Sam & Dave’s second album, ‘Double Dynamite’, remains a classic example of the dynamic soul duo at their best, and a classic in the Stax Records catalogue.
Not often a label thought of in hip-hop terms, the best Motown samples prove that Berry Gordy’s empire had more than enough beats for the crate-diggers.
In the late 90s, ‘Mos Def And Talib Kweli Are Black Star’ forged a new path in which culture and unity took precedence over hip-hop’s beefs and disses.
The most underrated icon of African-American Music, Barry White’s unique vision delivered a romantic soul music that seduced the world.
Everyone knows the heavy-hitting classics, but Motown’s output was so good there are tons of overlooked 70s albums you need to know.
Cutting far deeper than most break-up songs, ‘What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted’ remains Jimmy Ruffin’s defining Motown soul statement.
Having helped birth soul music in the 60s, Motown helped it mature in the 70s, creating classic albums and asking some of the biggest questions of the era.
One of the most powerful albums that Stax Records released, ‘A Dramatic Experience’ proves why The Dramatics were one of Detroit’s greatest vocal groups.
‘Straight Outta Compton’ arrived like a road crash: you couldn’t ignore it. It launched gangsta rap and made the West Coast matter in hip-hop.
His final album for Stax Records, ‘Crown Prince Of Dance’ proved that Rufus Thomas could still claim the throne when it came to floor-filling soul music.
You’ll find answer records in all walks of music. Some are aggressive, some motivated by a sense of injustice, and others show contempt through wit.
With ‘Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song’, Melvin Van Peebles kick-started the Blaxploitation genre with a gritty movie and an equally baadasssss soundtrack.
Released in 1961, Wanda Jackson crowned herself Queen Of Rockabilly with the raw rock’n’roll belters found on ‘There’s A Party Goin’ On’.
Hitting like a hip-hop apocalypse, ‘It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back’ found Public Enemy unleashing arguably the greatest hip-hop album ever.
An album beyond compare, ‘Fear Of A Black Planet’ found Public Enemy issuing calls for a survivable lifestyle amid tremendous pressure… Sound familiar?
