US Hip Hop Tape 303 Items

Limited edition of 100 copies on cassette.

We are very pleased to present Adagio!'s "Str8 Off The DAT", the third release of the duo comprised of Obvious Wonder (also known as Carta' P.) and Ray Foges (also known as Ray Supreme) on 90's Tapes. The group dug deep in their crates to come up with 7 unreleased tracks recorded between 1992 and 1997, bringing you that special Adagio! vibe once again.

Available in a limited run on LP, CD in jewel case, cassette and digitally on all major platforms.

Limited edition of 100 copies on double cassette.

Berlin, Germany, sometime early, early nineties. 3 MCs share a dream, a dream of taking this rap thing to the max. It wasn't long before Doubleface, Boogieman and Big Sal started making noise in the streets of the capitol and by the mid-nineties the band Harleckinz was a household name in Germany's rap music scene. It is these demos here which would eventually break the band and secure various major deals. The rest is history - yet another beautiful rap story originated in Hip Hop's golden era.

"90two90six" contains 25 never before released demo tracks and instrumentals recorded between 1992 and 1996 next to 5 tracks which have been originally released on "From The Levels Below".

Available in a limited run on 4LP, 2CD in jewel case, double cassette and digitally on all major platforms.

Limited edition for the Cassette Store Day 2014!

Black MOON’s 1993 debut album Enta Da Stage was a gamechanger to those it reached. The pulse of the underground and DIY spirit flowed through the release as members Buckshot, 5ft and DJ Evil Dee dug deep into the record that would become an east coast hip-hop classic. Buckshot, front and center, shone with his foot on the gas, and no intention to sweeten the hard-hitting lyrical flow. 5ft carved out his own on “Ack Like You Want It” and “Son get Wrec”. DJ Evil Dee threw down an early career production masterclass on the jazzy “Who Got Da Props?” with Mr. Walt - the first of many production projects for Da Beatminerz. P-vine is excited to be reissuing the record for the first time as a limited edition cassette tape with two bonus tracks off the Buck Em Down 12” to complete this sixteen track deluxe record.

Limited Edition Collector's Lunchbox with Czarmageddon! Cassette and Exclusive Trading Cards (Series 2) Includes: -Collector's Lunchbox with embossed Czarface art on front and back -Series 2 Trading Cards only available with the Lunchbox. -Cassette of Czarmageddon! only available in the Lunchbox

Hot off their two smashes for Marvel’s blockbuster film Venom: Let There Be Carnage, Czarface is back, triumphantly swinging into your universe with their new album Czarmageddon! Expect many twists and turns as Wu-Tang’s Inspectah Deck and Esoteric go to war with an all-new, all-different soundscape from Czarface producers the Czar Keys. Alt-rap icon Kool Keith shatters the lyrical glass and the enigmatic Frankie Pulitzer, who first appeared on the Venom soundtrack on Czarface’s Today’s Special, is back with guns blazing. Collectors will crash the gates for this all new chapter of the Czarface saga. Includes exclusive trading cards illustrated by Czarface chief artist Lamour Supreme!

Backed up by the Da Beatminerz production crew, the debut album Dah Shinin’ by Brooklyn duo Smif-N-Wessun remains a cornerstone of the East Coast sound attached to classic hip-hop records of the 90s. With hints of reggae and jazz record samples in the mix, this was hardcore hip-hop slick with an underground edge as MCs Tek and Steele ripped through a charged set of sixteen tracks. Iconic tracks burnt into history like “Wrekonize” and “Bucktown” are all here, as well as guest slots from Black Moon and the birth of supergroup Boot Camp Clik. P-vine is delighted to be reissuing the record for the first time as a cassette tape, with two bonus tracks bringing the total package up to eighteen tracks.

