A landmark debut from the mighty Erykah Badu – a record that really set the world on fire when it first appeared – and which continues to blow our minds all these many years later! There's a simple, straightforward grace to the album that comes through immediately – as Erykah tries to forge new ground for soul music, but does it by taking a few steps backwards – not into retro modes, but more in a way that focuses on the core vocal, songcraft, and right instrumentation that can make a special soul record such a standout. She does a great job of both avoiding easy commercial paths, or some of the temptations to embrace other then-contemporary genres – which has made the work of some of her colleagues seem a bit dated. The record defines a whole new style of expression – "Baduizm", if you will – one in which Erykah sings with a depth that stretches back through a century's worth of jazz, soul, and gospel influences – but works a groove in a stripped-down and forward-thinking mode that sets the pace for countless Neo Soul singers to come! Titles include "Certainly (Flipped It)", "Next Lifetime (radio)", "On & On", "Appletree", "No Love", "4 Leaf Clover", and "Sometimes (mix #9)". LP, Vinyl record album

A really great project from Erykah Badu – a set that's quite spare compared to the fuller sound and energy of her New Amerykah records – done in a bedroom studio in Dallas with producer Zach Witness! The music is lean and stripped-down – hip hop-influenced soul, but almost at a level that has Badu playing with more popular modes of the time – showing that she can do them better than most, but always with this sense of sophistication that draws on all the other sounds she's given us over the years! Badu released the set direct to digital as a mixtape, but it's a fantastic standalone album project on its own – with titles that include "U Use To Call Me", "Cel U Lar Device", "Hi", "Phone Down", "What's Yo Phone Number", "I'll Call U Back", and "Mr Telephone Man". LP, Vinyl record album

A millennial classic from Erykah Badu – a record that came along right as the current century was starting up, to show a soulful path that would keep things strong for many years to come! The album grabbed a bigger audience than Erykah's first, but still kept things strong – really focusing in on that amazing vocal style that made the singer such a unique talent – and which always had edges that were sharper, and runs that were deeper, than some of her contemporaries who might be able to trick a phrase with a bit of spirit, but never deliver the whole thing in the way that Badu can! Themes are both personal and hinting at her political turns to come – and titles include "Kiss Me On My Neck", "Didn't Cha Know", "My Life", "AD 2000", "Bag Lady", "In Love With You", and "Booty". LP, Vinyl record album

A nice one from Badu – one with a depth of feeling and genuine soulful vibes that live up to its title, despite the fact that she records for one of the world's biggest media conglomerates! It's all about the vibe here. Erykah rolls her syllables, scats and emotes feelings more than an actual narrative in the strongest of these cuts. It's not that she's forgone lyrics, but it's all about the ambience, not radio sing-a-longs. She also dives head first into her organic soul and hip hop hybrid sound a little more sparingly, but still better than most who that followed her lead post-Baduizm. She channels Donald Byrd on the great "Think Twice", which is pretty indicative of the vibe as a whole. The groove is sorta mellow, but in a very tripped-out way, with deep organ washes and synth tones, scratchy soul guitar, and crisp organic beats. There's an appearance by Dead Prez on "Steady On The Grind", and a really sweet old school flavored remake of the great "Love Of My Life" track from the Brown Sugar soundtrack with Queen Latifah and Bahamadia, but for the most part Erykah is sweating soul on her own spiritual plane here. It's gonna take a little while to sink in, but this may be her best album (despite whatever naysaying BS you may read in mainstream reviews.) Tracks include "Bump It", the great single "Danger", "Woo", "Back In The Day" and "I Want You". LP, Vinyl record album

A surprising second album from Erykah Badu – a live recording, coming right on the heels of her first studio set – and showing that the girl's equally great without any added production work! The feel is warm, earth, and wonderful – intimate, and richly spiritual – as Erykah reprises a few tracks from the Baduizm set, and runs through a few newer numbers as well! Titles include "Rimshot", "Otherside Of The Game", "Boogie Nights", "Stay", "Tyrone", and "Searchin". CD

