Fat Beats Us 黑胶唱片和CD

Review: With more than 30 years in the game, D.I.T.C. affiliate Andre the Giant (of Showbiz & A.G. fame) continues to prove that his pen game is better than ever with the release of his latest full length effort, Giant In The Mental. The album title is more than just a reference to one of his earliest tracks; it's a statement that he remains head-and-shoulders above the competition. Without any guest appearances, Andre engages critically with this choice: "Music for me is mostly therapy, and I don't need anyone else to help me vent and express my thoughts." From well-paced and -rounded beatsmithery to engaging, storytelling raps, the Bronx rap legend straight-up kills it on every level here.

Review: Richmond Hill, the highly anticipated follow up to Masta Ace and Marco Polo's Breukelen Story, is inspired by Marco's childhood in the titular neighborhood, a small town in Ontario, just outside of Toronto. Between interstitials about Marco's passion for hip-hop and cartoons, his struggle with addiction, and the support of his parents, Marco Polo and Masta Ace tackle the issues of the day head-on with clarity, the rapper using his decades-worth of rapping experience to slice through the producer's warm soul samples and crisp percussion. A cinematic journey that explores how the past echoes through the present, the album welcomes guest appearances from notable names from all eras of rap history, including Inspectah Deck, Coast Contra, Blu, Che Noir, Speech of Arrested Development, Masta Ace's longtime collaborators Stricklin and Wordsworth and many more.

Review: Mista Sinista is a true hip-hop head who started DJing in the mid-eighties and then joined the X-Men - later the X-ecutioners - in 1992. Tow albums followed as did many global tours for Mista Sinista who also Died on the road for legends like Common, Beatnuts, Joe Fatal and Lauryn Hill. His debut album ReBorn on Fat Beat Records is a showcase of his skills that takes the form of a mix of well-produced tracks along with live turntablism. Guest include MCs like Mr. VooDoo, Ill Bill and Vinnie Paz, with production credits going to Nick Wiz, Statick, Cee da Cuban and DJ Safire amongst others.