In the horror genre, sequels are perfunctory. As the insufferable film bro Randy explains in Scream 2, "There are certain rules that one must abide by in order to create a successful sequel. Number one: the body count is always bigger. Number two: the death scenes are always much more elaborate-more blood, more gore. Carnage candy. And number three: never, ever, under any circumstances, assume the killer is dead." Last Halloween, Los Angeles experimental rap mainstays Clipping ended their three-year silence with the horrorcore-inspired album There Existed an Addiction to Blood. This October, rapper Daveed Diggs, and producers Jonathan Snipes and William Hutson return with an even higher body count, more elaborate kills, and monsters that just won't stay dead. Visions of Bodies Being Burned is less a sequel than it is the second half of a planned diptych. It turns out, Clipping took to the thematic material of horrorcore like vampires to grave soil. Before the release of There Existed an Addiction to Blood, Clipping and Sub Pop Records divided the material up into two albums, designed to be released only months apart. However, a global pandemic and multiple cancelled tours pushed the release of the project's "part two" until the following Halloween season. Visions of Bodies Being Burned contains sixteen more scary stories disguised as rap songs, incorporating as much influence from Ernest Dickerson, Clive Barker, and Shirley Jackson as it does from Three 6 Mafia, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, and Brotha Lynch Hung. Clipping's angular, shattered interpretations of existing musical styles are always deferential, driven by fandom for the object of study rather than disdain for it. Clipping reimagine horrorcore-the purposely absurdist hip-hop subgenre that flourished in the 1990s-the way Jordan Peele does horror cinema: by twisting beloved tropes to make explicit their own radical politics of monstrosity, fear, and the uncanny. The album features a host of collaborators: Inglewood's Cam & China, fellow noise-rap pioneers Ho99o9, Tortoise guitar genius Jeff Parker, and experimental LA drummer Ted Byrnes. The final track, "Secret Piece," is a performance of a Yoko Ono text score from 1953 that instructs the players to "Decide on one note that you want to play/Play it with the following accompaniment: the woods from 5am to 8am in summer," and features nearly all of the musicians who appeared on both albums. Since their last album, Daveed Diggs-the group's Tony and Grammy Award-winning rapper-has starred in the TNT science fiction series, Snowpiercer, voiced a character in Pixar's Soul, and portrayed Frederick Douglass in Showtime's The Good Lord Bird. Writer Rivers Solomon's novella based on Clipping's Hugo-nominated song "The Deep" has been nominated for the Nebula, Hugo, and Locus Awards, and won the Lambda Literary Award for best Lgbtq SF/Fantasy/Horror novel. Clipping's song "Chapter 319"-a tribute to George Floyd (aka Big Floyd) the former DJ-Screw affiliated rapper who was murdered by police officers in May of 2020-was released on Bandcamp on June 19th and raised over $20,000 for racial justice charities. A clip of the song also became a popular meme on TikTok, generating over 50,000 videos in which teenagers rapped the song's lyrics ("Donald Trump is a white supremacist, full stop_") directly into the frowning faces of their conservative parents. The band also contributed a Skinny Puppy-esque rework of J-Kwon's "Tipsy" to Save Stereogum: An '00s Covers Comp.

This time it's really getting huge! Hole in One is back with an underground classic by no other than Blackout. This reissue shows the art of real Memphis rap in full effect. Murder rhymes laid upon the deepest productions by the man himself. A timeless milestone is available again. Better be fast!

Limited edition of 100 copies on cassette

A new MC/producer duo is on the rise, please welcome the collaborative effort "Sublime" by Awon and Parental. The smooth but mind-blowing lyrics by Awon paired with Parental's Jazz-infected beats make their debut album another sureshot for all Jazzmatazz heads.

13 tracks in total plus all instrumentals included to the cassette edition. Features include Anti-Lilly, Pete Flux, Tiff The Gift, Fresh Daily, Debonair P, Alcynoos, Saï T and Dan Amozig. Artwork provided by Mr. Krum.

"Audio EDibles" by Edo.G and Tone Spliff is a flavorful boom bap hip-hop collaboration that serves up a delectable mix of insightful lyrics and head nodding beats. Edo.G's seasoned rhymes effortlessly blend with Tone Spliff's production, creating an album that's both lyrically rich and sonically satisfying.

The tracks are a feast for the ears, offering a diverse menu of thought-provoking themes and head-nodding rhythms, making "Audio EDibles" a must-listen for hip-hop enthusiasts.

Limited edition of 100 copies on cassette.

"Mathuniversal" marks the transatlantic collaboration of iconic Toronto-based MC Mathematik and Paris-based producers slash brothers Parental and Lex (de Kalhex). The album contains 10 tracks plus 9 instrumental versions and should not be missed by any true school head out there.

