The last album ever recorded by Gift Of Gab – a set recorded during his final years, which were full of health troubles – but music that definitely sparkles from the inspiration mentioned in the title! Gab's got that razor-sharp quality here that made him such a key part of Blackalicious – that fast-rhyming style that's definitely a gift, and which has a lot more emotional power than just lyrical speed – set here to production that really drives home a sense of urgency in the music, and makes us wish he hadn't been taken from us all too soon! Titles include "The Idea Of America", "Vice Grip", "World Without Money", "The Gentrification Song (rmx)", "You Gon Make It In The End", "Going Farther", and "Back To The Light". CD

The last album ever recorded by Gift Of Gab – a set recorded during his final years, which were full of health troubles – but music that definitely sparkles from the inspiration mentioned in the title! Gab's got that razor-sharp quality here that made him such a key part of Blackalicious – that fast-rhyming style that's definitely a gift, and which has a lot more emotional power than just lyrical speed – set here to production that really drives home a sense of urgency in the music, and makes us wish he hadn't been taken from us all too soon! Titles include "The Idea Of America", "Vice Grip", "World Without Money", "The Gentrification Song (rmx)", "You Gon Make It In The End", "Going Farther", and "Back To The Light". LP, Vinyl record album

Gift of Gab left this planet all too soon – but he left behind this final set of tracks that shows that his lyrical skills were every bit as sharp as in his early days in Blackalicious! As back then, there's a deftness to both the dynamics and the subjects of the lyrics – delivered at a speed that should get in the way, but which only seems to intensify the meaning at the core. Production is by G Koop and Jumbo – and the set features the core tracks "Aspire", "Bowling Pins", "Freedom Form Flowing", "Gabman", "The Gentrification Song", and "Abominable" – plus "The Gentrification Song (G Koop rmx)" and "Apire (Loop mix)". LP, Vinyl record album

Gift Of Gab and Chief Xcel's first new Blackalicous record in a decade – and to our ears, their finest since Blazing Arrow! For longtime fans, it's so gratifying to give a first listen and hear these guys still kicking it as fresh as ever. Gab's breathless fast raps and more measured soul searching are at near peak level here, and Xcel's always soul, jazz and gritty funk steeped production style has never catered to contemporary trends, therefore is fully built to last. A very welcome return! Includes "Faith" with AMDE of Watts Prophets, "Blacka", "Ashes To Ashes", "On Fire Tonight" with Myron of Myron & E, "Escape", "Inspired By" feat Bosko, "I Like The Way You Talk", "Twist Of Time", "The Blow Up", "Alpha & Omega" feat Latif, Lyrics Born, Monophonics & DJ D Sharp, "The Hour Glass" and more. CD

A huge moment for Blackalicious – a group who'd been gaining plenty of cred on the underground, and who reached out to a much bigger set of ears with this major label debut! The whole thing's top-shelf through and through – superb production from Chief Xcel next to the words from Gift of Gab and Chief Excel – alongside a host of guests including Quannum mainmasts Lyrics Born, Lateef, and Joyo – as well as Dilated People's Raka and Babu, Jurassic 5's Cut Chemist and Chali 2na – and even work from Gil Scott-Heron and Ben Harper too! Clearly, someone had enough faith in the group to give them the money to realize their dream – and that faith definitely pays off here – on titles that include the classic single "Make You Feel That Way" – plus "Blazing Arrow", "4000 Miles", "Paragraph President", "First In Flight", "Purest Love", "Sky Is Falling", "It's Going Down", "Release (parts 1, 2, & 3)", and "Chemical Calisthenics". LP, Vinyl record album