Hip-Hop Vinyl New Releases - News

UK Hip Hop regulars Lasagna Baghdad (Luca Brazi), Paolo Pumpernickel (Benny Diction) and
Bald Daniels (MNSR Frites) combine forces as their alter-egos for an introspective take on getting
older in rap and an appreciation for the finer things. Expect tales of borderline mid-life crises told
over a background of fast cars and seafood

Five years after their groundbreaking debut "Klucz" (hailed as the best Polish hip-hop album of 2004), the Warsaw-based crew Wilku, Bilon, and Żary returned with another hard-hitting project – "Droga", originally released on April 15, 2009.
Now, 16 years later, this cult classic is returning for the first time ever on vinyl – in a special collector’s edition!

"Droga" features a lineup of guest artists who, at the time, formed the backbone of the Polish hip-hop scene, including Peja, Lukasyno, Firma, Fandango Gang, Juras, Bas Tajpan, Ras Luta, Dixon 37, and Diil Gang.
The members of Hemp Gru explain the meaning behind the album title:
“The first album was the 'Key' that opened the door. Now, beyond that door, lies the Road – hence the title of the second album.”
The album earned Gold Record status – twice – and is now regarded as one of the foundational releases of Polish street hip-hop.
Vinyl Edition Includes:
• 2 vinyl records (vinyl mastering by DJ 600V) in a gatefold sleeve
• 1 fold-out double-sided poster (60 cm x 30 cm)
• 1 double-sided insert (30 cm x 30 cm)
• 2 exclusive instrumentals: Droga and W Hemp Armii
A must-have for fans and collectors of Polish hip-hop history.

Building on the styles showcased on the first “Beatbox Studios” LP, Hi-Tek was clearly developing his own personal style on the studio’s in-house Akai MPC 60II sampler. The drums were swinging more; the grooves were deeper; the bass thumped harder. Even when choosing familiar samples, he was chopping them in fresh and unexpected ways, which would eventually help shape his signature sound.

As his reputation was becoming cemented in the local Cincinnati scene, his relationship with the rap group Mood was helping to catalyze more regular visits to New York City. The beats collected for “Beatbox Studios 2” were the ones that would stick in the auto-reverse tape deck for those road trips, as were the demo tapes he crafted with Mood, which would eventually earn them a record deal with Blunt Records in 1996—the same label and year where he would land his first major placement on Royal Flush’s “Ghetto Millionaire” album. It was also on one of those 1996 journeys to NYC that he would meet a young Brooklyn emcee named Talib Kweli—with whom he would form one of the most iconic duos of the indie-rap boom of the late-nineties.

“Beatbox Studios 2 (1996 MPC 60II)” showcases Hi-Tek as a hungry young talent on the rise, and his continued elevation would lead him to a career as one of the few producers who can claim to have worked with such a broad range of legendary artists; from superstars like Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, 50 Cent, and Anderson .Paak, to underground heroes like Mos Def, Common, and J Dilla.

After 25 years of living his dream as one of hip hop’s most respected producers, Hi-Tek is digging back into his roots with a brand new trio of instrumental vinyl LPs. “Werk Road (1997 MPC 60)” is the third volume of the series, each featuring a selection of restored and remastered beats, carefully chosen from an archive of DAT tapes. These LPs manage to both provide a window into Tek’s development and to shine light on the work of an already enormously talented musician whose beats would’ve sounded right at home on classic releases from the mid-1990s.

1997 is when the name Hi-Tek began to develop a global buzz, largely due to the combustible indie-rap scene. He’d moved on from the now-shuttered Beatbox Studios in his hometown of Cincinnati and began building his first proper home studio in his new apartment on Werk Road. With a borrowed Akai MPC 60 drum machine as the foundation, he began churning out beats at a more prolific rate than ever.

