Nasty P - It Sounds Nicer When It's Nasty

Since 2005's When The Smoke Clears, Edinburgh's Nasty P (the man behind Soulbiscuits) has been refining his sampling techniques and practicing for his next full-length album (more details of this in our feature). Here he offers a collection of 13 cheeky bootlegs that display his skill with an MPC, and his playful wit. Jay-Z spitting 99 Problems over All Along The Watchtower is a great start to proceedings, while standout tracks like One Love One Braveheart (Nas vs. Bob Marley) put a smile on your face as you nod to the beat. Occasionally Nasty P manages to transcend the devalued genre of bootlegs with his clever production – Kanye West's Diamonds is set to a time-stretched sample of Nina Simone's Feelin' Good, cleverly changing the groove of the track. Meanwhile, a dream three-way battle between all of the Dead Bigs (Big L, Big Pun and Biggie of course) will satisfy any classic hip hop fan. Essential Summer beats. [Bram Gieben]