{"title":"Genre - Hip Hop","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"a-tribe-called-quest-the-low-end-theory","title":"A Tribe Called Quest – The Low End Theory","description":"\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e— The Analog Vault \/\/ Essential Listening —\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Golden Age of hip-hop produced a plethora of great rap music, but few albums from that revered era have proven to be as eminent as A Tribe Called Quest’s exceptional 1991 LP.  Produced primarily by Q-Tip, alongside increased participation from rapper Phife Dawg, the group’s sophomore effort was an unmitigated triumph in the alternative rap scene. Coated with a mellow jazzy atmosphere derived from stripped-back hard bop and bebop samples, \u003cem\u003eThe Low En\u003c\/em\u003ed Theory’s soulful grooves offered the ideal platform for Q-Tip and Phife Dawg’s razor sharp verses, revelatory interplay, and socially conscious lyricism to shine.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSpirited and lyrically poetic, this transcendental album stands as testament to A Tribe Called Quest’s ability to capture the cultural and social zeitgeist through their sonic artistry. — \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/theanalogvault.mom\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eThe Analog Vault\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e—\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile most of the players in the jazz-rap movement never quite escaped the pasted-on qualities of their vintage samples, with \u003cem\u003eThe Low End Theory\u003c\/em\u003e, A Tribe Called Quest created one of the closest and most brilliant fusions of jazz atmosphere and hip-hop attitude ever recorded. The rapping by Q-Tip and Phife Dawg could be the smoothest of any rap record ever heard; the pair are so in tune with each other, they sound like flip sides of the same personality, fluidly trading off on rhymes, with the former earning his nickname (the Abstract) and Phife concerning himself with the more concrete issues of being young, gifted, and black.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe trio also takes on the rap game with a pair of hard-hitting tracks: \"Rap Promoter\" and \"Show Business,\" the latter a lyrical soundclash with Q-Tip and Phife plus Brand Nubian's Diamond D, Lord Jamar, and Sadat X. The woman problem gets investigated as well, on two realistic yet sensitive tracks, \"Butter\" and \"The Infamous Date Rape.\" The productions behind these tracks aren't quite skeletal, but they're certainly not complex. Instead, Tribe weaves little more than a stand-up bass (sampled or, on one track, jazz luminary Ron Carter) and crisp, live-sounding drum programs with a few deftly placed samples or electric keyboards. It's a tribute to their unerring production sense that, with just those few tools, Tribe produced one of the best hip-hop albums in history, a record that sounds better with each listen. \u003cem\u003eThe Low End Theory\u003c\/em\u003e is an unqualified success, the perfect marriage of intelligent, flowing raps to nuanced, groove-centered productions. — (via \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.allmusic.com\/album\/the-low-end-theory-mw0000268671\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eAllMusic\u003c\/a\u003e)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"100%\" height=\"152\" style=\"border-radius: 12px;\" src=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/embed\/album\/1p12OAWwudgMqfMzjMvl2a?utm_source=generator\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" allow=\"autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture\" loading=\"lazy\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e↓\u003cbr\u003eLabel: Jive\u003cbr\u003eFormat: 2 x Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue, Remastered, Repress\u003cbr\u003eReissued: 2023 \/ Original Release: 1991\u003cbr\u003eGenre: Hip Hop, Rap\u003cbr\u003eStyle: Conscious, Jazzy Hip-Hop\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFile under: TAV Essential Listening\u003cbr\u003eFile under: Hip Hop\u003cbr\u003e⦿\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Jive Records","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":41456487334046,"sku":"12414141811","price":65.0,"currency_code":"SGD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0584\/5434\/3838\/files\/81IiqfQDZoL.jpg?v=1729141439"},{"product_id":"a-tribe-called-quest-the-anthology","title":"A Tribe Called Quest – The Anthology","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Anthology\u003c\/em\u003e is A Tribe Called Quest's 1999 greatest hits compilation spanning their entire career.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe compilation contains songs from all of their currently existing full-length catalogue, including\u003cem\u003e People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eThe Low End Theory\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eMidnight Marauders\u003c\/em\u003e, B\u003cem\u003eeats, Rhymes and Life \u003c\/em\u003eand \u003cem\u003eThe Love Movemen\u003c\/em\u003et. It also contains Q-Tip's \"Vivrant Thing\", which was featured on the first music compilation for Violator Management. The song would also later be featured on Q-Tip's solo effort, Amplified. The album cover features Erykah Badu with fluorescent stripes of green and orange reminiscent of the traditional colors of the Kente tribe of the north Congo.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor those who haven't discovered that A Tribe Called Quest made several of the best LPs in hip-hop history, Anthology is a perfect way to encapsulate the trio's decade-long career into one manageable portion.  All of their best and biggest songs are here, from the early neglected joint \"Luck of Lucien\" to classic jazz-rap from The Low End Theory like \"Jazz (We've Got),\" and their 45-rpm peak with \"Award Tour,\" all the way to their last big hit, \"Find a Way,\" from 1998's \u003cem\u003eThe Love Movement\u003c\/em\u003e. Yes, anyone who enjoys hip-hop needs to own at least \u003cem\u003eMidnight Marauders\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eThe Low End Theory\u003c\/em\u003e, but \u003cem\u003eAnthology\u003c\/em\u003e succeeds in delivering all the highest points from a great hip-hop group's career. The collection also includes the first solo track from Q-Tip, 1999's \"Vivrant Thing.\" — (via \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.allmusic.com\/album\/the-anthology-mw0000667815\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eAllMusic\u003c\/a\u003e)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"100%\" height=\"152\" style=\"border-radius: 12px;\" src=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/embed\/album\/3FAK4h4t9uV4JxzESXllAU?utm_source=generator\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" allow=\"autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture\" loading=\"lazy\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e↓\u003cbr\u003eLabel: Jive\u003cbr\u003eFormat: 2x Vinyl, LP, Compilation, Reissue, Stereo\u003cbr\u003eCountry: US\u003cbr\u003eReissued: 2023 \/ Original Release: 1999\u003cbr\u003eGenre: Hip Hop\u003cbr\u003eStyle: Rap, Conscious, , Jazzy Hip-Hop\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFile under: Hip Hop\u003cbr\u003e⦿\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Jive Records","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":41456487661726,"sku":"1241416910","price":60.0,"currency_code":"SGD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0584\/5434\/3838\/files\/71OyPGofKXL._UF1000_1000_QL80.jpg?v=1718102083"},{"product_id":"jaylib-champion-sound","title":"Jaylib – Champion Sound","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe original release of the Madlib and J Dilla collab, created between Los Angeles and Detroit in 2002-2003. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe project was conceived in fall 2002 after Stones Throw released a limited edition 12\" featuring \"The Message,\" a track made by Madlib in 2000, flipping Grandmaster Flash \u0026amp; The Furious Five's lyrics over a J Dilla beat. The song, unofficially credited to \"Jaylib,\" was never intended for commercial release, but it got the two producer\/mc's together to talk about an equal collaboration. Dilla \u0026amp; Madlib previously worked together briefly in Detroit, late 2001, on a project which was never completed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs each were situated in their home towns (Dilla in Detroit and Madlib in L.A.), they fleshed out Champion Sound, which will easily win the award for the Most Blunted Album of the Year; these guys were smoking serious greens while working this one out. As one might expect, the production qualities of an album made by two of hip-hop's most celebrated producers is rich in texture, innovation, and solid momentum. Where Madlib is a seasoned MC (look at Lootpack's Soundpieces or Quasimoto's The Unseen), Dilla is not. He's not bad, just rougher around the edges, which lends to a disorienting listen in general. The beats are slapped together, whacked samples are abruptly dropped, and the lyrics are steps behind the beat and generally about nothing but b-boy posturing and other nonsense. All of which results in a very unique and strangely rewarding album. While it may require repeated listens to take hold, Champion Sound is full of a lot more winners than losers. —(via \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.allmusic.com\/album\/champion-sound-mw0000318883\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eAllMusic\u003c\/a\u003e)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003ciframe width=\"100%\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/embed.spotify.com\/?uri=spotify%3Aalbum%3A6Jv0VIFX5CMzxAK6JwAB23\" frameborder=\"0\" allowtransparency=\"true\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eItem description:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable style=\"width: 686px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eArtist:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/theanalogvault.mom\/search?q=%22Jaylib%22\"\u003eJaylib\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTitle:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eChampion Sound\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLabel:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/theanalogvault.mom\/search?q=%22Label+-+Stones+Throw+Records%22\"\u003eStones Throw Records\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFormat:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e2 × Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePressing:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUS\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRelease Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis reissue: 2009 | Original - 2003\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGenre:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHip Hop\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCatalog No:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSTH 2062\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNew\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Stones Throw Records","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":41456490676382,"sku":"659457206215","price":48.0,"currency_code":"SGD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0584\/5434\/3838\/files\/JAYLIBCHAMPIONSO_2019-11-06_13-19-30_iwjrsyHeNP_2000xcopy.jpg?v=1714125837"},{"product_id":"quasimoto-the-unseen","title":"Quasimoto - The Unseen","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e— The Analog Vault \/\/ Essential Listening —\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Unseen \u003c\/em\u003eis the debut studio album by Quasimoto, an alter ego of American hip hop musician Madlib, originally released under Stones Throw Records in 2000. Each one of music hyphenate Madlib’s multidisciplinary projects tend to be revelatory. But even among the Californian native’s treasure trove of hip-hop jewels, few were as sui generis as his high-pitched yellow aardvark alter ego, Quasimoto. Quasimoto’s debut on Stones Throw was a quantum leap for Madlib’s creativity journey - with the album featuring a boisterous assembly of funk, prog, jazz, and soul samples, punctuated by various skits and interludes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMadlib’s idiosyncratic beats were augmented by the surreal and free-associative verses of the rapper duelling with the animated split personality Lord Quas, who satirized gangsta rap. \u003cem\u003eThe Unseen\u003c\/em\u003e has proven to be an impeccable showcase of Madlib’s unbound creativity and proficiency as both a skilled rapper and consummate producer.\" — \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/theanalogvault.mom\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eThe Analog Vault\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e—\u003cbr\u003eQuasimoto's \u003cem\u003eThe Unseen\u003c\/em\u003e is one of the most imaginative albums of the new West Coast underground, a puzzling, psychedelic jazz-rap gem riddled with warped humor and fractured musical genius. Producer Madlib actually outdoes his inventive work on the Lootpack's debut album, \u003cem\u003eSoundpieces: Da Antidote\u003c\/em\u003e!, crafting deep, dreamy jazz loops littered with found sounds and wiggy vocal samples. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eQuasimoto's helium-huffing voice is actually Madlib's, electronically altered for an effect not unlike Prince's abandoned Camille project. It might put some listeners off as gimmicky, and it's really a shame if it does, because it isn't really the focal point of The Unseen's left-field brilliance. It's more of an added textural element for Madlib's off-kilter soundscapes and a vehicle for the cartoonish humor hinted at in his choice of samples. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe lyrics are highly free-associative (that is to say, stoned beyond belief), and by turns paranoid, threatening, or hallucinatory. But it all melts into the warm, druggy haze of the music; unlike, say, the Wu-Tang Clan or Dr. Octagon, this dream isn't supposed to be a nightmare. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eQuas' scattershot flow isn't what you'd call technically accomplished, but that's by design - he's supposed to be fragmented, not quite all there. The song structures are similarly loose, with rhymes coming from nowhere and disappearing just as quickly; the tracks are short (all under four minutes) and end abruptly, as though Quas is too blunted to think of anything else to say. (Madlib does appear as himself on occasion, and usually sounds just as noncommittal as his \"collaborator.