Available in a limited run each on regular black 2LP, translucent green 2LP, CD in digipak, cassette as well as digitally on all major platforms.

A true pioneer and architect of that raw underground sound the city of Memphis, TN is famous for. Memphis Icon DJ Zirk. One of the first creating that M-Town sound and putting it on tape. His album "Looken For Tha Chewin" contains trunk rattling undergorund hits like "Lockem In Tha Trunk" & "Looken 4 Tha Chewin". Supported by features from Eightball & MJG, DJ Squeeky, Kilo G, Buckshotz and more. Including 4 Bonus Tracks. Welcome to Memphis!

Limited edition of 100 copies on cassette.

In 1994, the Boogiemonsters stepped on the scene with their debut "Riders Of The Storm: The Underwater Album". The quartet consisting of Vex, Mondo, Myntric and Yodared, scored with a bright atmosphere throughout the entire album, pairing food for thought with laid-back productions.

Available in a limited run on 2LP+7", CD in jewel case and cassette.

Limited edition of 100 copies on cassette.

Originally set to be released in 1996, the self-titled debut "The Black Spooks" finally gets the official release treatment. The trio consisting of Dirty Birdy, Sly Boogy and DJ KMP represented the Inland Empire region of California, sporting a more progressive Westcoast sound but still keeping it street. The album was planned to be released on Perspective Records, but it never saw the light of day until now. 18 tracks in total straight from DJ KMP's original DAT's.

Available in a limited run on 2LP, CD in jewel case, cassette and digitally on all major platforms.

Classic M-Town Material by Memphis Icon DJ Zirk.

Stakes is High is the 4th studio album by De La Soul, released on July 2, 1996. Stakes is High was critically lauded for its music, lyricism, and its overall message concerning the artistic decline rap music began to face in the mid-90s. The title track and first single was produced by J Dilla and the album's second single, "Itzsoweezee (HOT)", with only Dave on vocals, was accompanied by a creative music video. The album spawned a third single "4 More", featuring Zhane. The album did provide a launching pad for future star rapper and actor Mos Def, who appeared on the track "Big Brother Beat" and Common who is featured on "The Bizness".

It might blow up, but it won't go pop!

De La Soul’s third studio release, Buhloone Mindstate, released on September 21, 1993, saw the group evolve into a new sound as they continued to grow stylistically and musically. There were several moments on the album which proved the band had matured. "I Be Blowin'" was a departure as the track was an instrumental featuring saxophone playing by Maceo Parker. The introspective "I Am I Be" showed De La Soul at their most self-referential to date. "Long Island Wildin'" was a collaboration with Japanese hip hop artists Kan Takagi (Major Force) and trio Scha Dara Parr (sdp). The album's first single, "Breakadawn", used a sample of Michael Jackson's "I Can't Help It" and Smokey Robinson's "Quiet Storm". De La Soul collaborated for the first time with Gang Starr's Guru on "Patti Dooke", and female MC Shortie No Mas who was prominent on many tracks on the album and showcased particularly on "In The Woods". The album ended with an old school Biz Markie collaboration called "Stone Age".

Over 20 years after the release of his first classic full-length, Cormega is back with the follow up to "The Realness" and stays true to its roots, featuring guest appearances by Queensbridge representatives Nas and Havoc, Lloyd Banks, and production duties handled by Large Professor, The Alchemist, Harry Fraud, Domingo, Streetrunner, Sha Money XL among others! Mega is back with another classic to cement his legendary status in the game.

Formed by Toronto DJ/ producers K.Cut, Sir Scratch, and Brooklyn MC/producer Large Professor, Main Source was one of the seminal groups of the East Coast’s hip-hop scene in 90’s. The original trio’s first and only album Breaking Atoms, was released in 1991 to critical and commercial acclaim, before Large Professor left the group. They recorded a second album, The Science, and even ran ads for it in The Source, before the group’s breakup led to its indefinite shelving. Until now! P-vine Records is proud to announce that we’re giving The Science its long deserved official release, almost three decades after it was initially set for release. This gem among gems of 90’s hip-hop, which had never seen so much as a bootleg release, is going to be released on CD, Analog vinyl (1xLP and 1xLP+7 Inch), and cassette tape. With tracks such as “Bootleg”, “Raise Up, “Time (Alternate Mix)”, and “Hella Vision”, taken from master tapes owned by the three original members, as well as well-loved classics like “Fakin’ The Funk” and “How My Man Went Down In The Game”, this record is sure to be killer. Large Professor’s flows are as smooth and lyrical as ever, and the sample-heavy beats that the producers lay down are supreme. Trust me when I say, that this is one record you’re not going to want to miss.

