DJ Jazzy Jeff returns – with a top shelf roster or MCs doing justice to his Philly soul reared, bedrock beatcraft – including Big Daddy Kane, Method Man, Rhymefest, Jean Grae, Kardinall Offishall, CL Smooth, Pos of De La Soul and more – underground spitters and mic icons alike! We don't know if Jazz tailors his beats for the chosen MCs – or if he seeks out the appropriate MCs for his ready-made material – but whatever his methods, they're still working well. Return Of The Magnificent is a standard bearing effort! Titles include "Hip Hop" feat Twone Gabz, "Let Me Hear U Clap" feat Pos from De La Soul, "Run That Back" feat Eshon Burgundy & Black Ice, "Jeff N Fess" feat Rhymefest, "Practice" feat J Live, "Supa Jean" feat Jean Grae, "The Garden" feat Big Daddy Kane, "Hold It Down" feat Method Man, "My Soul Ain't For Sale" feat Raheem DeVaugh, "Cone On feat Dave Ghetto, "Brand New Funk 2K7" feat Peedi Peedi and more1 LP, Vinyl record album

Illa J seems ready to live up to his long legacy on the Detroit scene here – almost with a vibe that has him refining his sound even more than before, while also opening the door to some of the younger talents on the scene as well! We love the crisply cosmic energy of some of the beats – that way that post-techno roots, Detroit artists have of letting some of that earlier electronic magic flow through their music, but in a very subtle way – qualities that are also augmented by some of the guests on the set too! Tracks have features from Amp Fiddler, Dank, Kid Gotti, Frank Nitt, Maine Soul, SAM, Harleighblu, and others – and titles include "Doin It", "No Traffic", "Off The Tap", "Relapse", "Not Ever", "Shine Your Light", "Snaps", "Boom Bap", "Funny", "Showin Love", "OG Funk", "Good Life", "Plaques", and "Star Struck". LP, Vinyl record album

A glorious send off from J Dilla – with some of the most soulful productions Dilla's ever laid down – and appearances by Common, D'Angelo, Pharoahe Monch, Madlib, MED, Black Thought and others! It's impossible to listen to The Shining without considering the sad circumstances surrounding its release, and all too easy to over praise, but this record is filled timelessly inventive production – and passionate rhymes from the honored guests. A lot of the more leftfield, abstract touches that create most of the character on the Donuts LP are really on the outskirts of the sound here – a much richer, deeper, funky drum influenced batch of sounds. We're speechless. There's one more official posthumous LP in the can, and thank goodness for that. Tracks include in-your-f**kin' face intro "Geek Down" with Busta Rhymes, "E=MC2" feat Common, "Love Jones", "Love" feat Pharoahe Monch, "Baby" feat Madlib & Guilty Simpson, "So Far To Go" feat Common & D'Angelo (come back D', the world needs you), "Jungle Love" feat MED & Guilty Simpson, "Dime Piece (Remix)" feat Dwele, "Love Movin'" feat Black Thought and "Won't Do". LP, Vinyl record album

A glorious send off from J Dilla – with some of the most soulful productions Dilla's ever laid down! It's impossible to listen to The Shining without considering the sad circumstances surrounding its release, and all too easy to over praise, but this record is filled timelessly inventive production. A lot of the more leftfield, abstract touches that create most of the character on the Donuts LP are really on the outskirts of the sound here – a much richer, deeper, funky drum influenced batch of sounds. We're speechless. There's one more official posthumous LP in the can, and thank goodness for that. Tracks include "Geek Down", "E=MC2", "Love Jones", "Love", "Baby", "So Far To Go", "Jungle Love", "Dime Piece" , "Love Movin'" and "Won't Do". CD

