[DJ Mix] JIGMASTAS / DJ KENSEI - "The Grasroots Mix"

DJ Spinna is by far the most underrated producer in the game if you ask me. Sure he gets his props but not on the level of say Preemo, RZA, Extra-P, Dilla and Diamond D. For me since I first became aquainted with his works on the excellent Rawkus EP "Heavy Beats Volume One", production work for IG Hazardous, his work with emcee Kriminul as Jigmastas (dropping one low-key classic in 2001, "Infectious", and an equally impressive mini album a few years earlier called "Grass Roots"). This is straight booming hip-hop, with a dark, stripped down aesthetic that heavy as hell on the bass and rhythm aspects of each track. After "Infectious" they dropped the ocassional guest spots, soundtrack apperance or remix as well as apperances on Spinna's terrific solo albums "Sonic Smash" and "Here to There". One of the thing that's so great about DJ Spinna is that he can do a plethora of styles and do it just as dope and authentic sounding at that - whether it's deep soul/house like on "Intergalactic Soul", classic New York boom bap on the aforementioned album and underground singles (by the likes of SPoX PhD and Sputnik Brown), incredible R&B mixes,vintage Soul tracks, powerfully seamless DJ mixes, you name it, he never sounds out of his lane and he has managed to gain respect in all areas he is active in. A true musical wonderchild, and if there's one thing these days it is that hip-hop need more producers and artists like this that are not afraid to truly venture out. DJ Kensei has put together a hard knocking 45 minutes mix of nothing but JIgmasta's classics as a little teaser while we wait for the full EP. Check it out up top!

Still the Jigmasta's suff remains some of the Brooklyn producers' finest works yet, which is equally important to the equation as his distinctive voice and moral street stories is the perfect fit for the DJ's piano driven, bass heavy and eclectic sound. A couple of months ago Jigmastas' finally returned to the scene via a 12" single on Redefinition Records featuring two songs and instrumentals, ""Magnetize" / "The Resurge" (click to check out the very promising sampler). DJ Spinna are back with London based BBE Records (Barely Breaking Even) again; the label who released his "Here to There LP" and a bunch of his offcial DJ mix retail releases. This time the Jig's and BBE have hooked up for a remastered, expanded re-release of their first official full-length release "Grass Roots", for the first time available on vinyl. This is truly a classic release that showcases the duo's incredible chemistry and also shows the pair at their absolute peak so if you don't have this in your collection be sure to don't sleep. It's now called "Grassroots (The Prequel)" and has been expanded with almost twice as many songs than the original. Other songs not present on the original include most of the non-album 12" singles that lead up to their distribution deal, a couple of rare compilation songs, and some previously unreleased remixes by the highly underrated Joc Max. This is hip hop at it's finest... Don't fucing sleep and since this is a run of 500 copies only be sure as hell to cop one while they are still available! Available in CD, digital and 2xLP formats and can be copped @ BBE. You can count on me picking this one up ASAP! To refresh the memories of the true heads, considering it's been a while Jigmastas' dropped anything at this point, BBE has enlisted DJ Kensei to put together a slamming 45 minutes true DJ mix of a bunch of classics, rarities and remixes by Spinna and Krim. Check it out below and be sure to TURN IT UP!!

For a little bonus for the true heads I have uploaded the first Jigmastas' song ever released. The song appeared on a free mixtape entitled "Fat Flavor '93: Unsigned Hype" and features a DJ Spinna produced song for the duo called "Dirty Gutta Butta". A very interesting listen to say the least. Check it out and download the song as a bonus below...

[Bonus] Jigmastas - "Dirty Gutta Butta" ['93] 

JIGMASTAS - "The Resurge"

Damn, this is some fantastic news right here... DJ Spinna and Kriminul links back up as Jigmastas for the first time in several years, so it's real cool to hear that the chemistry and that deep bassed vintage JIG sound is in full effect from the jump. Let's hope this "Resurge" will lead to a proper follow-up to the ridiciously overlooked "Infectious" and "Grass Roots" albums. You know you 'll need to keep the volume LOUD on this one! [BTW, also HQ free download or stream of Clean and Instrumental versions @ Spinna Soundcloud]

[Comp] JIGMASTAS - "B-SIDES: LOST TAPES"

