BY KEVITO • March 2018

Before the hip-hop world was taken aback by Kendrick Lamar’s otherworldly To Pimp A Butterfly, the late, great Guru was combining the best of jazz and hip-hop with his brand of relevant lyrics, impactful attitude, and supernatural production. When the album, Jazzmatazz came out on May 18, 1993, hip-hop had already been sampling jazz greats and incorporated them into their music. But when Guru did it, he took it to another level. “’Jazzmatazz’ is not only the latest pairing [of jazz and hip-hop], but easily one of the best,” Ronin Ro wrote in the May 1993 issue of The Source.

Now, 25 years later, Jazzmatazz has withstood the test of time to be one of hip-hop’s true lasting classics. To celebrate the milestone anniversary, Urban Legends will reissue the original vinyl with some extra goodies for the hardcore hip-hop lovers. Set to drop on the actual 25th-anniversary date, this 3-LP set for Jazzmatazz will include a 12-page glossy 12” x 12” booklet, with photos by Thierry Le Goues, and a custom slipcase cover. The deluxe package will also feature the album’s 12 original tracks, plus instrumentals, as well as seven rare B-side cuts and remixes.

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