on his mind. As the album progresses we get to see all sides of Coops’ personality with ‘Piss Poor’ reminding us of the raw gritty London lifestyle from which he has risen from, whilst ‘Profile’ demonstrates his softer more promiscuous side as well as touching on themes of fatherhood and online relationships. Coops’ musical entry point begun by making music with his friends, but it wasn’t until he really looked at himself and the world around him when he decided he needed to go it alone, opening his mind and his solo stream of creativity which hasn’t stopped since. A self-proclaimed hermit he embodies the essence of a true artist and only finds comfort in doing what he loves, not what he is told.

Seeing himself as a social commentator, Coops continuously draws inspiration from everything around him and is feeling more inspired than ever. Having signed to the label in 2018 he has already released 2 poignant albums and continues to create at rapid speed. The 8-track project - which was made in just 4 studio sessions - is unlike Coops’ usual 14+ track albums both he and his fans have become used to. Coops turned the album around in record time to ensure his music was released during this unparalleled time in history. The homegrown beats come from his close friend and long term collaborator Talos who has produced almost all his beats to date. In the opening track, ‘ Boom Biddy Bye’ Coops doesn’t waste a second in putting his fellow rappers through their paces. A block rapper with no one to please but himself, Coops professes that he barely listens to what other rappers release to ensure they don’t infiltrate and influence his own music. Highly appropriate for these times, title track ‘ Crimes Against Creation ’ is the stand out voice of this generation and his message to the world. ‘W arped perception, thwart connections, they force perfection, then claim the antidotes an injection...’ plays out and we begin to appreciate how the current situation is playing heavily on his mind. As the album progresses we get to see all sides of Coops’ personality with ‘Piss Poor’ reminding us of the raw gritty London lifestyle from which he has risen from, whilst ‘Profile’ demonstrates his softer more promiscuous side as well as touching on themes of fatherhood and online relationships. Coops’ musical entry point begun by making music with his friends, but it wasn’t until he really looked at himself and the world around him when he decided he needed to go it alone, opening his mind and his solo stream of creativity which hasn’t stopped since. A self-proclaimed hermit he embodies the essence of a true artist and only finds comfort in doing what he loves, not what he is told.

Seeing himself as a social commentator, Coops continuously draws inspiration from everything around him and is feeling more inspired than ever. Having signed to the label in 2018 he has already released 2 poignant albums and continues to create at rapid speed. The 8-track project - which was made in just 4 studio sessions - is unlike Coops’ usual 14+ track albums both he and his fans have become used to. Coops turned the album around in record time to ensure his music was released during this unparalleled time in history. The homegrown beats come from his close friend and long term collaborator Talos who has produced almost all his beats to date. In the opening track, ‘ Boom Biddy Bye’ Coops doesn’t waste a second in putting his fellow rappers through their paces. A block rapper with no one to please but himself, Coops professes that he barely listens to what other rappers release to ensure they don’t infiltrate and influence his own music. Highly appropriate for these times, title track ‘ Crimes Against Creation ’ is the stand out voice of this generation and his message to the world. ‘W arped perception, thwart connections, they force perfection, then claim the antidotes an injection...’ plays out and we begin to appreciate how the current situation is playing heavily on his mind. As the album progresses we get to see all sides of Coops’ personality with ‘Piss Poor’ reminding us of the raw gritty London lifestyle from which he has risen from, whilst ‘Profile’ demonstrates his softer more promiscuous side as well as touching on themes of fatherhood and online relationships. Coops’ musical entry point begun by making music with his friends, but it wasn’t until he really looked at himself and the world around him when he decided he needed to go it alone, opening his mind and his solo stream of creativity which hasn’t stopped since. A self-proclaimed hermit he embodies the essence of a true artist and only finds comfort in doing what he loves, not what he is told.

Cookin Soul x Lord Apex
7 Inch vinyl with 4 tracks - The Bullshit / For all my Hustlers + Instrumental versions
Red colourway limited to 200 copies.

CoN and KwAkE are Confucius MC and Kwake Bass. They share long and entwined histories with saxophonist and Native Rebel label owner Shabaka Hutchings, and with many of the incredible London musicians and producers who have emerged over the last decade.

Eyes In The Tower, their debut album released one year ago, was the second release on Shabaka Hutchings’ Native Rebel Recordings, where he invites friends and family to RAK Studios improvise around sketches he’s written specifically for the invited artists. A uniquely London evolution of classic hip hop, it was brewed for over a decade before being made in three days.

