There are very few Mc’s in the UK rap game as engrained into the culture as Ramson Badbonez. Rising through the ranks as one of the most cut throat MC’s London had ever seen at 14, it wasn’t long before people started to take notice of the young talent, gathering London wide respect as well as getting recognition from UK Hip Hop godfathers Task Force. The rhyming machine has been a living and breathing embodiment of the culture ever since. By far one of the most prolific creators in the scene, Ramson Badbonez employs one of the strictest work ethics ever seen with over 12 full length albums to his name and showing no signs of slowing down.
On the 28th of February, Badbonez will present his latest work, a brand new album, with producer & long time collaborator Mark Fear, entitled ‘Death Mask’.
Following his previous ‘Jason Bonez’ & ‘Mic Day The 13th’ releases, Badbonez has removed the hockey mask to don the Egyptian Death Mask, as he leaves the Jason Bonez moniker behind to focus on a much broader palette of concepts and inspiration.
With topics ranging from the mysteries of the afterlife, the energy crisis to the lasting effects of colonialism to the failings of modern language - Badbonez has left no stone unturned. Fearlessly launching himself into the deep end, covering new ground and constructing incredibly dense prose perfectly matched by Mark Fear’s diverse yet crisp sound.
We are introducing ‘Death Mask’ to the world via hard hitting first single ‘Sarcophagus’, a song that introduces the album’s prevalent theme of the afterlife and asks the poignant question: Why is it that we only truly appreciate rappers when the they pass? A true call to arms to all Hip Hop fans worldwide to stop and smell the roses and appreciate the music and the painstaking work that goes into it.
Perhaps Ramson Badbonez’ most solid release to date, we expect ‘Death Mask’ to make a serious impact in 202
Transmitting from the lower-class neighborhoods - this one is dedicated to the uprooted refugees and to all lower status people that the state chases, persecutes and leads to despair or even death.
Music produced by El Jazzy Chavo.
The text on the inside cover was written by Pinokio of Jolly Roger and was translated by Asja M.
All the photos on the inside taken by N. Kokovlis.
The third and final episode of Ebbe Funk's album series completes the instrumental beat trilogy, which began in 2018 with Chinchillin' I. Dedicated to his pets, each EP reflects a different vibe, united by a thoroughly relaxed sound that perfectly reflects the serene lifestyle of the chinchillas. As the track titles suggest, this episode is dedicated to Dobby. The 5 tracks are very relaxed overall, peppered with mellow rhodes & organ sounds and come with the typical Ebbe Funk flavour.
Coming off the heels of being highlighted in a new Netflix documentary "Underdogs" (link in sidebar) Don't Sleep Records artist Phoniks is back at work releasing his new atmospheric instrumental tape titled "Time Goes By". Phoniks weaves foreign jazz loops, soundtracks and soul b-sides together with apocalyptic movie samples, DJ cuts and vinyl drums to form a cohesive 18-track album. Phoniks continues to evolve his sound, bringing more live instruments into the mix than on any of his previous projects. The album opens with jazz chords played off a midi keyboard, using sound design techniques to make them feel like they were sampled out of a dusty attic somewhere, before homogenizing with real vinyl loops as the beat drops. Compositions such as "One Time" ft. DJ Eveready are completely sample-free. Despite the addition of more instruments, it's still the crate digging ability and ear for melodic jazz samples that drives the sound across the albums 41 minute runtime. Available on CD, Vinyl and Cassette, Phoniks continues to bring his listeners on a journey that began with his debut solo album "Down To Earth" last October. Don't Sleep.
Fat Beats exclusive blue vinyl, limited to 200 copies.
With the original UK 7” of this release now as rare as hen’s teeth, and with the group having recently ‘reformed’ for one last album together, the Mr Bongo replica re-release of this 1990 masterpiece by Gang Starr couldn’t be more timely.
The now-legendary duo of DJ Premier and Guru dropped this at the height of hip-hop’s sampling of jazz, which had led to a creative leap forward for the genre. Yet while others plundered in the dark, this instant classic wore its influences on its sleeve and paid verbal homage to the musicians they were sampling. The “melodious funk” of “Thelonious Monk” gets namechecked, while the track samples two of his records, including 1958’s Bop gem ‘Light Blue’.
While both versions presented here have common elements, the ‘Movie Mix’ – so-named for the song’s appearance on the soundtrack to Spike Lee’s mythic jazz biopic ‘Mo’ Better Blues’ – goes in a few different directions to the ‘Video Mix’. Rather than just drop in an instrumental for the B-side, DJ Premier instead shows his versatility by switching up the base track (Kool & The Gang’s 1971 ‘Dujii’) and layering in other samples. In more ways than one, his virtuosity here echoes the improvisation of a jazz musician, akin to Denzel Washington’s Bleak in the movie.