If you've been following The Lost Tapes for some time now, you're well aware that I consider DJ Spinna one of the top 10, if not top 5,  hip-hop producers of all time; not least because his eclectic sound and his professional dabbling in a large amount of differet genres. Spinna's first hip-hop group was the Brooklyn based emcee/producer duo known as The Jigmastas alongside rhyme spitter Kriminul, who also acts as an executive producer on many of Spinna's Beyonnd Real releases. Since their first released track "Execution" on an underground hip-hop compilation called "Bomb Hip Hop", back in 1994, the duo continued to made their presence known by steadily releasing singles, exclusive B-sides and compilation apperances as well as the occassional guest cameo; all quality material. It wouldn't however be until 2000s "Grass Roots EP" that the world got a chance to really hear the duo as a group to be counted with. The material spoke for itself and it was easy to see how this power duo had come to stay, and had a special knack for crafting bass-heavy, melodious, well crafted and cleverly written hip-hop music. This became even more evident the following year, when the duo released their official album "Infectious" which came out in the summer of 2001. Discussing sale it wasn't what you would call a succesful album but when talking quality material, it was a very succesful project and one of the year's very best; expanding on the sound of the preceeding EP. "Infecrious" was a front-to-back burner that rewarded multiple listens and needs to be heard and appreciated by any pure hip-hop fan around!

 

I'm not sure what's the status of Jigmastas as a group are today; since the early mid-00s they've been very quiet, as a Group and I have barelt seen Spinna talk about their relationsho interviews but Krim appeared on "New York (Duck For Cover)" on Spinna's "Sonic Smash" in 2009, a very welcome reuionion. With the large amount of material these guys have put out beside their two albums, I thought it was high time to put together one of my trademark compilations for y'all, Lost Tapes stylee! Most of the rips sound pretty much fine and in tune with eachother, but there's a couple of exceptions that doesn't sound very good but clearly nothing that isn't listenable however. In the end the 20 tracks found here works a great compaion piece to The JIG's  two retail albums, and it's great to hear the chemistry between Krim's spitting and Spinna's beats which brings back a lot of memories. Their official albums is of course more-or-less an incredible album in its own right and need to be heard by fans ASAP. 

Excluding some of the duo's guest apperandces (mainly Cooly's Hot Box, Double Edge), this banging comp features pretty much all of the B-sides, soundtrack cuts, official compilation material and such that the Jigmastas has released in an official capacity.As such is work as a fantastic companion piece to both The JIG's retail stuff, as well as a great entry in the superior DJ Spinna canon. Two of these songs have previously appeared on solo albums by Spinna - "You Got to Live" was a stand-out track on the producer's criminally underrated solo album "Here to There", also featuring Mr. Akil on guest vocals. The second track I wasn't at first sure to include at all, being that it wasn't recorded until 2008-2009, several years after the last Jigmastas collaboration. In the end,  "New York (Duck For Cover)" was decided to have as the final song on this compilation, which works on several planes - from a strictly musical standpoint, it's a great album closer, but even more than that it brings in a slightly new sound which makes the previous 19 tracks a transition into this final bonus cut as it's the first track we have got of what could lead to more Jigmastass' material.

There's plenty of dope material here, and clockinng it at almost exactly 80 minutes it truly plays out like a fantastic compantion piece to Krim and Spinna's two albums together. Following my two relatively recent DJ Spinna production compilations, this makes for another one not to be slept on and shou,d be played loud in your headphones or speakers, .Really not that much more to be said Before we get into the Music, except that if you're still not up on DJ Spinna you really need to pick up his solo  albums "Heavy Beats Vol.1", "Here to There" and "Sonic Smash", the two Jigmastas joints mentioned above, and most definitely the two Polyrhtyhm Addicts Projects... And that's just to name a few! But in the meantime, now let Kriminul and DJ Spinna take you on a journey through eighty minutes of neck-breaking excellencne and Sharp rhymes. Ladies and gents, let the boom bap begin!

01. "Hip Hop"

02. "Beyond Real"

03. "If..."

04. "Chandon"

05. "Dead Man's Walking"

06. "Stones" *

07. "So What" (Ft. GURU)

08. "Iz You Dee" [Spinna Mix]

09. "Execution"

10. "Days Of Our Lives"

11. "You Got to Live"

12. "Keep On Rockin'"

13. "Last Will & Testimony"

14. "Threat"

15. "Beyond Real Remix" (Ft. Skam & Bulding Bloxx)

16. "Semi-Precision"

17. "Let Me Hear It"

18. "Origianal"

19. "Outro: To The Sure Shot"

20. "New York Stories" [*Bonus*]

JIGMASTAS - "B-SIDES: D LOST TAPES"