Fat Beats US Vinyl & CDs

Review: Queens, NY rapper Craig G offers us a new and harsh stovetop burn of an album, themed around the fossil-fuelled burning of the Earth. "The whole GAME is cooked... cooked... cooked..." echoes G's voice in the opening skit, before launching into a boom-tastic creed against the prodigal ills of today's rap game. With the rap game serving as a microcosm for the world, G's conceit is a compelling one - folding in diatribes against social media and precarious world affairs - and it comes wrapped in block-rocking, nightcrawling beats, shrink-wrapped in loudness boosting effects and rattling hums. Clock 'America's Dumbest Criminals', a rebuking detour of two acquaintances and ultimately enemies of G who were arrested on the same night as their crime.

Review: El Michels Affair have made their name on their connection to Wu-Tang, kicking off with the essential Enter The 37th Chamber tribute back in 2009. Now Fat Beats are devoting a run of 7" releases to some of the strongest joints from that album, where iconic beats from the wider Wu-Tang universe get rendered as smoky, jazz-funk master pieces which sound so good rolling at 45 rpm on their own side of wax. On this particular entry, ODB's 'Shimmy Shimmy Ya' gets the treatment, with a children's choir-rap evocation of the lead hook that will turn heads on its own. On the flip it's Raekwon's 'Incarcerated Scarfaces', which sounds utterly essential played out by a live band.

Review: El Michels Affair are widely recognised in the hip-hop game now as a cinematic soul outfit worthy of collabs with the likes of Freddie Gibbs & Madlib, Black Thought and many more besides. It all kicked off when they toured with Raekwon and other Wu-Tang Clan members before recording their cool and deadly covers of the entire Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) in 2009, giving a smoky ensemble feel to the iconic, gritty beats. Two of the choicest cuts from that album are revived here on this Fat Beats 7", namely 'C.R.E.A.M' and 'Glaciers Of Ice', which sound as tough as the original versions while subtly sliding into the heavy funk sphere undetected.

Review: Ill Bill, Danny Boy, Slaine, DJ Lethal, and DJ Eclipse return with their second full-length for Fat Beats Records, plotting hardcore hip-hop plans before a raw, no-frills execution. Ill Bill, formerly of Non Phixion, brings his signature dark lyricism; Danny Boy made his name with House of Pain; Slaine cut his teeth in La Coka Nostra and Boston's unctuous underground; DJ Lethal's production chops span from Cypress Hilly boom-bap to Limp Bizkit era chaos; and DJ Eclipse, a key figure in NYC's pirate radio scene, downs anchor on the crew's sound. Production comes from DJ Premier, Statik Selektah and DJ Lethal himself, ensuring a retentive grittiness, while guest spots from Vinnie Paz and the late Sean Price help the crew hammer hone a collective lyrical point.

Review: This deluxe edition revisits the second full-length collaboration between Brooklyn MC Masta Ace and Toronto-born producer Marco Polo, expanding the original release from January 2024 with four bonus tracks including three remixes and a new cut that sits easily alongside the core material. Inspired by Marco's upbringing in Richmond Hill, Ontario, the project blends sharp boom-bap production with autobiographical interludes i from childhood cartoon obsessions to addiction recovery i all tied together by Ace's measured, experience-rich delivery. Tracks like 'Life Music' and 'Jordan Theory' showcase the duo's synergy at its cleanest, while 'Hero' and 'Own World' reflect on legacy and survival with clarity and control. 'West Coast Love' brings warmth and bounce, contrasted with the tighter intensity of 'Kings' and 'Fight Song', the latter made sharper still in its Talib Kweli remix on this expanded edition. Guests including Inspectah Deck, Blu, Coast Contra, Che Noir, Speech and Stricklin bring variety without ever crowding the frame. It's a deluxe reissue that genuinely adds to the original arc, strengthening a thoughtful and cinematic album with a new layer of context and continuation.

Review: Richmond Hill, the highly anticipated follow up to Masta Ace and Marco Polo's Breukelen Story, is inspired by Marco's childhood in the titular neighborhood, a small town in Ontario, just outside of Toronto. Between interstitials about Marco's passion for hip-hop and cartoons, his struggle with addiction, and the support of his parents, Marco Polo and Masta Ace tackle the issues of the day head-on with clarity, the rapper using his decades-worth of rapping experience to slice through the producer's warm soul samples and crisp percussion. A cinematic journey that explores how the past echoes through the present, the album welcomes guest appearances from notable names from all eras of rap history, including Inspectah Deck, Coast Contra, Blu, Che Noir, Speech of Arrested Development, Masta Ace's longtime collaborators Stricklin and Wordsworth and many more.

Review: Masta Ace and Marco Polo team up once more for their highly anticipated follow-up to the esteemed Breukelen Story. Just like the last album, Richmond Hill grips the listener by the hand and ear, whisking them away, through the semiotic-auditory memory lane, and doubling up as Ace's hometown and childhood experience. Providing a fresh retrospective take on the cream-of-the-crop hip-hop mastermind's earliest days, it's a far cry from the rapper's early 90s style, but still nonetheless channels the same penchant for instantly nostalgic sample-heavy production motifs and includes many guest appearances from contemporaneous greats such as Inspectah Deck, Coast Contra, Blu and Che Noir.

Review: A classic New York hip-hop sound with refined lyricism and sleek production. Side-1 features 'Below The Clouds (feat. Talib Kweli - remix)', a standout reimagining from Masta Ace's newest album out this year. The track blends introspective verses with a soulful beat and Kweli's contribution elevates it further, creating a thought-provoking yet head-nodding experience. On Side-2, 'Get Shot (remix)', originally from Masta Ace's 2018 album, gets a polished rework. The remix offers a smooth, groove-filled reinterpretation that complements Ace's storytelling strength while keeping the vibe laid-back yet engaging.

Review: Mista Sinista is a true hip-hop head who started DJing in the mid-eighties and then joined the X-Men - later the X-ecutioners - in 1992. Tow albums followed as did many global tours for Mista Sinista who also Died on the road for legends like Common, Beatnuts, Joe Fatal and Lauryn Hill. His debut album ReBorn on Fat Beat Records is a showcase of his skills that takes the form of a mix of well-produced tracks along with live turntablism. Guest include MCs like Mr. VooDoo, Ill Bill and Vinnie Paz, with production credits going to Nick Wiz, Statick, Cee da Cuban and DJ Safire amongst others.

Review: In an era where originality was essential for respect, few hip-hop groups earned more admiration than Organized Konfusion. The Queens-based duo of Pharoahe Monch and Prince Po reached their peak with their 1994 sophomore album Stress: The Extinction Agenda, now being reissued for its 30th anniversary. Supported by moody, bass-heavy, and jazz-infused production, Stress highlighted Pharoahe and Po's intricate, ever-evolving rhyme styles and undeniable chemistry. The result was an album that remains a beloved classic among hardcore rap fans, standing the test of time as a defining moment in the genre.

Review: California-based Balearic disco duo Poolside first made a splash in 2010 with thrilling debut single 'Do You Believe?'. Two years later and they came on just as strong with their debut album - a typically West Coast-influenced fusion of lazy guitars, baggy grooves, subtle disco influences and shimmering dream pop compositions. Now marking its 10th anniversary it gets a special reissue. At times, they sound like Holy Ghost after a sack full of potent marijuana, at others like Windsurf or Hatchback making shuffling E-pop. It's an attractive sound, all told, touching on smacked-out slow jams, lazy disco and MDMA-laden indie-pop.