Chopped Herring (2020)
Every Wednesday, in honor of Ed Lover Dance Day from Yo! MTV Raps, I take a break from rock and roll to write a little bit about hip hop. In the late 80s and early 90s hip hop ruled my musical life. During this often called 'Golden Era' I discovered so much incredible music. As I am slowly replacing the CDs I've had for twenty-five plus years with vinyl copies, I'm going to talk about some albums that had a really important impact on me during some very formative years.
It seems inconceivable to me that this record came out in 2020 and wasn't an unearthing of a lost gem from the 90s. My descent into the madness of digging for old hip hop records I missed out on in the 90s lead me to the Chopped Herring record label. They've been doing a bunch of really interesting reissues. Most tend to be 12" EPs, but there are full lengths kicking around as well. While perusing their website one day, the artwork for Neva Sellin' Out caught my eye and I clicked on the link to check out some samples. I dug what I heard and ordered the record.
This record is probably the best hip hop release I've heard in forever. While I do really like the Czarface records I've discovered recently, there is something uniquely special about Tha Anthom 'N Mike B. They have a wonderful, jazzy take on hip hip the feels like something that could have come out the same week as Low End Theory. Stunning bass lines mix with expertly picked samples in the hook. Combine that with a picture perfect lyrical flow and you've got something truly special in your hands.
Not only is this a wonderful throwback that feels so fresh right now, I would take the Pepsi challenge and put this up against anything from the 89-94 era. Are there records from that time that are better? Sure, there are unadulterated classics that came out back then, but Neva Sellin' Out would not be out of place put up next to any of them. It's that good. This is one of the records I have listened to more than anything else this year. I only wish I had heard about it last year so I could have included it on my best of list for 2020. I also wish I had been paying attention so that I could have snagged the colored vinyl pressing of this, but alas... If you're in the market for some stellar new hip hop, look no further.
Tha Anthom 'N Mike B - Neva Sellin' Out:
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