Posthumous albums never seem to pan out. Reason being, is that they are usually made up of songs leftover from the artist’s catalog that either the artist or the label did not feel were strong enough to see release. While we all dream of raiding the vaults of unreleased music from our favorite artists (and sometime the bloggers do it anyway), most of what we find are unfinished tracks or low quality demos, besides the occasional diamond in the rough. When we speak of our fallen rap heroes, we remember Capital Punishment, not Yeeeah Baby; we remember Ready To Die, not Born Again; we remember every Gang Starr album, not whatever leftovers Solar is pitching.

The case of Camu Tao is tragic, as he pretty much had a deal with Definitive Jux from the moment the label launched. The standard set by the label was very high, as guys like Cage, RJD2, and of course founder El-P were all successfully pushing the envelope by creating cross-genre hip-hop music that was good. The label’s mantra seemed to be to always think outside the box, and in most cases, they succeeded in pushing the boundaries of what to expect, while at the same time keeping it independent as fuck. Camu came from the same family as RJD2 and Copywrite – the MHz crew – and despite shake-ups and break-ups, they all found themselves working together in some capacity over the years. While Cam recorded three albums with other artists (S.A. Smash, Nighthawks, and Central Services), he was never able to branch out as a solo artist. After lung-cancer took his life too soon, El-P makes good on his promise to Cam and releases his solo LP, King of Hearts.

King of Hearts is admirable, especially considering that El honored his friend in releasing this album. Camu was no Biggie Smalls, where millions of fans would be begging to hear that final LP, and there’s a chance this album won’t make a dime in today’s fucked up musical climate. And for the record, any dime it does make goes directly to the estate of Camu Tao. It’s very clear why El-P decided to release Cam’s final recordings.

Unfortunately, like every cursed posthumous release before it, King of Hearts suffers from some of the same fates. The one major difference here is that it’s clear that El did not attempt to Afeni Shakur the tracks with Bruce Hornsby samples or guest verses from rappers that never met him. This is the pure uncut shit, as Camu recorded it. The main issue however is that much of it is unfinished, tracks like “Bird Flu” and “Actin’ A Ass” are nothing more than hooks, while many others have a poor, basement like quality that Definitive Jux moved way beyond in it’s later years.

The other issue here is Cam’s apparent identity crisis. We’ve witnessed many of the other Def Jux artists experiment with rock sounds, with positive results, for the most part. Cam attempted to tap into the NYC indie music scene in a series of demo recordings that may have best been left under wraps. There is one crown jewel here, and it’s right up front, Camu’s reworking of Elvis Costello’s “Big Boys” on “Be A Big Girl”. It’s the most fully realized and finished recording, and may have even been a breakthrough hit if released in the heat of the scene some years ago. Many of the other tracks follow this same vein, such as “Get At You” and “King Of Hearts”, find Cam using his Ozzy-esque vocal style to stretch his lyrics into mind-bending styles, but don’t pan out quite as well. There are a few hip-hop tracks mixed in as well (“Major Team”, “When You’re Going Down”), but seem a little strange in a mostly rock influenced album.

It’s clear from the production style that Cam was attempting to catch the ears of Hot Hot Heat and Hot Chip listeners with King of Hearts, and less concerned with the Def Jux fans that loved The Cold Vein. Props are definitely due to Cam for attempting to push the envelope, but on the same token, it’s tragic that his final words to the fans had to come like this, as we will never know if this is the way he wanted it. While his legacy is only been half-realized here, it still lives on in many of his greater, scattered works that preceded King of Hearts.

(No rating given out of respect for Camu, his family, and friends.)

You gotta love the balloons. Definitive Jux celebrates the 4th of July (or not) by teaming up with AmazonMP3 for a free sampler album, featuring new and classic tracks from Cage, El-P, Aesop Rock, Mr. Lif, Chin Chin, Company Flow, Del, Rob Sonic, Hangar 18, Dizzee Rascal, and Murs. Cop that shit. – DJ Pizzo

In anticipation for his new full-length release, Into The Hillside, musical-jack-of-all-trades / Definitive Jux homie Cassettes Won’t Listen has teamed with Wired.Com for this free remix EP, including CWL remixes of tracks by Mr. Lif, The Dears, Bisc1, The Death Set, Christine, and The Faunts. – DJ Pizzo

Download: Cassettes Won’t Listen “(F)remix” EP

For all of you Iphone people out there, Definitive Jux has released their all new, all different Jukiebox ap, which will provide you with regular news updates, twitter feed, up-to-the-minute tour dates, plus access to songs, videos, and photos of people like Aesop Rock. The new version promises “improved YouTube support”, and allows fans to listen to Jux tunes before they purchase them directly to their Iphone. Best of all, it’s free. – DJ Pizzo

       With one of the most controversial Presidents in American history looking to get re-elected, the politically-fueled hip-hop/ electronic compilation, Who’s America?, serves as a fitting soundtrack to our country’s heated political climate. Thankfully not one of the artists on this compilation is flat out telling you who to vote for. It’s the eye-opening lyrics of MCs like Mr. Lif, though, that give us the perspective sorely missing from your nightly newscast. And with the electronic tracks here, which make up half of this compilation, we hear a variety of musical reactions to our war-stricken times.       

