Juno Recommends Hip Hop / R&B: August 2023

Review: Martin Reeves aka Krafty Kuts was a key player in the breakbeat explosion at the turn of the millennium. Like many of his peers in the scene, he was of course also a deep digging DJ with an extensive knowledge of breaks and funk and it is that which he twisted into his own contemporary style. Now he returns to those roots somewhat for a seance time on his FF45 label with a pair of hard and hella funky hitting beats. The first is 'Street Hop which is a raw, Nas-style hip-hop joint with tough bars and beats. 'You Got It' then takes the energy levels down a touch for a deeper vibe with bars that remind more of Biggy.

Review: DJ ADs joins the FF45 roster with two banging remixes of Souls of Mischief & 50 Cent classics respectively. On the A, we hear a version of the former's ''93 Till Infinity', except for a deeper, fuller boom-bap instrumental that revels in its central bass riff and electric-piano staccatos. 50 Cent's remix is the highlight of the B-side, with 'Hate It Or Love It' lent a victorious, brass-laden memory-lane-trippin' beat, more than fit for a king, "rap's MVP".

Review: Kiss Klassics have been producing some high-quality promo double singles for a while now, this double headliner of Nelly and Fat Joe being the eighth instalment in their archival series. Side A was the runaway standout from New York rap legend Fat Joe's 2001 titanic-sized album 'Jealous Ones Still Envy (J.O.S.E.)', 'Whats Luv' with the one and only Ashanti. This marked Ashanti's debut year as an artist, the Tina Turner sample hook becoming the soundtrack of the block party and becoming one of the biggest songs of 2002. Side B needs no introduction. "It's getting hot in here, so take off all your clothes". No matter what you think of Nelly, 'Hot in Herre' continues to have the world in a chokehold over 20 years later.

Review: Home Hitters deliver another back-to-back reissue 7", this time pitting together two classic but under-sung essentials from hip-hop's Official Canon (TM). On the A, we hear Puff Daddy and the Family's 'Bad Boy For Life', a crunchy, stark, minimal throwback to the rapper and businessman's comeup era. Then comes the tastefully-chosen 'Tipsy' by J-Kwon, a classic just as replete with handclaps and stomps, in authentic drunken crunk fashion.

Review: Norfolk breaks master Chrome has been at it since the 80s, but this is a marker of authenticity that almost goes without saying, not least since his latest 7" 'Don't Stop Get It' needs rather little context to back it up. When your A-side is this bouncy, punchy and deft, most cut-up heads will deem it an insta-cop. That being said, while these sample-heavy originals prioritize maximum bass and treble at all turns, they also flaunt a taste for the weird; the B's 'Funky Atmosphere' is funky indeed, coming thick and fast with its cuckoo-clock-like samples and strange plinky-plonky stutters.

Review: Edits master DJ Bacon is back once again, this time for two clever mashups of the work of Wu-Tang Clan member Raekwon. 'Raekwondering Lost Part 1' and 'Raekwondering Lost Part 2' splice together vocals from the rap titan's key track 'Criminology' with a deluge of obscurer hip-hop, funk and jazz samples. Both are nothing less than fiery, bouncy, amplitudinal moods for smoove-grooved rooms.

Review: The Carver Area High School Seniors' 'Get Live '83 (The Senior Rap)' is a stone cold party hip hop classic. It has been out of print for some four decades, however, and so has become a rather hard to find and expensive record. Thankfully, Soul Jazz Records have got the rights to this full reissue which was first pressed in 1982 on the private press label Challenger. The cut featured as the standout on Soul Jazz Records' recent 'Yo! Boombox' collection and now standalone as a seven minute stunner. It's an old school party disco delight with great rap and killer beats, all presented with the original artwork.

Review: We now know that Daman Albarn's face-less and animated Gorillaz project was way ahead of its time. The tunes still stand up, too, with early hit 'Clint Eastwood' one of the best they did. It gets pressed dup here to this cheeky and limited 7", its low slung and downbeat groove topped with dub harmonicas and the drawling vocals of Albarn. On the flip is the more sunny, big beat offering of '19-2000' (Soulchild remix) which is lit up with naggy vocal hooks and singalong verses that are ripe for cheery party sessions in the great outdoors.