\") \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHighlights are plentiful, and include the brilliant singles \"Microphone Mathematics\" and \"Come on Feet,\" the bizarre trash-talking of \"Bad Character\" and \"Put a Curse on You,\" and the joy-of-music cuts \"Return of the Loop Digga\" and \"Jazz Cats, Pt. 1,\" which recount Madlib's obsession with record collecting and name-check his favorites. It takes some time to assimilate, but \u003cem\u003eThe Unseen\u003c\/em\u003e gradually reveals itself as one of the most unique and rewarding albums of its era. — (via \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.allmusic.com\/album\/the-unseen-mw0000068073\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eAllMusic\u003c\/a\u003e)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"100%\" height=\"152\" style=\"border-radius: 12px;\" src=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/embed\/album\/0dCxrv92J8gKDh4zObd2ZZ?utm_source=generator\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" allow=\"autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture\" loading=\"lazy\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003cbr\u003e↓\u003cbr\u003eLabel: Stones Throw Records\u003cbr\u003eFormat: 2 x Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue\u003cbr\u003eReissued: 2024 \/ Original Release: 2000\u003cbr\u003eGenre: Hip Hop\u003cbr\u003eStyle: Rap, Jazzy Hip Hop, Leftfield, Abstract\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFile under: TAV Essential Listening\u003cbr\u003eFile under: Stones Throw Records\u003cbr\u003e⦿\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Stones Throw Records","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":41456510533790,"sku":"659457202514","price":55.0,"currency_code":"SGD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0584\/5434\/3838\/files\/81th0uJALML._UF894_1000_QL80.jpg?v=1746344356"},{"product_id":"thekoreatownoddityabeatatthetable","title":"The Koreatown Oddity ‎– A Beat At The Table","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStraight Cold Beats – perfect for hip hop lovers into that colder side of things.\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA Beat At the Table is An Instrumental Project by Koreatown Oddity conceputalized from Solange's A seat at the table Album.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA deep dive into the Black sounds \u0026amp; messages reinterpreted into 19 mins of Raw beat Energy as heard through the Ear of KtownOdd. - \u003cu\u003eBandcamp\u003c\/u\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"300\" height=\"150\" style=\"border: 0; width: 350px; height: 470px;\" src=\"https:\/\/bandcamp.com\/EmbeddedPlayer\/album=509657643\/size=large\/bgcol=ffffff\/linkcol=0687f5\/tracklist=false\/transparent=true\/\" seamless=\"\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/strictlycassette.bandcamp.com\/album\/a-beat-at-the-table\"\u003eA Beat at the Table by The Koreatown Oddity\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLabel: Strictly Cassette ‎– none\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFormat: Vinyl, LP, Clear Vinyl\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCountry: US\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReleased: 2018\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGenre: Hip Hop\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStyle: Instrumental\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e","brand":"Strictly Cassette","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":41456654057630,"sku":"598240","price":39.0,"currency_code":"SGD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0584\/5434\/3838\/products\/996d5f32f9547dc12db81de8cd5043a46c838167.jpg?v=1646293480"},{"product_id":"tylerthecreatorigor","title":"Tyler, The Creator ‎– Igor","description":"\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e— The Analog Vault \/\/ Essential Listening —\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom the grotesquery of his horrorcore beginnings to his jazz-fused alternative hip-hop evolution - Tyler, the Creator was rap’s poster boy for the 2010s, heralding an odd future for the genre. But it was not until his sixth album in 2019 that Tyler reached his zenith.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSpurred by a breakup (as most great music often is) and produced entirely by himself,\u003cem\u003e IGOR\u003c\/em\u003e’s dramatic soundscapes - leaning on neo-soul, R\u0026amp;B and funk influences - provide a widescreen backdrop for Tyler’s heartsick content. Exploring themes of jealousy, vulnerability, and compulsion, Tyler abandoned his MC roots in favour of pitch-altered singing to express this record’s love triangle narrative. Featuring appearances from Playboi Carti, Lil Uzi Vert, and Solange (among others), \u003cem\u003eIGOR\u003c\/em\u003e is a rewarding and revealing work by one of the 21st century’s most fascinating hip hop artists. — The Analog Vault\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e—\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe moods of Tyler, the Creator’s albums have largely been defined by absence—of his father, of critical acclaim, of love. He responded to what was missing with antagonism, album after album, until 2017 when he looked back at his life with a sunny lens and twinge of nostalgia to deliver his best work, \u003cem\u003eFlower Boy\u003c\/em\u003e. That Grammy-nominated album is eminently pleasing, the sound of an iconoclast succumbing to his better judgment.\u003cem\u003e IGOR,\u003c\/em\u003e the 28-year-old’s sixth full-length, is Tyler finally content in the face of all that agony.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eIGOR \u003c\/em\u003esounds like the work of a perfectionist giving shape to his more radical ideas. Tyler, who proudly produced, wrote, and arranged the album, is singing more but he’s not worrying whether his tracks have a traditional pop arc. Songs don’t build to a crescendo, they often begin there. The opening “Igor's Theme” serves less as a guiding force and more like a recurring motif of doom that hides in the shadows and pops its head in at select moments, like on “New Magic Wand” where spooky synths erupt below Tyler’s thought process: “I saw a photo, you looked joyous,” goes one of the more poignant lines. Atop this budding dread, Tyler layers candied keys and harmonizing vocals. The brightness is defiant, as Tyler processes the loss of someone he loves. — (via \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pitchfork.com\/reviews\/albums\/tyler-the-creator-igor\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003ePitchfork\u003c\/a\u003e)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e—\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTyler gives his creative exuberance free rein on an album that incorporates everything from twinkling R\u0026amp;B to soulful balladry.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e‘Excuse my voice; I can’t sing but I don’t care because it feels good.” So said Tyler, the Creator before he launched into an impassioned – if tuneless – rendition of \u003cem\u003eSee You Again\u003c\/em\u003e on his 2017 NPR Tiny Desk concert. That song was taken from his then-newly released fourth album, \u003cem\u003eFlower Boy\u003c\/em\u003e, a bright, optimistic departure from his usual dark, introspective rap. It marked a newfound confidence in the 28-year-old’s music; no longer relying on the shock tactics of earlier records like\u003cem\u003e Goblin\u003c\/em\u003e, he was refreshingly comfortable in his own skin and endearingly enthusiastic about his own work.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn the follow-up,\u003cem\u003e Igor\u003c\/em\u003e, there is a lot more singing and even more joy. Performing concerts in support of the album while dressed in a Warhol wig, shades and dazzling neon suits, Tyler cavorted all over the stage celebrating an even greater breadth to his music. His singing has improved somewhat, while his lyrics are expository and personal: in the closing lines of twinkling R\u0026amp;B track\u003cem\u003e Earfquake\u003c\/em\u003e, he pleads with a partner, “Don’t leave, it’s my fault”, before moving on to the self-discovery of a settled breakup on Running Out of Time with the lines: “You never lived in your truth \/ But I finally found peace, so peace.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis internal peace is crucial to the functioning of \u003cem\u003eIgor\u003c\/em\u003e’s genre mix. While songs rarely top the three-minute mark, jumping around from the thudding, percussive opener \u003cem\u003eIgor’s Theme\u003c\/em\u003e to the hook-laden\u003cem\u003e I Think\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eA Boy Is a Gun’s\u003c\/em\u003e soulful balladry, Tyler’s self-assuredness holds the 12 tracks together, his delivery measured and unhurried, whether left unadorned or passed through a pitch filter. Tracks either abruptly snap off like an unfinished thought or dissolve into silence. While Tyler has always been chameleonic, on Igor his restlessness feels like a conscious choice for the first time, not merely the jittering impatience of a young star looking to explore new sounds.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis confidence, and fluidity, allows him to resist being pinned down to any one identity. There was speculation over his sexuality following lyrical references on \u003cem\u003eFlower Boy\u003c\/em\u003e, which he resurrects on Igor with the line “you’re my favourite garçon” on \u003cem\u003eA Boy Is a Gun\u003c\/em\u003e, but never clarifies; his Igor tour stage costume similarly resists a simple reading. Track titles like \u003cem\u003eI Don’t Love You Anymore; Gone, Gone \/ Thank You;\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eAre We Still Friends?\u003c\/em\u003e suggest this is a breakup album, but in the end the object of his lyrical references doesn’t matter. It is not important to know whether Tyler is gay or straight, happy or heartbroken – his appeal as a songwriter and performer is his ever-evolving exuberance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUltimately, Tyler sings because he wants to, regardless of how he is heard, and that self-confidence is a joy to behold on this fifth album. The angsty leader of the Odd Future collective no more, Tyler has stepped into his own identity – even if you can’t always make out what is going on behind the blond wig. — (via \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/music\/2019\/dec\/16\/best-albums-2019-no-5-tyler-the-creator-igor\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eThe Guardian\u003c\/a\u003e, 50 best albums of the year)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"100%\" height=\"352\" style=\"border-radius: 12px;\" data-testid=\"embed-iframe\" src=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/embed\/album\/5zi7WsKlIiUXv09tbGLKsE?utm_source=generator\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" allow=\"autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture\" loading=\"lazy\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/HmAsUQEFYGI?si=y0aTAF8Y9PDuHmaf\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003cbr\u003e↓\u003cbr\u003eLabel: Columbia\u003cbr\u003eFormat: Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue, Gatefold\u003cbr\u003eReleased: 2019\u003cbr\u003eGenre: Hip Hop, Funk \/ Soul\u003cbr\u003eStyle: Rap, Contemporary R\u0026amp;B, Neo Soul\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFile under: TAV Essential Listening\u003cbr\u003eFile under: Hip Hop\u003cbr\u003e⦿\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Columbia","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":41456790143134,"sku":"190759652213","price":48.0,"currency_code":"SGD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0584\/5434\/3838\/products\/f16856ab63cd44c01f8720cae65d343ae70c7889.jpg?v=1646297323"},{"product_id":"dj-krush-trickster","title":"DJ Krush – Trickster","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHideaki Ishi, better known as DJ Krush, is one of Japan’s earliest hip-hop pioneers. Beloved around the world, the turntablist and producer is revered for his atmospheric soundscapes and lush breakbeats, crafted from samples of esoteric jazz and soul records. From his roots in the trip hop boom of the mid-90s, Krush has maintained a presence in the culture by working with a huge variety of artists, producing for heavyweights and embracing alternative ideas and approaches. This solo studio album number 15 is finally a\u003c\/span\u003evailable for the first time outside Japan.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"100%\" height=\"152\" style=\"border-radius: 12px;\" src=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/embed\/album\/7yxUvDx1xLIULLiq0uwUHY?utm_source=generator\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" allow=\"autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture\" loading=\"lazy\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e↓\u003cbr\u003eLabel: Es.U.Es Corporation \u003cbr\u003eFormat: 2 x Vinyl, LP, Album, Limited Edition\u003cbr\u003eCountry: France\u003cbr\u003eReleased: 2020\u003cbr\u003eGenre: Electronic, Hip Hop\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFile under: Japanese Electronic\u003cbr\u003e⦿\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Es.U.Es Corporation","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":41778607390878,"sku":"3760300316092","price":40.0,"currency_code":"SGD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0584\/5434\/3838\/products\/Trickster.jpg?v=1655281984"},{"product_id":"guru-jazzmatazz-2014-reissue","title":"Guru - Jazzmatazz (Respect The Classics series)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e— The Analog Vault \/\/ Essential Listening —\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Welcome to \u003cem\u003eJazzmatazz\u003c\/em\u003e – an experimental fusion of hip-hop and live jazz.” A more than perfect introduction to one of the first albums to combine a live jazz band with hip hop production and rapping by Gang Starr’s Guru. His first solo album represents the pinnacle of the symbiotic courtship between rap and jazz - anchored by Guru’s smoky, deep baritone East Coast flow alongside first-rate, heavyweight jazz instrumentalists such as Lonnie Liston Smith, Branford Marsalis, Ronny Jordan, Donald Byrd and Roy Ayers. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eJazzmatazz\u003c\/em\u003e presents the listener with a playful dialogue between both genres - with each track a mission statement bridging generations, eras and styles. Considering the increasing prevalence of jazz-rap fusion in recent times, \u003cem\u003eJazzmatazz\u003c\/em\u003e was truly a prescient record that cemented Guru as a visionary. — \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/theanalogvault.mom\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eThe Analog Vault\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e—\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThough it can reasonably be argued that rap grew almost directly out of funk and its particular beat, there are a lot of overlaps with jazz, particularly the bop and post-bop eras: the uninhibited expression, the depiction of urban life, just to name two.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJazz samples have also had a large role in hip-hop, but the idea of rapping over actual live jazz wasn't truly fully realized until Gang Starr MC Guru created and released the first in his \u003cem\u003eJazzmatazz \u003c\/em\u003eseries in 1993, with guest musicians who included saxophonist Branford Marsalis (who had previously collaborated with DJ Premier and Guru for the track \"Jazz Thing\" on the Mo' Better Blues soundtrack), trumpeter Donald Byrd, vibraphonist Roy Ayers, guitarist Ronny Jordan, and keyboardist Lonnie Liston Smith, as well as vocalist N'Dea Davenport (also of the acid jazz group the Brand New Heavies) and French rapper MC Solaar. