Hip-Hop Vinyl New Releases - News

Originally it came out on UpTop Entertainment in 1998 on CD

Detroit based hip hop group Da'Enna C aka Da Enna Cirkle formed in 1991 consisted of P. Gruv, Sleeepy D aka 3E, Boog Woog and DJ Dez (Andres) the group has released 6 12" EP's, 1 Maxi Cassette (1994) and 1 full length CD.

Da' Enna C is known for being the first group to release a Dilla production the song was "Now" included on the You Can't Use My Pen EP (1994) released on the UpTop Entertainment Record Label. In 1999 the group went into hiatus, focusing more on production for other artist an entities, producing a string of beat records for Hipnotech which included releasing three Enna C songs on the Beats & Rhyme 12 inch Series and another previously unreleased song recorded in 1994 - True to Rap produced by J Dilla and DJ Dez HR-018 (2010).

Side A / Westchester Eagle

Remixer extraordinaire Jim Sharp makes his Mountain 45s debut with an absolute banger. As always, Jim melds genres seamlessly, creating a new jazzy, funky take on a 70s (already pretty funky!) Rock smash. Soul fans will recognize the classic break and fill, and the old school D&B heads will definitely appreciate the sly nod to a 90s anthem. Time keeps on tickin’, so don’t sleep on this one!

Side B / Faith to the Folks

Label boss and remix veteran, Double A hits the flip side with a soul (searching) infused take on a certain Long Island trio’s 90s classic. Snapping drums and an unshakeable funk riff breath new life into this hip-hop anthem. With plenty of well-placed drops throughout, this one could be a juggler’s dream, so don’t snooze on doubles. Both sides are DJ-friendly and dance floor ready!

Dutch SP1200 wizard Kid Sundance delivers pure heat to the Ilian Beat Series.

If now the time for voodoo amulets and protective talismans, sharpened swords and unbreakable shields, it’s also a moment for music to assume its highest form as a healing art, a source of benevolent spells, and a refuge from the chaos. After all, the best creators are always those that tap into the telluric current that exists below the surface. Those who delve into the collective unconscious so that timeliness is a happy accident; timelessness was always the intent. If Quelle Chris and Chris Keys’ Innocent Country 2 sounds like an antidote for a moment of surreal anxiety, the same could be said of it a decade from now. It’s an album best understand in a dialogue with the first volume of the series. Released in 2016, the initial Innocent Country focused on isolation, pessimism, and the notion of finding peace within pain. At a time when those feelings convey the mood of the moment, Quelle and Keys have responded with a soundtrack that offers soothing light in a bleak timeline. A hopeful record in a hopeless moment, precisely when it’s needed most.

If now the time for voodoo amulets and protective talismans, sharpened swords and unbreakable shields, it’s also a moment for music to assume its highest form as a healing art, a source of benevolent spells, and a refuge from the chaos. After all, the best creators are always those that tap into the telluric current that exists below the surface. Those who delve into the collective unconscious so that timeliness is a happy accident; timelessness was always the intent. If Quelle Chris and Chris Keys’ Innocent Country 2 sounds like an antidote for a moment of surreal anxiety, the same could be said of it a decade from now. It’s an album best understand in a dialogue with the first volume of the series. Released in 2016, the initial Innocent Country focused on isolation, pessimism, and the notion of finding peace within pain. At a time when those feelings convey the mood of the moment, Quelle and Keys have responded with a soundtrack that offers soothing light in a bleak timeline. A hopeful record in a hopeless moment, precisely when it’s needed most.

LIMITED EDITION 100 HAND NUMBERED COPIES ON RED WAX

We can't believe it ourselves! Brandnew music by the original Hip Hop Band. Prince Paul, Daddy-O, Wise, Delite & Bobby Simmons are currently working on a new album. Stetsasonic is back and what a track they have cooked up for their return after 30 years!
IN A SPECIAL EDITION WE GIVE YOU THE VOCAL AND THE INSTRUMENTAL VERSION ON A STRICTLY LIMITED 100 HAND NUMBERED COPIES EDITION RED WAX. ONLY 15 COPIES LEFT.
STETSASONIC IS BACK!

