The new-millennium DJ Premier. That’s what you’re looking at when you look at Gregg Lorenzo a.k.a. Git Beats, a veteran producer from the place that started all of this, who can tell you about breakdancing in the South Bronx in the mid-‘80s as easily as he can tell you about bumping beats for the RZA on the Staten Island Ferry in the early ‘90s, or getting signed to legendary Golden Age imprint Payday Records after flooring the entire staff with one beat tape. But you don’t even really need all that explained to you if you’ve heard his work. The way those kicks crunch, those snares thwack; the way the beats work their way into your neck muscles almost instantly – all trademarks of someone who’s been doing it since it existed. And if that doesn’t seal the deal for you, then let the collaborators on his forthcoming album Say Cheeze clear things up for you. Raekwon of Wu-Tang Clan. Rock of Heltah Skeltah. Prince Po of Organized Konfusion. Ladybug Mecca of Digable Planets. Goretex of Non Phixion. T-Weaponz. And being a true head, he gives the newcomers room to shine too, Andyill’s gung-ho “Checkmate” a prime example. Never mind the fact that Git himself sings the vast majority of hooks on the record, or the fact that he accidentally created the “broken-beat” sound almost two years before it even had a name. That’s all extras. Just throw on a track like Rae and Ice Water’s “Just One Of Those Days”, or Ladybug’s contribution “America” - which couldn’t be more timely – and bask in the discovery of a true master. Drops January 6th on UsedWax.

Infamous NYC-based emcee LoDeck has teamed up with producer Omega One on Postcards From The Third Rock, scheduled for a fall release on LoDeck’s label Johnny 23 with distribution through Grooveattack. Guests feature C-Rayz Walz, Invizzibl Men (Marq Spekt and Karniege) and Jak Progresso. Album cover by Mars-1. Peep LoDeck out at myspace/lodeck and Omega at myspace/ omegaonemusic, and hold tight for those press kits…

Los Angeles emcee Malkovich steps out with his Sicksteens mixtape, a mash-up of old-school hip-hop tracks, old-soul rare grooves and non-stop rhymes from the BLX Crew, Omni, Black Silver of the Analog Brothers, legendary battle champ Otherwize, Fat Hed, Voice, Sumkid Majere, Mazzi of S.O.U.L. Purpose, the Vinyl Junkie Clique (VJC), Universal a.k.a. Chris Clarke, Montage One of the Likwit Crew… the list goes on. Check out his HipHopDX interview here and learn more about Malko at malkovichmusic.com and myspace/malkovichmusic.

Peep the video for his first single “LIKE A GLOVE”, directed by Nzinga Kadalie which features Pudgemcee of the Vinyl Junkies and Ali Baba Abnormal.

“Hip-hop light years ahead of the mainstream.” –VAPORS

“I think we got Sin City 2’s soundtrack here.” -MEANSTREET

PRESTO, STATE OF THE ART (2008, Concrete Grooves)

“Presto is definitely on the right track, taking you back with laid-back, down-to-earth, soulful and jazzy music.” –CLOUT

THREE MICS - THE SOURCE

J RAWLS & MIDDLE CHILD, RAWLS & MIDDLE (2008, Polar/Grooveattack)

“This team of producer and singer create an overall good album with a vintage flair and airy feel to it with its solid production and simplicity.” –NU-SOUL MAG

“…Rawls & Middle is yet another demonstration from J Rawls on how to craft an soul album…” –HIPHOPDX

HANIF-JAMIYL, KRUSHED GRAPES (2008, Bukarance Records)

“Sure, sexing women may be Hanif-Jamiyl’s ultimate goal, but how he gets there makes Krushed Grapes an engaging and interesting listening experience.” –THE SOURCE

“His sound is so amazing and authentic that we can be glad that in times of cheap mass production, someone like him opened the door to a niche that makes rap interesting again.” –BACKSPIN

S.O.U.L. PURPOSE, THE CONSTRUCTION (2008, Devoon Edutainment)

“With quality releases like this, it is easier to believe in a grand group called S.O.U.L. Purpose that is driven by the listeners that make this hip-hop music prosper.” –RAPREVIEWS.COM

“…A straight up East Coast hip-hop record that has it’s roots planted in the 90’s Golden Era but still manages to stay current…” –PEACE

HEAROS 4 HIRE MIXTAPE (2008, Think Green )

“These guys could eventually be the heroes of Cali…” –RAPREVIEWS.COM

“This is LA hip-hop for people who think they don’t like LA hip-hop…” –LOSTATSEA.NET

E REECE - A NEW BREED (2007, EMH )

“…a satisfying debut full-length album…” -THE SOURCE

“I have officially reconnected my umbilical chord back to my mp3 player. Thank you E Reece…” -BROWN LEATHER COUCH

SUMKID MAJERE - THE LIL FOLK (2007, VJC )

“It is the maraschino cherry drenched in your favorite flammable solution. The solution to all that ails you.” –FREEHIPHOPNOW ” The Lil Folk has brought me an emcee I can’t help but gush excitedly about.” –OKAYPLAYER