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile Guru's rhymes can occasionally be a little weak (\"Think they won't harm you? Well they might\/And that ain't right, but every day is like a fight\" are the lines he chooses to describe kids on the subway in Brooklyn in \"Transit Ride\"), he delves into a variety of subject matter, from the problems of inner-city life to his own verbal prowess to self-improvement without ever sounding too repetitive, and his well-practiced flow fits well with the overall smooth, sultry, and intelligent feel of the album. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom Jordan's solo on \"No Time to Play\" to Ayers' vibes expertise on \"Take a Look (At Yourself)\" to MC Solaar's quick and syllabic rhymes on \"Le Bien, le Mal,\" \u003cem\u003eJazzmatazz, Vol. 1\u003c\/em\u003e (and what turned out to be the best of the series) is a rap album for jazz fans and a jazz album for rap fans, skillful and smart, clean when it needs to be and gritty when that's more effective, helping to legitimize hip-hop to those who doubted it, and making for an altogether important release. — (via \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.allmusic.com\/album\/jazzmatazz-volume-1-mw0000098545\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eAllMusic\u003c\/a\u003e)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"300\" height=\"380\" src=\"https:\/\/embed.spotify.com\/?uri=spotify%3Aalbum%3A64J8girYqmK86ebqBayrjQ\" frameborder=\"0\" allowtransparency=\"true\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e↓\u003cbr\u003eLabel: Virgin \u003cbr\u003eSeries: Respect The Classics \u003cbr\u003eFormat: Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo\u003cbr\u003eReissued: 2016 \/ Original: 1993\u003cbr\u003eGenre: Hip Hop, Jazz\u003cbr\u003eStyle: Acid Jazz, Rap, Conscious, Jazzy Hip Hop\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFile under: TAV Essential Listening\u003cbr\u003eFile under: Hip Hop\u003cbr\u003e⦿\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Virgin","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":41970984255646,"sku":"602547885081","price":45.0,"currency_code":"SGD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0584\/5434\/3838\/products\/Jazzmatazz.jpg?v=1660977139"},{"product_id":"kero-one-early-believers","title":"Kero One – Early Believers","description":"\u003cp\u003e“Early Believers” is the new release from the producer\/rapper\/label owner Kero One, who bases his own Plug Label out of San Francisco. Like much of the underground hip-hop from the bay area, the music on this disc is both creative and fresh.  After the first two tracks, “Welcome to the Bay” and “When the Sunshine Comes,” respectively, the listener will feel completely delighted by the feel good music. Both feature fantastically airy arrangements that consist mostly of jazz and soul influences that utilize Kero’s own skills on the bass, piano and behind the boards. The latter enlists Vince Czekus on the acoustic guitar who adds musical textures to many of the tracks on “Believers.” - \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.rapreviews.com\/2009\/03\/kero-one-early-believers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eRap Reviews\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"100%\" height=\"352\" style=\"border-radius: 12px;\" src=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/embed\/album\/4ywp6vPT47QTfMAWcDac8Y?utm_source=generator\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" allow=\"autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture\" loading=\"lazy\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable border=\"1\" style=\"border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%; height: 144.375px;\"\u003e\n\u003ccolgroup\u003e\n\u003ccol style=\"width: 49.9368%;\"\u003e\n\u003ccol style=\"width: 49.9368%;\"\u003e\n\u003c\/colgroup\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 22.3958px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 22.3958px;\"\u003eLabel:\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 22.3958px;\"\u003eP-Vine Records – PLP-7902\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 22.3958px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 22.3958px;\"\u003eFormat:\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 22.3958px;\"\u003e2 x Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 22.3958px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 22.3958px;\"\u003eCountry:\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 22.3958px;\"\u003eJapan\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 10px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 10px;\"\u003eReissued\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 10px;\"\u003e2023 (Original: 2009)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 44.7917px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 44.7917px;\"\u003eGenre:\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 44.7917px;\"\u003eHip Hop, Electronic, Soul\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr style=\"height: 22.3958px;\"\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 22.3958px;\"\u003eStyle:\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"height: 22.3958px;\"\u003eRap\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e","brand":"P-Vine","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42446611841182,"sku":"4995879079027","price":39.0,"currency_code":"SGD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0584\/5434\/3838\/products\/Kero.jpg?v=1676533929"},{"product_id":"handsome-boy-modeling-school-white-people","title":"Handsome Boy Modeling School - White People  (White Vinyl)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFormed in 1999 by acclaimed hip-hop producers Dan the Automator (Gorillaz, Dr. Octagon, Deltron 3030) and Prince Paul (Stetsasonic, De la Soul, Gravediggaz,) Handsome Boy Modeling School is a concept project that instantly turned heads and brought a whole new dynamic to the world of hip-hop. Hidden behind the world-class and all-star lineup, the group created a project that parodied vain, consumerist, materialistic, and self-absorbed members of upper-class society.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e While the 1999 release of their debut project, \"\u003cem\u003eSo... How's Your Girl?\u003c\/em\u003e,\" helped to set the tone and introduce the world to Handsome Boy Modeling School, it was their 2004 follow-up, \"\u003cem\u003eWhite People\u003c\/em\u003e,\" which helped to solidify the project as a game-changer amongst hip-hop heads. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWith Dan the Automator and Prince Paul behind the boards, \"\u003cem\u003eWhite People\u003c\/em\u003e\" featured a stacked list of features including but not limited to De la Soul, Jack Johnson, Lord Finesse, Mike Shinoda, Pharrell Williams, El-P, and RZA.  \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cem\u003eWhite People \u003c\/em\u003ehas undoubtedly become a somewhat overlooked gem of its era. Topping out at #168 on the Billboard 200, #79 on the Top R\u0026amp;B\/Hip-Hop Albums and #4 on the Top Heatseekers charts, this release has only grown in popularity over the years as it is discovered by more and more hip-hop heads looking for the left-of-center. - \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/getondown.com\/products\/white-people-colored-2xlp?srsltid=AfmBOorfhoe7HtpPs1HgPT_fTO0N3twDv4UMvkC77TFWlSw5p6Joq4ek\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eGet On Down\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e—\u003cbr\u003eFive years after their rightfully revered debut, \u003cem\u003eSo...How's Your Girl?\u003c\/em\u003e, brainiac producers Prince Paul and Dan the Automator return with Handsome Boy Modeling School's a-little-too-smug sophomore release, White People. Like the title, a good third of the album feels too forced. Another third is fair, but the remainder is stunning - mostly song-based and mostly nonirreverent. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTim Meadows' \"The Ladies Man\" character and a bunch of narration from Modeling School Central keeps the Handsome Boy concept going, but it's a concept that could carry one album, not two (also of note: \"The Ladies Man\"'s appearances are often tacked right onto the end of tracks, making the album more difficult to whittle down to a concise mixtape). Minus Del tha Funkee Homosapien and Casual, the rappers on White People sound too aware of their surroundings, too mannered. The mega-talented Pharrell Williams' contribution to \"Class System\" could have been carried off by anyone, so that leaves it up to people from the pop and rock realm to really bring it to the table. They do, with solid songs that could exist outside of Handsome Boy's heavy-with-concept world. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExpect Jamie Cullum and John Oates' pop-solid \"Biggest Mistake\" to show up on a Christina Aguilera album sometime soon, while Cat Power's track is so well formed you have to wonder what the reaction will be when a Handsome Boy fan encounters one of her indie, skeletal, and spent early albums. Sounding like Paul Simon for the hoody generation, Jack Johnson's \"Breakdown\" is a surprising success, but just as surprising is that the genre-hopping, always risk-taking Mike Patton can't find the spark. Bringing reminders of a better track on a better album, \"Rock \u0026amp; Roll (Could Never Hip Hop Like This), Pt. 2\" is the album's problem in one song. Jumping from one style to another, the song never digs in like How's Your Girl's \"Part 1,\" since ambition overtakes reason and cleverness overtakes everything. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere's a killer EP worth of tracks strewn among the album and more than a few signs that Dan and Paul still got it. Stuck trying to re-create the daring excitement, Handsome Boy Modeling School turn in an album that's half as interesting as their debut, and half as interesting as their guest list. — (via \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.allmusic.com\/album\/white-people-mw0000261610\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eAllMusic\u003c\/a\u003e)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"100%\" height=\"352\" style=\"border-radius: 12px;\" src=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/embed\/album\/36uGFT1D5aEk8j3uvl2doV?utm_source=generator\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" allow=\"autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture\" loading=\"lazy\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e↓\u003cbr\u003eLabel: Tommy Boy\u003cbr\u003eFormat: 2 x Vinyl, LP, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue, White\u003cbr\u003eCountry: USA \u0026amp; Canada\u003cbr\u003eReissued: 2021 \/ Original Release: 2004\u003cbr\u003eGenre: Hip Hop, Rock, Reggae\u003cbr\u003eStyle: Conscious, Jazzy Hip-Hop\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFile under: Hip Hop\u003cbr\u003e⦿\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Tommy Boy","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42722897166494,"sku":"075596294119","price":60.0,"currency_code":"SGD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0584\/5434\/3838\/files\/81wcq-DW1cL.jpg?v=1726553070"},{"product_id":"mf-doom-operation-doomsday","title":"MF Doom – Operation Doomsday (2023 Reissue)","description":"\u003cp\u003eOne of the greatest rap full-lengths of all time. They don't come any more essential than this. \u003cem\u003eOperation: Doomsday \u003c\/em\u003eoriginally appeared on Fondle 'Em in 1999, and introduced MF DOOM to most of us outside the Tri State area. Daniel Dumile had been working undercover for some time, having disappeared when KMD splintered and his brother DJ Subroc died; a name change later and Zev Love X was MF DOOM, a supervillain behind a metal mask who would pioneer a trippier but no less biting form of East Coast boom bap. The album was well received at the time, but its importance has snowballed in the years since it was released - in 2023, its influence can be heard across the underground spectrum, in Los Angeles' beat scene, Earl Sweatshirt and Tyler, in Kaytranada, even in the UK's club landscape.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou could say that DOOM was just building on the streetwise surrealism of Kool Keith, but he possessed a unique swagger and production style that's been rinsed and repeated for over two decades now. He managed to do something special here, constructing skits from unfussy nerd culture - not the middle class nerd fare that generation x steered into the mainstream, but the kind of vivid sci-fi and comicbook TV trash that would belt out of flickering CRT boxes over Frosted Flakes on a Saturday, later inspiring Adult Swim. In between the skits, DOOM made neck-snapping beats out of forgotten disco and funk loops, rapping as if he'd swallowed a compendium of cultural phraseology and then belched it up, semi-digested. Every moment here, even if it isn't as developed as some of his later work (we highly recommend the crown jewel: King Gheedorah's \"Take Me To Your Leader\"), has been completely absorbed into the architecture of the era. Even when we can't see it, it's towering over us like a Roman archway. — (via Label)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSimultaneously hailed as an underground classic and cast aside as poorly produced backpack rap, \u003cem\u003eOperation: Doomsday\u003c\/em\u003e inaugurated the reign of MF Doom in underground rap from the early to mid-2000s. The pretext for the album is very similar to that of Marvel Comics supervillain Dr. Doom; after MF Doom, then known as Zevlove X, had been devastated by the death of his brother and K.M.D. accomplice, DJ Sub-Roc, in the early '90s, Elektra dropped his group and stopped the release of its second album, Black Bastards, due to its political message and, more specifically, its cover art. Doom was left scarred with a lingering pain that didn't manifest until the late '90s as hip-hop's only masked supervillain on Bobbito Garcia's Fondle 'Em Records. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCarrying the weight of the past on his shoulders, Doom opens and closes \u003cem\u003eOperation: Doomsday\u003c\/em\u003e with frank and sincere lyrics. In between, however, many of the villain's rhymes are rather hard and piercing. On his subsequent material, he developed a more steady and refined delivery, but on this debut, Doom was at his rawest and, lyrically, most dexterous. The out-of-left-field edge of Doom's production -- which features '80s soul and smooth jazz mixed with classic drum breaks -- is indeed abstract at times, but his off-kilter rhymes are palatable and absent any pretentiousness. In fact, the album arguably contains some of the freshest rhymes one might have heard around the time of its release. There are more than enough obscure but fun references (i.e. \"quick to whip up a script like Rod Serling\" on \"Go with the Flow\" or \"MCs, ya style needs Velamints\" on \"Dead Bent\") and quotable jewels from the \"on-the-mike Rain Man\" to feed on. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNevertheless, one would be hard-pressed to overlook the low-budget mixing that mars some of the LP's presentation. For the hardcore Doom fans, the recorded-in-the-basement quality is appealing and representative of his persona as the underdog who \"came to destroy rap.