A landmark debut from the mighty Erykah Badu – a record that really set the world on fire when it first appeared – and which continues to blow our minds all these many years later! There's a simple, straightforward grace to the album that comes through immediately – as Erykah tries to forge new ground for soul music, but does it by taking a few steps backwards – not into retro modes, but more in a way that focuses on the core vocal, songcraft, and right instrumentation that can make a special soul record such a standout. She does a great job of both avoiding easy commercial paths, or some of the temptations to embrace other then-contemporary genres – which has made the work of some of her colleagues seem a bit dated. The record defines a whole new style of expression – "Baduizm", if you will – one in which Erykah sings with a depth that stretches back through a century's worth of jazz, soul, and gospel influences – but works a groove in a stripped-down and forward-thinking mode that sets the pace for countless Neo Soul singers to come! Titles include "Certainly (Flipped It)", "Next Lifetime (radio)", "On & On", "Appletree", "No Love", "4 Leaf Clover", and "Sometimes (mix #9)". LP, Vinyl record album

The second chapter of Erykah Badu's New Amerykah – recorded for the most part, quite incredibly, during the same period and with the same collaborators as the mind-altering, murky and righteous hip hop funk experimentalism that was Part One – some months that must be among the most dizzyingly creative in Badu's career! We're reluctant to call Return Of The The Ankh a lighter listen than its predecessor, but, it's a less dense and outwardly experimental batch in the sonic realm – the emotionalism and the head nodding warmth is at the forefront, yet she's as uncompromising and real as ever. The sound is still innovative, unique and her own on all fronts, but the songs chosen for Part Two are ones you want to approach and embrace from the opening seconds – there's not as much of a tripped out overall vibe and you don't need to acclimate from a distance – these songs pull you right in! Includes collaborations with James Poyser, Shafiq Husayn, Ta'Raach, Karriem Riggins, Madlib and Georgia Anne Muldrow. Includes "20 Feet Tall", "Window Seat", "Agitation", "Turn Me Away (Get Munny)", "Gone Baby, Don't Be Long", "Love", "Out My Mind, Just In Time" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet little groover – lifted from the soundtrack to Brown Sugar! Raphael Saadiq and Erykah Badu handle production – and the track's got the best of both of their styles intertwined in one sensuous groove. Erykah's vocals sweetly bubbly across the track – a great mix of beats and keys with a warm finish on the hook. 12-inch, Vinyl record

A landmark debut from the mighty Erykah Badu – a record that really set the world on fire when it first appeared – and which continues to blow our minds all these many years later! There's a simple, straightforward grace to the album that comes through immediately – as Erykah tries to forge new ground for soul music, but does it by taking a few steps backwards – not into retro modes, but more in a way that focuses on the core vocal, songcraft, and right instrumentation that can make a special soul record such a standout. She does a great job of both avoiding easy commercial paths, or some of the temptations to embrace other then-contemporary genres – which has made the work of some of her colleagues seem a bit dated. The record defines a whole new style of expression – "Baduizm", if you will – one in which Erykah sings with a depth that stretches back through a century's worth of jazz, soul, and gospel influences – but works a groove in a stripped-down and forward-thinking mode that sets the pace for countless Neo Soul singers to come! Titles include "Certainly (Flipped It)", "Next Lifetime (radio)", "On & On", "Appletree", "No Love", "4 Leaf Clover", and "Sometimes (mix #9)". CD

A landmark debut from the mighty Erykah Badu – a record that really set the world on fire when it first appeared – and which continues to blow our minds all these many years later! There's a simple, straightforward grace to the album that comes through immediately – as Erykah tries to forge new ground for soul music, but does it by taking a few steps backwards – not into retro modes, but more in a way that focuses on the core vocal, songcraft, and right instrumentation that can make a special soul record such a standout. She does a great job of both avoiding easy commercial paths, or some of the temptations to embrace other then-contemporary genres – which has made the work of some of her colleagues seem a bit dated. The record defines a whole new style of expression – "Baduizm", if you will – one in which Erykah sings with a depth that stretches back through a century's worth of jazz, soul, and gospel influences – but works a groove in a stripped-down and forward-thinking mode that sets the pace for countless Neo Soul singers to come! Titles include "Certainly (Flipped It)", "Next Lifetime (radio)", "On & On", "Appletree", "No Love", "4 Leaf Clover", and "Sometimes (mix #9)". LP, Vinyl record album

