Search results: U-4-Ya

Review: Death Row Records and gamma have joined forces for the release of the 30th Anniversary edition of Above The Rim (The Soundtrack), and it is the first time the full 21-song tracklist has ever been available on vinyl - but not just any vinyl it is double yellow with orange and red splatter wax. Initially selling over two million copies and reigning atop the Billboard R&B Albums chart for ten weeks, the soundtrack features classic joints from Tha Dogg Pound, Snoop Doggy Dogg, Dr. Dre, Warren G, DJ Quik, and Al B. Sure! This special edition also introduces tracks from 2Pac, Lord G, and 2Pac featuring Stretch, Treach, and Riddler, which will only enhance its legendary status.

Review: Grime might now be one of the biggest sounds in the UK music scene, but it arguably might never have been without the much earlier work of scene forefather Dizzee Rascal. The Londoner broke through just after the turn of the millennium and onto the international stage with his in-your-face bars, mashed-up dance sounds and big samples. Quite possibly his best work is Boy In Da Corner, the stunning Mercury Prize winning long player on XL that is now 20 years young. It gets a special reissue for the occasion with all the big ones like 'Fix Up, Look Sharp' present and correct, as well as a load of fine instrumentals.

Review: The original Bridgit Mendler soundtrack to the citrine teen drama movie of the same name sees a full version on vinyl LP this spring. Notable not only for its inclusion in the contemporary musical film, but also for its chart-topping success, the ten songs that make up the many acts of this high-school drama were destined to charm the pubescent masses, coinciding with the film's overarching theme of the school's students transcending use of after-school detention to musical effect, in order to overcome their personal struggles. Imagine Glee meets The Breakfast Club; a cabal of songwriters including Ali Dee, Maria Christensen, Bryan Todd and Jeannie Lurie lay down an array of sure-to-be hits for Mendler to perform on behalf of the cast here.

Review: In God We Trust is the second album from East Cost hip-hop group Brand Nubian. Industrial and boomy - the warring kind of hip-hop one might expect to hear blasted from a makeshift soundsystem at an insurrectionary revolution - the album, following their debut 'One For All' in 1993, hears the best creative synergies of its members Grand Puba, Sadat X, and Lord Jamar. Equating god to money is a core principle of irony at the root of much rap, and here it's on full display; 'Meaning Of The 5%' and 'Black Star Lines' are among the highlights in this vein, with lines such as "black man, change your demeanour" and "the gods must be crazy," highlighting the rightful suspicion towards Mammonism in the black consciousness of the US.

Review: Love 'em or hate 'em, NOW That's What I Call Music! are still going strong, and this time present four new special collector's editions, which together present 250 essential hits from the past 40 years on CD. This being the third of four, this CD homes in on the decade spanning 2003-2013, a golden era of chart pop centring on musical flavours of the likes of Gnarls Barkley, The Pussycat Dolls, Stereophonics and James Blunt. Set to exploit the deeply-ingrained recesses of memory of noughties kids - built up over childhoods spent parked up in front of the TV, marvelling at the spectacles of 4Music and MTV - NOW strike once again.

Review: Elusive duo Ed Wizard & Disco Double Dee have been delighting dancefloors around the globe since 2009. With their signature brand of chunky disco dubs infused with hip-hop flavours and a slow mo house feel. They have had dozens of vinyl releases on great labels around the globe like Whiskey Disco , Disco Deviance, Paper & more in addition to having their tracks played by the likes of Soul Clap and Derrick Carter. Not to mention being remixed by legend Greg Wilson, so these guys definitely have credentials. With no plans to slow down , they now drop the "Slo-Mo Disco" LP on the mighty Editorial Records this summer. A perfect way to light up any daytime disco pool party, BBQ or dancefloor!

Review: 2Pac's final album released in his lifetime gets a lavish reissue treatment spread across four discs. All Eyez On Me was a landmark when it dropped - the first hip-hop double album released for mass consumption, and featuring a heavyweight cast of collaborators from Dr Dre and George Clinton to Snoop Dogg, Redman, Method Man, Nate Dogg and more. From the massive singles 'California Love' and 'I Ain't Mad Atcha' to the deeper album cuts, it's a milestone in hip-hop history from start to finish. Consider this the definitive version of one of the greatest, from one of the greatest.