In addition to placements on debut LPs by Mood and Royal Flush, Tek would make his name in 1997 as one-half of the duo Reflection Eternal with Brooklyn MC Talib Kweli. Their Rawkus Records debut 12” “Fortified Live” was an instant smash, and it quickly placed him at the top of the class of up-and-coming beatmakers. His unique balance of bassline-driven grooves behind soulful samples would eventually lead him to be in high demand for artists across the spectrum of the genre, and in short time he was producing for Common, Snoop Dogg, Raphael Saadiq, Dr. Dre, 50 Cent, and others from all over the country.

The work featured on “Werk Road (1997 MPC 60)” reveals an artist who would not only become one of the most respected producers in rap, but one of the cultural ambassadors of his home city of Cincinnati for over 25 years. In 2022, Hi-Tek was inducted into the Cincinnati Black Music Walk of Fame alongside luminaries like The Isley Brothers, Bootsy Collins and Midnight Star, and remains the most successful hip hop artist that the city has ever produced.

Hiatus Kaiyote, the hugely influential twice-GRAMMY-nominated band, return with Mood Valiant, their most accomplished album yet, released on Brainfeeder Records/Ninja Tune.
The band are Naomi ‘Nai Palm’ Saalfield (guitar, vocals), Paul Bender (bass), Simon Mavin (keys) and Perrin Moss (drums).
Their music has found fans in hip-hop and was sampled on songs by The Carters (Beyonce & Jay-Z), Kendrick Lamar, Anderson .Paak, Chance The Rapper and Drake - with whom Nai Palm collaborated on his ‘Scorpion’ album.
The band have received overwhelming critical acclaim for their releases and live shows finding
fans in the industry’s leading figures, such as Prince, Erykah Badu and Questlove and
tastemakers like BBC’s Gilles Peterson, KCRW’s Anthony Valadez and DJ Jazzy Jeff.
The band travelled to Brazil to collaborate with legendary arranger Arthur Verocai, who lent his
orchestrations to lead single ‘Get Sun’ and two other tracks.
Hiatus Kaiyote have played globally renowned festivals including Glastonbury, Fuji Rock,
Lollapalooza, Outside Lands, Treasure Island Festival, Roots Picnic, Greenroom Festival,
Osheaga Festival, North Sea Jazz Festival, Montreux Jazz Festival, Cape Town Jazz Festival
and more.
They have toured extensively, playing headline shows including sold out performances at
Sydney Opera House, The Novo, Brooklyn Steel and Somerset House, as well as direct
supports for Palais Theatre withErykah Badu and Family Matters Tour with Chance The
Rapper.
“Mesmerising” - The Guardian
The new album is the follow up to 2015’s ‘Choose Your Weapon’, which Rolling Stone
described as “a stunning step up.”
The band have performed on Jimmy Kimmel (2015), The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (2013)
and The Queen Latifah Show (2013). Additional live performances include Fuse.tv and RBMA
x Boiler Room.
For fans of Thundercat, Erykah Badu, Solange, Lianne La Havas, Charlotte Day Wilson, Nai
Palm, Nick Hakim, Little Dragon, Moses Sumney.
CD in 300gsm colour printed whiteboard softpack with 12-page booklet featuring lyrics and
photographs.
Deluxe LP pressed on 140g glow in the dark vinyl in 350gsm colour printed whiteboard gatefold
sleeve with matte varnish, silver foil, red foil and embossed finish, plus black paper inner
sleeve, 8-page booklet featuring lyrics and photographs, five Polaroid images of the band and
glow in the dark scratch n sniff sticker sheet.
LP on 140g black vinyl in 350gsm colour printed whiteboard sleeve with matte varnish finish
plus 8-page booklet featuring lyrics and photographs.
Press - Reviews & features in New York Times, The Guardian, Rolling Stone, NPR, Clash, Vice, FADER,
Exclaim, Time Out, i-D, Pitchfork, Billboard, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Boston Globe, The Irish
Times, Clash, Acclaim.
Radio - 6 Music Don Letts, Gilles Peterson, Lauren Laverne, Radio 2 Jamie Cullum, Jazz FM Nigel Williams,
Beats 1 Julie Agenuga, 1Xtra Jamz Supernova.

1998 was a fertile year defined by juggernaut projects from Black Star, Lauren Hill, Outkast, and others, all of whom synced experimentation with foundational tenets that made the 1990s ferociously groundbreaking.


