***BRAND NEW RELEASE. ISSUE 04 UK SPECIAL OUT NOW***

As usual we’ve raised the stakes and aimed to put out something that you won’t find anywhere else. A UK themed issue from the red and blue colour scheme to the fashion imagery through to the innovative musicians and artists we’ve spoken to, issue 04 celebrates our very own local originators.

Peep the roll call of exclusives. On the music tip we’ve got exclusive features with the bedrock of UK hip-hop. From the grey High Plains of Huddersfield, Jehst and the YNR crew, cover star Klashnekoff reloading for his next saga, the cerebral thoughts of Ty, electronic pioneers Coldcut/Ninja Tune and Daddy Skitz. Also in the mix is the un-definable Jamie Lidell, floating vocals from Fatima, the relentless underground warrior Cappo and Radio 1xtra DJs Benji B, Mista Jam and DJ Target.

On the visual side of things we chat to street artist agent provocateur D*Face, visual storyteller Slinkachu, dope designers Oscar and Ewan, and include illustrations by some of the UK’s finest pencil wielding talent.

Oh yeah, and from across the Pond, the one and only Mutha Fecking Gaslamp Killer drops in for a cup of tea. Cop your copy here or from the usual stockists including TATE, Fopp, Magma, Rough Trade and all good record stores.

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KASHMERE & JAZZ T X BONAFIDE BEATS #07

From the deepest darkest depths of hell, via north-west London, comes the latest instalment of Bonafide Beats hosted by Kashmere The Iguana Man and mixed by Jazz T.

Kashmere was a central figure in UK rap as the genres popularity and creative powers soared during the mid 00s, releasing records on both YNR and Breakin’ Bread his humorous and often Hermetic musings contain clear Kool Keith and (MF) Doom influences while being undeniably British. …Read More.

PICTURES ON WALLS: MARKS AND STENCILS EXHIBITION FEATURING DRAN, BANKSY, 3D DEL NAJA, MICALLEF, PAUL INSECT ET AL

Pictures on Walls Marks and Stencils exhibiton

Pictures on Walls (POW), the groundbreaking print house that has helped bring Bansky, Paul Insect, Micallef and the rest to the masses, has just launched their annual Christmas exhibition. Entitled Marks and Stencils, the show takes place at 1 Berwick Street, London. Not only have POW yet again selected a wonderful name that tips it’s hat to one of the nations favourite purveyors of fine goods (the person who comes up with the names for these shows should be headhunted by a tabloid) they have also got a line up that any retailer would be proud of, with new work by Dran, Banksy, 3D Del Naja, Micallef and many more. Sure to be popular with art lovers, Christmas shoppers and carpetbaggers in equal measure. …Read More.

CRITICS CORNER: GETTING HOT UNDER THE COLLAR WITH GIRL TALK

Bonafide magazine Critics Corner

A new strand that gives an open floor for a guest contributor to generally go off on one.

First to clamber up the Bonafide podium, finger jabbing, hectoring and schooling us, is Adam Hutcheson and his response to Girl Talk who is currently pushing his new LP All Day

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KASH! BANG! SPLAT!

Fresh from your dirty laundry basket comes Kashmere AKA Galaktus’ latest video, BANG! SPLAT! Put together by the very dope Ed Grace, the video draws on some seriously X-rated themes, with Galaktus flowing over a trademark Jazz T & Zygote sounscape comprising murky comic-book bass notes and speakeasy jazz keys, nevermind snare drums and shakers cool enough to agitate a Lil’ Brother production. Kash is, as ever, sharp as fuck on the wordage and though the subject matter might not be the most revelatory, his inimitable cadence has got us here at Bonafide HQ hitting the replay button like a… well, you know what. Get involved peeps, Galaktus is the solar system’s answer to Kool Keith, believe.

LIFE FEAT. ILL BILL & CHESTER P – AHEAD OF THE GAME

Ahead of the Game is relentless and Chester P’s rap is intense. This should carry a heavy goods warning.

LIVE REVIEW: GIL SCOTT HERON AT BRIXTON ACADEMY

“When you bring out a new CD you get noticed. I have read a lot of things about me this year. One was that I had disappeared. So excuse me during tonight’s performance if I go ‘poof!!’ and disappear!!” …Read More.

BEN DRURY x NIKE VIDEO – GROUND CONTROL TO LONDON

Ground Control to London see’s design pioneer Ben Drury collaborate with Nike to document the runnings of the Run Dem Crew, a London based running community that meets at Nike’s 1948 store (check their site for more information and their training mixes). Showcasing Drury’s ability to see interesting shapes and patterns where most of us see nothing and set to Blawan’s frenetic dub step, the video captures the unique excitement and isolation of running in the city at night. Inspiring stuff.

MONDAY MP3 DOWNLOAD: SPINETV.NET GUEST MIX #05 BY THE NEXTMEN

A corking mix from the Nextmen over at spinetv.net has been keeping my feet moving and my soul warm through a cold day of heavy snow up north. The fifth Guest Mix on Spine Radio, this tidy piece of work includes some rare and classic reggae tune-age. The mix coincides with the release of Sofa, the Nextmen’s new single that features French MC Pupajim and (on the video) those critical cultural couch potatoe’s Beavis and Butthead.

MONDAY MP3 GRAB: CLASSIC MATERIAL

Classic Material mixed by Chris Read

Classic Material is a new venture by a collective of renowned DJs, producers, musicians and artists working within UK hip-hop. The combined talents of the likes of Chris Read, DJ Andy Smith, DJ Format, Mr Thing, Strictly Kev, DJ Woody and DJ Vadim, are serving up mixes themed around a select number of years. As you would expect, this is definitely the case of the cream rising to the top. Checkit.