Crazy noise, and a crazy great album from Stezo – really the one and only set that the man ever gave us – but a gem that really represents that great shift in hip hop lyricism in the generation of Rakim, EPMD, and Audio two! The production is wonderful – full of raw samples, but served up with lots of compelling twists and turns – that new sense of freshness in combination that Eric B and others were unleashing on the world, with maybe just a bit of Nice & Smooth sense of humor too! If we're referencing too many folks in this description, it's just our way of staying that Stezo can stand head to head with the best of them – as you'll hear on gems that include "Bring The Horns", "Freak The Funk", "Talking Sense", "It's My Turn", "Getting Paid", "Girl Trouble", "To The Max", "Put Your Body", "Jimmy's Getting Funky", "Crazy Noise", and "Going For Mine". CD

We lost the mighty Stezo during 2020, but his music lives on in this well-titled final set – a record that really has us surprised at how much strong sounds the 80s hip hop pioneer has to offer! You might know Stezo from his early efforts for Sleeping Bag – and although this set is a bit more contemporary, it's still got this crispness that reminds us of the days when we used to sit up late to catch the local hip hop shows on the left end of the dial – to hear all the underground sounds from the New York scene that were changing the world of modern music! Not that the record's world-changing, but it's a great tribute to one from that generation who's sometimes overlooked – with guest appearances from Biz Markie, Master Ace, Craig G, and Big Daddy Kane – many of whom deliver some "hip hop eulogy" moments on the record. Titles include "Where The Funk At (Chris Lowe rmx)", "Opera House", "Keep The Groove", "It's My Turn 2021", "Bring The Horns", "Just Blaze", and "Ruff N Rugged". CD