Out of Oakland, California, a collective known as Hieroglyphics were positioning away from industry control, to helm their own assets in manners more suited to their own marketing self-vision. While artists have certainly went solo prior, this came at a critical juncture for the crew during a spiraling and newfound Internet world. Born out of this independent spirit was the crew’s first official studio album 3rd Eye Vision.


The album spans twenty-two songs, all featuring beats by Domino who manned the lion’s share of production. A-Plus, Opio, Del, Casual, and Phesto also contributed beats. MCs each had their own song, short interludes highlighting their individuality through short verses, a clear espirit de corps statement.


Even among standouts like “Oakland Blackouts” or “At The Helm,” perhaps the most celebrated song off the release is “You Never Knew,” a track that propelled 3rd Eye Vision to #88 on the Billboard Top 200, not an entirely easy feat as a new label competing with the late ‘90s’ abundant onslaught of classic material.


In celebration of 20 years of 3EV, Fat Beats and Hiero Imperium are proud to present this CD/Vinyl reissue in deluxe packaging, expansive liner notes and the full original album tracks and a bonus for the very first time in one package.

EXPERIENCE FRANK OCEAN THROUGH THE EARS AND SOUNDS OF HIGH PULP, AS THE MUTUAL ATTRACTION SAGA CONTINUES, WITH THE FINAL INSTALLMENT OF THE PROJECT.

While the first 2 volumes in the series pay homage to free and experimental jazz legends that have informed the lens of the Seattle, Washington-based band. Volume 3 steps into the R&B/Hip Hop world, as the band performs their fresh takes on 3 Frank Ocean tracks, from the ‘Endless’ album.

A Frank Ocean record that flew under the radar for some but didn’t miss with the High Pulp crew. The 3 arrangements are a homage and a thank you to Frank, who has had such a heavy impact on the band and the way they think about writing music. Mutual Attraction 3 challenged the band to think critically about these compositions and how they could deliver a similar sentiment that they were born out of, but also put it through the High Pulp lens.

Along with digging into a different genre of music and focusing on just one artist to pay tribute to for this volume in the series. MA 3 also has the band performing as their largest ensemble yet. A 15-piece band, including a 5-piece string section. Giving no limits to these reimagined versions of Frank Ocean tunes.

Rooted in the New Orleans tradition and the essence of hip hop, Hip Horns Brass Collective unleashes its powerful sound in KREWE, their debut album. KREWE takes the brass band genre beyond its boundaries, diving into the underground with danceable rhythms like boombap and bounce, full of influences such as afrobeat, gospel and funk. The lyrics, filled with references to hip hop culture, flow in an explosive mix of English, Spanish, and Catalan, sharing their love for the tradition of rap and African American music. KREWE is a manifesto of the positive side of hip hop, a tribute to the unstoppable strength of the collective that a brass band represents in contrast to the solitude of the individual, and a homage to the legacy of hip hop and the vibrant tradition of New Orleans

Hip Horns Brass Collective presents Brassvillain, a tribute to the cult album Madvillany by MF DOOM and Madlib with the collaboration of Las Ninyas del Corro, Ana Tijoux, Escandaloso Xpósito and Rodrigo Laviña. The catalan brass band covers iconic songs like Figaro, Meat Grinder or All Caps, with the metallic explosion that characterizes them and the voices of some of the best artists on the current rap scene. Daniel Dumile, aka, MF DOOM is not only a musical reference, but also the illustrations that accompanied his project have a great role in the history of hip hop. For this reason, Brassvillain is also a great graphic epic where the versatile artist Hermes LeBleu displays all his versatility. In the featurings appears HO$$$ Benítez, one of the most renowned drummers on the hip hop scene, who has already accompanied them on their previous releases, “The Dream” and “Thunder”. The production is by Hip Horns together with one of the best bassists and musicians in our country, Tito Bonacera, making this tribute a multidisciplinary meeting point between artists who grew up with the masked hero. On the B side we have two new singles from the band, BRAM! and Mulligan, in which they unleash their full potential both in composition and in execution to prove once again that they are one of the leading brass bands of the moment.

