Boom Bap Classics Vinyl & CDs

Review: Boom Bap Classics does exactly what it says on the tin once more here. For the eighth time, it has chosen some real heat to offer up on 7" as King Tee and The Alkaholiks feature with two of their golden era boom-bap gems. 'Bus Dat Ass' has a mix of raw and dusty drum breaks and big, bouncy bars that bring a party feel. On the flip things get more slow and dirty, the bars are less playful and more serious and the production features squelchy bass and hypnotic Middle Eastern melodies. Two gems, to be sure.

Review: The good work of the small but already mighty Boom Bap Classics label continues here as it introduces another iconic pair of 90s gem that are now available on 45 rom for the first time ever. And those gems are Mad Kap's 'Dopest Verse' and 'Da Whole Kit & Kaboodle' which are both taken from his 1992 debut album which itself remains a timeless classic. The A-side is a lovely one with several MCs at work at once next to some mad scratching, and the flip is more raw and funky. Limited to just 300 copies, this release is a must-have for collectors and fans old and new alike.

Review: The so-far superb Boom Bap Classics label kicks on with a sixth fantastic slab of old school gold. This time once more they offer up underground 90s rap gems in the form of a brilliant neck-snapper from West Coast lyrical don Rasco. His 'Unassisted' is a widely respected cut that finds favour with heads and backpackers and turntablists alike thanks to its hard bars and chord-laced bumping beats. On the flip, 'Take It Back Home' features fellow Californian vocalist Planet Asia who continues in the same vibe and keeps you moving.

Review: The Boom Bap Classics 7"s series was launched in 2022 and sticks to a sturdy format, always billing two double-A-listers of rap stardom from the 90s on reissued vinyl. The choices are always lesser-trodden, and buck expectational trends; even longtime hip-hop heads are unlikely to have heard of Akinyele and Sadat X, solo progeny of the Rochelle rap collective, Brand Nubian. On 'Loud Hangover', rough gangsta rap hewings prove assimilable with boom bap's tendency to show its sensitive side, with an icy yet mournful string hung and suspended a "y'knowwhati'msayin'?" laden farrago. 'Stages And Lights' leans further into emotive dynamism, with Derrick Murphy waxing real on public housing shortages, church pieties and Black culture.

Review: The Ultramagnetic MCs, a pioneering hip-hop group from the Bronx, NYC, are celebrated for their innovative sampling, complex rhymes, and surreal lyrical style. Founded by Kool Keith, the group also includes Ced Gee, TR Love and Moe Love, with Tim Dog joining unofficially in 1989. Their track 'A Chorus Line,' initially the B-side of a single, quickly became one of their standout hits, introducing Tim Dog to the scene, while the instrumental from 'A Chorus Line' was later reworked for Tim Dog's controversial debut single, 'F--- Compton,' produced by Ced Gee, which played a significant role in igniting the East Coast/West Coast rivalry of the 1990s. This 7" release features both parts 1 and 2 of 'A Chorus Line,' offering a glimpse into the early days of Ultramagnetic MCs and their influential role in hip-hop history, capturing the raw energy and groundbreaking creativity that defined their legacy.