Badu is back with some of the deepest, funkiest and best music of her career – a mindblowing treatise for a New Amerykah – and what we'll consider an instant classic whether the world at large catches on or not! Erykah steps up this time with a set that balances the wilder impulses of her criminally underappreciated Worldwide Underground and more of a hip hop based, righteously grooving style – but still bursts with a freshness that's unrivaled to say the least. From free spirited soul, to sparse hip hop funk this record is both blunt and beautiful – with a slow-building emotional resonance that'll reach the most jaded souls. Modern soul music of the first order that gives us goosebumps from the first spin to the last beat! The album kicks off with Erykah riffing on and remixing Ramp's "American Promise" as an intro – and it just gets deeper from there. Producers/collaborators include Madlib, Sa-Ra, Karriem Riggins, James Poyser and ?uestlove. Amazing!!! Titles include "The Healer", "Me", "My People", "Soldier", "The Cell", "Twinkle", "Master Teacher", "The Hump" and "Telephone". The 9th Wonder produced single "Honey" is an unlisted bonus track. CD

A nice one from Badu – one with a depth of feeling and genuine soulful vibes that live up to its title, despite the fact that she records for one of the world's biggest media conglomerates! It's all about the vibe here. Erykah rolls her syllables, scats and emotes feelings more than an actual narrative in the strongest of these cuts. It's not that she's forgone lyrics; but it's all about the ambience, not radio sing-a-longs. She also dives head first into her organic soul and hip hop hybrid sound a little more sparingly, but still better than any of the ladies that followed her lead after Baduizm. She channels Donald Byrd on the great "Think Twice", which is pretty indicative of the vibe as a whole. The groove is sorta mellow, but in a very tripped-out way, with deep organ washes and synth, scratchy soul guitar, and crisp organic beats. There's an appearance by Dead Prez on "Steady On The Grind", and a really sweet old school flavored remake of the great "Love Of My Life" track from the Brown Sugar soundtrack with Queen Latifah and Bahamadia, but for the most part Erykah is sweating soul on her own spiritual plane here. It's gonna take a little while to sink in, but this may be her best album (despite whatever naysaying BS you may read in mainstream reviews.) Tracks include "Bump It", the great single "Danger", "Woo", "Back In The Day" and "I Want You". CD

Badu is back with some of the deepest, funkiest and best music of her career – a mindblowing treatise for a New Amerykah – and what we'll consider an instant classic whether the world at large catches on or not! Erykah steps up this time with a set that balances the wilder impulses of her criminally underappreciated Worldwide Underground and more of a hip hop based, righteously grooving style – but still bursts with a freshness that's unrivaled to say the least. From free spirited soul, to sparse hip hop funk this record is both blunt and beautiful – with a slow-building emotional resonance that'll reach the most jaded souls. Modern soul music of the first order that gives us goosebumps from the first spin to the last beat! The album kicks off with Erykah riffing on and remixing Ramp's "American Promise" as an intro – and it just gets deeper from there. Producers/collaborators include Madlib, Sa-Ra, Karriem Riggins, James Poyser and ?uestlove. Amazing!!! Titles include "The Healer", "Me", "My People", "Soldier", "The Cell", "Twinkle", "Master Teacher", "The Hump" and "Telephone". LP, Vinyl record album

The fantastic third album from Common – the record that really catapulted him on his way to stardom, yet a set that still retains all the best aspects of his early days in Chicago! Part of that quality comes from the superb production of No ID, who gets a bit of local help from Dug Infinite and Twilite Tone – all talents who have that special, sophisticated vibe that was really starting to flow from Chicago out to the rest of the world – and which here is perfect for the well-crafted lyrics from Common! The balance is great – never too hard or heavy, yet also not trying to ape either a west coast quirky or New York native tongues approach. This time around, there's also plenty of guests on board, of the sort that Common would soon be rubbing shoulders with on a regular basis – a lineup that includes The Roots, Q-Tip, Erykah Badu, Canibus, Black Thought, Lauryn Hill, and De La Soul. Yet throughout, the vibe is Common's and Chicago's – something that's always made us very proud to be from the same scene at the same time. Titles include "1 2 Many", "Reminding Me Of Sef", "Invocation", "Stolen Moments", "My City", "Real Nigga Quotes", and "Retrospect For Life". CD