Of course, he’s not the only show in town. The late Guru’s voice is as mellifluous as an instrument itself here, his potted history of the genre and the artists of jazz delivered with his own unmistakable cadence. Without this record, would he have gone on to make his ‘Jazzmatazz’ projects?
For the first time on 45, F5 presents DJ Spinna and Joc Max’s amazing 1996 remix of De La Soul’s classic “Stakes is High”. A side vocal, B side instrumental. This is a limited pressing of 300. 70 copies are orange colored vinyl. The first 30 orange copies will be signed by DJ Spinna!
— 50 on white / blue vinyl w/ OBI strip + giant 24" x 35" poster & die-cut sticker
— 150 on blue vinyl w/ die-cut sticker
Black retail vinyl version is also available.
TRACKLIST
A1. C-Beam Dreams (feat. Roc Marciano)
A2. Providing This Vibe (feat. Flee Lord)
A3. Backtrack (feat. Eto)
B1. Tell (feat. Maxo + Pink Siifu)
B2. Better Run (feat. Masta Ace, Kool Keith, AG & Sadat X)
PLEASE NOTE
Vinyl previews are digital mock-ups, final product may differ from this preview.
Who the hell is Real Bad Man? Good question, but tough to answer, in short, it’s a clothing brand from Los Angeles…known for bold psychedelic graphics that "sample" imagery from the worlds of music, art and genre films. Sold in the best clothing stores in world, like Union, Dover Street Market, Goodhood UK to name a few. Now Real Bad Man is making music too, taking the same ethos of their clothing and bringing it to rap music. February 21st is the release date for ON HIGH ALERT, Real Bad Man’s first official release coming out through Tuff Kong Records in Italy.
The five song vinyl album features a curated blend of new as well as iconic MC’s such as Roc Marciano, Kool Keith, Eto, Maxo, Masta Ace, Flee Lord, A.G., Pink Siifu, and Sadat X rapping over beats produced and arranged by REAL BAD MAN. The album is filled with the type of sample-heavy hard drum rap beats you’d want to hear your favorite MC’s to spit over.
ON HIGH ALERT is the first volume in a five volume series from Real Bad Man out February 21 2020 on vinyl only. Volume 2 will be released April 17th 2020 on vinyl as well as a CD compiling Volumes 1 & 2 and streaming.
Dubplates from Jakarta presents its 16th issue feat. none other than Pep Love aka PL, member of East Oakland, CA's Hieroglyphics family and well known associate of the Souls of Mischief who delivers six brand new tracks + instrumentals and one more bonus cut going by that well-proven and beloved „dope beats, dope rhymes, dope cuts“ scheme, catching and providing that „golden era vibe“ perfectly and cheering up all the heads form here to CA. Strictly limited as usual, so be fast or be sorry!
We are super excited to welcome Brous One with his new album "Juslikedat" to the BJINT roster. Expect nothing but mellow vibes here like the introduction on the title track says: "Juslikedat now chill". Feature guests include Retrogott, Hulk Hodn & Greco Murillo and the photography on front shows Brous' deep love Vero. Enjoy!
The vinyl edition is limited to 300 copies and comes in a sealed heavy old-fashioned cardboard sleeve. A free download code plus a BJINT logo sticker round up the packaging.
Many of the funk fanatics on the street dance scene already know the name Sin2. As a talkboxer and producer, he introduced himself in 2007 with "The Gypsy And His Talkbox." While he has been spotted in collaboration with a bevy of European funksters, a follow up to Sin2's debut was nowhere to be found, until now.
Entitled "Where I'm From," the album's straightforward name actually belies a deeper musical meditation. Sin2 does, in fact, show us exactly where he's from as far as his production and overall range. The album runs the gamut from Impala-ready g-funk on tunes such as "Mellow Hustle," "Quantum Realm Remix (feat. Bybo)," "On The Autobahn," and "It's LBC," a joint venture with Long Beach legends Foesum, to dance floor friendly boogie funk in the form of "Innocent." The record becomes even more adventurous when Funkmaster Ozone joins in to deliver a vocoder-inflected slice of hard electro on "You Need To Dance." There's more than enough material on "Where I'm From" to fuel a dance session (or ten), yet Sin2 doesn't hesitate to slow things down on the tracks "Wide Open (feat. Imaa)" & "Baby Girl (feat. Bybo)," two electric g-funk slow jams better suited for the bedroom than the backyard boogie.
Sin2's approach to talkboxing stands out from many of his peers as he always manages to give equal space to it and all other instruments in play. The result is that his talkbox texture doesn't overshadow the rest of the music, gliding over his synths and rhythms rather than overshining them as some talkboxers tend to do, making for a consistent listen, and making you wish that he had followed up his debut album many years ago already.
Hailing from Toronto, Canada, aspiring beat maker Json Born is actively establishing himself as a pivotal member of the new generation of Lo-Fi beat creators. His gift for sample selection and manipulation shines bright on his debut album aptly named, First Lite.
