Back catalogue: Hip Hop/R&B

Review: LA label Milkcrate Mondays is back with more slick contemporary hip-hop and r&b sounds, this time in the form of a split 7". Abel takes care of the opener with 'Flex'd Up', which has slow, seductive and silky drums and synths making for a sunny sound that is topped with a gorgeously heartfelt r&b vocal that swoons and swoops effortlessly. On the flip, Netwerk's 'Horns Of A Feather' has a duster and more classic boom-bap hip-hop beat that's low in the mix, with muted horns and another aching vocal really finishing it in style. Two different vibes, both are excellent.

Review: Kiss Klassics have been producing some high-quality promo double singles for a while now, this double headliner of Nelly and Fat Joe being the eighth instalment in their archival series. Side A was the runaway standout from New York rap legend Fat Joe's 2001 titanic-sized album 'Jealous Ones Still Envy (J.O.S.E.)', 'Whats Luv' with the one and only Ashanti. This marked Ashanti's debut year as an artist, the Tina Turner sample hook becoming the soundtrack of the block party and becoming one of the biggest songs of 2002. Side B needs no introduction. "It's getting hot in here, so take off all your clothes". No matter what you think of Nelly, 'Hot in Herre' continues to have the world in a chokehold over 20 years later.

Review: First featured on Nas' peerless 1994 album "Illmatic" - a classic that really should be in your collection - "The World Is Yours" is a classic Pete Rock production that has never appeared on a seven-inch single before. Mr Bongo has decided to set the record straight, pairing the album version, which includes some of Nas' most potent lyrics, delivered in fine style as you'd expect, with an instrumental take that showcases Pete Rock's brilliant beat and tight, on-point scratches. It's a deliciously baggy beat all told, with sampled pianos and subtle jazz lifts combining cannily to create a suitably laidback, golden-era groove.

Review: US rap royalty Nas's 'Ultra Black' features producer Hit-Boy and was released in mid-summer 2020 as the lead single from his thirteenth album, King's Disease. Lyrically, Nas pays homage to all things Black as he draws on his black heritage and African-American culture while the beats remain deeply laidback with jazzy chords up top. In an interview at the time with NME, the rapper said the song "represents love" although some interpreted the lyrics as a diss towards singer and rapper Doja Cat. This 7" features the vocal version and an instrumental.

Review: A whole bunch of Nas singles are being reissued on 7" courtesy of Mass Appeal at the moment, and each one is as essential now as it was when it first arrived. This one is slightly different as 'Life is like a Dice Game' was a demo and one of the firm fan favourites from the legendary New York mic man, taken from his undeniably best period - the Illmatic era. Now 30 years old, it gets revisited and completed properly with Freddie Gibbs and Cordae, who were 11 years old and not born when the track was initially recorded in 1993. The unfinished original version leaked in 1995 so to finally have it officially completed is epic.

Review: Game-changing US MC Nas dropped his 'Rare' back in 2021. It has indeed since become a classic and rather rare and so now it now gets reissued on white 7" with an instrumental on the flip. It was produced by Hit-Boy and was the first single to be released from his Grammyr-nominated fourteenth studio album, King's Disease II. A printed sheet includes the lyrics and features the raw boom-bap drums that had always underpinned his sound with dark soul melodies and textbook bars from the legend himself.

Review: A cornerstone of East Coast hip-hop's golden era, Naughty By Nature's 'Feel Me Flow' gets a 2025 reissue on limited edition black 7" vinyl. Originally released in 1995, it stands as one of the trio's most commercially successful and artistically sharp singles, built around a shimmering summer-ready groove and driven by Treach's blistering yet effortless flow. It was the third single taken from the group's Grammy-winning Poverty's Paradise album and quickly became a chart success, peaking at number three on the Billboard Hot Rap Singles chart. The track also picked up a Grammy nomination and reached a new generation when it was used in the Eminem-starring film 8 Mile. With this reissue, the iconic original is backed with its instrumentalihighlighting the warm production and razor-sharp drum work that often gets overshadowed by Treach's commanding vocal presence. A must for collectors of classic hip-hop and mid-90s boom bap history.