Two tracks from the album have now been remixed to celebrate the one year anniversary of the album: 15 Minutes gets reworked by Daisuke Tanabe and Dance In The Dark by Anja Ngozi.

Confucius MC has been embedded in UK hip hop since the early 2000s. He was the support of choice for Mos Def, and recently toured with UK hip hop stalwart Jehst.

Kwake Bass is musical director for Sampha and Kae Tempest. Behind the kit he has become the player of choice for travelling US heavyweights, playing with MF Doom, The Roots and Joey Bada$$, as well as UK major players Lianne La Havas and Mica Levi.

Coby Sey steps out with his remarkable debut album 'Conduit'. "'Conduit' is a statement of intent, reaffirming my dedication to transcend the tangible through music – it’s my way to continue and contribute to the musical lineage laid by those before me, locally and worldwide." - Coby Sey

For the uninitiated, Cmpnd (pronounced compound) are a hybrid rap super group formed of producer and rapper Wundrop and MC’s Kemastry & Vitamin G. Coming off the back of their cult classic, Eagle Court (released on High Focus Records) the trio are gearing up to return with more raucous depraved antics on Eagle Court II: Long Live
The Court. Picking up right where they left off mixing insanity and debauchery, pain and pleasure, introspection and surrealism into a deludamolic delicacy for the audience to savour.

Skilfully expressing their unique personalities whilst simultaneously producing a coherent piece of art that stays true to Cmpnd’s underbelly ethos.

This densely packed 18 track album defies categorisation, as the trio bring a whole new vision and aesthetic to the forefront whether it be the mind boggling production or the ferocious pen game. Featuring Datkid, TrueMendous, Orifice Vulgatron, Bil Next & many more, this is essential listening for all..

For the uninitiated, Cmpnd (pronounced compound) are a hybrid rap super group formed of producer and rapper Wundrop and MC’s Kemastry & Vitamin G. Coming off the back of their cult classic, Eagle Court (released on High Focus Records) the trio are gearing up to return with more raucous depraved antics on Eagle Court II: Long Live
The Court. Picking up right where they left off mixing insanity and debauchery, pain and pleasure, introspection and surrealism into a deludamolic delicacy for the audience to savour.

Skilfully expressing their unique personalities whilst simultaneously producing a coherent piece of art that stays true to Cmpnd’s underbelly ethos.

This densely packed 18 track album defies categorisation, as the trio bring a whole new vision and aesthetic to the forefront whether it be the mind boggling production or the ferocious pen game. Featuring Datkid, TrueMendous, Orifice Vulgatron, Bil Next & many more, this is essential listening for all..

‘Motherbox’ recruits some emcees and vocalists, familiar and fresh, leaving Chuck to hone in on his experimental production which fans may be savvy to through his past work with Gawd Status. Vocalist Maddy features heavily and is joined by neo-soulstress BaggE, established spitters Verbz, Kemastry and Pertrelli, as well as up-and-comers Nelson Dialect, Dango Forlaine and Jet the Shadow. The R&B rhythms balance the more typical head-bouncing hip-hop beats and lure out our protagonists who present their superpowers before us for our enjoyment. The project is spliced with nods to Gotham and the DC Universe as Chuck Enzo continues his superhero aesthetic exhibited before in King Kashmere. Chuck is no stranger to Group BraCil; his production work on Verbz’ ‘Pathways’ and the remix project ‘destructo Disc’ offer the perfect introduction to his style on the label. Much like the mother boxes seen in the DC Universe, this ‘Motherbox’ and its creator can hop

2 Years since the drop of the aptly titled 'A Fleeting Now' Capriisun returns to Group BraCil to flex that dexterity over glistening grand piano and Spanish guitar

laden beats we know him so well on, in fact he demonstrated this expertly on his recent collaborative project with Group BraCil family and affiliates Verbz and Mr Slipz ('Pass Thru'), yet on Calliope we have some surprises. On the latest release Cap opts to show off his more suave and brash side. 'Calliope' is a more of a series of themed paintings than a collage like the album proceeding it, less dense , more like scenes from a european film noir than excepts from a chunky holiday novel. Attune to his work on Clbrks x Morriarchi's "Bonito", Cap is out the garden and firmly on the bustling strip, and with both the aforementioned artists appearing on the project, its definitely a continuation of Cap's more mischievous persona.