A classic masterpiece from J Dilla – a record that set the tone for countless hip hop releases in years to come – but which still shows Jay Dee as one of the smartest, sharpest, most forward-thinking producers to rule the roost! The set's got some incredible live instrumentation – lots of funky drums from Karriem Riggins, and a wealth of Fender Rhodes and other keyboards from Dwele – two artists brought along from the Detroit underground by Dilla, in a lineup that also includes work from Frank N Dank, Blu, Phat Kat, and Beej. The whole thing is fantastic, this amazing blend of instrumentals and vocal numbers that show that hip hop had plenty of new territory to open up in the 21st century – on titles that even include tributes to some key inspirations – like "African Rhythms" (Oneness of Juju), "Brazilian Groove" (Earth Wind & Fire), and "Think Twice" (Donald Byrd). The whole thing is classic – and other cuts include "Rico Suave Bossa Nova", "Shake It Down", "Give it Up", "The Clapper", and "Come Get It". CD

A classic masterpiece from J Dilla – a record that set the tone for countless hip hop releases in years to come – but which still shows Jay Dee as one of the smartest, sharpest, most forward-thinking producers to rule the roost! The set's got some incredible live instrumentation – lots of funky drums from Karriem Riggins, and a wealth of Fender Rhodes and other keyboards from Dwele – two artists brought along from the Detroit underground by Dilla. The whole thing is fantastic, this amazing blend of instrumentals and vocal numbers that show that hip hop had plenty of new territory to open up in the 21st century. This one returns the project to more of that pre-planned breakbeat feel. A stellar set, with lyrics, or without – one that laid the groundwork for Dilla's subsequent production aesthetic! Features great remakes of "African Rhythms" (Oneness of Juju), "Brazilian Groove" (Earth Wind & Fire), and "Think Twice" (Donald Byrd), plus the cuts "Y'all Ain't Ready", "Shake It Down", "Give it Up", "The Clapper", and "Come Get It", "Think Twice" and more! CD

A mad bit of funk from the great Pete Rock! Pete's easily one of the best hip hop producers of the past decade – and this album's a sublime batch of instrumental tracks that focuses on his talent for remaking an older groove. The set's one of the first on BBE's groundbreaking Beat Generation label – and it's an important blend of downtempo grooves, hip hop, and classic styles of funk! A great listen all the way through – and with tracks that include "A Little Soul", "Cake", "The Boss", "Pete's Jazz", "Smooth Sailing", "Something Funky", and "Back On The Block". CD

Chief Xcel and Gift Of Gab move it over to Anti- for the long-awaited follow up to Blazing Arrow! The Craft is a much more streamlined effort – so if the stylistic sprawl and sidesteps into the pop realm that characterized the major label album rubbed you the wrong way, this may be the focused effort you were waiting for – plus the crew brings in some live funk elements to build into the solid sound! Of course a solid sound for Blackalicious is still more adventurous than just about any other crew. Elements of live strings, flute, guitar, bass and keys really flesh the tracks out! Soul chanteuse Ledisi contributes hook vocals to several tunes, and additional vocal guests include mothership captain George Clinton, Larry Saunders, PEACE, Lifesavas, Lateef & Pigeon John and others. Tracks include "World Of Vibrations" feat Ledisi, "Supreme People", "Rhythm Sticks", "Powers", "Your Move", "Lotus Flower", "My Pen And Pad", "Automatique" feat Floetry, "Black Diamonds And Pearls" feat Larry Saunders and Ledisi, "Give It To You" and "The Craft". CD

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

Low Budget Hi Fi Music from Madlib – the eleventh entry in his epic Madlib's Medicine Show series – 28 tracks of hip hop unofficially dubbed the Dirty Demos! The set feature sample enriched instrumentals by Madlib as Loop Digga and collaborations with Strong Arm Steady, J Rocc, Madlib & Oh No as The Professionals, Guity Simpson, AG & Frank Nitt. It's great stuff, natch – finding Madlib in a straighter hip hop mode production wise – but straighter Madlib production has unexpected twists and turns! Loads of funky samples, some recognizable others otherworldly – and beats that range from dusty funk to dramatically soulful. Includes "The Sound Of Champions" (inst), "Charlie Hustle" by Strong Arm Steady, "Sam", "Snakes 101" by MED, "Girls" by J Rocc, "Love/Hate" (inst), "The Adventurs Of Soul Bra And Docta Dick'em Pts 1 & 2", "Hold Up" by The Professionals, "Thoughts Of An Old Flame" by Guilty Simpson and others. CD

