That's a rainy image of our Chicago hometown on the cover – and it really suits the spirit of this set of work from fellow Chicagoan Philmore Greene – as the set's got a moody, almost melancholy approach that's given just the right sort of spin by Apollo Brown's production! The whole thing almost feels like a mini movie – but not the sort with those outdated skits or narrative bits – just this wider cinematic scope that has Brown empowering Greene in the best way possible – subtle majesty that's just right for the Windy City, on cuts that include "Hittin Blocks", "This Is Me", "Free", "Day On The Ave", "Nice To Meet You", "Just Imagine", "It's Different", "Promises", "Where's The Love", "Paradise", and "Keep Goin". LP, Vinyl record album

That's a rainy image of our Chicago hometown on the cover – and it really suits the spirit of this set of work from fellow Chicagoan Philmore Greene – as the set's got a moody, almost melancholy approach that's given just the right sort of spin by Apollo Brown's production! The whole thing almost feels like a mini movie – but not the sort with those outdated skits or narrative bits – just this wider cinematic scope that has Brown empowering Greene in the best way possible – subtle majesty that's just right for the Windy City, on cuts that include "Hittin Blocks", "This Is Me", "Free", "Day On The Ave", "Nice To Meet You", "Just Imagine", "It's Different", "Promises", "Where's The Love", "Paradise", and "Keep Goin". LP, Vinyl record album

That's a rainy image of our Chicago hometown on the cover – and it really suits the spirit of this set of work from fellow Chicagoan Philmore Greene – as the set's got a moody, almost melancholy approach that's given just the right sort of spin by Apollo Brown's production! The whole thing almost feels like a mini movie – but not the sort with those outdated skits or narrative bits – just this wider cinematic scope that has Brown empowering Greene in the best way possible – subtle majesty that's just right for the Windy City, on cuts that include "Hittin Blocks", "This Is Me", "Free", "Day On The Ave", "Nice To Meet You", "Just Imagine", "It's Different", "Promises", "Where's The Love", "Paradise", and "Keep Goin". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe the most ambitious album ever recorded by Blu – a cool collaboration with Nottz that takes the duo's work into even more righteous territory than before – as you might guess from the album's cover and title! The title's reference to the homeland is very well-pointed – as the songs have a thematic unity that links past greatness with contemporary struggles, all delivered with a sense of focus and cohesion that almost makes the whole record feel like a lost nugget from the glory days of the early 90s scene! Guests include G Kidd, Scienze, Ayun Bassa, Black Shakespeare, and many others – on titles that include "Mama", "Marcus Garvey", "Mungu", "Jina Langu", "Kuwakaribisha", "Baba", and "Matunda Marufuku". CD

Maybe the most ambitious album ever recorded by Blu – a cool collaboration with Nottz that takes the duo's work into even more righteous territory than before – as you might guess from the album's cover and title! The title's reference to the homeland is very well-pointed – as the songs have a thematic unity that links past greatness with contemporary struggles, all delivered with a sense of focus and cohesion that almost makes the whole record feel like a lost nugget from the glory days of the early 90s scene! Guests include G Kidd, Scienze, Ayun Bassa, Black Shakespeare, and many others – on titles that include "Mama", "Marcus Garvey", "Mungu", "Jina Langu", "Kuwakaribisha", "Baba", and "Matunda Marufuku". LP, Vinyl record album

The Diplomats are still going strong on this second set of Diplomatic Immunity – really making the best of their collective approach, as they shift vocals and styles strongly from track to track! Producers shift from track to track, but there's plenty of core energy trading between lyrical contributions from Cam'Ron, Jim Jones, Juelz Santana, Freekey Zeekey, Hell Rell, and the rest – on titles that include "Push It", "Bigger Picture", "Crunk Muzik", "Stop N Go", "SANTANA", "Family Ties", "40 Cal", "Melanin", "So Free", "Dead Muthafuckas", "I Wanna Be Your Lady", and "Dutty Clip". LP, Vinyl record album

