DJ-Kicks

Performer: Stereo MC's
Distributor: Caroline Distribution

Notes: This is a continuous in-the-mix CD compiled and mixed by Stereo MC's. Fans of the Stereo MC's who have been waiting since 1992 for a follow-up album to their brilliant and acclaimed CONNECTED may be somewhat disappointed to discover that this is a mix compilation. Our only advice to them is: don't be. Here you will find a jewel box of beats and breaks, and in amongst them two original tracks by the Stereos themselves. The mix opens with what sounds like a recording of a child at a yard sale before launching auspiciously into "Moon Trek" by the Mike Theodore Orchestra from 1977--a funky and dramatic overture to the blend of hip-hop from both sides of the Atlantic, with and without rapping. The old school rap is represented by Kool G Rap & DJ Polo's "Road To The Riches" and the Disco Four's "Do It, Do It" while the more avant-garde material from the UK comes in the form of the Herbaliser and Red Snapper. If you are a confessed "beathead," then there is a plethora of styles here, all united by big, phat beats, so effectively used by the MC's in their own productions. So, while you're waiting to be "re-connected," get DJ KICKS.

Q (5/00, p.120) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...A smartly selected and deftly mixed 66 minutes of hip hop and breakbeat with moments of genuine inspiration..."

Mostly known for their hit "Connected" in 1992, the duo of Rob Birch and Nick Hallem, along with a roving cast of DJs and backup singers, are the Stereo MCs. Originally from Nottingham, the group relocated to London and began to record and release soul-influenced rap music through their label Gee Street Records. After garnering the attention of Baby Bam from the Jungle Brothers, they released SUPERNATURAL (which actually featured the Jbeez themselves) and helped open the door for U.K. hip-hop. Several successful remixes of artists such as Queen Latifah and Electronic followed, and the acid house whirlwind of the late '90s swept up the MC's and landed them squarely on the charts with "Elevate My Mind" and the above-mentioned "Connected." Following a long hiatus, the MCs returned in the 2000s.

Click Here for Shipping Options and Policies

Shipping or Dimension weight in pounds: 0.25