The wait is over! Marc Mac "better known as one half of 4 Hero" has finally delivered his much-anticipated Visioneers long player. This meeting of Jazz and Hip-Hop cultures sees Mac reclaiming some of the best-loved samples from Hip-Hop’s heyday and recycling them in a fresh and powerful manner (check Benji B favourite Ike’s Mood I and the timely cover of The Pharcyde’s Dilla-produced Runnin’), as well as uncovering some serious gems of his own. And, he manages to create 15 Jazz, Soul and Funk driven grooves without ever even threatening to become tedious. Dinner Jazz this is not!
Every track on Dirty Old Hip Hop has an organic energy about it, with welcome contributions from Twisted Funk’s Brad Somatik and the telented 4 Hero drummer Luke Parkhouse. Picking stand-outs from this album is nigh-on impossible and stellar rap-cameos from the ever-impressive Capitol A and female emcee Voice on Funk Box and Replay, respectively, simply put the icing on the cake. In paying homage to the likes of Jazzy Jeff, Jay Dee and Pete Rock, Mac travels far beyond mere imitation and proves once again that he really ain’t too shabby himself. Essential listening!