Kanye West's & Kid Cudi's joint debut as Kids See Ghosts! Each looks inward and tackles existential personal issues on the lyrical front, with kind of a spacey melancholy vibe to the production, and with cool synths and fuzz-steeped production with some really interesting samples in the mix – from Mr Chop to Kurt Cobain. Officially billed as an album, but with 7 tracks and a 23 minute length, it's straddling the line between EP and full length when it comes to running time – but that's not a knock as it's a tight, filler free effort. Includes "Feel The Love", "Fire", "4th Dimension", "Freeee (Ghost Town Pt 2)", "Reborn", "Kids See Ghosts" & "Cudi Montage". LP, Vinyl record album

On Things Fall Apart ?uestlove, Black Thought, DJ Scratch, Rahzel and co. reinvigorated the scene with a Philly style soulful, melancholy groove that seemingly influenced the entirety of the NuSoul world – and it could even be argued that the Roots birthed that whole scene. Phrenology carries that torch, but it's so, SO much more, as the heady nature weighed the previous LP down in spots, and Phrenology is a sprawling exercise in expectation-busting perfection! "Rock You" kicks things off in explosive fashion, forgoing the laid back, yet angry soul backbone the group pioneered in hop hop, for a massive electro pulse pounding style – with Black Thought frenetically spitting confrontational wisdom until the synth unexpectedly dives into a short burst of live hardcore punk with "!!!!!!!" (we know what you're thinking, but trust us, it REALLY works). "Sacrifice" features a surprisingly effective chorus sung by Nelly Furtado, and other guest spots include Kweli heating up "Rolling With Heat", Ursula Rucker kicking some reverential poetry on "Waok (ay) Rollcall", and Musiq on the single "Break You Off". Other highlights include the late 80s Bomb Squad-like production on "Thought @ Work", the group's live instrumentation (and ?uestlove's always great trap work) and soul claps on tunes like "The Seed (2.0)", the epic "Water", and "Complexity" with Jill Scott. If you're solely of the 2 turntables and a mic camp you may want to head elsewhere, but if you've been anxiously awaiting the new Roots LP like we have, you'll be knocked straight on your arse, welled up with tears of joy. The best major label hip hop album of '02, and a beauty to go in the time capsule for future generations to learn, and mourn what they missed first hand. Amazing!!! Other tracks include "Quills", "Pussy Galore", and "Something In The Way Of Things (In Town)". CD

A hell of a comeback for Tribe Called Quest – maybe one of the best musical comebacks ever, and a fantastic reminder of why we loved the group so much in the first place! 18 years have passed since we last heard from the trio (now, sadly, a duo) – and that time only seems to have sharpened their sound, and given them a more powerful presence than ever! Everything we loved about them is still very firmly in place – that sense of collaboration, almost improvisation in a jazz-like way, and those moments of surprise and wonder at all the deft turns they can take in a short space. Yet there's also a new edge – one that might be even more powerful in this highly politicized moment in American history – a bite that the group never had before, and a larger social agenda that makes all of their incredible skills even more amazing, when focused on a target. We've certainly missed them – but the album's also well worth the wait! Titles include "Black Spasmodic", "The Donald", "The Space Program", "We The People", "Solid Wall Of Sound", "Dis Generation", "Kids", "Melatonin", "Enough", "Movin Backwards", and "The Killing Season". CD

A hell of a comeback for Tribe Called Quest – maybe one of the best musical comebacks ever, and a fantastic reminder of why we loved the group so much in the first place! 18 years have passed since we last heard from the trio (now, sadly, a duo) – and that time only seems to have sharpened their sound, and given them a more powerful presence than ever! Everything we loved about them is still very firmly in place – that sense of collaboration, almost improvisation in a jazz-like way, and those moments of surprise and wonder at all the deft turns they can take in a short space. Yet there's also a new edge – one that might be even more powerful in this highly politicized moment in American history – a bite that the group never had before, and a larger social agenda that makes all of their incredible skills even more amazing, when focused on a target. We've certainly missed them – but the album's also well worth the wait! Titles include "Black Spasmodic", "The Donald", "The Space Program", "We The People", "Solid Wall Of Sound", "Dis Generation", "Kids", "Melatonin", "Enough", "Movin Backwards", and "The Killing Season". LP, Vinyl record album