Boombox – Early Independent Hip Hop, Electro and Disco Rap 1979-82

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Boombox – Early Independent Hip Hop, Electro and Disco Rap 1979-82
Sjr-lp-cd334-boombox-slve.jpg
Compilation album by Various Artists
Released June 3, 2016 (2016-06-03)
Genre Hip hop, electro
Label Soul Jazz

Boombox – Early Independent Hip Hop, Electro and Disco Rap 1979-82 is a 2016 compilation album released by Soul Jazz Records.

Soul Jazz Records is a British record label based in London. The label started in the 1992 to draw "cross cultural connections between various music genres". These genres include reggae, soul, ska, dub, jazz, Brazilian music, and Latin music. The label expanded its range and released compilations of post-punk, electronica, Chicago house music and world music, as well as a number of artist studio albums and singles.

Contents

Content

Boombox – Early Independent Hip Hop, Electro and Disco Rap 1979-82 is a 17 track compilation album which focuses on relatively unknown tracks and artists. [1] [2] The compact disc version of the album contained a 40-page booklet, photography and original album artwork for these releases. [2] The release contains liner notes from Stuart Baker. [1] Baker's notes focus less on individual tracks, instead going into greater detail about the genre's more significant important elements of the era, such as how most rap artists were featured live bands instead of sampling. [1]

Release

Boombox – Early Independent Hip Hop, Electro and Disco Rap 1979-82 was released on 3 June 2016 by Soul Jazz Records on vinyl, compact disc and as a digital download. [2]

Reception

The Irish Times gave the album a positive review, praising the music as "still packs quite a punch" and that the album photos were "just as fascinating", describing it as an era long consigned to books, film and television. [3]

PopMatters noted that "things do start to feel a bit repetitious after awhile (especially across two whole discs), there are still genuine great takeaways to be found, whether it be Sweet G’s next-level boasting on “Boogie Feelin’ Rap” (“I’m the Clark Gable of the turn tables”) to the fantastic female guest spot on Bon-Rock & The Rhythm Rebellion’s “Searching Rap” to the downright silly “Cop Bop” by Portable Patrol, which avoids the common traps of playful boasting and party-rapping by tying everything to a silly narrative about “the Disco Cop” (who came here to bop)." [1]

PopMatters is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers many aspects of popular culture. PopMatters publishes reviews, interviews, and detailed essays on most cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, films, books, video games, comics, sports, theater, visual arts, travel, and the Internet.

Fact later stated the release was one of Soul Jazz's "best releases in 2016" and as one of their best "sets in ages, a legitimate party in a box, overflowing with underground deep cuts that have seldom — if ever — been spotted on other collections." [4]

<i>Fact</i> (UK magazine) UK music magazine

Fact is a music publication that launched in the UK in 2003. Fact covers a wide range of UK, US and international music and youth culture, with particular focus on electronic, pop, rap, and experimental artists. Fact was named “music website of the year” by The New Yorker in 2007, and has been described as “influential” by The Guardian.

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Sawdey, Evan (14 July 2016). "Boombox - Early Independent Hip Hop, Electro and Disco Rap 79-82". PopMatters . Retrieved 23 December 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 Welsh, April Clare (16 May 2016). "Soul Jazz to release Boombox compilation of early hip-hop and electro". Fact . Retrieved 23 December 2016.
  3. Carroll, Jim (8 June 2016). "Boombox - Early Independent Hip Hop, Electro and Disco Rap 1979-82 album review". The Irish Times . Retrieved 23 December 2016.
  4. Jones, Mikey IQ (December 21, 2016). "Best Reissues". Fact . Retrieved June 3, 2017.