Lil Static US Vinyl & CDs

Review: The latest record to be added to Lil Static's catalogue is 'Respiration', a classic track by Mos Def and Talib Kweli under the duo name Black Star - and featuring an uncredited cameo verse from fellow rap stalwart Common - first released in 1998 on their self-titled album. Known for famously sampling a monologue from the hip-hop/graf documentary Style Wars in its intro, the pair exchange authentic rhymes and riffs, contemplating many ideas in the lyrics such as inner city Brooklyn life, personal philosophies, and Pan-Africanist ideas.

Review: Lil Static Records has a reputation for delivering light touch rubs of classic hip-hop jams. The basic idea is to slightly beef up and tweak much-loved hip-hop faves while also making them slightly more DJ-friendly. That appears to be the case with their latest "45", which reps two stone cold classics from Mr Beyonce himself, Jay-Z. On the A-side you'll find a fine - if very similar - version of Alicia Keys hook-up 'Empire State of Mind', a colossal hit from the tail end of the last decade. Over on the flip the mysterious crew subtly tweaks Black Album favourite '99 Problems', in the process making a fuzzy, percussive classic even more scuzzy and low-slung.

Review: The iconic duo of Havoc and Prodigy, better known as Mobb Deep, almost single (or doubled) handedly became the primary progenitive force in hardcore east-coast hip-hop in the early nineties. Their 1993 debut LP Juvenile Hell would, at the time, be a commercial failure eventually leading to their being dropped by their label, but the material has only grown exponentially in terms of both influence and relevance. This fresh 7" takes the album's lead single 'Peer Pressure', and switches the B-side from the original 92 pressings' LP closer 'Flavor for the Non Believes' out for the endlessly iconic banger 'Bitch Ass Nigga'. If you need your audio fidelity east-coast fix in a hurry and don't have the time to commit to a full spin of the LP, then this single has you covered.