JuJu Rogers "40 Acres N Sum Mula" (Album Stream)

JuJu Rogers teams up with Jakarta Records once again for his highly anticipated 2nd LP, 40 Acres N Sum Mula. The Schweinfurt born and bi-lingual JuJu Rogers comes from an army family. His father, a GI who owns an extensive Soul and Jazz collection of records and a German mother with Austrian roots. The new album 40 Acres N Sum Mula unifies the mind state of an Afro-German with the power of observation with German political landscape of Berlin. Heavy sampled beats from his debut album are replaced by contemporary musical landscapes, productions by outstanding musicians and producers from all over the world. JuJu Rogers had this to say: "Sound, lyrics and vibrations on this album represent a mixture of ancestral spirit and contemporary characteristics and lead you through the self-reflecting and rebellious thoughts of a black man born and raised in Germoney.”

Black Star "Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are..." (9/29/98)

"The BDP-inspired chorus of "Definition" ("1-2-3 / Mos Def and Talib Kweli / We come to rock it on to the tip top / Best alliance in hip-hop / Why-oh...") sums up the nature of Black Star's entire debut. Documentarians (of hip-hop's roots) par excellence, Brooklyn's Mos Def and Talib Kweli come correct with old school-flavored verbal finesse. "Children's Story" is a sly update of Slick Rick's 1988 classic, and "Respiration" is a supreme, rugged rhyme schism featuring Common. Backed by a bevy of boombastic beats from Da Beatminerz, DJ Hi Tek, and Shawn J. Period, Black Star remind us that hip hop is about lyrical skills -- not solely commercial excess." - Vibe Magazine, November 1998. Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star is an album I revisit quite often, so it's no surprise that I remember it on its anniversary every year. While new material has been teased for several years - possibly with Madlib behind the boards - no release dates are pending. Hip-Hop would benefit greatly from their collective return, and Mos Def should sit atop many lists as one of the greatest lyricists ever! I'd also argue for the "Flying High" remix to "Respiration" as one of Pete Rock's greatest remixes; he really put his foot in the beat, and adding Black Thought made it an absolutely perfect song.

An original 2-page advertisement for the Black Star LP...

DJ Evil Dee "Fat Beats" (Mixtape, 1996)

Respect to the good brother, DJ Evil Dee, who hit us with his Fat Beats mix tape back in 1996 via Tape Kingz. The mix features tracks from The Roots, M.O.P., Junior Reid, Jeru The Damaja, Big Noyd, A Tribe Called Quest, Large Professor, Finsta Bundy, Natural Elements, Sadat X, Da Bush Babees, Da Brat, Queen Latifah, De La Soul & Mos Def, Common, O.G.C., A+ & Prodigy, KRS-One, the Fugees, Artifacts and more! True to the title and honoring the record store, it's a mix of underground gems and there's no need to fast forward - put it on and let it rock. Respect to Evil Dee, C'mon kick it...

Jean Grae "The Evil Jeanius" (Album Stream, 2008)

"A FEELING THAT I NEVER, NEVER, NEVER..." First time vinyl pressing of one of the last decade's most curiously compelling hip-hop projects. A little backstory: Blue Sky Black Death are a production duo from the Bay Area, consisting of Ryan Maguire (aka Kingston) and Ian Taggart (aka Young God). They signed to Babygrande, releasing albums as collaborations with various Wu-Tang affiliates in addition to acclaimed instrumental projects. Jean Grae is an emcee, actress, comedian, and producer from Brooklyn, New York. Her career started in earnest around 1996 as a member of the hip hop group Natural Resource with James “Aggie” Barrett, releasing a string of well-received underground 12”s. By 2002, she too was signed to Babygrande, releasing her debut Attack of the Attacking Things, and later the acclaimed Jeanius LP, produced entirely by 9th Wonder. She worked on a number of mixtapes and experimental collaborative projects, including downtempo warrior The Herbaliser's Take London (2005), a spiritual predecessor to The Evil Jeanius. It’s not clear how exactly The Evil Jeanius came to be, but the combination of BSBD’s intuitive sampling, rugged scratching and brooding cadence matched with Grae’s razor-sharp rhymes make for some of the most potent heights reached by all parties involved. The record hits the ground running with "Shadows Forever," Grae’s fierce flow rushing over a sample of “Venus in Furs” by The Velvet Underground. “Strikes” is a harrowing tale of a murder in self-defense over glitchy muted snares. “It’s Still A Love Song” is a cheery, well, love song, backed with looped strings and pulsing organ samples. "Threats" is a distant cousin to Jigga's song of the same name, which finds Grae trading bars with Chen Lo over a gritty Etta James sample. The thing about gray area projects like this is they aren't really supposed to work, but this one does amazingly in spite of its cryptic origins, and we're thrilled to finally have it on wax. Turntable Lab exclusive variant on white vinyl." Listen below...