“Thunder” is the second release from Hip Horns Brass Band in 2022. With “The Dream” the band paid homage to 90’s rap with the collaboration of London singer R.A.E. In “Thunder” they continue with the fusion of brass band and hip hop, but with an instrumental look and making references to contemporary rap artists.

For this recording they have had the trumpet of Miron Rafajlović, one of the references of jazz on the state scene, as well as the production of Tito Bonacera and the drums of HOSS$ Benítez one more hit. The groove that is established from the beginning —which the most music lovers will quickly recognize—, together with the careful arrangements and the enormous quality of the soloist, make “Thunder” a fresh and energetic song for the dance floors. Apart from the digital release in collaboration with graphic designer Hermes LeBleu, “Thunder” has been edited and distributed by Rocafort Records and Say it Loud Records. Side B includes the single “Marathon Runner”, a sample of the band’s first recordings that vindicates the raw sound of the street brass band.

Homeboy Sandman has teamed with UK producer Paul White for a 7 track record titled White Sands. This is the

third and final release in a series pairing the Queens MC with the vision of a single producer, following Kool Herc: Fertile Crescent with El Rntc, and All That I Hold Dear, with M Slago. Paul White recently produced several tracks on Danny Brown's Old album and releases his own psyched-out beats with One-Handed Music in London.

Produced by and featuring Aesop Rock. “I wrote half of these songs when my energy was either headed in the wrong direction or already there. I wrote the other half while my energy was moving in a direction I’m more excited about, that I find to be more enriching. They’re all still my songs though. My mother, and lots of my relatives, used to call me “Angelito.” Little Angel. The taijitu is the symbol for yin and yang. Opposites that make a whole. Given the dualistic/duelistic nature of the songs on the record, put it all together and what do you get, Anjelitu.” - Homeboy Sandman

"I wrote half of these songs when my energy was either headed in the wrong direction or already there. I wrote the other half while my energy was moving in a direction I'm more excited about, that I find to be more enriching. They're all still my songs though. My mother, and lots of my relatives, used to call me "Angelito."

Little Angel. The taijitu is the symbol for yin and yang. Opposites that make a whole. Given the dualistic/ duelistic nature of the songs on the record, put it all together and what do you get, Anjelitu.

The Homeliss Derilex are a Milpitas, CA crew and have been making a name for themselves in the underground scene since the early 90's with a superb laidback and jazz-influenced style. They released their self-titled debut back in 1993 on tape, which in the meantime has become an elusive collectable piece. They followed that up by releasing various 12" singles in the 90's and enjoyed a successful stint with Stones Throw Records.

We will be dropping the second volume of Fraudulent by Homeliss Derilex on double vinyl for the first time ever. Just like the first volume released in 2004, this compilation presents tracks that originally only appeared on demos, tape promos, and vinyl singles. The music ranges from 1991 up to 2004 and as an extra you will get the Cash Money (Mike B Remix) and 2 of their earliest recordings taken from old 4-track tapes dating back to 1991. As always all tracks have been remastered and the album cover is an ode to their first tape release from 1993 where it all got started. ?

With his honeyed falsetto, Horace Andy has long been considered one of roots reggae's most inimitable voices. His signature tune, "Skylarking," is one of a handful of songs that can be instantly recognized by even the most casual of reggae fans. Making his debut with producer and mentor Phil Pratt at the age of sixteen, Andy's expressive vocal style is immediately distinctive, bearing the soulful influence of American artists Otis Redding and Smokey Robinson as well as fellow countryman Alton Ellis.

1975's Get Wise collects a series of singles produced by Pratt including versions of hits "Money, Money" ("Root Of All Evil") and "Zion Gate" ("I Don't Want To Be Outside"). Recorded between 1972 and 1974, these sides were captured at legendary studios Channel One, Black Ark, Dynamic Sound and Randy's Studio 17 with house engineers Ernest Hoo Kim, Lee Perry, Carlton Lee and Errol Thompson at the helm.

