Juno Recommends Hip Hop / R&B: April 2024

Review: West Coast Classics US has taken the hip-hop community by storm with their ability to license such seminal west coast tracks. With an extra focus on gangster rap, the label offers a classic on each side of a 7". Their sixth release has a couple of killers on it! 2pac and Dr.Dre's 'California Love' really needs no introduction. A legendary track that ate up the airwaves around the world and on MTV when it was released in 1996. Not to be outdone, Ice Cube covers the B-side with one of his most important solo tracks that established him after leaving NWA., 'Jackin For Beats'. Getting original copies of these on wax would cost a day's wage for most people. Like the label suggests, these are West Coast Classics and are blueprints for gangster rap.

Review: There are not many songs in the history of hip-hop that are more important than 'Hip-Hop Hooray'. The track single handedly helped catapult underground rap sounds into mainstream success. The song was a massive hit moving into the top ten on the Billboard and #1 on the hip-hop chart and with a memorable video directed by Spike Lee, it was in heavy rotation on every music and video platform. Naughty By Nature became household names and the single went on to sell platinum status. You could not escape this anthem of the streets. Now, the groundbreaking song is reissued on 7" for the first time in over 30 years.

Review: The late great MF Doom is still sorely missed a few years on from his passing. Fortunately, there is a wealth of musical legacy to enjoy and continue exploring whether for the first time or as a reminder of his mad skills. To that end, this is a reissue of his NAStradoomus Vol 1 album. It comes as part of the 50th anniversary of hip-hop celebrations on special gold vinyl and includes the evergreen MF Doom remix of 'If I Ruled The World'. This special edition comes with a stickered sleeve.

Review: Son of Todd Osborn (Soundmurderer/Ghostly) Kaito Ian makes a hugely impressing first outing on the Galaxy Sound Co label with a series of lo-fi hip-hop beat-strumentals that cannot fail to get your head nodding. He is a dedicated music lover and skater with a deep knowledge of his craft and that shows here with some refined sounds starting with the soul drenched 'Revert', then on to the warped angelic vocal samples of 'Sequoia' and the percussive jumbled and scratching of 'Trek'. 'Wait Up' is another excellently blissed out joint and 'Sloan' is a sunny, laid back, lazy vibe to close down a superb EP.

Review: What can you say about this amazing album that has not been said before?! Originally released in 1996 and quickly becoming one of the most important pieces in the history of sampled music, its legacy continues to grow while Shadow remains the archetypal example of a crate digging producer. Everything from jazz, spoken word, hip-hop and more was sampled into this cornucopia of sound - in many ways the zenith of the impressive output of James Lavelle's revered Mo''Wax label - and you wouldn't be surprised if it ended up in the Smithsonian for what it has accomplished and meant to the scene.

Review: Originally released in 1993 as part of their debut album Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), 'CREAM' epitomises the group's raw energy and streetwise storytelling, blending gritty lyricism with a haunting piano loop. Reflecting the harsh realities of inner-city life along with its infectious hook and vivid verses, it remains a standout track in the Wu-Tang Clan's legendary discography, revered by fans and critics alike for its authenticity and impact. For the B-side we get 'As Long As I've Got You' by The Charmels, a 1967 soul masterpiece that exudes timeless elegance and emotional depth and became the inspiration for Wu-Tang's groundbreaking hit.

Review: Scaring The Hoes was the 2023 collaborative record by unequivocal avant-hip-hop crown bearers Danny Brown and JPEGMAFIA. The album was almost instantly met with widespread critical acclaim, most notably for its weird use of contemporary political imagery in music videos (frequently Donald Trump and Kim Jong-Un, for some reason) and its staunch defiance of the misogynistic injunction to "stop scaring the hoes" with weird, left-of-centre music. Now comes the 'DLC' and/or 'expansion pack' version of the album, which includes four exclusive new mixes from the album sessions; Brown shines on an ultra-kooky, SFX-laden intro, 'Guess What Bitch, We Back Hoe!', followed by the crackly soul-bap of 'Hermanos' and the crossticking lo-fi of 'Tell Me Where To Go'. Closer 'No! No! No!' presents an incredible gospel timestretch-spaghettification, over which a medley shared between both MCs makes their enduring talents ever more apparent.

Review: On vinyl only comes the new Knockouts compilation, laying down six acapella utilities to add to the collective turntablist's belt. The Kunming, China label - owned and run by Sausage Fingaz - flaunts an unmatched hip-hop diggership, compiling six un-pass-uppable classics, including those of Mary J. Blige's 'Family Affair', LL Cool J's 'Mama Said Knock You Out', Eminem's 'My Name Is' and Run-DMC's 'Peter Piper'. Specially designed for mashups and remixes, these are exclusively sourced vocal grooves, always to be cherished and celebrated.

Review: Compton's King Tee is an important name in the genesis of west coast hip-hop. Originally signed to the legendary Techno Hop Records as far back as 1986, King Tee left an indelible mark on the scene still being discovered today. So much so in fact, that RMV Sweden has smartly gathered a few of his earliest and most desired tracks on to one special mini compilation. Hats off to them - those who like early NWA, Ice Cube, Compton's Most Wanted, Spice 1, DJ Quick or MC Ren will be digging this, a snapshot of why he was so revered still today.