Despite an excellent debut album, "Naughty By Nature" was pegged as a one-hit wonder by some, after all, they'd never duplicate the inescapably catchy "O.P.P.". But when 19 Naughty III was released on February 23, 1993 with the lead single "Hip Hop Hooray, " the group proved that they could recreate that magic. Celebrating it's 30th Anniversary this year, the album has been certified platinum and "Hip Hop Hooray" has become a hip hop anthem. The single was #1 on the charts, earning the band their second Top 10 hit, with the video directed by Spike Lee, featuring appearances from Tupac Shakur, Run-DMC and more. The album also contains the hits "Written on Ya Kitten" and "It's On" and has guest appearances from Heavy D and Queen Latifah. Production was handled entirely by group member KayGee, who has one foot in the clubs and the other one on the street corner, and that's true of the group as a whole.

Tommy Boy Records celebrates "30 Years" of House of Pain's debut album House of Pain (Fine Malt Lyrics) with remastered, limited edition release on July 22, 2022' Everlast, DJ Lethal & Danny Boy formed House of Pain while attending high school and were signed to Tommy Boy Records after fashioning themselves as rowdy Irish-American hooligans, hitting the local rap & alternative music scene. House of Pain (Fine Malt Lyrics) went multi-platinum and the self titled debut album spawned the successful producer DJ Muggs, who produced the single "Jump Around". The song was also remixed twice by Pete Rock, one version featuring a verse from him and one without."Jump Around" became a hit in 1992, reaching number 3 in the United States. A 1993 re-release of the song in the United Kingdom, where the initial release had been a minor hit, peaked at number 8. "Jump Around" was featured at position 580 on Q Magazine's "1001 Best Songs Ever, " number 24 on VH1's "100 Greatest Songs of the 90s, " number 66 on VH1's "100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop, " number 325 on Blender's "500 Greatest Songs Since You Were Born" and number 47 on NME's "100 Best Songs of the 1990s." The song is popular among dancehall DJs and is widely regarded in the United Kingdom as a club classic. The album also featured Cypress Hill member B-Real on the song "Put Your Head Out" and Funkdoobiest's Son Doobie on "House and the Rising Sun", both members of the musical collective known as Soul Assassins. Q magazine "... their music is of the dense, hard-hitting school of hip hop... The group have absorbed black rap's musical lessons and create a satisfying platform for their above average deliveries... " The Source "... a very solid and at times exceptional album... imagine if Licensed to Ill wasn't an upper middle class Jewish thing but rather a working class Irish thing... The atmosphere is like that of a cross between a frat party and a bar room brawl

Limited edition of 100 copies on cassette.

Brainwash Projects is a duo comprised of legendary L.A. Symphony members Pigeon John and bTwice. Their one and only album "The Rise And Fall Of Brainwash Projects" was originally released on cassette and CD in 1998 and immediately created a certain buzz amongst Westcoast Underground diggers worldwide. The diverse production paired with hungry MC'ing make the album a timeless piece of music.

Available in a limited run on 2LP in gatefold sleeve, CD in jewel case, cassette and digitally on all major platforms.

Limited edition of 100 copies on cassette.

The Oakland duo The B.U.M.S. dropped their debut album "Lyfe'N'Tyme" in 1995 with the help of Bay Area legends Sway and King Tech. The production was mostly handled by Joe Quixx plus one track each produced by Fred Wreck and the Baka Boyz.

To quote Billboard magazine from early January 1995, the Brothas Unda Madness »build verbal puzzles stacked with crafty metaphors and allusions to pop culture. Over spare, jazzy grooves that swing and spring, they endeavor to expose their souls. Using plain-spoken poetics, the duo takes listeners on a ghettocentric ride from their innocence into sense.«

Available in a limited run on black vinyl 2LP+7", CD in jewel case and cassette.

