Featuring regularly in top 10's of the greatest hip hop tunes of all time 'I Used To Love H.E.R' is without a doubt a true hip hop classic. However when notorious boom bap specialist and producer extraordinaire 9th Wonder got a hold of it last year and gave it an instrumental makeover the result was pretty impressive to say the least. I may even go as far to say that he may have even improved on the original. The 12" release also featured another tasty remix of Common's 'The 6th Sense' on the flip. If you aren't yet clued up about the North Carolina residents back catalogue be sure to take a butchers at Little Brother's 2005 album 'The Minstrel show', the production is top notch, definitely some of his best work to date.

Here's a tune that was doing the rounds on the blogs a while back, had to put it up here though as it's a banger. Partyshank is a British duo from London. So far 2008 has seen the band top the MySpace charts, reaching one million plays in the process as well as gaining widespread airplay on commercial radio. They describe themselves as being in the genre of grime, power-pop and jungle and are also the creators of the style known as ‘ToyStep’. Now while that may sound like pretentious bulls**t, and they may look like they've just escaped from the circus the bottom line is these boys definitely know how to make some noise. After getting hold of Yo! Majesty's electro rap crossover smash 'Club Action' and giving it the mash up treatment, the result is pretty filthy to say the least. Click to Listen.

The original recording is in my mind one of the greatest songs ever written. Heres a special live performance of the Rev from 2007 for VH1 Classic. 62 years old and still untouchable. One of the greatest to ever do it.

At a time when a whole heap of jokers seem to be jumping on the soul revival band wagon and coming out with 'soul' (offensive toilet pop) albums (*cough* Duffy, Sharleen Spiterri *cough*) heres a man who seems to be making a proper attempt at actually recreating the pionnering soul sound of the 1960's. While Raphael Saadiq, (of 'Tone Tony Tone' fame) has been known to enter that 'R Kelly zone' on a few occassions, his latest effort is certainly no 'Bump & Grind' business. And just in case you had any doubts, guess who pops up on harmonica to stamp the golden seal of authenticity? None other than the man himself, Stevie (you're a bloody genius) Wonder. CJ Hilton also provides vocal support. If that wasn't enough Saadiq has also called in the son of legendary motown bass player James Jamerson (James Jamerson Jnr) to deal with the bottom end duties. The icing on the cake comes in the form of Paul Riser, legendary Motown string arranger who also turns his sparkling hand to the soon to be released new album, which will be enititled 'The Way I See It'. There might still be hope yet...Click to listen.


(Via Soulbounce)