Lex Neville is a 16 track album produced by Leaf Dog and Illinformed with guest verses from Datkid, Jack Jetson, King Kashmere, Leaf Dog, Smellington Piff and Verb T, cuts by Jazz T

Lex Neville is a 16 track album produced by Leaf Dog and Illinformed with guest verses from Datkid, Jack Jetson, King Kashmere, Leaf Dog, Smellington Piff and Verb T, cuts by Jazz T

Lex Neville is a 16 track album produced by Leaf Dog and Illinformed with guest verses from Datkid, Jack Jetson, King Kashmere, Leaf Dog, Smellington Piff and Verb T, cuts by Jazz T

15 track album by Bronze Nazareth and Leaf Dog.

15 track album by Bronze Nazareth and Leaf Dog.

15 track album by Bronze Nazareth and Leaf Dog.

Wow, we’re so happy to reissue these incredible two gems from the mighty Brian Auger’s Oblivion Express. Mr. Auger is a superb Hammond organist & pianist. Known previously for his work with Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger & The Trinity in the 60s, Oblivion Express vibes kicked off in the 70s.

Our A side ‘Inner City Blues’ is a cover of the Marvin Gaye classic. A Hammond driven groove with a deep percussive backing and killer vocals, this version stands up as a banger in its own right, a must have cut!! b/w ‘Voices Of Other Times’ is one of my favorites from the Closer To It LP, a super funky, jazz-rock thang, up-tempo and includes a wonderful sample and loop. Dynamite Cuts DJs tool, and one for the collectors!

Both tracks are taken from the groundbreaking ‘Closer To It’ album from 1973 which was such a genre bending release it entered the US jazz, R&B and rock charts simultaneously. We release this amazing 45 with the permission & cooperation of Greg Boraman’s Soul Bank Music – who recently announced they have licensed Brian Augers’ full back catalogue to re-issue, including many previously unheard rarities from Brian’s personal archive.

Where the previous 184 & Big Toast album was a bluntly worded denunciation of the zeitgeist over a classic Hip Hop soundtrack, Who Shit in The Sandpit takes a sonic direction more akin to 184’s Trip-Hoppy electronic-folk collective, Button Eyes. With more

melodious production and a greater range in the vocal tones and styles of delivery, it sees the duo step outside of their comfort zones and attempt something less restricted by the confines of their genre. The title is an abstract and Toast-esque expression referring to how the world the next generation stand to inherit (the Sandpit) is being destroyed by the greed and stupidity of older generations (the shit). It is at least a partial departure from the nihilistic and misanthropic themes on previous projects, perhaps a consequence of Toast’s desire to leave a better world for his firstborn, who arrived during the making of the project. While no album which closes on a track about a nuclear holocaust can be described as light, Who Shit in the Sandpit? has moments of real humour, providing comic relief from the more pointed social and political statements elsewhere. Fellow Tuff Boy, The Strange Neighbour, joins Toast on “Anyone Order a Tough Guy?”, a verbal skewering of wannabe hardmen, and the offensively absurd “F.W.L.”. Sometime Sleaford Mods vocalist John Paul contributes his own unique brand of observational poetry to “Backpack” and Croydon’s Breezy Lee elevates every track she features on with her sumptuously soulful vocals. Halo Jones adds the finishing touches with his distorted guitar riffs,

providing further musicality to an already boundary- pushing Hip Hop album.

Babylon Dead consists of J Man & Illinformed

The 18 track album features Badness, Daddy Freddy, Devilman, Irah, Jamalski, Killa P, Rider Shafique & Warrior Queen

Axel HolyandMarka Sandeliver three songs off their first collaborative effort, the Chess (ep), available on limited 7" vinyl. "Strange World," "Parlez Vous," and "Chess," are the first offerings from the pair's EP.
All 7" include a free download code for the full EP.
The full6-track features six original tracks with an incredible amount of depth: grime, hip-hop, and trap. Axel Holy delivers gritty UK grime vocals over Marka San's dark post-apocalyptic atmospheric soundscapes.
Bouncing nitty gritty beats and rhythms between Ljubljana and Bristol, Axel Holy and Marka San's goal of a small EP quickly turned into 20-plus songs. The duo handed the songs over to their label,rx:tx, to finalize the track list of what would become theChess (ep).
Make sure you check out this exclusive 3-track release from Axel Holy and Marka San's upcomingChess (ep). Don't miss out, get yourself a limited vinyl while supplies last!

Village Live Records are proud to present ‘Phantoms / Subterranean’ (tvi038), the forthcoming new 7″ vinyl by Reading-based rapper, Ash The Author!

Featuring production from DJ Drinks & George Fields, with additional razor-sharp cuts from Mr Brown on the A-side

Written during a year of hedonistic isolation whilst exiled to a forgotten mining village, Alecs in Wonderland’ is the debut self-produced rap album by rap enigma and ‘one man band’ Alecs DeLarge.

