Rawkus Reloaded

Rawkus defined the tail end of the 90s hip-hop boom, with albums from Hi-Tek, Black Star and Pharoahe Monch transplanting underground sounds and conscious sentiments into the mainstream, via compilations like Soundbombing and Lyricist Lounge. Company Flow's seminal Funcrusher Plus was released on Rawkus, providing the blueprint for the Definitive Jux label. Famously, they also launched Jurassic 5, facilitating one of hip-hop's most celebrated infiltrations of the mainstream. Industry rumour has it that their 2005 split from Geffen was due to the major label attempting to steer Rawkus in an ever more commercial direction. Moving to Sony BMG and shedding many of their core artists in the process, in 2007 Rawkus are quietly back in the game.

Rapper Naledge and producer Double-0 are the epitome of Rawkus' new signings – educated and precise in their approach to beats and rhymes, their collaboration as Kidz In The Hall would sit comfortably alongside Rawkus earlier recordings. Naledge is matter of fact about this: "Rawkus has a history for making real hip-hop stars in an organic way. They understood me and my vision and gave me a good offer. I envisioned myself being placed in the same categories as their stars of yester-year and it was a no-brainer to sign."

Double-0 argues that the mid-90s feel of School Was My Hustle is a question of sources: "I think my production is more soulful than anything. At times I use samples that evoke an early 90s feel but I always try to find a new twist to put on it. My inspirations range from the way a girl moves her hips, to a story I heard. Life is my biggest inspiration." On the subject of the track Till The Wheels Fall Off, the producer is clear that it was an experiment and a tribute to re-imagine Souls of Mischief's classic 93 Til Infinity: "I think the original is one of those classic hip-hop records that helped shape my freshman year of high school. I flipped it because the sample was just so dope that when I found it I had to rework it my own way. I always thought of it as a mixtape record. It was only after the fans heard it that we knew it was bigger than that."

One theme that recurs in Naledge's lyrics is that of unity – he wants to make music for everybody, not just the backpackers, or the gang-bangers: "Most artists either take themselves too seriously, or they are too concerned with making ignorant, fun-loving music," he says. "I feel as though I am right in the middle. I make extraordinary music about ordinary topics. I may try to educate you but at the same time, making entertaining music that feels good is key. Nowadays most conscious rap sucks because there's no originality is the way their messages are delivered."

Rawkus' other major signings are Panacea, a duo comprising Raw Poetic and producer K Murdock. Their blend of trippy, hallucinogenic guitars, far-out lyrics and mellow soul influences, as heard on their debut Ink Is My Drink, is yet another facet to the re-booted Rawkus. Panacea tracks such as Coulda Woulda Shoulda explore the R&B waters that Mos Def occasionally swam in, while tracks like Trip of the Century and Steel Kites break new lyrical ground with Raw Poetic's Saul Williams-like stream of consciousness raps. A forthcoming album by Marco Polo, which he describes as his own Mecca and the Soul Brother (a seminal hip-hop album by producer Pete Rock), features contributions from old Rawkus favourites like D.V. Alias Khrist and Wordsworth, alongside such luminaries as Kool G Rap and Masta Ace. It is good to see that while they're breaking new ground with Panacea and Kidz in the Hall, Rawkus can still look to their laurels.