Gang Starr - Jazz Thing - 7-INCH SINGLE [7 inch Vinyl Disc]

So strong was EPMD's epochal debut album 'Strictly Business' that it spawned three all-time classic singles, providing part of the soundtrack to, arguably, the height of the original Golden Age. When discussing the landmark artists of that era - Public Enemy, Boogie Down Productions, Eric B & Rakim - the duo of Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith are certainly in the conversation. And when it comes to all-time duos, they might be at the head of the table.The original of 'I'm Housin' came in 1989, and the only previous 7Inch was confined to the UK - it now fetches sky-high prices. Hence this reissue couldn't be more timely, showcasing just how fresh E Double E and PMD sound over even the most rudimentary but feverishly catchy of beats.That was their genius - trading 'slow flow' punchlines over deceptively simple backings - and that's exactly what you get here. The loop of Aretha Franklin's indelible 1971 gem 'Rock Steady' does all the heavy lifting musically, the only adornment a brief vocal snippet taken from their own 'It's My thing' - EPMD is a world premiere.At a time when sampling was still in it's infancy, and before producers started to pride themselves on obscurity, and on chopping up samples creatively, this was the approach of many a hip-hop song, and rap was none the poorer for it. When you have voices as distinctive and strong as EPMD, less is more. Album Tracks 1. I'm Housin' (LP Vocal) 2. I'm Housin' (LP Instrumental)

Combine hip hop's top DJ/producer with one of rap's finest lyrical poets to get to Moment of Truth, the latest triumph by Gang Starr. Rapper Guru and DJ Premier are Gang Starr, internationally known for setting any mic and turntable off, and on their 5th album, they show themselves true to their roots with the beats and lyrics they're famous for. Special appearances by K-CI & JoJo of Jodeci, Scarface, Inspectah Deck and others. 1st single/video InchYou Know My Steez.Inch Album Tracks 1. You Know My Steez 2. Robbin Hood Theory 3. Work 4. Royalty 5. Above the Clouds 6. JFK 2 Lax 7. Itz a Set Up 8. Moment of Truth 9. B.I. Vs. Friendship 10. The Militia 11. The Rep Grows Bigga 12. What I'm Here 4 13. She Knows What She Wants 14. New York Strait Talk 15. My Advice 2 You 16. Make 'Em Pay 17. The Mall 18. Betrayal 19. Next Time 20. In Memory of

Few groups arrive as fully formed as EPMD did. This dropped as the third single from the album of the same name, and further cemented their distinctive aesthetic Slow rhyming, trading lines rather than the rappers being confined to their own verses, and backings that were ruthlessly funky and simple at the same time.They'd go on to be labelmates with Public Enemy when Def Jam picked up their contract in 1990, and to compare and contrast the two is illuminating. While PE at that time were making waves with the Bomb Squad's breathless, kitchen sink approach to production, EPMD were equally adored for taking the opposite approach. Here, there's a sprinkle of drums from Kool & The Gang's oft-sampled 'Jungle Boogie', paired with a very recognisable portion of Eric Clapton's 'I Shot the Sheriff'. And that's pretty much it - the two samples are linked, looped and left to their own devices. Such was Erick and Parrish's confidence in their own rhyming ability and strong voices, no further embellishment was needed. That confidence extends to the subject matter. While their debut album and later projects were heavy with concepts - the 'Jane' series - and notable guest verses, this was the third straight single of pure brag rap. Two MC's, one beat, a whole heap of lyrics about how good they were. It's something you can't do unless you truly are special, and this duo most certainly were.Paired with the classic instrumental version, which didn't make it to the US 7Inch releases - it's only on a hard-to-track-down French 7Inch pressing from 1989 - this this is a timely reminder of how breathtakingly perfect hip-hop can be. Album Tracks 1. Strictly Business (LP Version) 2. Strictly Business (Instrumental Version)