Originally released on Pratt's Sunshot label, the album doubles as a showcase for The Soul Syndicate Band, a typically ad-hoc session group which featured Sly & Robbie, Aston "Family Man" Barrett and Earl "Chinna" Smith, among others.

Get Wise delivers ten tracks of Andy's finest material and should be in the collection of any aficionado of the classic '70s Kingston sound. Liner notes by JR Gonne.

It's an album that ushered in an era of a thousand suburbanites drinking malt liquor, wearing U.S. Postal Service caps, and reawakening their Irish (or in some cases pseudo-Irish) heritage. And it's also the debut album that ushered House of Pain into the forefront of rap culture for a brief period of time. While it's unfair to expect a whole album's worth of quality material like the dynamite classic ''Jump Around,'' there are some strong points on their eponymous debut that emulate the single's strength. Admittedly, there is a significant amount of filler and the topics du jour aren't exactly the most original in hip-hop, but the impact of such songs as ''Jump Around,'' ''Shamrocks and Shenanigans,'' and ''Put on Your Shit Kickers'' more than makes up for the filler. A debut for a group that showed immense promise that sadly wasn't fully realized.

Originally released on House Shoes' debut LP Let It Go (2012),Castles (The Sky Is Ours) now sees an exclusive 45 release on Street Corner Music. A collaboration with Los Angeles songbird Jimetta Rose, Castles was created in tribute to Shoes and Jimetta's fallen comrade Jovan "J-1" Coleman who passed away in 2011.

Two of the first solo productions to be released by House Shoes now find themselves on an exclusive 45 release on Street Corner Music in 2019. "The Makings", was originally released by Do-Over records on a 10-inch backed with Flying Lotus on 2010. Limited to 1000 copies it sold out in less than 24 hours. Punchy drums address the chopped up Curtis Mayfield sample. "Newports ", Shoes tribute to his favorite cigarette at the time which he actually stopped smoking soon after, supports The Makings on the B-Side, once again with heavy drums layered over beautiful chops and a chorus lifted from D'Angelo's Devil's Pie.

Hua Li has often worked the fruitful tension between opposing forces, whether being mixed-race, bisexual, or overtly political and softly vulnerable. Now the “half-Chinese, half-militant, half-rapper of your heart” is back with "ripe fruit falls but not in your mouth", her most ambitious and personal record to date. Playing between hazy R&B, hip-hop, jazz and electronic, Hua Li’s sophomore LP takes the imaginary garden as a proxy for cultivating home. With complex vocal arrangements, lush production by Alex Thibault (aka Gloze), and big, vibrant mixing by TNGHT’s Lunice, ripe fruit is a private confessional on a loud-ass record.

Following 2019’s Dynasty and 2020’s critically acclaimed Yellow Crane EP, "ripe fruit" is characteristically libertine. Textured and sensual, the Montreal multi-hyphenate balances her rich, waveforming tone with danceable, electronic signatures. The rapper is fierce and frequently funny, erupting from gauzy runs to deliver a quick uppercut that stings. With hooky, addictive features by Ambrose Getz and Darkus Millon, ripe fruit is an intimate record of healing, with Montreal’s nightlife at its heart. An artful collaborator, Hua Li co-wrote and performed on Gayance's 2023 Polaris short-listed album, Masquerade, and is the touring DJ for Inuk electro-pop throat singer, Riit.

Her charismatic stage show has taken her around the world, including tours with Cadence Weapon and Fat Tony (serving as the former’s touring DJ), to Reykjavik’s Secret Solstice Festival, the Montreal International Jazz Festival, and Pride Toronto. Luminous and compelling, Hua Li shows it takes tenderness to let things ripen, and guts to let things die. In-between is a kind of rapture that begs to be savoured.

