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“Who in their right mind think they can put a stop to hip hop / If it don’t stop till I stop, and I don’t stop till it stop". J-Live’s prophetic first single from 1995 ‘Longevity’ laid the foundations for a career of over 12 years and counting in the rap game. Never cutting corners on quality or substance, J-Live is one of true preservers of real hip hop. Now he’s back once again with his 4th full length album, ‘Then What Happened’. Three years after his critically acclaimed LP ‘The Hear After’, this genuine article is fresh infectious hip hop and shows J-Live on top form. A certain standard of quality is expected with every J-live record, and this one doesn’t disappoint; the flows are dexterous, balancing vivid imagery and humourous narratives with biting social commentary and a bass-heavy timeless hip hop sound. Longtime collaborator Jazzy Jeff comes correct with sick beats on the opener ‘One to 31′, while J-Live rhymes and flows about his life like he was born doing it. DJ Spinna also returns with some more magic, his trademark warm craftsmanship and welcome inflections of funk and soul provide an ideal canvas for J-Live’s artistry. |
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