\" In contrast, given his contributions to hip-hop during the 2000s, the masked villain offers this explanation on \"Doomsday\": \"Definition: supervillain\/A killer who loves children\/One who is well-skilled in destruction as well as buildin'.\" Even though this album is certainly not for everyone, you can easily respect from where the man is coming. — (via \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.allmusic.com\/album\/operation-doomsday-mw0000068448\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eAllMusic\u003c\/a\u003e)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"100%\" height=\"152\" style=\"border-radius: 12px;\" src=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/embed\/album\/5bjUbZPVTEQcb6W3LquX1E?utm_source=generator\u0026amp;theme=0\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" allow=\"autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture\" loading=\"lazy\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e↓\u003cbr\u003eLabel: Rhymesayers Entertainment, Metal Face Records\u003cbr\u003eFormat: 2x Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue\u003cbr\u003eCountry: US\u003cbr\u003eReissued: 2023 \/ Original Release: Oct 19, 1999\u003cbr\u003eGenre: Hip Hop\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFile under: Hip Hop 90s\u003cbr\u003e⦿\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Metal Face \/ Rhymesayers","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43303823671454,"sku":"826257035219","price":60.0,"currency_code":"SGD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0584\/5434\/3838\/products\/146a9ad3-8143-45d5-a686-718fde30977b.jpg?v=1709978979"},{"product_id":"a-tribe-called-quest-midnight-marauders-2023-reissue","title":"A Tribe Called Quest – Midnight Marauders (2023 Reissue)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eMidnight Marauders \u003c\/em\u003eis the third album by hip hop group A Tribe Called Quest, originally released in 1993 on Jive Records. It was released two years after A Tribe Called Quest's second album, \u003cem\u003eThe Low End Theory\u003c\/em\u003e. and was seen by many fans and critics as a classic jazz rap album alongside \u003cem\u003eThe Low End Theory\u003c\/em\u003e. Though the abstract rappers finally betrayed a few commercial ambitions for Midnight Marauders, the happy result was a smart, hooky record that may not have furthered the jazz-rap fusions of The Low End Theory, but did merge Tribe-style intelligence and reflection with some of the most inviting grooves heard on any early-'90s rap record.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe productions, more funky than jazzy, were tighter overall -- but the big improvement, four years after their debut, came with Q-Tip's and Phife Dawg's raps. Focused yet funky, polished but raw, the duo was practically telepathic on \"Steve Biko (Stir It Up)\" and \"The Chase, Pt. 2,\" though the mammoth track here was the pop hit \"Award Tour.\" A worldwide call-out record with a killer riff and a great pair of individual raps from the pair, it assured that \u003cem\u003eMidnight Marauders \u003c\/em\u003ewould become A Tribe Called Quest's biggest seller. —(via AllMusic)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"100%\" height=\"152\" style=\"border-radius: 12px;\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/embed\/album\/4v5x3Oo3UjQ9YmF3hRAip5?utm_source=generator\" allow=\"autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e↓\u003cbr\u003eLabel: Jive\u003cbr\u003eFormat: Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue, Repress\u003cbr\u003eCountry: US\u003cbr\u003eReissued: 2023 \/ Original Release: Nov 9, 1993\u003cbr\u003eGenre: Hip Hop\u003cbr\u003eStyle: Conscious, Boom Bap\u003cbr\u003e⦿\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFile under: Hip-hop \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Jive Records","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43960428167326,"sku":"012414149015","price":48.0,"currency_code":"SGD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0584\/5434\/3838\/files\/ab67616d0000b273f306af1dae08f81f9d6f1f9f.jpg?v=1718103268"},{"product_id":"charizma-peanut-butter-wolf-big-shots-coloured-vinyl","title":"Charizma \u0026 Peanut Butter Wolf - Big Shots (Coloured vinyl)","description":"\u003cp\u003e— Pressed on \"Apple Juice\" colored vinyl,  a tribute to Charizma's drink of choice. —\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eBig Shots \u003c\/em\u003eis a tragic album. Not because the material is bad (it's quite the opposite, actually), but because it was recorded between 1991-1993 and only saw release in 2003. Add the fact that Charizma wasn't alive to witness the release and one can see the remorse that comes with the joy of it finally appearing. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe story goes that DJ Chris Cut (aka Peanut Butter Wolf) and Charizma, friends and musical partners, recorded a bunch of tracks for Hollywood Basic and that label sat on it and didn't put anything out (save for a promo cassette single), and then Charizma passed in 1993. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePeanut Butter Wolf then inaugurated his Stones Throw label with the My World Premiere 12\" in 1996 and planned for a release of the full-length. Though there have been little tastes here and there (\"Devotion\" has surfaced a couple times) due to the success of the label and its roster, it took ten years for this release to materialize. The style is very early-'90s hip-hop. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHere listeners get to witness Peanut Butter Wolf's production skills totally taking off - jazz samples and big beats slam in and out of focus in a simple yet perfected way that few producers employ today (DJ Premier comes to mind). Charizma then bops around in there with his own distinct voice that adds a warmth and innocence also missing from contemporary tracks. It's just a shame that this material didn't blow up in 1992 or 1993. Now, it's a historical document not unlike the Smithsonian Folkways releases; OK, maybe that's going too far, but it is a treasure that should be cherished by hip-hop fans the world over. — (via \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.allmusic.com\/album\/big-shots-mw0000328947\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eAllMusic\u003c\/a\u003e)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e—\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCharles Hicks, a.k.a. Charizma was from the San Jose suburb of Milpitas, 16 years old when he hooked up with 19-year-old Chris Cut, the soon-to-be Peanut Butter Wolf. Fast forward three years or so, past a few demo tapes and a few shows. Charizma and Peanut Butter Wolf are now a solid team developing their own style and sound, one unlike much else in hip hop, and certainly unlike anything else ever to come from Milpitas. They landed themselves a record deal with the Disney-owned Hollywood Basics label and for the next year they'd both follow a strict regiment of making music all day long, taking breaks for pinball and apple juice. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter recording about an album's worth of material, the only thing released was a promo cassette of their song \"Right Light Green Light.\" The group got out of their deal with Hollywood Basics, and the label soon folded. As artists, Charizma and PB Wolf were still reaching new heights, but the music was soon cut short. Charizma was tragically killed in December 1993. Charizma didn't live to see Stones Throw records but his influence is evident. The label's first release was Charizma \u0026amp; Peanut Butter Wolf's \"My World Premiere.\" The belated full-length album \u003cem\u003eBig Shots\u003c\/em\u003e followed in 2003. — (via \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/getondown.com\/products\/big-shots-colored-2xlp?srsltid=AfmBOooJlSE729TUaczWrX6R7MHLVlHc34K7JsX6gn8lE54MF3Kb09QU\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eGet On Down\u003c\/a\u003e)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"100%\" height=\"352\" style=\"border-radius: 12px;\" data-testid=\"embed-iframe\" src=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/embed\/album\/5RosKCtF8yOxkdbE0pytph?utm_source=generator\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" allow=\"autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture\" loading=\"lazy\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e↓\u003cbr\u003eLabel: Stones Throw Record\u003cbr\u003eFormat: 2 x Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue, Apple juice colour\u003cbr\u003eReissued: 2018 \/ Original: 2003\u003cbr\u003eGenre: Hip Hop\u003cbr\u003eStyle: Rap\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFile under: Hip Hop\u003cbr\u003e⦿\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Stones Throw Records","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45870315569310,"sku":"659457207717","price":60.0,"currency_code":"SGD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0584\/5434\/3838\/files\/a_2e40d52d-ac92-48a9-969d-a41588ad59ed.jpg?v=1755094914"},{"product_id":"quasimoto-yessir-whatever-silver-cover-and-coloured-vinyl","title":"Quasimoto - Yessir Whatever (Silver cover and coloured vinyl)","description":"\u003cp\u003eWith his high-pitched voice, his weird, smart-ass stance, and his preference to conversate with others rather than just rap, producer\/rapper Madlib's alter-ego Quasimoto has always seemed the little-brother of the Parliament-Funkadelic character, Sir Nose D’Voidoffunk. Previous albums walked this character through a landscape of shrooms, weed, and chopped-up jazz-funk that were some of the most cherished beats in the Madlib catalog, and with these strange, mothership connections all strung together in a sensible style, this animated, snout-nosed smoker has some bona fide classics in his back catalog, making this merely good set look like a serious drop-off. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eYessir Whatever\u003c\/em\u003e suffers from being disjointed and a bit too much like a sketchbook, but the album is pulled together from 12 years of archival recordings, some of them previously released on rare comps and out-of-print vinyl. The bud smoker's anthem \"Sparkdala\" and the pro-weed, anti-money roller \"Green Power\" are both fully fleshed out highlights landing here in their original mixes, while the great B-side \"Seasons Change\" gets its proper home here, standing tall on the album level with its breezy, '60s-styled rumination on the passage of time. \"Seasons Change\" is also a prime example of the album's biggest frustration in that the rich cut is aggravatingly short, while many of the new cuts feel unfinished and chopped, offering fascinating grooves and complicated sonic landscapes that deserve more hang time. Bundle them together and things get real choppy. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStill, Lord Quas started as a secret project where only friends received private tapes, so if \u003cem\u003eYessir Whatever\u003c\/em\u003e seems too extra and too insider, it's totally within the project's spirit. Don't start here, but material-starved fans who have devoured earlier efforts will welcome this like a bag of scraggly \"get-by\" weed found during a drought. — (via \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.allmusic.com\/album\/yessir-whatever-mw0002515701\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eAllMusic\u003c\/a\u003e)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e—\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eYessir Whatever\u003c\/em\u003e isn't an odds-and-ends consolation prize-- it's an interesting cross-section of Madlib's personal archives, and its scattershot nature is more a stylistic matter than a quality-control issue. The 12 songs on the album were written and recorded over a span of about a dozen years, going back at least as far as being concurrent with the earliest Lootpack releases (at least if the 1997 lyrical datestamp on “Brothers Can't See Me” is any indication). And even the earliest material here has that certain imprint that made the Quasimoto records so offbeat: mood-whiplash sequencing, tape-deck-quality fidelity with Jeep-quality beats, and rhymes that sound like a down-for-whatever stoner verbally sparring with the cartoon devil on his shoulder.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat familiar pitched-up voice starts the record on 2004's thousand-copy single “Broad Factor”, which opens with a declaration that “I know you're tired of dumb shit” and then goes on for a couple of verses about how good he is at getting his bone on. This isn't Madlib at his most esoteric: the beat's sourced from Johnny “Guitar” Watson's endlessly sampled “Superman Lover\", and even if the sex rhymes are fiendishly true to his alter-ego's altered id, they're also more slick than outrageous. Not to knock it, of course; Madlib's nearly as raw in classicist mode as he is when he lets his psychedelic\/jazzbo inclinations take over. But the more off-the-path work he did in the early-mid 2000s has a strength that stretches far past pretty-good indie rap into the stuff that cults are made of, and it's that prime material from assorted limited-edition 7” releases and EPs that'll be the draw here.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Seasons Change” was axed from Further Adventures when a Roy Ayers sample didn't clear in time, and what could've been the best cut on that album was relegated to the B-side of a “Bullysh!t” 7” released on the one-off label Lord Inamel's Wax in 2005. It's brought back here in full, a smooth-fusion lost classic that trades on a good vibes\/bad vibes dichotomy and includes one of the better self-descriptions of the Madlib aesthetic going (“Top choice, low rate, no gate, high voice\/ It's like we dipped the beat in water now we up on moist”). “The Front” and “Youngblood” were the respective A and B-sides of a 2005 Stones Throw Fan Club 45, and they fill the bill by emphasizing Madlib's own voice muttering restrained stress raps coolly through smooth jazz gone warped from repeated exposure to foundation-rattling low end. And going back a few years to 2002's Astronaut EP unearths a title track that, true to Quasimoto tradition, riffs off some Melvin Van Peebles Ain't Supposed to Die a Natural Death gems and careens disorientingly between three different voices-- Madlib, Quas and the sampled Van Peebles-- to jarringly conversational effect. There's also one of the best-spit lines you'll ever hear from Madlib's voice, pitched-up or otherwise; the way he rattles off “wouldn't be no more angel to me... anyway” is a surprising salvo of acrobatic flow from a helium voice that usually sounds casually flippant.