The classic album from Immortal Technique now available. Features Akir, C-Rayz Walz, DJ Roc Raida, Diabolic, Jean Grae, Lou Cipher, Mumia Abu Jamal, Poison Pen, Pumpkinhead & Tonedeff.

'Dieser neueste Soundtrack aus seiner Feder fühlt sich an wie ein längst überfälliges Wiedersehen mit einem verloren geglaubten Freund: Sofort erkennt man die bekannten Züge wieder, es umgarnt einen und zieht einen hinein in eine Welt, die unverwechselbar seine ist – die Welt von N.O.W. Immerhin kann man dieses Mal drei Dinge identifizieren, die zusammenkamen und dieses Album ganz klar prägen sollten: ein persönlicher Schicksalsschlag, ganz viel Zeit (ein Nebeneffekt der Pandemie) und Black Lives Matter. Inzwischen eher eine Art Bandleader, streckte er seine Fühler aus und knüpfte Kontakte mit jungen Talenten, deren Ansatz irgendwie zu N.O.W. zu passen schien. Bald war er mit Leuten wie Shabaka Hutchings, Haile Supreme, Mara TK und Sabrina Mahfouz in Kontakt. Auch Greentea Peng, OSHUN und Pip Millett fragte er an, erklärte ihnen die Stoßrichtung: Sie alle sagten zu und nutzten die im Titel angedeuteten Freiheiten und Freiräume auf ihre Art, lieferten ihre ganz eigene, vertonte Definition von Freiheit ab.' - Don Letts aka The Rebel Dread

In order to celebrate the label’ 5 years anniversary, MENACE releases a compilation of 14 songs with producers from around the world, featuring Antoine Berjeaut, Hugo LX, DJ Mitsu The Beats, Bluestaeb, Kidkanevil, Lex, Jeremy Talon, Plantar & Maika Loubté, Unisun, Charles Dollé, Maxim, Midori & Takumi Taneko.

A compilation that presents the finest artists of the Catalogue, blending House, Jazz, Electronica, Hip-Hop, Ambient & Soul - all the genres that shapes the label aura from 5 years.


"At the time of the MENACE "5" release, a compilation to celebrate the five years of the label, it is important for me to express my thanks to all the artists involved in this adventure as well as all the people who participated in the creation and development of the label - most of them since
day one. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to meet, and to continue meeting, so many talented and generous souls from around the world.
I am looking forward to carrying on with you, my friends, and to keep producing quality projects and good music. As well as continuing to travel with you, to the sessions, rehearsals, dinners and to the meetings.
Culture is resistance."
Mido.

Franco-Cameroonian rapper of 25 years old, MIKANO has been lucky enough to visit the four corners of the world during the first part of his life. He grew up in cities as diverse as Abu Dhabi or Cairo where he discovers life, but also music.

Since his childhood he is passionate about rap music, Snoop Dog, Lil Wayne, 50 Cent or Nas. Later, the click will be with Kanye West's "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" and Kid Cudi's "Man Of The Moon". His new favorites naturally guided him towards rap and English language.

At the age of 17, his family settled down in Paris, where he began to compose and write, inspired by the music that touched him at each stage of his life and his travels.

Now inspired by artists such as Agnès Obel, Frank Ocean and Alabama Shakes, he’s started recording titles and the release of a first EP "No Devices Found", first test quickly followed by "Blind Man Dreams" a second haunting and dreamlike EP (entirely produced by his accomplice SVTVS) which allows him to appear on the radars of the French and international music industry. It has positioned him as an artist who crossover the genres.

MIKANO presents "Melting Ballons" a mixtape where imagination and emotions are put in the foreground. The artist has chosen to put sensations at the heart of his creation, from his mind directly to the microphone and invites the audience to walk in a museum of thoughts, raw emotions, that he can modulate on demand.