The electric lady is back again – getting great help on this set from Prince, Erykah Badu, Miguel, and Esperanza Spaulding! The set features further chapters in Janelle's Metropolis story – but apart from that overarching structure, and cool notes that situate the singer as some future cultural criminal, the overall vibe is tight funky soul – at a level that not only lives up to all of Monae's sparkling promise from before, but which also finds a great way to bring out the best elements of all the guests! There's plenty of funky numbers here that stand wonderfully well on their own, but the whole thing works even better as a unified set – with titles that include "Primetime", "Givin Em What They Love", "Queen", "Electric Lady", "Look Into My Eyes", "It's Code", "Ghetto Woman", "Victory", "Dorothy Dandrige Eyes", and "What An Experience". LP, Vinyl record album

A damn strong set from producer 9th Wonder – featuring appearances by many of the great players he's produced for and otherwise collaborated with in the preceding few years, as well as the sharp new voices who went on to luminaries themselves – the best attracts the best. Includes appearances by Talib Kweli, Terrace Martin, Erykah Badu, Kendrick Lamar, Raekwon, Masta Killa, Blu, Big Remo, Khrysis and many more – and titles include "Enjoy (West Coastin')" with Warren G, Kendrick Lamar & Murs, "Make It Big" feat Khrysis, "Band Practice", "Loyalty" feat Masta Killa & Halo, "Hearing The Medley" feat Skyzoo, Fashawn & King Mez, "No Pretending" feat Raekwon & Big Remo, "Piranhas" feat Blu & Sundown and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A huge career overview of the music of Omar Lyefook – one of our favorite soul singers of the past few decades – right from the moment he first wowed the world with a bedroom-produced album that rivaled the greatness of Stevie Wonder! Omar's placement on the UK scene has maybe got him less attention than he's deserved on our shores – but don't let that stop you from diving in and really digging the sublime array of sounds on the set – music that was some of the freshest, most original soul of the 90s – and which continued to move at a very high level as Omar kept creating over the decades. The 2CD package includes out of print gems from his early records, and other bits from more recent years – and a fair bit of collaborations with artists who include Carleen Anderson, Terri Walker, Stevie Wonder, Caron Wheeler, Erykah Badu, Leon Ware, and Robert Glasper. 33 tracks in all – including "Music", "Last Request", "There's Nothing Like This", "Pass It On", "Feeling You", "Kiss It Right", "The Man", "Treat You", "F*ck War Make Love", "De Ja Vu", "Insatiable", "Doobie Doobie Doo", "Gave My Heart", "Be Thankful", "This Is Not A Love Song", "Little Boy", "Tell Me", "Vicky's Tune", "Bully", "Who Chooses The Seasons", and "Last Request". CD

A huge career overview of the music of Omar Lyefook – one of our favorite soul singers of the past few decades – right from the moment he first wowed the world with a bedroom-produced album that rivaled the greatness of Stevie Wonder! Omar's placement on the UK scene has maybe got him less attention than he's deserved on our shores – but don't let that stop you from diving in and really digging the sublime array of sounds on the set – music that was some of the freshest, most original soul of the 90s – and which continued to move at a very high level as Omar kept creating over the decades. The 2CD package includes out of print gems from his early records, and other bits from more recent years – and a fair bit of collaborations with artists who include Carleen Anderson, Terri Walker, Stevie Wonder, Caron Wheeler, Erykah Badu, Leon Ware, and Robert Glasper. 33 tracks in all – including "Music", "Last Request", "There's Nothing Like This", "Pass It On", "Feeling You", "Kiss It Right", "The Man", "Treat You", "F*ck War Make Love", "De Ja Vu", "Insatiable", "Doobie Doobie Doo", "Gave My Heart", "Be Thankful", "This Is Not A Love Song", "Little Boy", "Tell Me", "Vicky's Tune", "Bully", "Who Chooses The Seasons", and "Last Request". LP, Vinyl record album