For Fans Of: Gayance, Tirzah, FKA Twigs, Heems, Tkay Maidza

1.1TITLE SCREEN
1.2NOT HECN AROUND
1.3THIS
1.4TURING COMPLETE
1.5DUMPLINGS
1.6OOO WHAT'S THAT FT. QUELLE CHRIS & CAVALIER
1.7FROGTOWN
1.8NIGHT TIME FT. E L U C I D
1.9JOCELYN
1.10DRAGONCURVE FT. K-THE-I???
1.11ORANGE TREE
1.12YEAHYEAH FT. PINK SIIFU
1.13THE CENTER FT. MOOR MOTHER & BILLY WOODS
1.14LIGHTS ON AT THE CLUB

Hus Kingpin keeps solidifying his role as one of the smoothest and
waviest MC's in the game these days as he keeps steadilty delivering
top-tier material and seamlessly curated projects. Lord Wavo handles all
the lyricism solo on these soulful and lush joints that feature productions
by Prynce P, Adwerdz, Stu Bangas, Bass Reevez, Dae One, Macapella
and an illustrious guitar performance by the legend, Rosati.

Das lange Warten hat ein Ende: Mit „PROLIFIC“ erscheint am Freitag, den 14. August, das legendäre, unveröffentlichte Kollaborationsalbum der West-Coast-Ikonen Nipsey Hussle und Bino Rideaux. Dieses 15-Track-Meisterwerk wurde auf dem kreativen Höhepunkt ihrer Partnerschaft aufgenommen und von einem Team aus GRAMMY®-prämierten Legenden vollendet. Es handelt sich hierbei nicht um ein nachträglich zusammengestelltes Projekt, sondern um ein geschlossenes Werk, das Nipsey Hussle genau so von Anfang bis Ende visionierte. Für alle treuen Fans und Unterstützer ist diese Veröffentlichung weit mehr als nur Musik – sie ist ein zeitloses Denkmal für Nipseys ungebrochenen Spirit, seine Vision und sein unvergessenes Vermächtnis.
"MARKETING HIGHLIGHTS

Two years after the album "Revolution" and the accompanying sell out tour, IAM return with their gives us their 9th album named "Yasuké“, available as a limited 2CD digi set and limited 3LP set .IAM are one of the most important and influential Hip Hop bands from France. Originating from Marseille, they have been releasing Gold and platinum albums since 1991.Reviews in: Echoes, RWD, Wordplay, Viber, Clash L’Echo, London Macadam, Ici Londres Ads in Echoes Clash L’Echo, London Macadam, Ici Londres

35th Anniversary of the Platinum-selling Sophomore Album, co-produced by Ice-T and Afrika Islam. Releasing as a Limited Edition 'Ice Cold Gold' Colour Vinyl, this record includes legendary singles like "I'm Your Pusher" and "High Rollers" from one of rap's Original Gangsters.

At last the LP release of his last album, originally released on CD in Dec 2018.

Hip-hop legend Ice Cube finally returns with his latest studio album “Man Down” – a hard-hitting statement that once again proves why he remains one of the most vital voices in rap today. With “Man Down”, Ice Cube delivers a powerful project that dives deep into today’s social realities, both musically and lyrically. Fans can expect raw lyrics, strong production, and real stories from one of the most inflfluential MCs of all time.

Exclusively for collectors and true fans: “Man Down” is available in several formats: Black Double Vinyl, Limited Marbled Double Vinyl, Music Cassette

Y2K! is a sugar rush of playful sensuality and unbothered cool—a true representation of the Bronx baddie herself. Ice Spice, born on January 1st, 2000, brings the Y2K vibes and undeniable beats that will make you want to party like it's 2000, before you had to worry about your late-night social media going viral. Ice Spice lives up to her name, bringing straight fire to your speakers this season.

Ice T's "The Legend of Ice T / Crime Stories Vol 1 iIce T is de originele belichaming van LA Hip-Hop en een cultureel icoon dat gangster rap populair heeft gemaakt. Ice T's Most Incredible Crime Stories bevat enkele van de krachtigste nummers uit zijn catalogus , evenals wat minder bekend en niet eerder uitgebracht materiaal.