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA good part of this collection trades a bit on the mythology of those seldom-heard early Quasimoto experiments of the late 90s, when it was just stuff Madlib kept between himself and a few friends who were privy to his beat tapes. And while there's nothing revelatory production-wise if you've heard Lootpack's Soundpieces: Da Antidote, there's a little workshopper's insight in these protoypes for The Unseen-caliber bluntedness. They're a bit more focused (and less attention-grabbing) than ensuing years' choppy, non-sequitur-filled Quasimoto joints, rolling off a sound that aims to synthesize East Coast boom-bap into something a bit more sun-baked. The sleepy guitar loop on “Planned Attack” and the squeaky synthesizer whistle on “Brothers Can't See Me” are, along with his nothing-fancy scratching, the only things really brought in to accompany the breaks. But the drums are heavy enough and smartly assembled to the point that Madlib's foundation was clearly already pretty strong. And even if the spare, downbeat early draft of “Green Power” here doesn't measure up to the intricate, layered bop-bounce of the Unseen version, it still doesn't sound like much that was going on back in the late '90s-- and it was actually enough to start building one of the most voracious cult fanbases in hip-hop, so here we are. This isn't the new Quas album people might've hoped for, but as someone who values the obscure and underheard in other peoples' work, it's good to know Madlib has the same context, respect, and enthusiasm for his own vaults, too. — (via \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pitchfork.com\/reviews\/albums\/18173-quasimoto-yessir-whatever\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003ePitchfork\u003c\/a\u003e)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"100%\" height=\"352\" style=\"border-radius: 12px;\" data-testid=\"embed-iframe\" src=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/embed\/album\/6jnkEgtcxePHtbay62bota?utm_source=generator\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" allow=\"autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture\" loading=\"lazy\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e↓\u003cbr\u003eLabel: Stones Throw Record\u003cbr\u003eFormat: Vinyl, LP, Compilation, Reissue, Silver Sticker Cover\u003cbr\u003eReissued: 2025 \/ Original: 2013\u003cbr\u003eGenre: Hip Hop\u003cbr\u003eStyle: Rap, Conscious\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFile under: Hip Hop\u003cbr\u003e⦿\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Stones Throw Records","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45870329430174,"sku":"657457232616","price":55.0,"currency_code":"SGD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0584\/5434\/3838\/files\/aa.png?v=1755096474"},{"product_id":"kendrick-lamar-to-pimp-a-butterfly-10th-anniversary-version","title":"Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp A Butterfly (10th Anniversary version)","description":"\u003cp\u003eOne of the most acclaimed artists of his generation, hip-hop or otherwise, Kendrick Lamar is known for his top-tier lyricism, virtuosic microphone command, and sharp conceptual vision. His talents have translated to a rare combination of continuous chart feats and critical acclaim, plus respect and support from the rappers who paved the way for his advancement. The Compton native started in his teens and hit his creative and commercial stride in the 2010s, during which he authored the multi-platinum good kid, m.A.A.d city (2012), followed up with the Grammy-winning \u003cem\u003eTo Pimp a Butterfly\u003c\/em\u003e (2015), and scaled another new height with the Grammy- and Pulitzer Prize-winning\u003cem\u003e DAMN\u003c\/em\u003e. (2017). All three displayed an unmatched mix of inventive wordplay and riveting narratives with an assertion of artistic dominance, examination of internal conflict, and upliftment of community all centered. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBecoming an adult ultimately means accepting one's imperfections, unimportance, and mortality, but that doesn't mean we stop striving for the ideal, a search that's so at the center of our very being that our greatest works of art celebrate it, and often amplify it. Anguish and despair rightfully earn more Grammys, Emmys, Tonys, and Pulitzer Prizes than sweetness and light ever do, but West Coast rapper Kendrick Lamar is already on elevated masterwork number two, so expect his version of the sobering truth to sound like a party at points. He's aware, as Bilal sings here, that \"Shit don't change 'til you get up and wash your ass,\" and don't it feel good? The sentiment is universal, but the viewpoint on his second LP is inner-city and African-American, as radio regulars like the Isley Brothers (sampled to perfection during the key track \"I\"), George Clinton (who helps make \"Wesley's Theory\" a cross between \"Atomic Dog\" and Dante's Inferno), and Dr. Dre (who literally phones his appearance in) put the listener in Lamar's era of Compton, just as well as Lou Reed took us to New York and Brecht took us to Weimar Republic Berlin.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese G-funky moments are incredibly seductive, which helps usher the listener through the album's 80-minute runtime, plus its constant mutating (Pharrell productions, spoken word, soul power anthems, and sound collages all fly by, with few tracks ending as they began), much of it influenced, and sometimes assisted by, producer Flying Lotus and his frequent collaborator Thundercat. \"u\" sounds like an MP3 collection deteriorating, while the broken beat of the brilliant \"Momma\" will challenge the listener's balance, and yet, Lamar is such a prodigiously talented and seductive artist, his wit, wisdom, and wordplay knock all these stray molecules into place. Survivor's guilt, realizing one's destiny, and a Snoop Dogg performance of Doggystyle caliber are woven among it all; plus, highlights offer that Parliament-Funkadelic-styled subversion, as \"The Blacker the Berry\" (\"The sweeter the juice\") offers revolutionary slogans and dips for the hip. Free your mind, and your ass will follow, and at the end of this beautiful black berry, there's a miraculous \"talk\" between Kendrick and the legendary 2Pac, as the brutalist trailblazer mentors this profound populist. \u003cem\u003eTo Pimp a Butterfly\u003c\/em\u003e is as dark, intense, complicated, and violent as Picasso's Guernica, and should hold the same importance for its genre and the same beauty for its intended audience. — (via \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.allmusic.com\/album\/to-pimp-a-butterfly-mw0002835159\"\u003eAllMusic\u003c\/a\u003e)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"100%\" height=\"352\" style=\"border-radius: 12px;\" data-testid=\"embed-iframe\" src=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/embed\/album\/7ycBtnsMtyVbbwTfJwRjSP?utm_source=generator\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" allow=\"autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture\" loading=\"lazy\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e↓\u003cbr\u003eLabel: Top Dawg Entertainment, Interscope Records\u003cbr\u003eFormat: 2 x Vinyl, LP, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue\u003cbr\u003eReissued: 2025 \/ Original Release: 2015\u003cbr\u003eGenre: Hip Hop, Jazz, Funk \/ Soul\u003cbr\u003eStyle: Rap, Conscious, Jazzy Hip-Hop, Experimental\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFile under: Hip-hop 2000 \u0026amp; beyond\u003cbr\u003e⦿\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Top Dawg Entertainment","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45870344929438,"sku":"602478091186","price":70.0,"currency_code":"SGD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0584\/5434\/3838\/files\/a_9f028e0c-0ceb-4262-8d16-575af6048665.jpg?v=1755097113"},{"product_id":"tyler-the-creator-chromakopia-white-deluxe-edition","title":"Tyler, the Creator - CHROMAKOPIA (White Deluxe Edition)","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe Grammy-winning US rapper pits soul-searching against some killer tunes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOver the course of his past four albums, rapper Tyler, the Creator has traded his edgy teenage Odd Future persona – and homophobic rhymes – for a more nuanced and expansive skillset, with frequent nods to a more fluid sexuality. Cue hits – and Grammys. At once hard-hitting and emotionally disarming, CHROMAKOPIA doubles down on three major themes: maturing (or not), the act of mask-wearing, and Tyler’s angsty relationship with fame. The opening triptych packs a punch, making the bold claim, on \u003cem\u003eRah Tah Tah\u003c\/em\u003e, that Tyler is “the biggest out the city after Kenny” (Kendrick Lamar). The superlative\u003cem\u003e Noid\u003c\/em\u003e nods towards a Black Sabbath riff while detailing Tyler’s fear of fan behaviour.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTurning inwards, a deceptively lovey-dovey\u003cem\u003e Darling, I\u003c\/em\u003e makes plain that Tyler is not built for commitment, but manages to spin immaturity with convincing vulnerability. Would not having children be a blessing – or a missed opportunity to grow (Tomorrow)? On \u003cem\u003eHey Jane\u003c\/em\u003e, Tyler talks through a pregnancy with emotionally intelligent ambivalence, recalling OutKast’s \u003cem\u003eMs Jackson\u003c\/em\u003e. \u003cem\u003eLike Him\u003c\/em\u003e airs conflicted feelings about his estranged father to a piano-led cut featuring one of many cameos by Tyler’s mother, Bonita Smith, who also appeared on his 2021 LP, \u003cem\u003eCall Me If You Get Lost\u003c\/em\u003e. It all makes for an album that balances candour with artfulness and some unequivocally banging tunes. — (via \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/music\/2024\/nov\/01\/tyler-the-creator-chromakopia-review-candour-meets-artfulness\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eThe Guardian\u003c\/a\u003e)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e—\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTyler, the Creator Turns His Struggles into a Dazzling Display on CHROMAKOPIA.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTyler, the Creator’s solo catalog charts out quite a journey. Starting out as something of a shock-rap troll — getting banned from performing in certain countries, using an image of some well-pissed pants as album art, embracing the edgiest side of his humor —  the enigmatic rapper has spent the latter half of his career proving just how creative and surprisingly sensitive he really is. It’s as if to say, “I can take this shit seriously and do it better than all of you.” His new album\u003cem\u003e CHROMAKOPIA\u003c\/em\u003e makes a strong case that he really can.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf \u003cem\u003eIGOR\u003c\/em\u003e was Tyler’s high-concept experiment and \u003cem\u003eCALL ME IF YOU GET LOST\u003c\/em\u003e was the more accessible reintroduction of Tyler, the Man, \u003cem\u003eCHROMAKOPIA\u003c\/em\u003e falls somewhere in the middle. Produced entirely by Tyler himself, the album embraces the sonic wildness of his 2019 character study while offering verses as vulnerable as those from songs like “Wilshire.” He might be wearing a mask on the album artwork, but the artist spends the album’s 53 minutes doing everything in his power to take it off.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter the braggadocios, whisper-rapped intro “St. Chroma,” Tyler goes on to explore various corners of his psyche: the lust that drives him, his fear of an uncertain future, and the origins of his feelings and behaviors. With such a focus on his identity, it’s no surprise that a foundational inspiration for the album was the advice his mother would offer a disinterested Tyler as a child and young adult. “Now that I’m 33, all that stuff is like, ‘oh, that’s what the fuck she was talking about,’” Tyler said during the CHROMAKOPIA listening party. — (via \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/consequence.net\/2024\/10\/tyler-the-creator-chromakopia-album-review\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eConsequence of Sound\u003c\/a\u003e)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"100%\" height=\"352\" style=\"border-radius: 12px;\" data-testid=\"embed-iframe\" src=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/embed\/album\/0U28P0QVB1QRxpqp5IHOlH?utm_source=generator\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" allow=\"autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture\" loading=\"lazy\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/gkZ4dLMH-B8?si=lxwpfW_qQYj_NbWB\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e↓\u003cbr\u003eLabel: Columbia, Sony Music \u003cbr\u003eFormat: 2 x Vinyl, LP, Album, Deluxe Edition, Reissue, Stereo, White\u003cbr\u003eReleased: 2025\u003cbr\u003eGenre: Hip Hop, Jazz, Funk \/ Soul\u003cbr\u003eStyle: Rap, Neo Soul, Contemporary R\u0026amp;B\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFile under: Hip Hop\u003cbr\u003e⦿\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Columbia \/ Sony Music","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46180031529118,"sku":"198029264616","price":60.0,"currency_code":"SGD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0584\/5434\/3838\/files\/a_84dd641f-daaf-418f-b042-b8ac8b5a1e7f.jpg?v=1762788468"},{"product_id":"little-simz-lotus","title":"Little Simz – Lotus","description":"\u003cp\u003eA raw reckoning from rap’s quiet warrior. The rapper strips back the polish for her most vulnerable, soul-searching project yet – one that hits hard.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlthough lotuses symbolise rebirth, Little Simz isn’t being “born again” on her sixth album. Instead, she’s peeling back layers, exposing the bruised psyche of an artist in recovery from emotional betrayal and now finding a way back to herself. After a flawless trilogy with \u003cem\u003eGrey Area\u003c\/em\u003e (2019), \u003cem\u003eSometimes I Might Be Introvert\u003c\/em\u003e (2021) and \u003cem\u003eNo Thank You\u003c\/em\u003e (2022), Simz has become synonymous with refined, thoughtful hip-hop. But \u003cem\u003eLotus\u003c\/em\u003e dials down the grandeur in favour of raw, sometimes uncomfortable introspection. It’s a heavy listen – not for lack of quality, but for how deeply personal it gets.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is also her first release without longtime producer InFlo – who she’s currently suing for over £1million in unpaid debts. There’s clearly more to that story than we’ll ever know, but ‘Lotus’ feels like the fallout: the sound of Simz clawing herself out of creative limbo and finding her voice again.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHer voice growls on ‘Thief’, as twangy bass underscores a brutal takedown of a pivotal figure in her career. “That’s what abusers do \/ Make you think you’re crazy and second-guess your every move,” she spits with a new venom-soaked bite that’s more ferocious than we’ve ever heard from her before. There’s no room for euphemism here – each bar lands like a final nail in the coffin as the deceptively sweet hook rings through. This ominousness oozes into ‘Flood’, but soon, this defiant anger softens, injecting ‘Young’ and ‘Free’ with levity and pulling her back before rage fully takes over.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf \u003cem\u003eLotus\u003c\/em\u003e isn’t about revival, it’s definitely about redemption. After burning the bridge with her manipulator, Simz bolsters her hard-won confidence with ‘Lion’ and ‘Enough’. These funky, percolated cuts revel in funk and highlife, swiftly turning into affirmations. On ‘Lion’, Simz calls herself a young Lauryn Hill while Obongjayar warns others of the duo’s greatness.