The latest release from Ill Catz Records, this time around they are dropping a superb album from They Hidden Character who's one of the hottest up and coming artists out of MA.



The album has 8 tracks produced by the Vinyl Villain, 1 by Mr. Rose and 1 by Al.divino! Featuring Estee Nack, Code Nine, 2 guest verses by Al.divino and more!

Limited edition of 100 copies of the vocal version on cassette.

French producers Alcynoos & Parental team up with Norwegian beatsmith Type.Raw and the Loop.Holes crew to lay a jazz-infected groundation for an all-star cast of MC's like Mathematik, Ill Conscious, Verbz, Kid Abstrakt, Illa J & Frank Nitt, Kev Brown & J Scienide and many more.

Available in a limited run on colored 2LP (vocal version), black 2LP vinyl (instrumental version), CD in digipak (vocal version), cassette (vocal version) and digitally (vocal & instrumental version).

Two-color cassette: Side A red (Volume 1), Side B white (Volume 2)

Atlanta emcee Tha God Fahim remains a true outlier, releasing new music at a remarkable pace without sacrificing depth or quality. Recently, the talented artist linked with Montreal producer Nicholas Craven for two masterful new EPs within the span of a month, drawing widespread praise in the process. Now, both volumes of Dump Gawd: Shot Clock King are available in one physical release. Featuring guest vocals from Your Old Droog, this two-part collection unites powerful creatives forces, with Fahim weaving consistently inventive street parables over Craven’s cinematic, soul-drenched production.

This tape is a prison tape made for inmates of prisons in the USA. It comes without screws, without print and without inlay as the should be.

Brooklyn Bred MC and Independent Artist, Kota the Friend, continues to stake his claim in music, collaborating for a no frills, modern nostalgic, sharp, yet witty collaborative album with the legendary DJ, Statik Selektah. ‘To Kill A Sunrise’ arrives via Fltbys Music and Entertainment, accompanied with an introductory visual Kota and Statik released in celebration of the album. A sonic paring that’s been brewing for a few years now, ‘To Kill A Sunrise’ is a PSA, -- as Kota the Friend chants on the opening track ‘I ain't the Kota you first met… I. Can’t. LOSE.’ The confident, independent MC, over the masterful production of Statik Selektah introduces a more seasoned musician, locking his view on success, stepping out of his own way and over all those who doubt the makings of an undeniable voice of a generation. Coming off his ninth studio album, Statik Selektah takes a swing with Kota the Friend. An early co-sign and friendship has produced one of the promising rising MC’s from Brooklyn. Statik’s unique ear and keen eye for talent has made him an undeniable force for both rising rappers and legends. Staying authentic and true to himself, Statik speaks on why this collaboration was essential for hip-hop, saying: The pair show no signs of stopping. Aside from his own music, Statik has continued to make noise through the airwaves on his weekly Thursday night show “ShowOff Radio” on Shade 45 Sirius XM. In addition, he has toured all over the world DJing at festivals or backing music heavyweights like Q-Tip and Nas. From taking on independence and ownership (as discussed with The Wsj), to receiving co-signs from SZA to NoName, including LaKeith Stanfield, Erykah Badu, RZA and many others -- Kota the Friend continues to produce his own music, content, and shows under his label, Fltbys, showing how ‘pressure makes a diamond and depression makes a legend’.

100 Hand Numbered Promotional Only Tapes made! Features 5 Unreleased Remixes and 1 Orignal (unheard) Demo Remix circa 1993-1995

