Blackmarket Seminar CD

When Blackmarket Seminar first surfaced in 2014, it was already ancient. Kazi, then a mic man as much as a beat-maker, recorded it with the mighty Madlib way back in 1996, but for whatever reason it was never released at the time. The fact that it has been reissued is a very good thing indeed, because many hip-hop heads may have missed it previously. Kazi's rhymes are of course good, but what makes the album so special is Madlib's incredible beats, which are typically dusty, crackly, jazzy and atmospheric, with samples and scratches complimented by the legendary producer's own subtle instrumental touches and tight drum programming. If you dig the deeper, more blunted end of the hip-hop spectrum, you need the album in your life.

Juno Recommends Hip Hop/R&B