Alecs navigates ‘Wonderland’ with a bulging backpack of references to 90’s Toonami imports, king skins and rap nerdology, multi-syllable boxing through beats in a smoked out stream-of-consciousness drawl. From the cartoonish braggadocio on ‘Scooby Snax’ and ‘AM To AM’, to proclaiming his love for his anthropomorphic MPC 2000 on ‘Girl Joint’, Alecs emphatically proving that he’s much more than just the man behind the boards. Merging classic New York rap sensibilities with sarcastic British humour, 110’s and Berghaus coats taking the place of Timb boots and Lo sweaters.

Musically Alecs draws inspiration from Quasimoto’s anything goes approach, feeding his sampler a range of ingredients from 80’s pop to private-press French prog. Grainy samples of VHS TV recordings warble atop rumbling 808s, diced up jazz and funk fragments punch their way through stuttering MPC drums, whilst guitar loops rock back and forth, all glued together by a loose narrative made up of cut up cartoon dialogue, movie trailers and adlibs.

Wonderland is Alecs’ custom built version of The Matrix, a perfect world created to escape the one outside his council flat window, idyllic living in Lynchian reality. A therapeutic outpouring of the lonely man’s psyche, or maybe just a slow descent into madness, polished and delivered to your ears

in Long Play form.

For the majority of ‘in Wonderland’, Alecs is the sole cast member. The first of the two guest spots going to the ever brilliant King Kashmere, reuniting with Alecs to ruminate the two sides of fame on ‘Megabus Dreams’, whilst Hpblk swoops in to drop a “stack on your conscious” on ‘Empty Pocket Posse’.

Written during a year of hedonistic isolation whilst exiled to a forgotten mining village, Alecs in Wonderland’ is the debut self-produced rap album by rap enigma and ‘one man band’ Alecs DeLarge.

Alecs navigates ‘Wonderland’ with a bulging backpack of references to 90’s Toonami imports, king skins and rap nerdology, multi-syllable boxing through beats in a smoked out stream-of-consciousness drawl. From the cartoonish braggadocio on ‘Scooby Snax’ and ‘AM To AM’, to proclaiming his love for his anthropomorphic MPC 2000 on ‘Girl Joint’, Alecs emphatically proving that he’s much more than just the man behind the boards. Merging classic New York rap sensibilities with sarcastic British humour, 110’s and Berghaus coats taking the place of Timb boots and Lo sweaters.

Musically Alecs draws inspiration from Quasimoto’s anything goes approach, feeding his sampler a range of ingredients from 80’s pop to private-press French prog. Grainy samples of VHS TV recordings warble atop rumbling 808s, diced up jazz and funk fragments punch their way through stuttering MPC drums, whilst guitar loops rock back and forth, all glued together by a loose narrative made up of cut up cartoon dialogue, movie trailers and adlibs.

Wonderland is Alecs’ custom built version of The Matrix, a perfect world created to escape the one outside his council flat window, idyllic living in Lynchian reality. A therapeutic outpouring of the lonely man’s psyche, or maybe just a slow descent into madness, polished and delivered to your ears

in Long Play form.

For the majority of ‘in Wonderland’, Alecs is the sole cast member. The first of the two guest spots going to the ever brilliant King Kashmere, reuniting with Alecs to ruminate the two sides of fame on ‘Megabus Dreams’, whilst Hpblk swoops in to drop a “stack on your conscious” on ‘Empty Pocket Posse’.

Hit plus 2 unreleased tracks

Limited vinylpostcard in collaboration with Postmanslove. The card features the track "Be Together" and shows art by 2econd Class Citizen himself aka Aaron Auguste Thomason. The card additionally features access to the Vinylpostcards app.

“Be Together” is the first single off of 2econd Class Citizen’s album “unlearn”. It is available digitally as well as a limited vinylpostcard in collaboration with Postmanslove.

A few more notes about the upcoming album:
Unlearn is the long awaited fourth album of DJ and producer 2econd Class Citizen. It marks the artist’s return back to the newly relaunched label Equinox Records. Their previous collaborations achieved high acclaim for their genre bending fusion of hip hop, electronica and folk to form a cinematic journey which is full of twists and turns.

Unlearn is an exploration of an artist journeying beyond their conventional confines. It is a musical adventure peppered with vintage samples concerning the perception of reality and our struggles with conforming to a broken society. It teaches us to discard rigid rules, to trust our instincts and to work mindfully.