Review: De La Soul have been ever present in the hip-hop scene for some 40-odd years. They redefined the genre early on with their positive messaging and flower power energy, and have always managed to stay fresh ever since without ever jumping on the sonic bandwagon of the day. They pulled that trick off once more with Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump which fuses r&b and pop with their usual hip-hop sounds, all finished with a nice and authentic raw edge. The guest are high-grade, too, with Redman, Xzibit, Busta Rhymes, Mike D and Ad Rock of the Beastie Boys, Freddie Foxxx and Chaka Khan amongst them.

Review: Aziza Brahim's fantastic new album Mawja is a blend of Sahrawi roots music, folk, and contemporary sounds that reflect on the resilience and spirit of her homeland. Through haunting vocals and poetic lyrics, Brahim shares stories of displacement, longing, and hope, drawing from her experiences as a Sahrawi refugee. Backed by hypnotic rhythms, intricate melodies, and soul-stirring instrumentation, each track creates a rich tapestry of sound which means the record is more than just an album; it's a powerful testament to the human spirit and a poignant reminder of the ongoing struggle for freedom and justice. Brahim's music resonates deeply, transcending borders and connecting hearts across the globe.

Review: Stretched across three discs, this deliberately classics-heavy compilation does a decent job in joining the dots between r&b in the modern sense of the term (I.E smooth and soulful vocal workouts underpinned by hip-hop style beats) with the original American definition (music of black origin). In practice, that means hits by Fugees, Usher, Toni Braxton, Brandi & Monica and En Vogue sitting side by side with Chaka Khan, Whitney Houston, the formative house brilliance of Ten City, the UKG-adjacent exploits of Craig David and Blazin' Squad, the pop-tastic songs of Pussycat Dolls, Cleopatra and Britney Spears, the street soul of Soul II Soul, and the tear-jerking reggae brilliance of Dawn Penn.

Review: The wealth of De La Soul reissues coming out right now is only good news - as is the fact the iconic US hip-hop outfit's music is finally available on streaming services. Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump was the flower power band's fifth studio album and was packed with iconic guests from Redman to Busta Rhymes, Chaka Khan to Mike D and Ad Rock from Beastie Boys. One of the cuts, 'Oooh' got the group a Source Award nomination while the album itself was also nominated for a Grammy for Best Rap Performance By A Duo or Group. It should have won, if you ask us.

Review: KMD's controversial Black Bastard album from 1994 draws on the stresses of going up as a person of colour in the United States of America. It is a sophomore record full of creativity and youthful energy from the group that included the legendary MF DOOM before he became MF DOOM. Musically the album veers from the raw to the bouncy while lyrically Black consciousness is explored as viewed through young-but-experienced eyes. The album was delayed in getting a release as group member Subroc sadly passed suddenly in 1993.

Review: KMD's controversially titled album from 1994 draws on the stresses of going up as a person of colour in the United States of America. It is a sophomore record full of creativity and youthful energy from the group that included the legendary MF DOOM before he became MF DOOM. Musically the album veers from the raw to the bouncy while lyrically Black consciousness is explored as viewed through young-but-experienced eyes. The album was delayed in getting a release as group member Subroc sadly passed suddenly in 1993.

Review: Frost and Einzelkind's Pressure Traxx captures the evolution of minimal tech house over the past ten years, as the rigour of functional 4/4 gave way to different rhythms and motifs from the wider dance music lexicon. It was a smart move which helped reinvigorate the scene, and while they didn't do it on their own they absolutely fuelled the fire. Ten years in, their label is certainly due a retrospective which stretches out over eight sides of next-level workouts for long blends and marathon sets. The cast of characters hardly needs explaining - from Tobias and Villalobos to Edward and John Dimas, the quality never lets up and in one smartly arranged box set you're going to be gifted with the finest minimal in recent circulation.

Review: The much loved NOW series has provided the soundtrack to many young people's lives over the decades and despite the changes in the way we all consume and purchase music, it seems to be thriving. It is currently in there middle of serving up bumper overviews of certain musical decades and this latest vast collection, NOW: Millennium 2004-2005, comes across four sides of yellow and white vinyl. This is pure and unadulterated pop from the biggest names in the game such as The Shapeshifters, Snow Patrol, Keane, George Michael and many more. A fun one for sure.