Juno Recommends Hip Hop / R&B: May 2025

Review: TNT Rap Classics are a ghostly rap reissues outfit, operating in the shadows, but they've churned out a truly solid ream of stadium/megastar rap reissues on 7" for several years now. After lookbacks on Nelly and Beyonce they now pay due deference to Eminem, placing special attention on the rapper's early-noughts Slim Shady era. 'Without Me' was the whimsical, cheekily intoned lead single from The Eminem Show, finding Eminem lampooning pop culture, the media, and his critics. 'The Real Slim Shady', meanwhile, came before, with biting critique of the pop cultural fascination with authenticity: "Will the real Slim Shady please stand up?"

Review: As you probably know if you're reading this, Jorun Bombay is one of the most consistently on for edit maestros in the game. Here he steps up with a new outing that sticks right at the heart of the dancefloor once more. 'Strictly Dann Stealy' is a clever mash-up of De La Soul's 'Eye Know (Know It All Remix)' featuring the original source vocals over a faithfully recreated instrumental. It channels the signature energy of early 90s hip-hop clubs with a fresh twist you've never heard before. On the flip, 'Whole Grain O's' offers a reimagined instrumental take on 'Oodles of O's' which is packed with reggae chants, added turntablism and signature 'Oh's'. It's a playful, party-ready version that balances just the right amount of nostalgia and brand new style.

Review: The bright idea of British producer Tom Carauna, this mashed-up Wu-Tang/Fab Four was first released in 2011, and followed a legacy of infamous acapella reshakes of rap works by the named East Coast hip-hop collective. Retreading the bread-crumbed trails of producers Cecil Otter and Swiss Andy's 13 Chambers, which did the same for the punk band Fugazi, a profusion of rock-rap shred-spits followed, most of which kept Wu-Tang in tow whilst varying the rock greats providing the instrumental versions. Carauna returned to source with 'CREAM', a special selection from the original LP now culled by Tea Breaks; the tune combines elements of the already rather Tangy beat with the core piano riff from 'And I Love Her', proving an incendiary combo.

Review: Yet another early Masters At Work proto-jungle cut gets released on the inimitable Kay Dee recs. 'Blood Vibes' (Demo Version) is a desirous gemstone whose best facets reflect reggae, hip-hop and party breaks, though each side can only partially bend the unmissable light that is Kenny Dope" Gonzalez's production touch. Built around elements of Junior Reid's reggae classic 'One Blood', 'Blood Vibes' came about amid the pose-striking ballroom craze in New York in 1991, and even now we can hardly prepare ourselves for the riot that ensues on the following B-side, 'The Madd Cry'.

Review: TakeFingz returns with its seventh release and offers up a double A-side 7" tailored for dancefloor devastation. On Side A, DJ Katch reworks classic funk breaks into a groove-heavy party igniter that betrays some seriously sharp turntable skills and crowd-moving instincts. It's a surefire weapon for any set in high-energy settings. On the flip, DJ Toby Gee drops a bass-driven boogie funk jam packed with vintage chants and break-heavy grooves. Both tracks are precision-crafted with nods to B-Boy culture among them perfect for bodypoppers and lockers alike.

Review: Mid-90s East Coast hip-hop classic 'CREAM' is one of the best Wu-Tang Clan tunes if you ask us, but we never thought it might get mashed up with a Beatles tune. That's what we have here on the Tea Breaks label, which flips it into a lush, soul-drenched hip-hop sound with low-slung drums and Raekwon & Inspector Deck delivering the bars. On the flipside is an instrumental that strips them away and allows the introspective melodies and laid-back, golden-era beats to shine. Two heady tunes for sure.

Review: Among heads, this is of the most hotly championed hip-hop collab records of all time - and yet it is all too unknown. Doomstarks is the fabled collaboration of masked raconteur come rapper MF Doom and one of nine sonic samurai, Ghostface Killah (here known as Tony Starks); Swift & Changeable: The Prequel is their quick-wristed, mic-proximate debut mixtape, released in 2012. Just as some comic books series would prologue their main stories with pre-release strips, The Prologue served as the "unofficial" warm-up to accompany the pair's long-anticipated debut album of the same name. The Prequel hears some of Doom and Ghost's most popular tracks and collabs from various projects, including the original Doomstarks tune 'Vistory Laps'; the album provides a chopped but not screwed experience, playing out in the style of a gapless, scratch-heavy DJ mix.

Review: This Record Store Day, Fo’ Clips Eclipse’s 1995 G-funk gem 'Just Be Thankful' resurfaces with a limited-edition 7-inch pressing on blue vinyl - the first time that the title cut and 'Can You Feel Me' have been on wax in some 30 years. Originally produced by Compton legend Tweedy Bird Loc, they blend smooth synths, soulful hooks and streetwise lyricism that epitomises the West Coast sound. 'Be Thankful' notably samples William DeVaughn’s 1974 classic to add a nostalgic touch and confirm the tune as a real bit of cult classic hip-hop history that remains influential decades later.

