'32 Bars' - Assa (video)

'Too Broke To Go Solo' - Tactical Thinking (album review)

If you want raw, hyperactive, non-stop Hip Hop look no further than Tactical Thinking’s ‘Too Broke To Go Solo’. The group approach equates to pack mentality – with a united goal (to bruise your ear canal) this collective of artists hit hard.

17 tracks, 1 hour, 6 MCs and 2 Producers plus guest spots from even more TT family members makes for a relentless audio assault. Opener ‘Dusk ‘Til Dawn’ embodies the whole album in one track – this is their war cry. With sometimes cheeky lyrics, sometimes downright dirty it’s hard not to faux-screwface and get down to this release.

With a variety of beats ranging from electronica (‘Superstars’ and ‘That’s Right Move’) to wonky dubstep (‘Stick ‘Em Up’ and ’10 to 3 Chicks’), straight up Hip Hop (‘Do Wah’) to jaunty productions borrowing from a range of musical genres (even Barbershop Quartets) no two tracks sound alike – and that’s a grand thing.

Buy this, take a deep breath, slot into your player, sit back and prepare for the face-distorting G Force of Tactical Thinking – mighty.

‘Superstars B/W Dust til Dawn’ - Tactical Thinking (single review)

I’ve been onto the Tactical Thinking crew for a few years now and have been waiting for their first proper release. The time has come, well it will have late August. Not content with fitting into any mould TT have opted to break onto the scene with some dirty electronica styled Hip Hop. Don’t let that put you off though - the crew consists of some of the most classically trained MC in the country – you should see them freestyle.

Lead track ‘Superstars’ laughs in the face of heat magazine and its unsecure, obsessive readership - check the vocoder (way better than autotune). Crew members Naïve and Mr. Dick bring the glitchy ruckus on ‘T.A.C.T.I.C.A.L.’ (which features Kid Genius, Deadline, Derogatory and Mr Dick on raps) and ‘That’s Right Move’ (that features Jim Raygun, Deadline, Assa, Derogatory, Mr Dick and Jay Madden).

‘Dusk Til Dawn’ proves they’re not just on the electro hip hop vibe with it’s Mexican, double timed, grime-esque madness – ariba! The gang (this time Derogatory, Kid Genius, Jim Raygun, Mr Dick, Deadline and Assa) spit tongue twisters about just how good they are.

This double sided single is some of the freshest Hip Hop around at the moment – throw away your misconceptions and prejudices and get your hands on this digital download and prepare for the album ‘Too Broke to Go Solo’. ‘Superstars B/W Dust til Dawn’ is out on 24th August.

On The Radar Artist Profile: Jut

Name: Jut

Age: 23

From: North West (Macclesfield)

Track on ‘On The Radar’: 'Coming For The Game' ft. Jay Madden, Chris L & Assa

Tell us the story behind the track: Chris L hooked up with fellow North West MC’s Jay Madden and Assa, I flipped the beat, DJ NSD from Knutsford came through to do the cuts, Naive recorded the vocals, I produced it, Ojb mixed and mastered it.

Record Label: GP

Who you roll with: A bunch of stinkin’ winos an coke fiends.

Favourite album(s): GZA - 'Liquid Swords'

Describe your style in three words: Thorough, dark, mythological

Past/Present/Future projects: Check out previous Gouki P & Chris L material. Jut also features on HHB Vol. 3, Beit Nun – Where The Art Is, UKHHF Mix CD, Filthy Rich – From The Dirt/Operation Light etc. Future… currently in the process of providing beats for 777, O.N.E., Warghosts, Beit Nun, Analyst and lots of other domes I don’t want to mention yet… Stay tuned.

Suspect Packages Radio Show February

February's Suspect Packages radio show is up and ready for you to download. This month Disorda's guest didn't show so you get more music than usual.

Interestingly the show features many 'On The Radar' artists past (Skillet, Truth)and present (Joker Starr, Assa, Jay Madden, Dialect, JVF Clique, Dabbla, The Three Amigos, Antiheroes) and all the current favourites of Certified Banger (SonnyJim, Jyager, Sir Smurf Lil, Lowkey and more).

It also includes the usual old skool selection at the end with cuts from 3PM, Gunshot, Unanimous Decision and Pointblank amongst others - get schooled in the old skool.

Anyway, go here to see the tracklisting, click here to stream it and click here to download it.