Robert Glasper takes on the music of Miles Davis – in a set that's way more of Glasper's own than you might guess from the presentation! True, the tracks are all based around Miles Davis material from the Columbia Records vaults – but Robert really opens things up right away with his own sort of vibe, and uses the Davis elements to weave into a much larger fabric – one that incorporates a range of hip contemporary styles, in the manner of his great Black Radio projects! So while you will hear some of Miles at times – both playing and (even cooler) speaking – the real strength of the record lies in Glasper's amazing keyboards, especially Fender Rhodes, and the wonderful bass work of Derrick Hodge, whose bottom currents really make the whole thing glow with a subtle, soulful fire! And we haven't even gotten to the guests – a great lineup that rivals the sorts of folks that Robert had on the Black Radio project – as the record includes contributions from Stevie Wonder, Bilal, Phonte, Hiatus Kaiyote, Erykah Badu, Georgia Anne Muldrow, Illa J, John Scofield, Ledisi, and King. Titles include "They Can't Hold Me Down", "Ghetto Walkin", "Right On Brotha", "Milestones", "Song For Selim", "Little Church", "Violets", "Maiysha", and "Silence Is The Way". CD

The start of an amazing new chapter in the career of Robert Glasper – one that would soon set the tone for a number of other records to come! This set features loads of Glasper's enigmatic piano lines – those fluid, elliptical sounds that are always filled with plenty of soul and imagination – matched here with guest vocals from a host of key talents – including Erykah Badu, Lalah Hathaway, Musiq Soulchild, Meshell Ndegeocello, Bilal, and Lupe Fiasco! The blend is surprisingly wonderful – not a sell out at all, but a way for Glasper's music to reach a rich new level of expression – as the vocals really help the instrumental elements come alive – and unlock this side of Robert's potential that was always lurking in the background. One of the best musical moments from Blue Note at the time – with titles that include "Always Shine", "Move Love", "Ah Yeah", "Lift Off", "Afro Blue", "Cherish The Day", "Black Radio", and "Letter To Hermione". CD

A funky collaboration of new and old players – as trumpeter Roy Hargrove explores a range of classic styles with a host of excellent guest stars! The RH Factor project includes work by Bernard Wright, Cornell Dupree, Karl Denson, and other funk luminaries – and it also features great vocal performances from the likes of Common, Q-Tip, Erykah Badu, and D'Angelo. The groove soars from Miles-inspired electric to the heavy funk of George Clinton – and makes plenty of side-trips in between – exploring a range of soulful jazz, both new and old, and coming off a lot better than we might have thought! Titles include "Pastor T", "I'll Stay", "Common Free Style", "Juicy", "The Stroke", "Poetry", "Liquid Streets", "The Joint", and "Forget Regret". LP, Vinyl record album

A dozen posthumous duets: "No More Trouble" with Erykah Badu, "Rebel Music" with Krayzie Bone, "Johnny Was" with Guru, "Concrete Jungle" with Rakim, "Rastaman Chant" with Busta Rhymes & the Flipmode Squad, "Guiltiness" with the Lost Boyz, "Turn Your Lights Down Low" with Lauryn Hill, "Jammin" with MC Lyte, "Kinky Reggae" with the Marley Brothers & the Ghetto Youths Crew, "Roots, Rock, Reggae" with Steven Tyler & Joe Perry, "Survival" with Chuck D, and "Burnin & Lootin" with the Roots. CD

One of the best new soul records we've heard in years! An independently produced first effort – filled with rich warm jazzy production, and a sweet mellow soul sound that brings to mind some of our favorite records of the old days. N'Dambi has an incredible voice – and although she first came to fame as a backup singer with Erykah Badu, she's well on her way to becoming one of the best soul stars of the next generation. This album's a perfect blend of contemporary production with a classic approach to writing soul songs – and it's a pleasure to be stocking it before the whole thing gets snatched up by a major label (and probably remixed to add a lot of crap that will make this version the preferred one!) This one excites us as much as the first albums by Omar, The Young Disciples, and The Brand New Heavies – and has us having faith in soul music again. Tracks include "Deep", "Picture This", "Soul From The Abyss", "The Sunshine", "The Meeting", and "Lonely Woman". CD