Review: Two more battle weapons handpicked from the eponymous UK armoury. Label motto ("You want this party started, right?!") and A-cut refrain ("la-di-da-di, we like to party"), converge in perfect sync here on this latest 7": the obverse samples Doug E Fresh & Slick Rick's 1985 mover, peppering slight but bright brasses over a punctuated beat mix. 'Tambou' on the B-side honours a historic canonical Swizz Beatz crunk bit with a re-edit of 'Tambourine', produced and released in 2006 for blase partystarter Eve.

Review: Following his standout 'Just A Flute Thing' single last time out, DJ Scientist returns with 'The Baku Files', a limited release that's an immediate crate-digger's dream. Side-A delivers a hypnotic, jazzy boom-bap instrumental built from rare Soviet-era Azeri jazz samples layered with gritty vocal chops from vintage rap records. It's a brilliant cross-cultural collage that feels at once nostalgic and fresh. Flip to side-B for 'To See You,' a slick, DJ-friendly rework of a Murat Kashlaev composition originally reissued on Spasibo Records and packed with head-nodding grooves, old-school flavour and new-school execution.

Review: Sold out since 2019 and fetching over $200 online, Mt. Fujitive's Sanctuary is a lo-fi hip-hop treasure pressed on pink vinyl. Reykjavik's beatmaker pays homage to his favourite genre here by crafting minimalistic grooves that transport listeners into tranquil soundscapes. Each track conjures a distinct mood, whether nostalgic, dreamy, or introspective, yet together they form a seamless and cohesive journey. Mt. Fujitive's mastery lies in his ability to evoke emotion through subtle vinyl crackle, warm tones and understated melody and all that makes it crucial for fans of mellow beats and lo-fi's calming aesthetics.

Review: Details on the good Dr Ray are thin on the ground, but both here tunes suggest that whoever they are, they have a love or raw, classic hip-hop and rap. 'Speaking On Death Row' has big Hammond organ chords that speak of a gospel sermon but they soon make way for big, raw drum breaks and hard-hitting bars. Jumbled percussion fleshes out this old-school gem. 'Lyrical Rec Room' is more stripped back with a raw boom-bap low end, rhythmic bars and synth stabs to inject the energy. Two ageless, time-worn sounds that are as authentic as they come.

Review: Tha Alkaholiks, often stylized as Tha Liks, are a West Coast hip-hop group known for their party-igniting lyrics, witty wordplay, and funky, jazz-infused beats. Formed in early-90s LA, E-Swift, J-Ro, and Tash would prove a gregarious group, making short work of charming scene and industry folk alike through various collabs, with such friends as fellow West Coast MC and mentor King Tee. 'Daaam!' stood out on the gang's second record Coast II Coast as one of its core hits, with vibey production by E-Swift contrasting twin moods of wellness and hardship. Now a full studio album takes the same name, while reimagining some 'Daaam!' alongside other classics such as 'Make Room', as well as securing several new songs. Hard-hitting, fun-loving.

Review: DJ Mitsu The Beats summons up a mellow, jazz-tinged spin on Norah Jones' early classic 'Sunrise', following a plucky piano-studio sesh shared with Takumi Kaneko of Cro-Magnon. After a cannonballing digital release, the "instrumental chill" track now takes shape as a 7" single, suturing Mitsu's laidback bop to Kaneko's smooth, sunspot piano lines. With cover photography by surf documentarian Atsushi Kumano, the single was in turn singled out for the surf music compilation Salt Meets Island Cafe: Sea of Love 2, curated by new lifestyle magazine Salt. Balancing beachside ease and unsurpassable musicianship, this track hankers at the title for next best surf-chill anthem.

Review: The story of Kool Keith's latest project is as peculiar and unpredictable as the man himself. For decades, he's thrived on the outskirts of hip-hop, carving out a singular lane where eccentricity, sci-fi alter egos and razor-sharp wordplay collide. If rap had its own multiverse, Keith would be one of its most elusive figuresidrifting between dimensions, reinventing himself with each new project, all while maintaining a presence that feels both legendary and underrated. His first full-length release since Black Elvis 2 reunites him with longtime collaborators and fresh voices alike. Hip-hop mainstays Tash (Tha Alkaholiks) and Marc Live (Analog Brothers/Black Elvis) bring their unmistakable styles to the mix, while rising talents like Dear Derrick and Yah Zillah add new energy. The production, handled by Grant Shapiro, is an exercise in classic boom bap craftsmanship: chunky drum loops, hypnotic samples and that signature off-kilter bounce that Keith navigates so well. If anything, this release reminds us that Keith exists in his own creative galaxy, unbothered by trends or mainstream validation. The lead single, 'Super Hits', arrives with a video directed by Wayne Campbell, a frequent collaborator known for his work with Benny The Butcher. The tracklist alone reads like a cryptic message from Keith's mind: 'Pierre 9', 'Body Rock', 'Pissing', 'Jim Kelly'ieach title a doorway into his endlessly surreal world. J-Styles and Steve "Steve B" Baughman shape the sonics into something urgent and tactile, where every drum hit and vocal nuance pops. Keith, as always, plays by his own rules. He's been doing it for so long that any attempt to pin him down feels futile. Instead, you just press play and let the madness unfold.

