LISTED REVIEWS
'The Tortoise Hustle' has Sankofa’s wit, his unexpectedly revealing and brutally honest self-and world-portraying lyrics, while at the same time, he’s sharing his love for Adidas ('Speaking In Tongues') and Big Daddy Kane ('The Zoom Zip') with the listener.
POSTED 10|06|2007
Recorded in Germany, with Damu from Washington DC on the boards and Insight, from Boston, with the mic in hand, 'Travel At Your Own Pace' is Tres Records’ newest super duo of one experienced and one gifted artist.
POSTED 10|05|2007
Wiz’s book is one of many stories and many sounds, many experiences and influences, it’s entertaining, it’s confronting and it’s never boring. Wiz could still grow as a rapper, the mastering of this record could be better, but it’s these flaws that at the same time give a certain authenticity to it.
POSTED 09|26|2007
While the stereo is turned up another notch when the joyful rap dedication –when Brand Nubian meets KMD- 'Gotta Do…' blows through the speakers, celebrating the long-awaited comeback of a group that remained too long in the shades. Meet real rap, meet real Brothers from The Motherland, meet their steelsolid comeback.
POSTED 09|26|2007
Somebody remembers that real boombap? We mean that reaaal boombap, where tension was built until the thundering snare came in and ya neck popped way more back than you’d imagine, or where you wanted to put on your hoodie and Timberlands and just wanted to shake your head the whole day. We guess we found it, no, not in Brooklyn or New Jersey, but in the land of cheese and watches (we won’t say chocolate because Belgium is), Switzerland.
POSTED 08|19|2007
The title 'One Day' had me thinking of Jeru’s hit single back in 1996, where the Damaja and Premo saved hip-hop from Suge that night. Less violently and aggressive, sure, but this time a young Russian immigrant, fresh out of his teens, has done a coup de force that will (hopefully) have heads saying 'yo, the realness is here'.
POSTED 08|19|2007
Adversity has become their oyster and, as many artists, they have been able to squeeze some heartfelt lyrics and soursweet music out of the bitter. Imagine how dull music would be if everything went right in life…
POSTED 08|19|2007
Ill Poetic has made an album that reminds of a lot, mostly of music we played at the end of the nineties when we sheltered from a wave of commercialization within our beloved culture.
POSTED 07|18|2007
Imagine a dusty studio, isolated from the outer world, filled up with green smoke from the floor to the ceiling, old soul records playing, ready to be looped and an emcee waiting to rip every single one of them. That’s how this album must’ve been put together.
POSTED 07|18|2007
San Francisco based DJ and producer Deejay OM takes us on an Asiatic trip with this collection of instrumental tracks that could as well be a soundtrack to some 70’s Bollywood movie.
POSTED 06|26|2007from the vaults