A strong return to the mic from the one-and-only Pharoahe Monch – his unbelievably long-awaited follow up to the amazing Internal Affairs – and one of the best major label hip hop LPs of the first half of '07! Pharoahe's nearly decade long absense from the mainstream seems to have spawned a bit of a contemplative streak on some tunes, an anthemic streak on others, and a modern cultural awareness that might catch you off guard – if you only know him for the "Girlies, rub on ya . . ." mantra, you don't know the half it. Welcome back! Production by Alchemist, Black Milk and others. Titles include "Free", "Desire" feat Showtyme, a reimagining of PE's "Welcome To The Terrordome", "What It Is", "When The Gun Draws", "Body Baby", "Bar Tap" feat Mela Machinko, "Hold On" feat Erykah Badu, "So Good" and the epic closer "Trilogy" (Acts I, II and III) feat Mr Porter, Dwele and Tone. LP, Vinyl record album

Excellent modern soul and club tracks – put together with all the flair you'd expect from this wonderful Hed Kandi series! The groove is pure London – with a respect for roots and a never-ending quest for newer sounds, all rolled into a heavy batch of midtempo cuts that are perfect for both clubbing or kicking back at home. Titles include "Coast To Coast" by Niteflyte, "The Last Time" by Driza Bone, "Roll With Me" by Blacknuss, "I Am The Blackgold Of The Sun" by Nuyorican Soul, "Everybody Loves The Sunshine" by The Quiet Boys, "Staten Island Groove" by Down To The Bone, "Next Lifetime" by Erykah Badu, "The Other Side Of Town" by Julian Joseph, "Never Be There" by Ohm Guru, "Elboy" by Rad, "Gotta B Everything" by Vanessa Rubin, and "Part Of The Process" by Morcheeba. CD

A really strong debut from Anthony Hamilton – easily the strongest album we've ever heard on the usually much more commercial So So Def label! Anthony seriously vibrates the rich depth of southern soul on every cut here, as filtered through late-model natural hip hop beats and vibes. He's definitely influenced by Erykah Badu's sound and Voodoo-era D'Angelo (which HAS to be the most influential serious soul album of the last decade or so), but the groove is a lot sweeter and less tortured than D's. It's really warm and inviting all the way through – crisp beats, tight keys, bass and percussion, and light guitar accent Anthony's lilting and layered vocals very nicely. All of the elements are just familiar enough to let you cozy up to the material right off the bat, but Hamilton's his own man here – nothing's directly bitten, just nicely approximated. Tracks include "Mama Knew Love", "Cornbread, Fish and Collared Greens", "Since I Seen't You", "Charlene", "I'm A Mess", "Comin' From Where I'm From", "Lucille", "Float", "My First Love" and more. A nice record from the not-so-dirty south! CD

A funky collaboration of new and old players – as trumpeter Roy Hargrove explores a range of classic styles with a host of excellent guest stars! The RH Factor project includes work by Bernard Wright, Cornell Dupree, Karl Denson, and other funk luminaries – and it also features great vocal performances from the likes of Common, Q-Tip, Erykah Badu, and D'Angelo. The groove soars from Miles-inspired electric to the heavy funk of George Clinton – and makes plenty of side-trips in between – exploring a range of soulful jazz, both new and old, and coming off a lot better than we might have thought! Titles include "Pastor T", "I'll Stay", "Common Free Style", "Juicy", "The Stroke", "Poetry", "Liquid Streets", "The Joint", and "Forget Regret". CD

A landmark effort from the Legendary Roots Crew – one that a lot of folks hail as their greatest album – and there's a strong case to be made for that! Jazzy soul backdrops and lyrics that both personally and culturally reflective – and it's also the best produced Roots album to this point, with an unpredictable, yet perfect flow from track to track. Guests include Mos Def, Common, Erykah Badu and JazzyFatNastees. Titles include "The Next Movement", "Step Into The Realm", "The Spark", "Dynamite", "Without A Doubt" "Ain't Sayin' Nothin' New", "Double Trouble", "Adrenaline!" and "Don't See Us". CD