Review: Debut release on the Canadian label imprint from two Icons Of Hip Hop with the the debut 45 with Otis . This 45 draws on hip-hop's golden moments drenched in soul samples .Up first on 'Otis', which is offered up as a vocal mix on the A-side. It's three minutes of beat-making perfection with muted horns sampled throughout, raw back-and-forth bars and dusty drums with plenty of guttural soul. Flip it over for the massive funk instrumental which is stripped of the mic-work and allows the rawness of the classic 6t's soul sample to really shine through.A great start to what is sure to be an essential label for hip-hop heads.

Review: Jean Grae and Quelle Chris come together brilliantly here on Everything's Fine, a sharp, satirical and refreshingly non-toxic hip-hop album from two of the genre's most unique voices. Superbly blending Jean's razor-sharp lyricism with Quelle's introspective wit, the project takes aim at societal absurdities with intelligence and humour and comes with notable Cameos from comedy heavyweights like Nick Offerman, Michael Che, John Hodgman and Hannibal Buress who all add an extra layer of punch. Politically charged, deeply self-aware and sonically adventurous, this is essential listening for fans of boundary-pushing rap, and it comes on a stunning tri-colour vinyl that is as bold as the music itself.

Review: It's been a while since we've heard from high-end hip-hop helmers PartyNextDoor and Drake. The two superstars usually work together to make ethereal stopovers on otherwise damn hard rap records, especially by the latter former Young Money megastar. Though the pair have never worked on a full-length album together before, Some Sexy Songs 4 U tots up to the third in an unsaid series of Drake collab albums, following ones between 21 Savage and Future. Dealing in themes of sexual jealousy and ongoing personal feuds - especially amid tumultuous fallouts between the larger private-jet-bound artist and various smaller up-and-comers such as Ice Spice - the record offers a stylistic range on an wide trap smorgasbord, working in Mexican rock samples and alt-rock progressions.

Review: After years of fan requests, Czarface joins forces with the intergalactic legend Dr Octagon for a wild, cosmic ride. Together, they summon Stress Eater, a new persona powerful enough to challenge even the mighty Czarface. The result is a full-length album packed with booming beats, twisted rhymes and otherworldly flair that blends Czarface's comic-book bravado with Kool Keith's surreal lyricism. This collaboration is as funky as it is far-out, so think hard-hitting production, bizarre narratives and signature swagger throughout a strange, explosive journey that fills the mind with endless imagery. .

Review: Kali Uchis has always had a gift for building dreamy, insular worlds, but her fifth studio album feels like a quiet reckoning. She channels existential uncertainty into lush, open-hearted pop i a mix of glittery r&b, woozy soul, and downcast slow jams that seem to float between time zones. Written in the aftermath of what she's described as a "life-altering" experience, there's a newfound stillness here. 'Sunshine & Rain...' is all candlelight and quiet yearning, its soft-focus production the perfect backdrop for a voice that's more hushed and inward than ever. 'ILYSMIH' (short for "I love you so much it hurts") doubles down on vulnerability, with lyrics that feel read straight from a diary, tangled up in delay-drenched strings and pillowy keys. There's punchier stuff too i 'Territorial' and 'Daggers!' lean towards funk and psychedelia, but the tempo never really rises. Instead, the energy folds inwards. 'Silk Lingerie,' 'Lose My Cool,' and 'It's Just Us' feel like whispered confessions, suspended between dream and memory. Across all 14 tracks, there's a strong sense of intimacy and solitude: of letters written and maybe never sent, of a person quietly finding the strength to stay soft in a world that rarely offers the same back.

Review: Shockingly, "(Hurry Up Tomorrow) is probably my last hurrah as the Weeknd." With speculation that this could mark the final release under his stage name, Abel Tesfaye returns with his sixth studio album, doubling as the soundtrack for an upcoming psycho-thriller film of the same name, where film and album are to be released in tandem. A known cinephile, and widely applauded for his screen debut in the OPN-scored Safdie Brothers sensation Uncut Gems, Tesfaye's upcoming directorial collaboration with Trey Edward Shults presents an insomniac musician on the verge of a mental breakdown, pulled into an existential odyssey against his best volition. 'Timeless', 'Sao Paulo' and 'Cry for Me' lead the charge, in the aftermath of a vocal injury sustained on tour in 2022. Blending r&b, synth-pop and trap with flourishes of Brazilian funk and hip-hop, the new record doubles as the film's soundtrack, and pushes the Weeknd's palette ever further out into unsettling neon pop territory, contradictorily into the early hours of the weekday.

Review: Remastered from a lost cassette in composer David Toop's archive, Unsettled Scores Records has secured the rights to a first-ever release of the legendary title track from Dick Fontaine's iconic 1988 graffiti documentary. Originally airing on Channel 4, the film followed Brim's 1985 journey from the Bronx to the UK, where he linked up with future icons like Goldie and 3D of Massive Attack. A formative piece for graffiti writers and hip-hop heads alike, Brim's 'Bombin'' became a cult classic and remained so. This long-awaited 7" includes the full version and unreleased mixes.