Json grew up listening to classic east coast producer legends like DJ Premier, Pete Rock, HI-Tek and J Dilla. There is a feeling conveyed in the music itself that confirms Json’s love for the greats. First Lite pay homages to the original masterminds, while also acknowledging more recent influences like Joji, Bishop Nehru, and STLNDRMS.
“Young, hungry, and growing”, are just a few words that J uses to describe himself. In taking the advice of a friend who overheard a beat Json was working on, he decided to share his art with the world, and the rest of us are better for it. With a promise of more music to come, look for the Json’s debut release of First Lite via URBNET on Friday, February 7, 2020.
1988 is the follow up to Knxwledge’s official debut album Hud Dreems (Stones Throw, 2015). The same year Hud Dreems was released Knx worked with Kendrick Lamar on To Pimp a Butterfly, earning the producer his first Grammy. A duo with Anderson .Paak called NxWorries was formed around the same time. Their single “Suede” became a viral hit, vaulting the singer to R&B stardom, and their album Yes Lawd! followed through on that song’s immense promise. Knx and Paak have quietly continued collaborating, and some of the new work is heard on 1988.
A prolific artist in the extreme sense of the word, Knxwledge continues to redefine instrumental hip-hop almost in real-time with a stream of beat tapes numbering in the hundreds on Bandcamp, and video remixes on Instagram.
This prolific output began early. 1988 takes its name from the fact that much of the new record was created that very year, when Knx was an infant. As the story is told, little baby Knx was left alone by his mother for just a few moments and crawled to a family member’s vintage SP–12 sampler. When his mother returned he had already produced his first beats and nearly mastered the machine. These tracks, all produced before nap time while rocking a Nike diaper, were stored over the years on floppy discs, then brought to his studio in recent months where they were finished up, mixed, and mastered.
This is a FAT BEATS exclusive color variant on GOLD VINYL, strictly limited to 200 copies.
The Diggin' in the Crates Crew, commonly abbreviated as D.I.T.C., is a hip hop collective from New York City. It was founded by Diamond D and Showbiz and its name is from the art of digging for records to sample for production. The members have achieved substantial and consistent recognition in the music industry and Hip Hop circles. They have collaborated with underground and commercial artists from around the world. All of the members are from the Bronx, with the exception of the late Big L from Harlem, and O.C. from Brooklyn.
D.I.T.C., “The Official” Version is an alternative version of D.I.T.C.'s self-titled album D.I.T.C. which was not officially available on vinyl upon its initial release via Tommy Boy when it became apparent that group maintained vinyl rights of the album.
The Official Version has a different track listing with many of the songs being totally different versions than the ones appearing on the first album and also 2 tracks that weren't on D.I.T.C. at all - "All Love" and "We Known For That" (which is actually a remix of the 12" single "Internationally Known"). The album is executively produced by Show and re-released on D.I.T.C. Records with distribution by Fat Beats Distribution -20 years after its initial limited pressing.
Many of the songs appear in remixed forms that had yet to be released, some remixes and some original versions. Highlights include "Where Ya At"; the Big Pun/Milano collaboration but here, instead set over a slamming DJ Premier remix. Likewise, the "Way Of Life" features a totally different Buckwild beat, that is actually the original version of the track, that stands in stark contrast to the B-Boy anthem heard on the Tommy Boy album.
Strongly limited edition of 300 copies on white vinyl and 100 copies on white cassette.
We are so excited to finally share this gem with you as we are fans of the Bushwick crew from scratch. For the very first time all of the 12" single cuts of Finsta Bundy get an anthology release on vinyl, cassette and digitally. The album features productions by Evil Dee and Beatminerz' affiliates Rich Blak and Chocolate Tye and will surely please any head that loves the 90's Rap underground vibes.
Influenced heavily by sounds from the local scenes and surroundings of Japan, I came back to LA with an entirely changed outlook on beatmaking. If Not Now, When? is the manifestation of inspirations from my recent travels. Above all else, it’s a coming of age project. It’s the scatterbrained feeling of a big life change. Like quitting your job. Or falling in love.
Ad Copiam Vol. 1 is the first volume of the "encyclopedia" series of work generated by Brainorchestra that will be released exclusively on Vinyl / Bandcamp
These bonus cuts won't be featured on the streaming version...
PS... The Back side design and label stickers will be different @jeune_woof still working on it... however I can already say it will be fire tho ! :) images will be updated next week..
"This is a special presentation for MF DOOM fans... The available DOOM acapellas have been remixed so many times before, we needed something fresh; so this mashup features only previously unreleased and un-used acapellas, created solely for this project. Combining them with many little-known B-side productions and remix instrumentals from Nujabes, we're reaching into untouched clouds.
This is also a special presentation for Altered Crates... the idea for this mashup (and the Jay Electronica tape) was the main inspiration behind the creation of Altered Crates.