An assortment of work by some of the better hip hop and R&B artists on Universal – all designed to accompany the film Brown Sugar! One of the story's themes is a love of hip hop that lasts for decades, and the quality of the music here is better than most pop hip hop soundtracks – with work by The Roots, Mos Def, Hi Tek, Black Star, Jill Scott, Erykah Badu, and others. Titles include "Brown Sugar" by Mos Def with Faith Evans, "Bring Your Heart" by Angie Stone, "Love Of My Life" by Erykah Badu with Common, "Brown Sugar (raw)" by Black Star, "Easy Conversation" by Jill Scott, "Paid In Full (7 minutes of madness Coldcut rmx)" by Eric B & Rakim, "You Make Life So Good" by Rahsaan Patterson, "No One Knows Her Name" by Hi Tek, "Act Too (rmx)" by The Roots, "Never Been" by Mary J Blige, and "Brown Sugar (fine)" by Mos Def. CD

A collection of tracks put together by the folks at Heineken's Red Star Foundation – a program that's designed to support "urban influence music" (whatever that means!) The upshot of the package is that it's a great set of underground soul grooves – perhaps not as cutting edge as the folks at Red Star might have you think (because if you're into this stuff, you're already one step ahead of the crowd), but well selected, with a really solid soul sound throughout! Titles include "Glitches" by Amel Larrieux & The Roots, "A Long Walk (touch of jazz remix)" by Jill Scott, "Today (Earth Song)" by Erykah Badu, "High Off You" by Jack Herrera, "Butterfly" by India Arie, "Legend" by Nelly Furtando, "So Sweet" by Brad Young, "Still Searching (remix)" by Damien Marley & Stephen Marley, "When Your Ups Are Downs" by Don Scribbs, "Sweetest Thing" by Lathun, "You Make Me Wanna Smile Again" by Eddie Jackson, and "Don't Stop" by Spanish Fly. LP, Vinyl record album

An overview of Common's early days on Relativity – featuring a few tracks each from Can I Borrow A Dollar?, Resurrection and One Day It Will All Make Sense – a strong sampler of his earlier greatness, if it breaks off way too early to be a genuine best of! Quibble as me might with the title, a compilation of Com's Relativity-era work is long overdue – and it's a display of his 90s Chi hip hop style. If you only came aboard with Like Water For Chocolate or Be, you need to take a look back! Benchmark work with production by Immenslope & Twilite Tone, No ID, Beatnuts and more. Tracks include "Take It EZ", "Breaker 1/9", "Soul By The Pound", "Charms Alarm", "Heidi Hoe", "I Used To Love HER", "Resurrection", "Thisisme", "Retrospect For Life" feat Lauryn Hill, "All Night Long" feat Erykah Badu, "GOD" featruing Cee Lo, "High Expectations" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Prepare to discover a new favorite singer – the smooth, sweet, and soulful Vivian Green, a great new vocalist who's stepping out here with an excellent debut! The album's very much in the tradition of the best underground female NuSoul releases of the past few years – combined with the solid production feel of records by Jill Scott or Erykah Badu, which makes for a really solid album overall! Vivian's vocals start out low, then swell up as the songs unfold – bubbling up with jazzy undertones, and flowing out in a warm and seductive way. Titles include "Affected", "Fanatic", "Wishful Thinking", "24 Hour Blue", "Superwoman", "Music", "What Is Love", and "Emotional Rollercoaster". CD

Probably the most hyped hip hop album by rock critics of the last decade – but don't hold that against Stankonia, because these ghetto grooves from planet P-Funk were exactly what world needed in 2000! The millenium blowout party jam feel throughout is surely a nice change of pace from all the doom and gloom out there, but they still manage to spit out enough reality to keep things feeling true – particularly in the playful battle of the sexes showdowns. Dre, Big Boi and Organized Noize continue to innovate, even if they are at the top of the charts – and we can't wait to see where they take it all next! Tracks include "Gasoline Dreams", "So Fresh, So Clean", "Ms. Jackson", "Spaghetti Junction", "I'll Call Before I Come" featuring Gangsta Boo & Eco, "B.O.B.", "Xplosion" featuring B-Real, "We Luv Deez Hoez", "Humble Mumble" featuring Erykah Badu, "Red Velvet", "Gangsta Sh*t", "Toilet Tisha" "Slum Beautiful", and "Stankonia (Stanklove)". CD