Shabazz Palaces' Black Up, the group's Sub Pop debut, was recently hailed as one of the best albums of the decade by outlets like Pitchfork, Gorilla Vs Bear, and Variety. Pitchfork summed it up thusly: "Black Up is drowned in murky instrumentals and bombastic, introspective rhymes. The sounds flirt with jazz but also root themselves in a firm understanding of silence, or the sparse magic of simplicity. The songs teem with unexpected climaxes...From great mystery exploded an album of impossible vision." That "impossible vision" has continued to confound and engage Shabazz Palaces fans over the course of four acclaimed albums and two EPs. Each release feels like an evolution, letting the music speak for itself, while slowly revealing more about its creator. With The Don of Diamond Dreams, the group's fifth album, that spirit remains, this time embracing modernism in hip-hop and rap. Featuring 10 tracks in 43 minutes, the album features the highlights "Fast Learner (ft. Purple Tape Nate)," "Chocolate Souffle," "Bad Bitch Walking (ft. Stas THEE Boss), and "Thanking The Girls." It also features contributions from singer/keyboardist Darrius Willrich, Seattle's OCnotes (who collaborated with Shabazz leader Ishmael Butler on the Knife Knights project), Los Angeles musician Carlos Overall, and bassist Evan Flory-Barnes. The Don of Diamond Dreams was recorded throughout 2019 and produced by Shabazz Palaces at Protect and Exalt: A Black Space in Seattle, mixed and engineered by Erik Blood at Studio 4 Labs in Venice, California, and mastered by Scott Sedillo at Bernie Grundman Mastering in Los Angeles.

Case has cutout marks!

Uncut version of 2Pac's KMEL interview with Sway and King Tech for the Wake Up Show. This interview was released retail, however that version had music backing the interview and certain sections of the interview were removed. This cassette contains the full interview (with some "off the record" sections, commercial break chatter, and station identification drops) with no backing music - just the voices of the interviewer and 2Pac.

Sans Soleil is the second installment in Ceschi's powerful and final three-album trilogy. His music lives in some liminal space between left field hip hop, folk punk and indie rock, and has earned him a cult following within the indie rap and diy punk communities. Sans Soleil is the immediate follow-up to Ceschi's 2019 fan-favorite album Sad, Fat Luck, which has received praise and nods from Anthony Fantano of The Needle Drop, Hip Hop DX, Pop Matters, Northern Transmissions, VEVO, Talkhouse, and more. As Hip Hop DX puts Ceschi's sound, 'his emotions pour through every syllable.' Sans Soleil is a politically savvy record with an endless palette of samples and top-tier collaborators including Yoni of WHY?, P.O.S., Open Mike Eagle, Onry Ozzborn, Squalloscope, and Ceschi's longtime collaborator and producer Factor Chandelier.

Original pressing with small coutout.

The storied Seattle hip-hop group Shabazz Palaces returns with a new album called Quazarz: Born On A Gangster Star, their first since 2014’s excellent Lese Majesty, and their third album including the duo’s 2011 debut Black Up.

DJ BK is back in full effect with tracks by Ras Kass, Aesop Rock & Homeboy Sandman, Emanon, Bumpy Knuckles, General Steele, Vinnie Paz and many others. Tip!

Bakers Of The Holy Bread from Umeå, Sweden, was composed in the 1990s by David Lenneman, Göran Lindhof and Tobias Addo. This trio are some of Sweden's early hip hop pioneers and Return Of Boom Bap Records will drop "The End Of A Cold Experience" in its entirety on vinyl now, 27 years later. Produced by the Swedish dream-team Pete W & P Collén and features by Field Nigga Soup from New York.



Limited to only 300 copies on double vinyl, including inlay and an extra bonus track called "Underground Funk"!

For the second time on tape. Yellow shell. Only 50 made, again. Worldwide.

This year marks the 5th anniversary of this classic collaboration by Crimeapple and BIG Ghost LTD and we couldn't let this go unnoticed! Aguardiente is undeniably one of the top 5 records of the last decade as well as a pivotal moment for both artists, a groundbreaking collaboration to say the least, featuring guest appearances by the likes of Benny The Butcher, Vic Spencer, Daniel Son, Lil Eto and Milano Constantine. We have teamed up with them to bring this back on all physical formats for this occasion, with the album being available with a brand new artwork, a new icy pendant cover as well as a revisited version of the OG artwork by Dom Dirtee, and featuring the classic Aguardiente Season Freestyle that started it all. Classic material right here!