CLAN DESTINED - ABBRACADAMN!!! (2007, Domination )

“This album tells the musical story of a couple of small-town South Carolina boys driven by their environment to spew forth a brand of hip-hop that is more contemplative than it is angsty.” -CENTRAL STATION

“With a definite knowledge and appreciation for all kinds of music, it is immediately evident with the CD’s second track, “Freeze”, that there is a nice little bit of labwork going on between these two artists.” -OKAYPLAYER

THE BEYONDERS - TIME CAPSULE (2007, Nonfikshen )

“From the opening assault of ‘The Beyonders’ to the more laid-back ’90s-style ‘Symphony’, the Beyonders spit swift and deft.” -LOST AT SEA

“This is music about people, not about killing them; it’s about ideas and possibilities, no matter how bleak those possibilities might be.” -RAP REVIEWS

JOHN ROBINSON - THE LEAK EDITION 2 (2007, Shaman Work )

“Bouncing rhythms, tight MCing, and samples that KRS-One would be proud to sport…” –SMOTHER

“Even though JR has been around the game for a good decade, this seems like the rebirth for him as a solo artist.” -HALFTIME ONLINE

VOICE - GUMBO (2006, Featherperm )

“…If Voice’s dream was to send her message to a crowd with soul and thirst for good rhymes, lyrics combined with sweet music, then her wish will be fulfilled without a doubt.” -BEYOND JAZZ

“From the very first track you can hear the echoes of hip-hop classics and the influence of jazz improvisation is undeniable; smooth and heavy.” -PROPERLY CHILLED

BELIEF - DEDICATION (2006, Worker B )

“Employing the impressive vocal talents of Murs, Wordsworth, Vordul Megilah and C-Rayz Walz… Belief is definitely a producer many will check for in the near future.” –OKAYPLAYER

“…The samples build seamlessly throughout the production, and steering clear of repetitive choruses…” –ERASOUL

ABCDEFG - DOMINOES & DICE (2006, BassLine Xcursions )

“On his solo debut, ABCDEFG presents an experimental mixture of unfathomable samples and live instrumentation that blend so well it’s impossible to tell where one stops and the other starts.” -ROLLING OUT

“…a delicious downtempo instrumental excursion…” -GROUNDLIFT

NOCTURNAL RON - BEATLOVERS, VOL. 2 (2006, Cold Medina )

“Nocturnal’s work is definitely best described as a little bit leftfield but 100% hip-hop. Think Lil Brother, Pete Rock and The Beatnuts drum mixed up with rock, soul, funk, chilled out grooves and electronica. His open-minded approach to music has made this CD a future classic in its genre.” –RAGO

MYKA NYNE - CITRUS SESSIONS (2006, Citrus )

“This may just be the best album of the year…” –THICK

“Mellow without being enervating, this is mature, soulful, and sophisticated hip-hop that retains its underground cred.” -ALL MUSIC

JERN EYE - AUTHENTIC VINTAGE (2006, NatAural High )

“…Feel-good, smooth around the edges, but precise rhyming and beats…” -LOST AT SEA

“His music does show hints of what came before, but how he interprets that translates into something that is worthy of many listens and a lot of word-of-mouth recommendations.” -MUSIC FOR AMERICA

DEVELOP[MENTAL] COMPILATION (2006, NatAural High )

“If you love hearing hungry MCs and producers who are as raw as it gets then Develop[Mental] is a must-buy.” -FRANK151

“If NatAural High Records continues to release material with the same quality such as this, then they will definitely become a major force to be reckoned with in the Bay Area.” –OKAYPLAYER

OMNI - BALLYHOO (2006, Ariel)

“[Omni] rifles off rapid-fire verses, letting lyrics dash from his mind to his mouth, scripting some compelling free-form poetry at warp speed.” –EXCLAIM

“…a recording that I feel will be on my “Best Of…” list at the end of the year…”-MUSIC FOR AMERICA

SICK SYMPHONIES - SICKSIDE STORIES (2005, Paladin)

” Sickside Stories sounds like a soundtrack for a movie which doesn’t exist, the kind of mind movies that you want to pump in your cars or apartments on a 24-hour-a-day basis.” -MUSIC FOR AMERICA

“…Sounding somewhere between a cross of Cypress Hill, The Beatnuts, and CNN…” -FRANK151

MUM’S THE WORD - CONSTANT EVOLUTION (2005, Grey Label )

“Mum’s The Word is a very good producer and he has created a thick, musical and definitely not for everybody album.” -URBANSMARTS.COM

“He seems to have hit the right mix of bump and electronic chill.” –FLY

MALKOVICH MUSIC - SKELETONS (2005, Genoa Imports )

“Had Radiohead, Portishead or any other head recorded Skeletons , it would be hailed as an ambitious attempt to push the boundaries of hip hop” -OKAYPLAYER.COM

“He’s hitting a nerve in hip hop that represents a future wave of emcees and writers.” –UP AND COMING WEEKLY