X-Cutioners, "Revolutions"
2004, Sony

I’ve been a big fan of the X-Ecutioners since I got to see the X-Men battle the Skratch Piklz (or however they spelled it) at the Rock Steady Anniversary in the 90s. I went straight up to Roc Raida and got a hand signed mixtape from him. I still get goose bumps just thinking of that battle. It was when turntablism was still figuring itself out and things were a little more naïve and DJs didn’t really have major label contracts. Maybe that was a good thing, but at least the DJs getting paid. Anyway..the thing that I’ve always loved about great hip-hop DJs is that they take their cue from Herc and Bam and are willing to spin more than just crusty break-beats (not that there’s anything wrong with breaks, but we’ve heard them a few times before).

I was psyched to get this album in the mail, amongst all the rock being sent over. I was even happier when I flipped the album over and saw collaborations with The Blue Man Group, Cypress Hill and Rob Zombie (rock and roll? hot shit!!!). I was smiling when I heard the slightly Williamsburg electro track “Like This” featuring Anikke. Wow, this is how I like things, mixed up in genre as well as cut up like mad. Maybe some of the tracks fall a little short of my expectations, but damn, these guys are out breaking new boundaries. And if commercial radio has taught us anything we need more variety and some boundaries broken.