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: NEMS, the "Mayor of Coney Island," joins forces with DJ Skizz and SkyAsia to drop 'Christmas Spectacular' on 7" vinylia physical release after its digital debut. This one is a proper holiday banger backed by High Water Music, FYL and DWMG and featuring eye-catching artwork with Kith's photography and a layout by Sieteson. Known for his gritty style and wit, NEMS puts his own twist on festive vibes, making this bit of vinyl a must-have for hip-hop fans wanting a fresh spin on holiday cheer.

Review: The Nextmen team up once more with Kiko Bun here and he is proving himself to really be one of the UK's standout vocal talents right now. Together they to deliver a big anthem bursting with feel-good vibes. Perfect for sunny days, this track begs for windows down and volume up. The vocals are packed with soul and flow freely over instrumental beats with a cool sense of funk. The tune has another robust groove doused in club culture and a love of hip-hop, as is often the case with Dom Search and Brad Baloo aka The Nextmen who are renowned UK DJs and producers celebrated for their eclectic mixes, albums and podcasts.

Review: Few labels are better at saving up big cut-and-paste tunes from the world of hip-hop, r&b, funk and breaks than Heat Rock. Here they come again with more of the goodness, firstly with Nick Nack. His 'And Ya Say' roll deep, with smooth bars flowing freely over the leggy drums. On the reverse, Chicago's Altered Tapes crew offer up their own unique take of hip hop classic 'Still Running' in the form of a shuffling Bossa B-boy flip which has Latin percussion and ass-wigging drums. Both of these are floor-friendly cuts that pack in plenty of heritage.

Review: First time released on 7" vinyl, and taken from the critically-acclaimed Non Phixion album The Future Is Now. This reissue of Strange Universe includes the original LP version produced by Necro, plus two new remixes by The Czar-Keys and Marco Polo. The Strange Universe was birthed amongst the numerous blunted, Colt 45 malt liquor-fuelled sessions Non Phixion had with Doom at their Area 51 studio in Canarsie in 1998. Necro provided the beat, which everyone thought sounded like something Doom would have made. It was one of the first songs recorded for The Future Is Now.

Review: Neibiss and Pasokon Ongaku Club's collaborative single 'Flow Ya Mind' is a superb new single from an Osaka-based label themed around "baths." This marks their second release following 2022's On Rei/Froject A by EVISBEATS and Nagipan. The track combines a solid bassline with an ambient backdrop, snappy Amen breakbeats and Neibiss' relaxed, bath-themed rap. The song's calming composition is said to suit any hot spring setting and we can't disagree. Mastered by Naoya Tokuno and with artwork by Neibiss' rafitt, the is a fine new 7".

Review: The Street Knowledge "45 series" appears to have been set up to educate heads on original 1990s hip-hop jams, or at the very least deliver fresh pressings of some seriously classic cuts. This inaugural release begins with Warren G and Nate Dogg's 1994 heater "Regulate", a deep and seductive number that makes great use of samples from Michael McDonald's teary blue-eyed soul classic "I Keep Forgetting". Flip to the B-side and you'll find Luniz 1995 hit "I Got 5 On It", a cut that's been bitten, reworked and re-made umpteen times in the 24 years that have passed since it was first released. As this reissue proves, the Oakland duo's original version is still streets ahead of the rest.

Review: The third volume in the Insense Music compilation series, Insense Music for Dining Room, deepens its exploration of ambient, jazz, chill-out and Balearic sounds, all of which are perfect for serene dining moments. Curated by Tohru Hashimoto with artwork by Jiro Fujita and mastering by Calm, who a key figure in Japan's music scene as well as a renowned Balearic boss, this 7" release shines from the off: side A features Yakenohara's subtle, exclusive take on Bill Evans's 'Peace Piece' which blends his genre-fluid skills as rapper, DJ and producer. Side B offers Noa Noa's warm tribute to Bobby Hutcherson's 'Montara,' a hip-hop sampling favourite. The release precedes a full compilation dropping this May.