Until recent years I've felt pretty pessimistic about music. A cursory tour around your radio dials will probably demonstrate why. I'm not talking specifically about hip hop, I mean across the board. We live in a culture where genres are represented by the most economically successful acts, not the most definitive, groundbreaking or influential artists.

I first heard the name Kid Tsunami when Pocho from Headbop Records linked me to the preview clip from his (then) forthcoming album The Chase. The production immediately caught my ear and I really wanted to hear the full versions of the tracks with this devastating line up including many of my favourite emcees. To say it sounded promising was an understatement. If names like Krs-One, Kool G Rap, Masta Ace, AG, OC, J-Live, Pharoahe Monch (it just goes on and on...) don't grab your attention, well... I'm not sure you can be helped.

Drug Corpse sees IMS teaming up with new vocal collaborators such as; Cappo, Geebag, TPS FAM, More1, Cor Stadik, Deeflux and Efeks, as well as collaborations with long-time associates Joey Menza, Theme, Oliver Sudden and more. All chosen for their individuality style and incredible artistic abilities.

Here is something wwe should have brought to you on Bonfire Night. Its something explosive for you! A brand new collaborative EP from Wolverhampton's ALEXiS and South London's Nature The Kidd. The vibe here is simple, it was meant to be November 5th, so there is '5 Bangers' for free!

Swift Kirabo is a rap artist from the city of Manchester. He's been doing music seriously for three years and dabbles in any genre he feels like, but mainly works with Hip Hop / Grime. From early on Swift gravitated towards music because he's always had the feeling that it's what he should be doing in life, music is something he's truly passionate about and wants to improve on daily.

You may not know KC Da Rookee but we do. He was top of the European Hip Hop charts in the early 2000's. KC Da Rookee is a UK Hip Hop Artist whose debut album Rookee Stizza was released on Showdown Records in Germany in 1999. This was followed up by the album Nexcalibur in 2002 with the single Four Fists reaching number fifteen in the National German charts.

Hailing from BC (Birmingham) UK, MadFlow has been a creative force within the West Midlands music community. Having lived in the US and born of Caribbean parents, MadFlow has a variety of influences in his music. He has been credited as a true master of ceremonies able to rock a crowd of few to many.

The Doctor's Orders returns to Scala with another phenomenal line up of the best names in Hip-Hop. From NYC super producer Just Blaze, to party starters extraordinaire The Nextmen and the UK's best Hip-Hop DJ, Mr Thing who now exclusively spins club shows only for The Doctor's Orders you are literally not gonna see or hear a line up like this anywhere else!

Fresh off the microphones and MPC comes the single '28 Draws Later' from Bristolian, left-wing Hip-Hop duo QELD. It's one hell of a hard-hitter, too: Soulful boom-bap mixed with sharp flows and lyrics that dip into Libertarian, Communist and Anarchist ideologies.

In 1986, Rakim started to work with New York-based producer-DJ Eric B. The duo—known as Eric B & Rakim—is widely regarded as among the most influential and groundbreaking of hip-hop groups, due in no small part to Rakim's technical abilities.