"Melting Balloons" opens with the instant ear-worm « Silhouette " where the rapper continues to have fun, by mixing genres, in putting his voice on a production halfway between Afro-Beat and Trap. Follow tracks as intimate as "Silent Screams » a song totally sung and « Symphony » a true invitation of letting things go. It gradually intensifies and gives place to "Fuego", a demonstration of strength: where the rapper reveals all his power and his technicality.

Mikano's music is made for those who love Frank Ocean, Blood Orange or Kid Cudi. So many influences that the rapper had digested and diluted with subtlety. He’s been able to make something that sounds like it has never been heard before, something completely new. Mikano's sound is intimate, deep, juggling lightness and strength. He’s taking the listener from one extreme to an other, from a song tinged with sweetness and fantasy to a title inflated with energy and raw power, served by an impeccable flow.

Immortal Technique, the most radical revolutionary rap lyricist to hit wax, combines with Green Lantern and a gang of like-minded MCs to produce THE 3RD WORLD, a furious mixtape which is perhaps Immortal Technique's best work to date. The title track is a compelling summary of all the Harlem rapper has proclaimed in his past verses, as he reworks Jay-Z's 'Where I'm From' into a scathing diagnosis of the state of the world in the 21st century. Tech also breaks down the power structures behind NYC gentrification on 'Harlem Renaissance,' deconstructs accepted understandings of 'pimp' on 'Reverse Pimpology,' and examines corporate privatization on 'Open Your Eyes.' Violent, angry, and unabashedly challenging, THE 3RD WORLD is everything hardcore hip-hop should be. TRACKLIST: 1. Death March (featuring DJ Green Lantern), 2. That's What it Is 3. Golpe De Estado (featuring Veneno & Temperamento), 4. Harlem Renaissance, 5. Lick Shots (featuring Chino XL, Crooked I), 6. Apocrypha - Interlude, 7. The 3rd World, 8. Hollywood Driveby (featuring Psycho Realm & Sick Symphonies), 9. Watch out (remix), 10. Reverse Pimpology (featuring Mojo), 11. Open Your Eyes, 12. The Payback (featuring Diabolic & RasKass), 13. Adios Uncle Tom - Skit, 14. Stronghold Grip (featuring Poison Pen & Swave Sevah), 15. Mistakes, 16. Parole (Evil Genius Mix), 17. Crimes of the Heart (featuring Maya Azucena).

21 Bridges ensures the classic Beastie Boys demo collection gets a proper reissue, following its former relegation to only CD and bootleg vinyl formats. 'The Def Jam Master Demos' hears our favourite rabble-rousers at their rawest, with every track from their landmark project 'Licensed To Ill' getting an exclusive, less polished look-in. Fight for your right to definitively own every Beastie Boys rarity, and grab this one while you can.

Few groups arrive as fully formed as EPMD did. This dropped as the third single from the album of the same name, and further cemented their distinctive aesthetic: Slow rhyming, trading lines rather than the rappers being confined to their own verses, and backings that were ruthlessly funky and simple at the same time.

They’d go on to be labelmates with Public Enemy when Def Jam picked up their contract in 1990, and to compare and contrast the two is illuminating. While PE at that time were making waves with the Bomb Squad’s breathless, kitchen sink approach to production, EPMD were equally adored for taking the opposite approach.

Here, there’s a sprinkle of drums from Kool & The Gang’s oft-sampled ‘Jungle Boogie’, paired with a very recognisable portion of Eric Clapton’s ‘I Shot the Sheriff’. And that’s pretty much it – the two samples are linked, looped and left to their own devices. Such was Erick and Parrish’s confidence in their own rhyming ability and strong voices, no further embellishment was needed.

That confidence extends to the subject matter. While their debut album and later projects were heavy with concepts – the ‘Jane’ series – and notable guest verses, this was the third straight single of pure brag rap. Two MC’s, one beat, a whole heap of lyrics about how good they were. It’s something you can’t do unless you truly are special, and this duo most certainly were.

Paired with the classic instrumental version, which didn’t make it to the US 7” releases – it’s only on a hard-to-track-down French 7” pressing from 1989 – this this is a timely reminder of how breathtakingly perfect hip-hop can be.