Get ‘Em started as a collaboration between producers, Computer Jay and Dream Dave. It turned out to be Computer Jay’s first attempt on the mic, evolving into Taylor The Terror, accompanied by long-time Cohort Imani the Ghetto Oracle (from The Pharcyde). The project unknowingly snowballed into an LA Riot of features ranging from established wordsmiths to producers and DJs picking up the mic to bring an unknown underbelly of vocals to the canvas. Get ‘Em is undoubtedly cut from the golden era of Hip Hop, but with exponential growth of Technique in the production, cuts, and lyric schemes. This 16-song album has the cinematic action of Fight Club mixed with Blaxploitation films. The Get ‘Em Got it, and it and the Gettin weigh a ton of pounds. The Get ‘Em Gettin, and is of the Weird Science Sound.

Seafood Sam is a futuristic artifact. If that description might sound confusing at first, it matches the eclectic dualities found in true originals. With his effortless cool and timeless style, the North Long Beach native defies convention and exact comparison. He's a virtuosic rapper, a stop-you-in-your tracks singer, and a symphonic producer. Welcome to the lavish life of a laid-back transcontinental man of mystery, rolling in old school Cadillacs, eating caviar with a blade in his pocket, and making plays in vintage Pelle Pelle gear. A blaxploitation icon for the Instagram age, blessed with the bars of a `90s legend and 23rd century swagger. Seafood Sam is a true hero of modernity. On his full-length album debut for up-and-coming label drink sum wtr (Kari Faux, Deem Spencer, Aja Monet) debut, Standing on Giant Shoulders, Sam splits the difference between Snoop Dogg and D' Angelo, Curren$y and David Ruffin. The songs reveal a forward-thinking sensibility rooted in ancestral soul. He creates spiritual hymns for the streets that tap into universal ideals and irrepressible groove. In an era plagued by short-term thinking, his ambitions reveal a crate-digging depth of music history and a meticulous ear for detail. The giant shoulders in the album's title refer to James Brown, Bobby Brown, and Miles Davis - the holy trinity who inspired Sam's process. From the Godfather of Soul, Sam took a perfectionist's rigor and focus. The example of Bobby Brown lent an unshakeable confidence and self-belief. While the constant artistic left turns of the trumpeter that birthed Ccool offered an aspirational archetype. The story starts in the glory days of Long Beach hip-hop. As a young child, the G-Funk era soundtracked rides in Sam's father's car. Some of his earliest memories are trying to memorize Snoop's verse on "Nuthin' But a "G" Thang." Beyond gangsta rap, the LBC has historically doubled as a capital of lowrider soul and carwash oldies. At any intersection, you could hear Dogg Food or Brenton Wood, Warren G or Barbara Lynn. This too was absorbed via osmosis. It also just so happened that the art of performance was always in Sam's blood. So at family functions, he and his sister supplied entertainment by singing karaoke renditions of The Isley Brothers. While his Harlem Shake remains a thing of local lore. Long Beach is a culturally diverse mecca of skate parks and gang life, street fashion and tricky dance moves. This is the place that raised Sam on a diet of Wu-Tang and Nelly Furtado, Lil Bow Wow and Allen Iverson. He was the middle ground between his two older brothers: one who gangbanged, the other who graduated with a master's degree from UC-Santa Barbara. But it wasn't until the end of high school that Sam started to take rap seriously. Alongside long-time collaborators like Huey Briss and Reaper Mook, Sam's name began to make waves on the northside of the city, but he was partially distracted by a modeling career that paid the bills and took him all to way to walk in Paris' fashion week. The first turning point arrived with 2018's "Ramsey," a self-produced, slick-talk anthem with over 10,000,000 streams across all platforms. With each subsequent release, Sam showcased his peerless consistency, building buzz both online and in the city streets. Spin hailed his "smooth and unhurried cadences and understated lyricism_ that sounds like nothing else in Long Beach." Clash raved about Sam's "evolution as an artist, cruising through nostalgic production with slick, witty rhymes." The culmination arrives with Standing on Giant Shoulders. It's the evidence of a master, a young sensei in the model of Quincy Jones. All rhymes, singing, production, and arrangements were handled by Sam - with an assist from his close Long Beach kinsman Tom Kendall from the group Soular System. It's hard-edged and lyrical enough for disciples of Larry June and Roc Marciano, but orchestral and melodic enough for fans of Anderson .Paak and H.E.R.