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e‘Enough’ is one for the resilient, self-assured Black girls as she raps, “You didn’t know I is that girl \/ I am an electric black girl,” while daring anyone to test her credibility. But Simz’s boastfulness peaks on the titular track where, alongside Yusef Dayes and Michael Kiwanuka, she vows to never dim her light again. “You brought that woman to a low \/ I might amplify her,” she raps with newfound clarity. “Like dew from a flower, I see the break of dawn.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut the heart of ‘Lotus’ lies in its quiet moments. ‘Only’ is a lush, jazzy song that shows the evolution of Simz’s signature style. Soul-soothing notes blanket her observant and eloquent tales across the album, this one focusing on an indulgent and overwhelming love, as the pillowy vocals of Jungle’s Lydia Kitto ground the song in warmth and serenity. Then there’s ‘Lonely’, the album’s true emotional epicentre. It’s heavy, harrowing, and heartbreakingly honest as Simz has nowhere to hide on the revealing song, realising how powerful her own autonomy is: “I was lonely making an album \/ Till I realised I’m all I needed to get through.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eLotus\u003c\/em\u003e isn’t always an easy listen, and sometimes the truths in its bars feel more like diary entries than rap lyrics, but maybe that’s its purpose. Across 13 tracks, Simz sifts through grief, pressure, burnout and spiritual reckoning with a vulnerability that is admirable, making it among her most important works emotionally rather than sonically. Here, Simz is stripped to the root, healing in real time. Raw, flawed and deeply human – this is what blooming really sounds like. — (via NME)\u003cbr\u003e—\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLittle Simz’s \u003cem\u003eLotus\u003c\/em\u003e is the music-industry equivalent of a slash-and-burn harvest, where once-fertile land is razed and set ablaze, flooding the soil with nutrients. Simz started and scrapped four different full-length projects between \u003cem\u003eLotus\u003c\/em\u003e and the release of NO THANK YOU in 2022. With new producer Miles Clinton James at the helm of \u003cem\u003eLotus\u003c\/em\u003e, she puts her interpersonal issues on display with a sometimes deft touch; it’s a thorough excavation of the graveyard of one’s ego and closest relationships.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn past albums, Simz’s topical scope has been vast, with varying degrees of success: she hip-fired at the music industry’s exploitation of Black artistry on NO THANK YOU and probed her psyche on 2021’s Sometimes I Might Be Introvert. Within those expansive arcs, the strongest moments were when Simz took aim at specific targets, whether external or internal. It’s that energy that makes the opener \"Thief\" an invigorating entry point. Her plainspoken, tempered tone pops with personality, making her strongest musings land with the impact of an exploding bullet.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJames, who previously produced for the London-based band Kokoroko, handles all 13 tracks on \u003cem\u003eLotus\u003c\/em\u003e. Largely forgoing the cinematic flair of Simz’s previous records, James surrounds her voice with unfussy arrangements that draw from jazz, afrobeat, and rock. It’s a difficult balance but they manage, more or less. What’s clear on \u003cem\u003eLotus\u003c\/em\u003e is that Simz hasn’t closed herself off to the world. Cameos from Sampha, rapper Wretch 32, and Michael Kiwanuka (who has also worked closely with SAULT) raise the album’s ceiling, marking the welcome return of a collaborative ethos after NO THANK YOU.\u003cspan style=\"font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;\"\u003e — (via \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pitchfork.com\/reviews\/albums\/little-simz-lotus\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" style=\"font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;\"\u003ePitchfork\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;\"\u003e)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"100%\" height=\"352\" style=\"border-radius: 12px;\" data-testid=\"embed-iframe\" src=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/embed\/album\/0ofdTvYtx4LpsVjemJt71X?utm_source=generator\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" allow=\"autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture\" loading=\"lazy\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/goChcI7lH0o?si=GniYJZit511i1g9W\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/GvrNPiz7rHw?si=FKFslEQw5tI_OPXf\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/s07gWh37Xcc?si=DaHJMtH00qlegmr1\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e↓\u003cbr\u003eLabel: AWAL Recordings Ltd \u003cbr\u003eFormat: 2 x Vinyl, LP, Album, Gatefold\u003cbr\u003eReleased: 2025\u003cbr\u003eGenre: Hip Hop, Funk \/ Soul\u003cbr\u003eStyle: Rap, Female Vocals\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFile under: Hip Hop\u003cbr\u003e⦿\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"AWAL Recordings","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46238590271646,"sku":"5056167180982","price":60.0,"currency_code":"SGD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0584\/5434\/3838\/files\/R-34165663-1750702970-9048.jpg?v=1764409929"},{"product_id":"beastie-boys-ill-communication","title":"Beastie Boys – Ill Communication","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eIll Communication\u003c\/em\u003e is the fourth studio album by the Beastie Boys. It was originally released in 1994 by Grand Royal Records. Co-produced by Beastie Boys and Mario C and featuring the singles \"Sabotage\", \"Get It Together\", \"Sure Shot\", and \"Root Down\". — (via \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/shopus.beastieboys.com\/collections\/vinyl\/products\/ill-communication-lp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eLabel\u003c\/a\u003e)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e—\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eIll Communication\u003c\/em\u003e follows the blueprint of \u003cem\u003eCheck Your Head\u003c\/em\u003e, accentuating it at some points, deepening it in others, but never expanding it beyond the boundaries of that record. As such, it's the first Beastie Boys album not to delve into new territory, but it's not fair to say that it finds the band coasting, since much of the album finds the group turning in muscular, vigorous music that fills out the black-and-white sketches that comprised \u003cem\u003eCheck Your Head\u003c\/em\u003e. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMuch of the credit has to go to the group's renewed confidence in - or at least renewed emphasis on - their rhyming; there are still instrumentals (arguably, there are too many instrumentals), but the Beasties do push their words to the forefront, even on dense rockers like the album's signature tune, \"Sabotage.\" \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut even those rhymes illustrate that the group is in the process of a great settling, relying more on old-school-styled rhyme schemes and word battles than the narratives and surreal fantasies that marked the high points on their first two albums. With this record, the Beasties confirm that there is indeed a signature Beastie Boys aesthetic (it's too far-ranging and restless to be pegged as a signature sound), with the group sticking to a blend of old school rap, pop culture, lo-fi funk, soulful jazz instrumentals, Latin rhythms, and punk, often seamlessly integrated into a rolling, pan-cultural, multi-cultural groove. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe best moments of\u003cem\u003e Ill Communication\u003c\/em\u003e rank with the best music the Beasties have ever made, as well as the best pop music of the '90s.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe first half overflows with brilliant, imaginative variations on their aesthetic: the assured groove of \"Sure Shot,\" the warped rap of \"B-Boys Makin' With the Freak Freak,\" the relentless dirty funk of \"Root Down,\" the monumental \"Sabotage,\" and the sly \"Get It Together,\" highlighted by a cameo from Q-Tip of A Tribe Called Quest. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter that, the album seems to lose its sense of direction and momentum, even if individual moments are very good. Any record that can claim jams as funky and inventive as \"Flute Loop\" and \"Do It,\" or instrumentals as breezy as \"Ricky's Theme,\" is certainly better than its competition, but there are just enough moments that rank as obvious filler to slow its flow, and to keep it from standing proudly next to \u003cem\u003eCheck Your Head\u003c\/em\u003e as a wholly successful record. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEven if it is a little uneven, it still boasts more than its fair share of splendid, transcendent music, and it really only pales in comparison to the Beasties' trio of classic records. By any other measure, this is a near-masterpiece, and it is surely a highlight of '90s alternative pop\/rock. — (via \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.allmusic.com\/album\/ill-communication-mw0000624379\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eAllMusic\u003c\/a\u003e)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e—\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Beastie Boys’ expanded reissue campaign rolls on. Here, the underrated follow-up to Check Your Head is built out with quality B-sides and remixes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy 1994, the Beastie Boys were a lot closer to 30 than they were to 20, and it’s not much of a stretch to interpret their fourth album as a growing-up phase of sorts. Where \u003cem\u003eCheck Your Head\u003c\/em\u003e was a jam session turned venting process turned crossover success, \u003cem\u003eIll Communication\u003c\/em\u003e is the album that let them infuse their turn towards sincerity with a renewed sense of playfulness, solidifying their transition from the gleefully exaggerated bad-boy anarchists of their first two albums to a trio of (slightly) more mature, trend-setting enthusiasts. It’s as if they took stock in their history, realized they were past the point of having to prove anything, said what the hell, and decided to throw their whole repertoire into the album.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eConsidering the record was assembled over a comparatively brief six-month span, it’s an ideal, condensed snapshot of the Boys’ genuine interests and cultural obsessions, whether they were spiritual (Buddhism), musical (late-’60s\/early-’70s soul-jazz) or recreational (no less than three members of the 1993-94 Knicks get shout-outs). It’s the Beasties at their most lifestyle-savvy, though they came across less like opportunistic youth marketers and more like the idiosyncratic hipsters they’d always been. (Remember, this was in 1994, before “hipster” was a pejorative.)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTheir lyrical personalities are a bit more distinct, too, even as they keep up their traditional mic-passing back-and-forth rapport: MCA’s the pistol-smashing, anti-misogynist, spiritual one, who gets a couple of solo joints to mull over the decaying state of the world (“The Update”) and espouse upon his Buddhism (“Bodhisattva Vow”). Mike D’s the instigator of analog throwbacks (“I’m still listening to wax, I’m not using the CD”), working-class style (“I’m shopping at Sears ’cause I don’t buy at the Gap”) and B-boy golf chic (“Pass me an iron and I’ll bust a chip shot\/Then you throw me off the green ’cause I’m strictly hip-hop”). And Ad-Rock’s the irreverent name-dropper who compares himself to everyone from underground cartoonist Vaughn Bode to Moog pioneer Dick Hyman in the process of big-upping his microphone technique. But even amidst all the Gen-X cool-hunting and social-conscience soul-searching the Beasties were undertaking at the time, \u003cem\u003eIll Communication\u003c\/em\u003e rings true because it stands as one of their most dedicated engagements with hip-hop culture. They’re game as far as actual lyricism goes; even if they’re a half-step behind the dizzying, rapid-fire linguistic free-for-all of Paul’s Boutique, there’s enough quotables and inspired moments of limber beat-riding in tracks like “Sure Shot,” “Root Down,” and “Do It” to hold up. — (via \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pitchfork.com\/reviews\/albums\/13319-ill-communication-deluxe-edition\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003ePitchfork\u003c\/a\u003e)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e—\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRemastered and reissued on 2LP, 180g vinyl\u003cbr\u003eHoused in gatefold sleeve\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"100%\" height=\"352\" style=\"border-radius: 12px;\" data-testid=\"embed-iframe\" src=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/embed\/album\/6lfjbwFGzQ6aSNP1N3JlT8?utm_source=generator\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" allow=\"autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture\" loading=\"lazy\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e↓\u003cbr\u003eLabel: Capitol Records\u003cbr\u003eFormat: 2 x Vinyl, LP, Album, Remastered, Reissue, 180 gram, Gatefold\u003cbr\u003eReissued: 2009 \/ Originally Released: 1994\u003cbr\u003eGenre: Hip Hop, Rock\u003cbr\u003eStyle: Rap, Boom Bap, Punk, Jazzy Hip-Hop\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFile under: Hip Hop\u003cbr\u003e⦿\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Capitol Records","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46514772967582,"sku":"5099969423215","price":60.0,"currency_code":"SGD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0584\/5434\/3838\/files\/a2763112411_16.jpg?v=1771057728"},{"product_id":"death-grips-no-love-deep-web","title":"Death Grips – No Love Deep Web","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe 13 tracks on \u003cem\u003eNO LOVE DEEP WEB\u003c\/em\u003e thrive on paranoia and aggression, feelings threaded together by the sense that everything could be ending right now. For the second time in 2013, Death Grips have released a record that's both ruthless and rewarding.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor a moment, forget about the cock on the cover: The most arresting and totemic image of this week's Death Grips debacle and\/or coup actually arrived about five hours before the brazen California trio released its second major-label LP, \u003cem\u003eNO LOVE DEEP WEB\u003c\/em\u003e, online, for free and under an anything-goes Creative Commons license.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShirtless so as to expose the web of tattoos on his body, Death Grips frontman MC Ride stands with his back to the camera, his middle fingers foisted high and a cigarette tucked into his left hand. But he's balancing on a balcony, high up in what appears to be a rather well-furbished neighborhood, his toes hanging just over the ledge. He's tempting fate and taking the chance to make the strongest statement possible, even if he (and the photographer overhead) had to risk a fall to the death to get it. In fact, the only incident that might have given the riot-act release of \u003cem\u003eNO LOVE DEEP WEB\u003c\/em\u003e more currency in the media would have been an accidental death. At the very least, it would have kept at bay the conspiracy theorists calling Death Grips' Monday move a publicity stunt performed in conjunction with Epic Records. \"Too soon,\" you'd say.