Jahmal Padmore’s debut solo album, Esparonto, arrives via Telephone Explosion Records on May 28th, 2022. Padmore has been honing his producing, songwriting, and drumming skills since 2007, working with artists like MSTRKRFT, The Carps, Just John and Brendan Philip. This extensive studio & collaboration experience has primed Jahmal for a standout debut, one that encompasses the diversity of his past musical work. Esparonto is a stunning collection of ten post-Afropunk R&B tracks that are languid, sexy and wry.

There is an undeniable sense of self-reflection that runs throughout Esperanto. Lyrics about distant regrets, ego detachment, and unconditional self-love are reoccurring, sung through Padmore’s signature lyrical croon. “... I can’t give you the things you need, without forsaking a part of me,” sings Padmore in the chorus of album opener Sorted, perfectly encapsulating the overarching vibe of Esperonto. Guitarist Benja’s foggy haze of abstract jazz chords provide a welcoming and warm atmosphere required for such deep contemplation.

Esperonto kicks it up a notch on the more hip hop-leaning tracks. Operator (ft: Matthew Progress), Ingestion (ft: Keita Juma) and Pretty are all rife with energy, with the latter taking the cake as the song most likely to be stuck in your head for the next 10 months, at least! The classic combination of a sample pack-worthy beat and a massive chorus are at work here. The song begins with the lyrics “I can’t help it if god made me pretty,” setting the hook for a stadium-sized chorus where Padmore proclaims “My ego gets me high/My ego tells me who I really am.” A follower of spiritual guru Ram Dass, Padmore appears to be one step closer to his goal of enlightenment, and is not ashamed of it.

The album closes with “So Cold,'' its most delicate track and a perfect come-down after such tireless self-evaluation. The epic crescendo sees Padmore repeatedly announcing “I’ve lost myself.” It’s clear that he has shed some unnecessary facets of his personality and is ready to move forward. Recording at Telephone Explosion’s Studio Z, the trio of Padmore, Benja and OBGMs drummer/keyboardist Colanthony Humphries began with lengthy jam sessions which eventually became the cores of each track. Padmore plucked the most progressive bass and percussion

elements from the sessions and added samples to create Esperonto’s uniquely live aesthetic. The album was then mixed by Louis Cremades at House Of Balloons (The Weeknd) and mastered by Kevin McPhee at East End Mastering.

Esparonto’s title is drawn from the name of the constructed language that Polish ophthalmologist L.L. Zamenhof created in the late 1800s. On this album, Padmore constructs a musical language all his own, with songs firmly rooted in R&B that expand to include elements of jazz, ambient, house, hip hop and pop. After years of holding space for other artists and productions, Padmore’s thrilling debut is a clear proclamation from an artist who is ready to step out of the shadows and into his own light.

nothing,nowhere. commented on the new album detailing, “TRAUMA FACTORY is an accumulation of songs written during a confusing time. it is about accepting the present and following your true north through the pain and suffering of human life. I wanted to make an album that was truly genreless and inspire others to challenge themselves artistically. I believe the most inspiring art is unpredictable and unrestrictive. to me that’s what TRAUMA FACTORY is.”

Over the course of 15 tracks, TRAUMA FACTORY cuts deep and finds nothing,nowhere. once again emerging from darkness, shedding external expectation, and moving forward into the glow of pure creation. Whether it be the anesthetized beats and intoxicating lull of “love or chemistry,” the cold piano-laden longing of “crave,” or the emotional immediacy of “upside down,” nothing,nowhere. paints from a wide palette of pain.

nothing,nowhere. is the musical endeavor of Vermont songwriter, singer and guitarist Joe Mulherin. For Mulherin, nothing,nowhere. is about a connection. It’s one he finds with fans around the world, who gather to see him play on tour and to listen to his songs online. It’s that connection that urges the singer to place his fears aside and step onstage each night to share his art. He sees the potential to help, to make a change, however small it may be and that is why he brings his music out of the Vermont wildness.