Raekwon's third album, featuring appearances by Masta Killa, Inspectah Deck, Ghostface, Havoc, Capone, Sheek Louch and others. Tracks include "Pit Bull Fights", "King Of Kings", "Smith Bros.", "Robbery", "Planet Of The Apes", "Once Upon A Time", "Musketeers Of Pig Valley", "Ice Cream, Pt.2" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

The first album by The Tom Tom Club – a group that started out as a side project by Talking Heads members Tina Weymouth and Chris Frantz – but which went onto have a surprising life of its own! Like the Talking Heads at the start of the 80s, Tom Tom Club were very open to pulling together rhythms from the soulful underground – bits of Caribbean influence and certainly some sounds from hip hop too – but used in these cool sing-songy tunes that also had ties to the same New York underground scene that gave the world ESG and Liquid Liquid! Yet there's also a nicely complex set of textures, too – thanks to work on the record by Adrian Belew and Steve Stanley – both of whom can balance out funky elements and more interesting textures. The record took off immediately with the track "Genius Of Love" – inspired by hip hop, and respected by that scene too – as was the album's classic "Wordy Rappinghood". The whole thing's great – an excellent document of the moment, but more timeless too – and other titles include "L'Elephant", "As Above So Below", "On On On On", "Lorelei", and "Booming & Zooming". (Soul, Hip Hop) LP, Vinyl record album

CD to benefit the Prison Moratorium Project, dedicated to working against the 'prison-industrial complex'. We're normally suspicious of 'benefit' records but this one works – dope underground production and nice verses, 23 tracks in all, including DJ Shame "Infomercial (Meet The Press)", BKNY "Where Ya At", Sister Asia/Steele/Top Dog "Dedicated", Danny Hoch "Criminal", Vinia Mojica & Last Emperor "Evolution", Apani B-Fly Emcee & LIFE "Outa Site", Hurricane G "No More Prisons", Hedrush/Dead Prez/People's Army "Murda Box", Daddy-O "Voices", Rubberoom "M.O.V.E.", The Coup "Drug Warz", Helixx C Armageddon & Pri The Honey Dark "Lunchbreak", Prof. Cornel West "Inspiration", The Reepz "The Plan", Dead Prez "Behind Enemy Lines", Kool DJ EQ & The Last Poets "More Prisons", Akbar "Battle Cry", El Battalion "Siege", Scientifik El-D/God Wize/L The Head Toucha/K Slaughta "Hold The Key", Chubb Rock/Lil Dap/Edo G/Paw Dukes "The Rich Get Rich", Grandmaster Caz "Too Much", Lyric & Mike Ladd "Let Us Go", Yazeed "Underground Railroad" and Rocker T "The Petition" (bonus track). CD

Jazz-meets-hip hop-meets-new grooves compilation put together by the folks at the Red Hot organization in the mid 90s. Titles include "Time Is Moving On" by Donald Byrd, Guru, and Ronny Jordan; "Stolen Moments" by United Future Organization; "This Is Madness" by The Last Poets & Pharoah Sanders; "The Scream" by US3 & Joshua Redman; "Trouble Don't Last Always" by Incognito, Carleen Anderson, & Ramsey Lewis; "Nocturnal Sunrise" by Me'Shell NdegeOcello & Herbie Hancock; "Proceed II" by The Roots & Roy Ayers, "Un Ange En Danger" by MC Solaar & Ron Carter, and "The Rubbers Song" by Pharcyde – plus a bonus disc with two versions of "A Love Supreme" and remix of Creator Has A Master Plan". (New Grooves, Hip Hop) CD