Def Jam レコード& CD

Review: Public Enemy are often unsung when it comes to the golden era of hip-hop, with the obvious names getting all of the press. Despite their huge success with 'It takes a Nation of Millions to Hold us Back', you don't hear Public Enemy acknowledged in the canon nearly as much as you should and it's a shame. The braggadocious bars, the heavy beats and the now-outdated concept of a hypeman all culminate in one of the greatest acts of the generation, who really were speaking to black youth in ways hip-hop wouldn't again until A Tribe Called Quest and Lauryn Hill came to town. 'Yo! Bum Rush the Show' was where it all started, an extreme talent in lyricism and delivery from Chuck D is elevated to the stratosphere with hype-man Flava Flav, undoubtedly the greatest to ever do it, and the Bomb Squad's wall of samples production. Tracks like 'Timebomb' and 'Sophisticated Bitch' are instant classics, and this indie-exclusive colour pressing is an amazing way to celebrate hip-hops 50th birthday.

Review: OK, we have to confess, we were shocked when we saw that this album is now a quarter of a century old. Hip-hop still feels like one of the most inventive and relevant genres of them all so to confront the fact it is now as old as boring old rock and roll was in our youth is jarring. But never mind, listening back to this one is reassuring as it still suns fresh. Few mic men have the storytelling abilities of Slick Rock and he proved that with this majestic album right off the bat. It comes on burgundy vinyl with plenty of lyrics that would no longer pass through the filter as permissible but still has plenty of standouts like our favourite 'Children's Story.'

Review: Legendary hip-hop DJ, producer and rapper Joseph Anthony Hernandez (better known as Tony Touch) has been busy agin. He's created plenty of superb mixtapes in the past, not least his 50 MC's series, and here he puts together a soundtrack like no other which finds him invite some major and diverse hip hop icons to collaborate. In doing so they look deep into hip hop's golden era in The Mixtape, a movie with plenty of well known classics all reworked by Def Jam titans like Jeezy, Dave East, Teyana Taylor, Jadakiss, Fredo Bang and more.