• 180 GRAM AUDIOPHILE VINYL
• INSERT WITH LYRICS
• CLASSIC HIP HOP ALBUM FEATURING “NEW JACK HUSTLER”, “BITCHES 2”, “BODY COUNT” AND MORE
• LIMITED EDITION OF 1000 INDIVIDUALLY NUMBERED COPIES ON BLUE MARBLED COLOURED VINYL

O.G. Original Gangster, Ice-T’s 4th album, is probably Ice’s best album as he continued his streak of classic albums that he started with Power. Ice reached his peak on here, as his lyrics and beat selection were the best they had ever been. Ice-T was a pioneering force for the west coast, especially in the ‘80s, as he was one of the first gangster rap artists. At his finest hour he connected his street language to subjects as violence, social structures, and the ghetto life. The refined flow of the beats marks this essential record and masterpiece. The album peaked at number 15 on the U.S. Billboard 200, and was featured in many Best Rap and Hip-Hop lists, as well as the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

Available as a limited edition of 1000 individually numbered copies on blue marbled coloured vinyl.

Rhyme Pays is the debut album from American rapper Ice-T, released in 1987. Featuring tracks such as “6 ‘N The Morning” and “Squeeze The Trigger” the album is widely considered to have defined the gangsta rap genre.

ICHON, der Rapper und Sänger aus Montreuil (Paris), ist mit seinem neuen Album KASSESSA zurück. Seit Pour de vrai, seinem letzten Projekt, hat der Mann, der gerne sagt, dass er "Rap singt", Paris verlassen und geniesst die Ruhe auf dem Lande. Mit seinen Produzenten Loubenski und Max Baby hat er sich auf dem Dachboden seines Hauses eingenistet.

Dort skizzierte er die Konturen seines neuen Projekts. Das Rap Grundgerüst, das er immer in sich trug, vermischte sich mit seinen melodischen und instrumentalen Inspirationen der letzten Jahre. Wut und Inbrunst mischen sich mit Melancholie, einer Form von Offenheit und dem erzählerischen Feingefühl des Künstlers. Ichon versucht nicht, die Welt zu verändern, sondern uns für die Dauer seines Albums aus ihr herauszuholen. Auf KASSESSA ist es, als ob alle Teile von Ichon endlich zusammenkommen. Er hebt ab, und nimmt uns mit.

The album’s title is a play on the word “Israel, meaning "to wrestle with God,” and IDK finds himself struggling with the existence of “He” – or God – during the course of the album’s 35 minutes, but not getting a clear answer. And he invites the album’s featured artists and the album’s listeners to think through the complexities of (their relationship with or belief in) Him.

Jason ".idk." Mills' neuestes Projekt, Even The Devil Smiles, ist eine fesselnde Reflexion über Überleben, Transformation und die Schicksalsmomente, die seinen Weg für immer verändert haben. Ausgehend von seiner eigenen Geschichte der Inhaftierung und einer entscheidenden Wendung des Schicksals, die es ihm ermöglichte, seine Freiheit vorzeitig wiederzuerlangen, lässt er diese gelebte Erfahrung in ein Werk einfließen, das sowohl eindringlich als auch unerschrocken ehrlich wirkt. Durch seine lebhafte Erzählweise behandelt er Themen wie Verrat, spirituelle Konflikte und Widerstandsfähigkeit. Jeder Track pulsiert vor der Spannung gelebter Erfahrungen und fängt die Herausforderungen, Entscheidungen und Durchbrüche ein, die seinen Weg geprägt haben. Getreu Mills' multidisziplinärer Vision ist ,Even The Devil Smiles" mehr als nur Musik. Es präsentiert sich als kulturelles Artefakt, das eine Brücke zwischen der Mixtape-Ära des Hip-Hop und zeitgenössischem Design und hoher Kunst schlägt. Das Ergebnis ist ein Projekt, das die Härte und Unmittelbarkeit des rohen, Hardcore-Rap in sich trägt und sich gleichzeitig als Sammlerstück positioniert, das über die Musik hinaus Resonanz findet und Zuhörer und Trendsetter gleichermaßen einlädt, sich sowohl mit einer zutiefst persönlichen Erzählung als auch mit einem bleibenden kulturellen Statement auseinanderzusetzen.