Fat Beats US レコード& CD

Review: Masta Ace and Marco Polo team up once more for their highly anticipated follow-up to the esteemed Breukelen Story. Just like the last album, Richmond Hill grips the listener by the hand and ear, whisking them away, through the semiotic-auditory memory lane, and doubling up as Ace's hometown and childhood experience. Providing a fresh retrospective take on the cream-of-the-crop hip-hop mastermind's earliest days, it's a far cry from the rapper's early 90s style, but still nonetheless channels the same penchant for instantly nostalgic sample-heavy production motifs and includes many guest appearances from contemporaneous greats such as Inspectah Deck, Coast Contra, Blu and Che Noir.

Review: A classic New York hip-hop sound with refined lyricism and sleek production. Side-1 features 'Below The Clouds (feat. Talib Kweli - remix)', a standout reimagining from Masta Ace's newest album out this year. The track blends introspective verses with a soulful beat and Kweli's contribution elevates it further, creating a thought-provoking yet head-nodding experience. On Side-2, 'Get Shot (remix)', originally from Masta Ace's 2018 album, gets a polished rework. The remix offers a smooth, groove-filled reinterpretation that complements Ace's storytelling strength while keeping the vibe laid-back yet engaging.

Review: A jazz head with deep hip-hop roots, New York-based saxophonist Benny Reid returns with a brand-new 7" on Fat Beats, following his 2023 The Infamous Live reinterpretation. This is his latest standalone tribute, and it plays like a deliberate two-sided concept: '93 'Til Infinity' on the A, 'Day One' on the B i reworked with full reverence but plenty of vision. Reid's take on the former is all patience and atmosphere, stretching the groove into moody, modal territory without losing its swing. Flip it for a tighter, chunkier pass at the D.I.T.C. classic, where arrangements lean into low-end murk and sharper rhythmic interplay. Drawing on years of post-bop work for Concord, Reid reanimates sample culture as memory, process and momentum.