     It’s been a while since the U.N. first went into Iraq searching for “weapons of mass destruction,” but on “Memorial Day” the Perceptionists (Akrobatik, Mr. Lif and DJ Fakts One) make sure the Bush administration and the public don’t forget that Hans Blix and company came out empty handed. The unambiguous chorus sums it up lovely:  “Where are the weapons of mass destruction?/ We’ve been looking for months and we ain’t found nothing/ Please Mr. President tell us something/ We knew from the beginning that your ass was bluffing.” In contrast, the tongue-in-cheek cut “I Work for the Government Now” by Central Services (El-P and Camu Tao) offers a more sarcastic approach as they mockingly express their desire to work for the government over one of El-P’s most quirky beats yet.

     While it’s hard to say what exactly inspired electronic numbers like “Filmer” by Christopher Lawrence, this somber keyboard-driven cut is perfect for reflecting in the midst of all the chaos. And the more upbeat, danceable numbers like Junior Sanchez’s  “Superincumbent” are suitable for just letting go of everything… if electronica is your thing.

     Hip-hop and electronic music undoubtedly share some of the same roots, so it makes sense why a hip-hop label (Definitive Jux) and an electronic one (System Recordings) made this collaboration. But in both circles of fans there are plenty of heads that aren’t too keen on melding the two movements. So, for all the hip-hop heads willing to go without hearing an MC every other number, you’ll find Who’s America? to be a worthy, politically-aware compilation.

    Third in their series of forward-thinking, genre-bending, yet true to the heart hip-hop, El-P’s Definitive Jux  imprint delivers their latest compilation disc, jam-packed with 16 new selections from Jukies new and old. Working simultaneously as a symbol of what the label is and what’s to come, this comp showcases the growing stable of artists housed under the Def Jux banner. 

     The album floats back and forth between material from pre-established Def Jux allstars and the hard-working up and comers. Head honco El-P doesn’t grace us with any new solo material, but nevertheless provides two excellent collaborative tracks, both of which showcase his more down-to-earth rhyme style. The hilarious “WMR” presents El and Camu Tao a la Rae and Ghost at the “MGM”, as the duo running amuck at the MTV Video Music Awards (live in stere-areo), assaulting various celebrities from Usher to Sheryl Crow, while the more somber Belief produced “Oxycontin Pt. 2″ weaves a dark tale of drug dependency with each El, Cage, and Alex playing the respective roles. Meanwhile, two of last year’s Def rookies, Murs and S.A. Smash (Camu & Metro), step their rap game up with selections that show steady improvement from both. Murs teams up with budding producer Aesop Rock, who together churn out “You’re Dead To Me”, and the end result is a track that fares excellent lyrically (“Controversy costs less than a full page ad”), and defines the Definitive Jux sound, with a beat that could have easily landed on The Cold Vein. S.A. Smash also light things up with “Devil In The Hole”, which not only showcases Camu’s vastly underrated talent on the boards, but also the duo’s potential to rock the club with energetic delivery and a classic rock inspired hook. Meanwhile, one of the most exciting joint on the album is the latest offering from The Perceptionists, on the funky “Medical Aid”, as Mr. Lif, Akrobatik, and DJ Fakts One play like a millennial Erick, Parrish, and DJ Scratch, which will leave fans drooling for an album. 

     After only hearing one or two tracks from some of the new talent, it is harder to grasp onto the newer artists, simply because of the unfamiliarity with their styles, voices, or flows. Hangar 18 (Alaska & Windnbreeze) deliver two honest-efforts on the LP, however one of the most interesting new artists on the compilation is Carnage, who on “Make News”, delivers gritty street rhymes over a malicious beat by Cannibal Ox  collaborator, NASA. While it may be too early to tell who the label’s next Aesop Rock will be, with successive material released from each of these new artists (Hangar 18, Carnage, 4th Pyramid, Despot, Rob Sonic), ultimately the fans will decide who the label’s next superstars are. 

    In essence, DJXP3 picks up right where its predecessor left off with the same intent – to show off new material from the roster, and help the newer artists get some shine as well. Closing out with an RJD2 beat (“Clean Living”), this album is a reminder that Definitive Jux is one of hip-hop’s most innovative labels today.