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt the risk of appearing moribund, that phenomenon of big stunts and instant exits largely defines \u003cem\u003eNO LOVE DEEP WEB\u003c\/em\u003e, not just in release style but also in musical makeup. These 13 tracks thrive on paranoia and aggression, feelings threaded together by the sense that everything could be ending right now. With his voice squeezed above a heavy thud and electro chirp, MC Ride rolls the dice again, as he did on the balcony's ledge: \"My life on a limb about to break.\" Across these 46 minutes, Ride creates a series of memento mori scenarios (and even goes so far as to invoke that phrase) and dares them to destroy him. As he puts it, \"Fuck this world\/ Fuck this body.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe record's most obvious example is \"World of Dogs\", which opens with the repetitive hook \"It's all suicide\" over Zach Hill's death-jazz drums. Crushed by its own quest for redemption, the grueling pace and noose-necked premise-  \"Die with me\/ Blow out the lights, take your life\/ Ride the falling sky with me\" - make the song more grim than most black metal in 2012. The hook of \"Lil Boy\" is an invitation to burn brighter and faster, while the mortality-obsessed and especially corrosive \"Lock Your Doors\" includes a falling-from-life scream convincing enough to be sampled from a horror film. A minute later, Ride pictures the flame of a candle like the sand slipping through the hourglass: \"Light the candle, burn the wax\/ Before me dies, in scorch uprise\/ Can't deny it, no way back.\" It's as if NO LOVE DEEP WEB was written and recorded knowing that its ultimate fate would either kill or catapult Death Grips. Essentially, the risk becomes the biggest reward. — (via \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pitchfork.com\/reviews\/albums\/17216-no-love-deep-web\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003ePitchfork\u003c\/a\u003e)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e—\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe second record Death Grips would drop in 2012 alongside their debut album is one I could only describe as weird, distant, and distorted.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eNo Love Deep Web\u003c\/em\u003e seems to go in a much more electronic direction, something I would generally prefer, but most of these songs also seem to carry this very slow pace to them. I'm not saying that the songs are slow as in that they're boringly slow, but the production contains a lot more building up compared to The Money Store, because that record usually throws you right into the madness. MC Ride himself seems to also be following much slower paced flows and hooks, and it also seems like he was going for a more slow, enchanting sound with his vocals. I think it's a pretty cool idea they went for and I definitely appreciate that they followed a consistent sound, but I don't think it carries nearly as high highs as The Money Store or Exmilitary as most of the high points on those two records carried more of an impact of kinds, where the highs on No Love have more enchanting melodies and production. It's undoubtedly an impressive effort from the band, but I just personally prefer when they're doing more insane stuff. Still really great though. — (via \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.albumoftheyear.org\/user\/turbulencessb\/album\/4006-no-love-deep-web\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eAOTY\u003c\/a\u003e)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"100%\" height=\"352\" style=\"border-radius: 12px;\" data-testid=\"embed-iframe\" src=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/embed\/album\/08aqY8lv4zx4uaqBUpMD8a?utm_source=generator\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" allow=\"autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture\" loading=\"lazy\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e↓\u003cbr\u003eLabel: Third Worlds \/ Harvest\u003cbr\u003eFormat: Vinyl, LP, Album\u003cbr\u003eReleased: 2013\u003cbr\u003eGenre: Hip Hop, Electronic\u003cbr\u003eStyle: Rap, Hardcore Hip-Hop, Experimental\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFile under: Hip-Hop\u003cbr\u003e⦿\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Third Worlds","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46514808946846,"sku":"602537531776","price":60.0,"currency_code":"SGD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0584\/5434\/3838\/files\/death-grips-no-love-deep-web-Cover-Art.jpg?v=1771060865"},{"product_id":"public-enemy-it-takes-a-nation-of-millions-to-hold-us-back","title":"Public Enemy – It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eYo! Bum Rush the Show\u003c\/em\u003e was an invigorating record, but it looks like child's play compared to its monumental sequel, \u003cem\u003eIt Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back\u003c\/em\u003e, a record that rewrote the rules of what hip-hop could do. That's not to say the album is without precedent, since what's particularly ingenious about the album is how it reconfigures things that came before into a startling, fresh, modern sound. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePublic Enemy used the template Run-D.M.C. created of a rap crew as a rock band, then brought in elements of free jazz, hard funk, even musique concrète, via their producing team, the Bomb Squad, creating a dense, ferocious sound unlike anything that came before. This coincided with a breakthrough in Chuck D's writing, both in his themes and lyrics. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt's not that Chuck D was smarter or more ambitious than his contemporaries - certainly, KRS-One tackled many similar sociopolitical tracts, while Rakim had a greater flow - but he marshaled considerable revolutionary force, clear vision, and a boundless vocabulary to create galvanizing, logical arguments that were undeniable in their strength. They only gained strength from Flavor Flav's frenzied jokes, which provided a needed contrast. What's amazing is how the words and music become intertwined, gaining strength from each other. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThough this music is certainly a representation of its time, it hasn't dated at all. It set a standard that few could touch then, and even fewer have attempted to meet since. — (via \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.allmusic.com\/album\/it-takes-a-nation-of-millions-to-hold-us-back-mw0000196315\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eAllMusic\u003c\/a\u003e)\u003cbr\u003e—\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePublic Enemy formed around Chuck’s gig at Adelphi’s student radio station, gaining momentum as he and his friends’ forays into rap music grew increasingly accomplished. Their squelching, skeletal “Public Enemy No. 1” won a fan in Def Jam co-founder Rick Rubin, kicking off a lengthy courtship of Chuck, sidekick Flavor Flav, DJ Terminator X and producers Hank Shocklee and Eric Sadler. Two years later, the group caved and signed with the label. A debut album (1987’s Yo! Bum Rush the Show) and a package tour with Run-D.M.C. and LL Cool J followed. The music was boldly gritty, if a touch late to the party, scooped by advances in landmark singles by Big Daddy Kane and Eric B. \u0026amp; Rakim released the same year. The live show was gripping, Chuck and Flav stalking the stage as “Minister of Information” Professor Griff cut in with searing political diatribes and the S1w’s, the group’s security detail, performed silent combat exercises with toy rifles in the background. It was black power theater. It shocked American audiences cold.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eNation\u003c\/em\u003e found a way to expound on the explosive soundscapes of the debut without exhausting listeners or cluttering the mix. Chuck, Sadler, and the Shocklee brothers’ production as the Bomb Squad was as thick as its source material was diverse; it was rap, soul, rock, funk and musique concrète all at once. “Most people were saying that rap music was noise,” Hank Shocklee told Rolling Stone in 1989, “and we decided, ‘If they think it’s noise, let’s show them noise.’” \"She Watch Channel Zero?!\" pulls its central riff from Slayer’s thrash classic “Angel of Death”. “Night of the Living Baseheads” outfits a stable of trusty James Brown samples with over a dozen assorted soul and rap tidbits and bridges, folding in elements of ESG’s “UFO” and David Bowie’s “Fame”. Snippets of legendary speeches from Jesse Jackson and Malcolm X and stage banter from Public Enemy’s successful European tour formed connective tissue between songs for a unified listening experience that only let up briefly in the middle and finally, at the end. The Bomb Squad built beats like ships in a bottle, delicately stitching tiny pieces of black history into layered blasts of sound. Public Enemy looked and sounded a fright to the uninitiated, but careful attention showed every piece of this black radical machine moving in perfect concert.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eNation of Millions\u003c\/em\u003e netted Public Enemy the elusive American audience and platinum sales their debut couldn’t, and it changed the face of rap music. The hip-hop landscape of ‘89-’90 was dotted with sample-heavy sons of Nation. Chuck sent early copies of the album out west to Dre and Ice Cube, and N.W.A.’s landmark Straight Outta Compton cropped up like a gangsta rap rejoinder to the Bomb Squad ethos. (Cube would later tap the team for production on his post-N.W.A. solo debut AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted.) De La Soul’s 3 Feet High and Rising and the Beastie Boys’ Paul’s Boutique added a playful, psychedelic charm to the proceedings. Nation’s message of black self-sufficiency resonated through the proudly Afrocentric art of A Tribe Called Quest, X Clan, Brand Nubian and more. Beyond the ’80s, the music of \u003cem\u003eNation of Millions\u003c\/em\u003e would continue to find new life in unexpected places: Weezer’s 1996 comeback single “El Scorcho” nicked its “I’m the epitome of public enemy” barb from “Don’t Believe the Hype,” and Jay-Z’s 2006 post-retirement salvo “Show Me What You Got” is a nod to \u003cem\u003eNation’s\u003c\/em\u003e “Show ‘Em Whatcha Got.” (Without Public Enemy we don’t get Kanye West; in addition to sampling the Long Island legends liberally, Kanye inherited a bit of his fearless politics and kitchen sink beat construction from here.) — (via \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pitchfork.com\/reviews\/albums\/19997-public-enemy-it-takes-a-nation-of-millions-to-hold-us-backfear-of-a-black-planet\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003ePitchfork\u003c\/a\u003e)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e—\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn making \u003cem\u003eNation Of Millions\u003c\/em\u003e, PE set out with the conscious aim of making their own What’s Going On – an album that, in keeping with their conception of rap as “the black CNN”, would communicate both widely and directly with black America; that would echo Marvin Gaye’s “Talk to me” plea not only in taking it to the streets, but taking it from there in the first place, acting as a conduit, a means to cohere, articulate, analyse and disseminate that reality.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey far surpassed this ambition. Which is not to say that \u003cem\u003eNation Of Millions\u003c\/em\u003e is necessarily the better album – although as a political piece, and a polemical one, it is in another league, one of its own making. Rather, that they created a new category; a thing that was sui generis. Nation Of Millions was not an updated or even upgraded version of something else. It was something else. Nobody had ever heard anything like it, because there never had been anything like it. PE approached hip hop as science, and made it into astounding art.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs it goes, PE’s next album, Fear Of A Black Planet, would come much closer to being a rap iteration of Gaye’s record. It also happens to be my favourite album of theirs, the one I find most musically satisfying as a whole; but there is no question in my mind that while Black Planetis also a masterpiece, \u003cem\u003eNation Of Millions\u003c\/em\u003e is much their most radical and important work. I can think of no rap albums that could challenge it on those counts, and very few of any other genre, either. It is one of the indisputable peaks of popular music. — (via \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/thequietus.com\/opinion-and-essays\/anniversary\/public-enemy-it-takes-a-nation-of-millions-to-hold-us-back-album-review-anniversary\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eThe Quietus\u003c\/a\u003e)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"100%\" height=\"352\" style=\"border-radius: 12px;\" data-testid=\"embed-iframe\" src=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/embed\/album\/1Rj1daFzMlYzLv7lJl14hz?utm_source=generator\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" allow=\"autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture\" loading=\"lazy\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e↓\u003cbr\u003eLabel: Def Jam Recordings\u003cbr\u003eFormat: Vinyl, LP, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue, Stereo, Yellow\u003cbr\u003eReissued: 2019 \/ Originally Released: 1988\u003cbr\u003eGenre: Hip Hop\u003cbr\u003eStyle: Rap, Conscious\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFile under: Hip-Hop\u003cbr\u003e⦿\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Def Jam Recordings","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46514823692446,"sku":"0602577973161","price":55.0,"currency_code":"SGD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0584\/5434\/3838\/files\/PE_REAL_1528649754.jpg?v=1771061990"},{"product_id":"beastie-boys-licensed-to-ill-30th-anniversary-edition","title":"Beastie Boys – Licensed To Ill (30th Anniversary Edition)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eLicensed to Ill\u003c\/em\u003e is the debut studio album by American rap rock group Beastie Boys. It was released on November 15, 1986 by Def Jam and Columbia Records, and became the first rap LP to top the Billboard album chart. — (via \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/defjamshop.com\/products\/beastie-boys-licensed-to-ill-lp?srsltid=AfmBOoogZdJb-09Xu1tOdlGhtTCYq8Jec4eVOp99HZKRfp-_DIsLCgQ9\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eLabel\u003c\/a\u003e)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e—\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePerhaps \u003cem\u003eLicensed to Ill\u003c\/em\u003e was inevitable - a white group blending rock and rap, giving them the first number one album in hip-hop history. But that reading of the album's history gives short shrift to the Beastie Boys; producer Rick Rubin, and his label, Def Jam, and this remarkable record, since mixing metal and hip-hop isn't necessarily an easy thing to do. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJust sampling and scratching Sabbath and Zeppelin to hip-hop beats does not make for an automatically good record, though there is a visceral thrill to hearing those muscular riffs put into overdrive with scratching. But, much of that is due to the producing skills of Rick Rubin, a metalhead who formed Def Jam Records with Russell Simmons and had previously flirted with this sound on Run-D.M.C.'s Raising Hell, not to mention a few singles and one-offs with the Beasties prior to this record. He made rap rock, but to give him lone credit for Licensed to Ill (as some have) is misleading, since that very same combination would not have been as powerful, nor would it have aged so well - aged into a rock classic - if it weren't for the Beastie Boys, who fuel this record through their passion for subcultures, pop culture, jokes, and the intoxicating power of wordplay. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt the time, it wasn't immediately apparent that their obnoxious patter was part of a persona (a fate that would later plague Eminem), but the years have clarified that this was a joke - although, listening to the cajoling rhymes, filled with clear parodies and absurdities, it's hard to imagine the offense that some took at the time. Which, naturally, is the credit of not just the music - they don't call it the devil's music for nothing - but the wild imagination of the Beasties, whose rhymes sear into consciousness through their gonzo humor and gleeful delivery. There hasn't been a funnier, more infectious record in pop music than this, and it's not because the group is mocking rappers (in all honesty, the truly twisted barbs are hurled at frat boys and lager lads), but because they've already created their own universe and points of reference, where it's as funny to spit out absurdist rhymes and pound out \"Fight for Your Right (To Party)\" as it is to send up street corner doo wop with \"Girls.\" \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThen, there is the overpowering loudness of the record - operating from the axis of where metal, punk, and rap meet, there never has been a record this heavy and nimble, drunk on its own power yet giddy with what they're getting away with. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere is a sense of genuine discovery, of creating new music, that remains years later, after countless plays, countless misinterpretations, countless rip-off acts, even countless apologies from the Beasties, who seemed guilty by how intoxicating the sound of it is, how it makes beer-soaked hedonism sound like the apogee of human experience. And maybe it is, maybe it isn't, but in either case, \u003cem\u003eLicensed to Ill\u003c\/em\u003e reigns tall among the greatest records of its time. — (via \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.allmusic.com\/album\/licensed-to-ill-mw0000649870\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eAllMusic\u003c\/a\u003e)\u003cbr\u003e—\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eLicensed to Ill \u003c\/em\u003ewas more than just a remarkable blow for instant integration. The Beastie Boys muscled their way to the front of the bus on the basis of sheer bravado and a snotty sense of New Yawk humor not heard since the Dictators released the great Go Girl Crazy! Mike D., MCA, and Ad-Rock were that crazy kid down the block who lived to get high, liked to egg cop cars, and had that insane stash of Hustler magazines. And who thought everything was funny; hell, he even laughed while he was PUKING.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat made the Beastie Boys so great was they didn’t turn their backs on rock; they subsumed it in a whole slew of songs that juxtaposed their bragging and boasting against all manner of immortal rock samples like, just to take opener “Rhymin’ and Stealin’,” Led Zeppelin’s “When the Levee Breaks,” Black Sabb’s “Sweet Leaf,” and the Clash’s “I Fought the Law.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eLicensed to Ill \u003c\/em\u003eis a spastic, nonstop ADD-afflicted paean to being young and hungry (let’s go to White Castle!) and horny and not giving a shit, and the mood is contagious. I may think their 1989 follow-up Paul’s Boutique is the better album, and I may listen to Paul’s Boutique more, but Licensed to Ill was more than just a Boeing 727 that delivered the goods, more than just the album that produced a seismic shift in music for that matter. It struck a cosmic blow for fun, and fun is always in short supply. — (via \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.thevinyldistrict.com\/storefront\/graded-on-a-curve-beastie-boys-licensed-to-ill-2\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eThe Vinyl District\u003c\/a\u003e)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e—\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReissued on 2LP, 180g vinyl\u003cbr\u003e30th Anniversary Edition\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"100%\" height=\"352\" style=\"border-radius: 12px;\" data-testid=\"embed-iframe\" src=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/embed\/album\/11oR0ZuqB3ucZwb5TGbZxb?utm_source=generator\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" allow=\"autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture\" loading=\"lazy\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e↓\u003cbr\u003eLabel: Def Jam Recordings\u003cbr\u003eFormat: Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue, 180 Gram, Gatefold, 30th Anniversary Edition\u003cbr\u003eReissued: 2016 \/ Originally Released: 1986\u003cbr\u003eGenre: Hip Hop\u003cbr\u003eStyle: Rap\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFile under: Hip-Hop\u003cbr\u003e⦿\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Def Jam Recordings","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46514834014366,"sku":"602547820754","price":60.0,"currency_code":"SGD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0584\/5434\/3838\/files\/rs-148350-beastie-1362673472.jpg?v=1771062980"},{"product_id":"the-roots-illadelph-halflife","title":"The Roots – Illadelph Halflife","description":"\u003cp\u003eWhat makes\u003cem\u003e Illadelph Halflife \u003c\/em\u003eso endlessly compelling is how many different identities it embodies simultaneously. All at once, the album is a behemoth, a statement, an evolution, and a crossroads. If one conceptualizes the group’s moniker literally,\u003cem\u003e Illadelph\u003c\/em\u003e represents the moment in which The Roots emerged from the soil to permanently leave their imprint upon the rap scene, to become the moment.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Respond\/React” is as thematically explicit about this desire as you can get, punctuated by Black Thought and Malik B trading rhythmically nested bars over Questlove’s production, his sonic fingerprints adding a sleek polish heretofore absent in the group’s output. Imagery of expanding territory and a militant push to the top of the game display a hunger that propels the record’s momentum forward and becomes its mission statement.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAround the time \u003cem\u003eIlladelph Halflife \u003c\/em\u003ewas taking shape in the studio, drummer Questlove was settling into a different role in D’angelo’s Voodoo sessions as a percussionist\/producer hybrid, soaking in information like a sponge and forming bonds that would lead to the formation of the loosely defined Soulquarians posse. While these relationships would have much more overt and obvious influence on the Roots’ follow-up \u003cem\u003eThings Fall Apart\u003c\/em\u003e, their effect on the band’s output can be seen much earlier, and nowhere is it more obvious than on \u003cem\u003eIlladelph\u003c\/em\u003e’s crown jewel, the unbelievable “What They Do”.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFeaturing an addictive hook from Raphael Saddiq, three top tier verses from Thought, and a Questlove beat that veers firmly into neo-soul territory, no track here hits the bulls-eye (or forecasts the group’s future endeavors) quite like this one, and it understandably remains a fan favorite to this day. — (via \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.sputnikmusic.com\/review\/85421\/The-Roots-Illadelph-Halflife\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eSputnik Music\u003c\/a\u003e)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e—\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere isn't much else I can touch upon the band itself that everyone in North America (and beyond!) doesn't already know (live hip-hop band, etc.), and I haven't given myself ample time to digest this particular release further. It's like, sure, this was the tastiest item in that smorgasbord, but to truly appreciate it, I need more than just a couple servings of it; really let it marinate on my taste buds. Or I just feel 'ill'-equipped to talk this album up as it deserves at this point. See, there I go, already falling back on bad puns.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI guess an adequate start is why\u003cem\u003e Illadelph Halflife\u003c\/em\u003e, what makes this album the one I wanted to nab first above all others. Beyond having that irresistible mid-'90s Eastcoast hip-hop aesthetic, I mean. Okay, that's a big reason, hands down. Whether it was getting in the grime of it was the Wu or ample raiding of funk, jazz, and soul records from the likes of DJ Premier and Tribe Called Quest (among many others), it's a sound I really vibe on, and kinda' wish I'd jumped on it a lot sooner than just these past few years. Sure, I had a few obligatory records here and there (Gang Starr, Big L, that one Nas everyone must have), but was missing so many more. Just... so many more.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStill, The Roots are Philly, not New York, which may account for how much soulful their style is. Or maybe it is just that live-band approach to their craft. Which is cool and all, but if I wanted to hear strictly that, I could have nabbed their first two albums (or the live one). Naw, what properly got me hooked in was hearing more of their studio production, which I feel really came into its own with \u003cem\u003eIlladelph Halflife\u003c\/em\u003e. They'd get more polished and bolder in later records, but here everything's given ample oomph over all their funky, jazzy rhythms and, where warranted, soulful backings (What They Do, No Alibi, No Greater Protector).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLyrical content, then. After all, this is a hip-hop group, where lyrics are paramount. And honestly, I think that's why I like this record so much, Black Thought, Malik B, and all their guests given plenty of prominence. If anything, the 'musicians' part of Roots is put on a back-burner, far less jam sessions and solos indulged than before. I imagine this was done to help sell them to a wider rap audience not so keen on musical ability beyond what a dope, looping sample provides. I'd say the trick worked. — (via \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/emcritic.blogspot.com\/2024\/12\/the-roots-illadelph-halflife.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eEM Critic\u003c\/a\u003e)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"100%\" height=\"352\" style=\"border-radius: 12px;\" data-testid=\"embed-iframe\" src=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/embed\/album\/4hkERQVrmM9JQ9g2eie2tL?utm_source=generator\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" allow=\"autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture\" loading=\"lazy\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e↓\u003cbr\u003eLabel: DGC\u003cbr\u003eFormat: 2 x Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue\u003cbr\u003eReissued: 2016 \/ Originally Released: 1996\u003cbr\u003eGenre: Hip Hop\u003cbr\u003eStyle: Rap, Conscious\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFile under: Hip-Hop\u003cbr\u003e⦿\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"DGC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46514841256094,"sku":"60255708584","price":55.0,"currency_code":"SGD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0584\/5434\/3838\/files\/TheRoot_Illadel_CoverAr_3000DPI300RGB1000191516.jpg?v=1771063820"},{"product_id":"nickelman-nippon-onsen-kikou","title":"NICKELMAN – Nippon Onsen Kikou","description":"\u003cp\u003eAfter 365 days of daily sentō visits, beatmaker NICKELMAN unveils \u003cem\u003eNippon Onsen Kikou\u003c\/em\u003e—a bath-inspired album born from his “hot \u0026amp; cold bath groove” envisioned through clouds of steam.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCrafted exclusively from carefully selected Japanese groove samples, this is a blissful instrumental album overflowing with pure sentō love.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInspired by the Nishi-style hot \u0026amp; cold bathing method, which recommends alternating between warm and cold baths ten times, the album consists of ten tracks, each evoking the diversity of public bath culture—sound textures rising like steam and shimmering like ripples on hot water.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe cover artwork features a unique collage by 55555, reminiscent of Japan’s nostalgic, character-filled sentō scenes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCreated using inspiration from visits to local bathhouses and hot-spring facilities with OKB, the head of OKE MUSIC FACTORY, as well as hidden hot springs and natural wonders found on tour, this release delivers a supreme relaxation experience—a sound journey through the landscapes beyond the steam.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Overflowing energy and euphoria.”\u003cbr\u003eEnjoy the sparkling refreshment that washes away the day’s fatigue—just like stepping out of a perfectly balanced hot \u0026amp; cold bath. — (via \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/nickelman.bandcamp.com\/album\/-?fbclid=PAdGRzdgQYl-ZleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA81NjcwNjczNDMzNTI0MjcAAaf6oniaWFCMkdKNMFmAPvMSu4p1WC8GX-mz15lGbW1GFQ7Xf7P5j_WMCmzDZQ_aem_S-zJeusj003HT4IEDOY8ug\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eArtist, Bandcamp\u003c\/a\u003e)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"\" height=\"\" style=\"border: 0; width: 100%; height: 120px;\" src=\"https:\/\/bandcamp.com\/EmbeddedPlayer\/album=3935873923\/size=large\/bgcol=ffffff\/linkcol=0687f5\/tracklist=false\/artwork=small\/transparent=true\/\" seamless=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e↓\u003cbr\u003eLabel: OKE MUSIC FACTORY\u003cbr\u003eFormat: Vinyl, LP, Album\u003cbr\u003eReleased: 2026\u003cbr\u003eGenre: Hip Hop\u003cbr\u003eStyle: Lo-Fi, Instrumental Hip-Hop, Ambient, Beats, Soul-Jazz\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFile under: Hip-Hop\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e⦿\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"OKE MUSIC FACTORY","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46587621998750,"sku":"OKE-26-X","price":45.0,"currency_code":"SGD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0584\/5434\/3838\/files\/a0250163972_10.jpg?v=1772862963"}],"url":"https:\/\/theanalogvault.mom\/collections\/hip-hop.oembed?page=2","provider":"The Analog Vault","version":"1.0","type":"link"}