Review: Kurious and Cut Beetlez bridge the international waters between the USA and Finland, laying down twin rapid-fire conscious numberes. Reminiscent of Quasimoto or Pan Am, 'Monkeypox' and its remix version are quirky, string-sampled oddballs, with Kurious' raps phasing in and out of an already difficult-to-nail rhythm. This record will never be repressed, making it an instant collector's item.

Review: Even if Nas never released another record every again there is a good chance he would maintain his spot in the pantheon of all time rap greats, simply off the back of his legendary Illmatic album. Fortunately, though, he continues to work on new music with King's Disease III being his sixteenth studio album. The American dropped it at the back end of last year and it now makes its way to limited gatefold red & black striped vinyl. The record has enjoyed great critical acclaim for its loose yet complex style and cutting verses. The production was taken care of by Hit-Boy, Chauncey Hollis III and Jasnport J and is truly gold standard.

Review: Underground hip-hop legend MF Doom passed away in 2020, leaving behind an undeniable legacy as the once-bearer of hip-hop's most-legit shadow crown. He wasn't the the king of anything by popular vote, but he certainly was sovereign over a rare kind of flow quality, especially adored by food lovers. Still few knew of Doom's King Geedorah alias, which served as one of his earliest monikers while part of the underground crew Monsta Island Czars. Geedorah's inspirations from old comic books and giant monster / slasher movies first cropped up on Take Me To Your Leader, a tone which would be set for years to come in later Doom material. The instrumentals are just as jaggedy and experimental, and form the perfect basis for the Ninja Tune reissue we have before us now.

Review: American singer and songwriter Janelle Monae dropped her second album The Electric Lady back in 2013 and it was a fine follow-up to the critically acclaimed debut she broke through with in 2010. Critics again fawned over its songwriting and progressive soul style with influences of hip-hop, gospel, jazz, rock, pop and reggae. Dystopic cyborg concepts again defined the album with genre experience and plainspoken words exploring plenty of personal and emotional territory with guest appearances from high-profile names such as Miguel, Erykah Badu, Solange and Prince.

Review: Tame One and Parallel Thought's 'Da Ol' Jersey Bastard' pays homage to the late great Ol Dirty Bastard's seminal solo album with a cover that apes the famous police mug shot. It came first in 2008 and now gets a special 15th anniversary that brings i to vinyl for the first time ever. The beats are rugged and raw- not as raw as the original ODB, it must be said - but it doe a fine job of showcasing Tame One's unparalleled ability on the mic. The beats stay low, with menace at times and soul at others. It's a coherent album that has been cleaned up mix-wise for this occasion.

Review: Post Malone, known to his ardent fan base as 'Postie', actually nods to his real name Austin Post with the title of his latest record. It's an honest one from the much-loved American rapper who has had his fair share of adversities to overcome on his way to the top and whilst being there the last few years. Early singles 'Mourning' and 'Chemical' have been big with fans and newcomers alike and his fifth album overall, which is also one of 2023's most anticipated, builds on and intensifies the sound of his last outing, Twelve Carat Toothache, from 2022. He plays guitar on every single track and says it made the record the most challenging yet rewarding of his career to work on.

Review: Ben Carr is Carrtoons, a much hyped multi-instrumentalist and producer from New York. He has some mad skills on the electric bass and brings that to all of his tunes which range from innocent dance-pop ditties to loved-up new soul slow jams and late night hip-hop all with superb samples adding extra class. After a fine debut album Drink Edition, he is back with another full length that will soon swell your heart and make its way into your affections as well as your summer playlists. Saturday Morning has guests like Rae Khali and Topaz Jones and coupled with the well informed and original production they make for a standout record.

Review: Los Angeles artist Sidibe tops up her usually steady stream of singles with the ultra smooth neo-soul cut 'Tellin U'. The track is probably the slickest in the style we've heard in a while, with Sidibe crooning, ruminating on her muse's beauty and flyness, likening their qualities to the tidal forces of the moon. Polychromatic bassist MonoNeon features on the undertow, laying down a noodly, infectious groove to boot.