Back in 2008, Jean wrote a MySpace blog titled Jean Grae Is For Sale where she said "So, the economy sucks. I apparently have another unauthorized album for sale dropping Sept 30th and I figure, if everyones gonna make money offa me, why not make it directly and directly to the people who really love this shit anyway." She was speaking to the release of "The Evil Jeanius," and went on to publicly offer feature verses at $800/ea. My feelings now and at the time were that Babygrande misrepresented this album, and that tainted it for me... regardless of the fact that I really do enjoy it. These vocals could be from 2004 -- or perhaps even earlier -- we don't really know the full back story. In 2019, it's certainly not my intention (or my place) to dissuade you from supporting the vinyl, but just sharing memories I have from when it originally came out in 2008. However forced it may've been, the LP's marriage of Jean's vocals & BSBD beats is truly great!

Crimeapple "Langosta" (Prod. by MichaelAngelo)

Langosta is the latest track from Crimeapple, produced by Boston's MichaelAngelo. The 12" is more or less a maxi-single, featuring the LP track, instrumental, as well as a remix and the track "On The Menu" which has co-production from Buck Dudley. With the buzz the unsigned NJ lyricist has on the scene, I can see why the producer would opt to press vinyl of his joint with Crimeapple. Listen...

Starvin B x Discourse "Forever Queens" (Album Stream)

From opposite sides of the world Starvin B and Discourse come together to create an album that’s both new and traditional. A beautifully constructed soundscape that pays homage to traditions of hip hop but also takes it to new places. Both coming from two cultural melting pots that are Queens, NY and Melbourne, Australia, the two created a musical chemistry that resulted in them working together on many projects. Forever Queens is the result of a journey that started on tour in Australia in 2016 and finished in Sunnyside, Queens in 2019. Not just a physical journey, but musical, cultural and nostalgic one too. A true collaboration. The two recruited a veteran lineup of New York MCs to join them on the album featuring AG and Milano Constantine of D.I.T.C., and long time collaborator Foul Monday. It also features the musical talents of Plutonic Lab, Zima Locke and Discourse’s brother George Johnson. The songs are progressive and moody, featuring rich instrumentation and arrangements. Dig into their collaborative effort Forever Queens below...

Mister Cee "Hittin' Ya In Da Head" (Mixtape, 1996)

This is Mister Cee's Hittin' Ya In Da Head in 1996 on Tape Kingz. The mix tape kicks off with an exclusive freestyle from Common and continues with records featuring Lords of the Underground & Keith Murray, Mystidious Misfits, King Just, Raekwon, Heltah Skeltah, 8off, Mobb Deep, Miilkbone, Mad Skillz, Cella Dwellas, Masta Ace, Guru & Bahamadia, Kool G Rap & Nas, Sadat X, Smif-N-Wessun, Grand Puba, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Special Ed, GZA, Shabazz The Disciple, Onyx, Lost Boyz, Blackstract and more. I gave this tape a lot of run back in the 90s, tons of replay value. Props to DJ Step One.

Skyzoo & Pete Rock "Retropolitan" (Album Stream)

Retropolitan includes 12-tracks, all produced by Pete Rock, with features from Styles P, Benny The Butcher, Conway, Westside Gunn, Elzhi, and Raheem DeVaughn. It is more than an album of beats and rhymes - it’s two generations of legendary native New Yorkers putting it down and pulling no punches! Skyzoo and Pete Rock use this album to create a love letter and a wakeup call to the city, as they have witnessed its culture stripped away layer-by-layer. - via MMG. Listen to it below...