This is Guice with 'Ashes of my Blunt'. One of the sickest and smokiest classic rap albums Memphis got to date. First time on vinyl and official as fuck. Tracks like 'Murder on they Minds', 'Fire it up' and 'Find myself' are genius and timeless bombs for your eardrums. Enjoy them tunes while drinking Alizé and smoking a big fat blunt. Wet dreams come true!

BBE Music announces a special 20th Anniversary edition of one of the most important records in the label’s history: J Dilla’s Welcome 2 Detroit, presented in a deluxe 7” vinyl box set boasting instrumentals, two brand new interpretations by Azymuth and Muro, a stash of
previously unreleased alternative mixes and studio outtakes pressed over 12 discs, plus a book revealing the album’s hidden story, told by those who were there. First issued by BBE Music on Monday 26th of February 2001, Welcome 2 Detroit was James Dewitt Yancey aka Jay Dee’s first solo outing and the debut appearance of his new ‘J Dilla’
moniker (bestowed on him by none other than Busta Rhymes). The album also inaugurated the producer-led Beat Generation album series, which would later spawn classic LPs by DJ Jazzy Jeff, Pete Rock, DJ Spinna, Marley Marl and even will.i.am, all of whom had been
inspired to reach for new creative heights by hearing Dilla’s magnum opus. Choosing to showcase his own voice and the voices of local rap-heroes from across the city instead of big stars, Welcome 2 Detroit marked a coming of age for the then 27 year-old producer, who fully embraced the creative-freedom offered by BBE for his first solo project.
As Dilla tells it: “Peter (Adarkwah, founder of BBE) let me do whatever I wanted to do. So, Iwanted to put people on there who are gonna spit y’know, lyrically and represent Detroit. Because I wouldn’t have been able to pull this album off if it came out under a major. Cos they’re not gonna let you just do a song or you can’t just do an instrumental. You gotta have this feature and you’re Jay Dee, why ain’t you got Erykah Badu? Why ain’t you got so and so on your album? I’d have had to go through all of that, instead of just putting out…y’know, Beej on this joint!”
The album would prove to be the perfect distillation of Dilla’s Detroit. From Kraftwerkinspired Tech Noir that would make Metroplex proud, through subtle echoes from Africa, live jazz-funk and bossa-nova grooves, to tough Midwest boom-bap, this record somehow showed reverence to the city’s past without ever leaving its present. Grimy street flows that somehow swayed like James Brown. Unquantized marvels, so free and alive in their bounce, that they could seduce the hardest of hard-rocks into the sweetest screwface! Diverse, multifaceted, super collaborative and yet somehow singular, Welcome 2 Detroit was the shy and humble James Yancey revealing his true self in the only way he knew how: through his music.
“The numerous guest appearances from some of the city’s best MCs at the time — Beej, Big Tone, Elzhi, Frank N Dank, Phat Kat — added to the album’s immersive experience, offering listeners a taste of Detroit in a way that only Jay Dee could do." – Okayplayer
To mark the 20th Anniversary of this momentous record, BBE Music is issuing a specially remastered edition of Welcome 2 Detroit, featuring a stunning new remix of ‘Think Twice’ by Japanese DJ/producer Muro and a stellar cover version of ‘Rico Suave Bossa Nova’ by legendary Brazilian jazz-funk juggernauts Azymuth, plus a stash of newly discovered alternate versions and work-in-progress recordings from the album sessions, lovingly reproduced from priceless cassette tapes recorded by J Dilla himself. An accompanying book by British writer and filmmaker John Vanderpuije offers an oral history of the album’s making, as told by Amp Fiddler, Ma Dukes and all of the album’s key musical contributors. The deluxe 7” vinyl box set and digital album will be released on February 5th 2021 during the annual #DillaMonth celebration, as close to the great man’s birthday as possible and will be available to pre-order from the BBE website and Bandcamp from November 3rd 2020. I’m real happy that Welcome 2 Detroit was done by BBE. Because I don’t think another label
would have helped him embrace his full creativity and given him the control to make it a piece of who he was! Because of BBE he was able to pour more of himself into it, into every bit of music on this album. His spirit lives in Welcome 2 Detroit. It’s him! Alive and thriving in
every song!” – Ma Dukes

Berlin-based producer, beatmaker, and all-around big papa Suff Daddy returns with an irresistibly-bouncy instrumental long player to herald in the new year, aptly titled “Basically Sober,” releasing on Jakarta Records February 25, 2022.

