Rhino レコード& CD

Review: 21 years ago, Lil K.I.M. debuted at the number four position point on the Billboard Chart with her hugely commercially successful and certified Platinum album The Notorious K.I.M. Mixing up all the hallmarks of hip hop - sex, guns, drugs, and cash - with her own vulnerability, it makes for a record filled with highs and lows, hard beats and more tender tunes. The production - this time without the help of Notorious B.I.G. who made her previous one so hot - is still lush and filled with smart samples.

Review: Decades after he died, pioneering rapper Christopher Wallace aka Biggie aka B.I.G remains a hip hop giant, not least for us here at Juno HQ. He had the flow, the character, the lyrics, and showed all of it on his masterclass album The Notorious BIG. It is now getting a well deserved reissue on double vinyl, with all the original tunes included. There are uber-hits like the ubiquitous 'Juicy', tracks that make astute social commentaries about the black experience such as 'Everyday Struggle' and then some darn right killer grooves like 'One More Chance' and 'Big Poppa.' RIP to the greatest to ever do it.

Review: Jamaican reggae and dancehall star Sean Paul did a lot to popularise the genre in the UK and US way before the current wave of artists who dominate. Dusty Rock is his seance album from back in November 2022 and it spawned plenty of chart-climbing singles that helped it, and Paul, go on to become a worldwide phenomenon. Of course, the standout single that still gets plenty of hammer is 'Gimme The Light' while 'Like Glue,' 'I'm Still In Love With You' and 'Get Busy' are all bangers, too, on a record full of big hooks, fresh rhythms and big energy.