Atlanta emcee Tha God Fahim remains a true outlier, releasing new music at a remarkable pace without sacrificing depth or quality. Recently, the talented artist linked with Montreal producer Nicholas Craven for two masterful new EPs within the span of a month, drawing widespread praise in the process. Now, both volumes of "Dump Gawd: Shot Clock King" are available in one physical release. Featuring guest vocals from Your Old Droog, this two-part collection unites powerful creative forces, with Fahim weaving consistently inventive street parables over Craven’s cinematic, soul-drenched production.

For RE:WARM 007 We present Lucky Mereki - You Got Me Dancing. Originally released on Accord Music back in 1991 officially licenced via Gallo Music, remastered & presented in its original sleeve design for RE:WARM records.

Now here’s a record we felt had been criminally overlooked until now, despite Lucky still being an active musician of over 30 years and still producing music in his home country of South Africa. This is sadly so often the case for many artists of the time. Thankfully the resurgence in Bubblegum Pop, Afro Boogie, Kwaito, House & Pantsula over the last decade or so has given a new lease of life to some overlooked music from the late 80s & 90s Township subcultures from S.A. We think this one fits that Pre-Kwaito bill nicely, the genre that led a township subculture into the mainstream. Its sweet, its sensitive, its hopeful with very infectious rhythms and synth lines throughout, reflecting better times ahead as a new future starts to emerge from a post-apartheid South Africa.

Andres (aka DJ Dez) steps up to join the MotorCity Wine family in fine style with the Allegria de Vino series. For this 2 volume series Andres flexes his blunted downtempo beat-driven side, complete with his primo cut skills celebrating our favorite red, white, and pink libations. Both volumes feature 3 instrumental hip-hop beats, cut loud at 33.3 rpm, pressed with love at Archer on Detroit's east side, and housed in the MotorCity Wine company 7" jacket.

Following the commercial success of the 2021 album Unf*ckwitable and an overall banner year for the Detroit rapper, Babyface Ray comes with the aptly titled and highly anticipated album, FACE, which sees him stake his claim as “The Face of the City.” Production on the twenty-track album is largely handled by 808 Mafia, DJ Esco and others, and features appearances from Icewear Vezzo, Yung Lean, Pusha T, G Herbo, Wiz Khalifa, 42 Dugg & Landstrip Chip. With an already impressive list of cosigns from artists such as Future and Tyler, The Creator, Babyface Ray continues his all-out assault to put Motor City on the map and isn’t taking his foot off the gas anytime soon.

There is no disputing that Benny The Butcher has arrived. With anticipation now at a fever pitch, Benny The Butcher puts a bow on his and Griselda’s genre-shifting year with his new album Burden Of Proof; an album that aligns the best rapper alive, with the hottest producer (Hit-Boy) of 2020.

Mastered by Guru, Burden of Proof is The Butcher’s official level up. With Burden Of Proof, Benny took his time and holed up in LA with Hit-Boy to craft a masterpiece; and the one producer methodology, though a somewhat new concept for Benny, aids the albums musical variance, depth and diversity. It’s still gritty and vintage, but coupled with the melodic and anthemic production of Hit-Boy; Benny’s Pyrex vision raps have never sounded more festival ready.

“I always wanted to name my first album, The Most Anticipated, because that’s always been my position and it’s my position now. I’ve always been a dope artist from the hood, from the city, but I never really put out “the album” Benny commented. “I’ve recorded a lot of great music. Dope projects, mixtapes, features and people see me on that level to where when I deliver the album it has to be “that album” because expectations are high and I thrive under pressure. Burden Of Proof is that album. We worked hard on this project. I got a lot of input from the team. This is what I wanted to give the people; Burden Of Proof.”

About:
As the first album from the legendary, Busta Rhymes in eleven years, Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath of God, Rhymes enlisted Chris Rock to tease the album announcement. The art, done by world renowned contemporary artist, Chanelle Rose.

With 2 singles released so far; "The Don & The Boss" which features legendary Jamaican artist, Vybz Kartel; and YUUUU which features, and is produced ed by the musical savant, Anderson .Paak. The album also features many other heavyweight features that have not yet been revealed.

Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath of God marks Rhymes' return with his star-studded follow up to the seminal 1998 three-time Grammy nominated, RIAA Certified Platinum album E.L.E. (Extinction Level Event): The Final World Front.

Green Vinyl

Blue Vinyl

The 10-track release, Collection Agency, is Curren$y’s first project of 2021. The album marks his 11th solo studio album, and 90th overall project. Even more impressively, the quality has remained consistent throughout his prolific career. The Louisiana rapper links up with several notable producers on the project including DJ.Fresh, Harry Fraud, Rsonist of The Heatmakerz, Trauma Tone, Purps, & Black Metaphor. We also see an appearance by longtime friend and collaborator, Larry June. At just under 24 minutes, Curren$y delivers another unforgettable round of smooth joints and cruising music.

Orange Vinyl

The 10-track release, Collection Agency, is Curren$y’s first project of 2021. The album marks his 11th solo studio album, and 90th overall project. Even more impressively, the quality has remained consistent throughout his prolific career. The Louisiana rapper links up with several notable producers on the project including DJ.Fresh, Harry Fraud, Rsonist of The Heatmakerz, Trauma Tone, Purps, & Black Metaphor. We also see an appearance by longtime friend and collaborator, Larry June. At just under 24 minutes, Curren$y delivers another unforgettable round of smooth joints and cruising music.

Hailing from Inglewood, California, Daniel “D SMOKE” Farris personifies the city's cultural duality: nurtured by the boulevards and natured by his family’s rich musical legacy. Smoke gained global notoriety in 2019 as champion and undisputed breakout star of Netflix’s Rhythm + Flow. In February 2020, Smoke released Black Habits. The 16-track project boasts features from music legends Snoop Dogg and Jill Scott, as well as appearances from Ari Lennox, his brothers SiR and Davion Farris, and mother, Jackie Gouché. D Smoke further solidified his resume with two Grammy nominations for Best Rap Album and Best New Artist of 2020. As a Black, Bilingual Rapper, Musician, and CEO, Smoke utilizes his lived experiences to create music and opportunities that bridge the cultural gaps seemingly present between Black and Brown communities, and the have and have-nots.

Daniyel’s ability to make art that’s truthful to his experiences is one of the many reasons why local Portland publication, PDX Monthly, has deemed him the next big thing. With the goal to hit full throttle in 2021, Daniyel is set to release his upcoming project, 82, dedicated to 82nd Avenue, the street he grew up on. In keeping true to his roots, 82 digs into the feel-good nostalgia and uniqueness of what makes Portland the place it is and the person it has helped him become, illustrated by the emotional “LOST ONES,” directed by Cole Bennett of Lyrical Lemonade, and the energetic “IT’S OK.”

Devin The Dude is back with another classic. At 14 tracks, Soulful Distance plays on the current global scenario and oozes the familiar smooth sounds and cruising music that Devin is best known for. Keeping things local, the album features several notable Houston natives, including Scarface, Slim Thug, Big Pokey, & Lil Keke.

2xLP: Wide Spine, pressed on Gold Nugget vinyl with spot gloss printing on cover

About:
Free Nationals are best known as Anderson Paak's live band, until now. Band members Kelsey Gonzalez (Bass), Ron "Tnava" Avant (Keyboard/ Vocoder), Callum Connor (Drums) and José Rios (Guitar) have graced the stage at Coachella, opened for performers such as Beyoncé and completed World Tours alongside J.Cole, Bruno Mars - the list continues. Paying homage to the musical legends that paved the way before them; Free Nationals means The first people of America, Indigenous to the land before Columbus came. Staying Indigenous to the funk, Free Nationals pay tribute to inspirations such as Stevie Wonder, B.B. King, Herbie Hancock and Al Green by incorporating musicianship while pioneering musical euphoria for a new generation.

Micheal “Eyedea” Larsen and Gregory “DJ Abilities” Keltgen first met in the mid-90s and soon began a working relationship that would play a prominent role in the burgeoning Indie-Rap movement of the time. After numerous successes across nearly every notable MC or DJ battle of the late ‘90s and early ‘00s, including HBO’s Blaze Battle, the Rocksteady Anniversary, Scribble Jam, the DMC’s and more, they had already cemented their legacies both as individuals in the battle scene and as the dynamic duo, Eyedea & Abilities, for their live performances and showmanship. However, determined not to be dismissed as one-dimensional, they set out to prove they were to be taken just as seriously at writing and recording. Together, they developed a near symbiotic creative union that produced three albums—First Born; E&A; and By The Throat—before Eyedea tragically passed away in 2010, at the age of 28.

The release of their debut album, First Born, had revealed their talents to be much more versatile and expansive than previously expected. The boastful arrogance and punchlines that had become synonymous with battling were notably scarce on the album. Eyedea chose to tackle subjects that were more conceptual and philosophical in nature, focusing on matters of reality and altered states of perception while pushing his urgent, dense delivery into darker, more abstract terrain. Meanwhile, DJ Abilities was able to craft worlds of depth and emotion, pairing hauntingly suspenseful beats with meticulous turntablism. The resulting album was rich in ambition, ideas and humanity. First Born came at the forefront of an exciting new era of underground hip-hop, delivering messages that emphasized questions over answers, ambiguity over certainty, and self-expression over exploitation, to an audience that was eager to expand their horizons beyond the commercial programming and clichés of the time.

Fresh off of winning the Listener's Choice award at the 2020 Soundcity MVP Awards Festival, Fireboy DML follows up his debut album with "Apollo." Fireboy DML enlists help from fellow labelmate, Olamide, as well as D Smoke and Wande Coal.

Fresh off of his critically acclaimed collaborative album, Piñata, with prolific producer, Madlib – Freddie Gibbs shows no signs of slowing down as he closes out 2015 with his brand new album, “Shadow of A Doubt”. 

Shadow Of A Doubt is based off Freddie's experiences in both the dope game and rap game. It's the soundtrack to driving around Los Angeles at night – the dark side of the supposed glamorous life. One foot in the booth, one foot in the street. It’s a gangsta-rap-neon-noir film on wax about a man coming of age, overcoming the odds, and trying to make a better life for himself and his family.

This album taps some of today’s top talent as guest MC’s and as producers with features from E-40, Gucci Mane, Black Thought, Tory Lanez, Manman Savage and Dana Williams, with production from Kaytranda, Boi-1Da, 808 Mafia, and more. As this past year has shown, Freddie Gibbs is a force to be reckoned with, as a one of the only rappers that has the streets and blogs fully activated and behind him, Freddie Gibbs continually shows that he’s one of the best in the game, beyond a Shadow of A Doubt. 

Offered as a surprise release, Alfredo, the joint project from Freddie Gibbs and The Alchemist. The project features Tyler, The Creator, Rick Ross, Benny, The Butcher and Conway The Machine and includes the single "1985" - releasing today with a Nick Walker-directed video creative directed by Ben "Lambo" Lambert. The project is their second collaboration together following their 2018 tape with Curren$y, Fetti, which Pitchfork called "an example of the good that can happen when seasoned vets link up."

Alfredo follows Freddie Gibbs's joint album with Madlib, Bandana, from last year, which was named one of the best albums of the year by Complex, Consequence of Sound, Hypebeast, NPR, SPIN, Stereogum, Vice, Vulture, and many more, their accompanying Bandana Instrumentals album, and their NPR Tiny Desk.

The project also arrives after an industrious 2019 for The Alchemist. He released his compilation album Yacht Rock 2, the fifth installment of his Rapper's Best Friend instrumental series, collaborations with Action Bronson (Lamb Over Rice) and Boldy James (The Price of Tea in China) and a joint EP with Conway The Machine (LULU) who features on Alfredo's eighth track "Babies & Fools."