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Press Release

RUTHLESS RAP ASSASSINS
KILLER ALBUM
ORIGINAL DOPE


CAT #: ODOPE1001
RELEASED: OCTOBER 11, 2010

Ruthless Rap Assassins broke the mould. For a brief moment in 1990 they not only shifted the nucleus of UK rap away from the capital to their native Manchester, they also offered a thinking man's alternative to the indie-dance stylings of Happy Mondays and Stone Roses then monopolizing the music press.

Their debut LP, Killer Album, reflected the black British experience in a unique, often poignant way. All the way live from the notorious North Hulme estate, the trio of Anderson, Carson and a pre-Black Grape Kermit eschewed the phony Brooklyn accents of many London contemporaries for a hard-bitten, sometimes bitter but always razor sharp trawl through the harsh realities of low-budget living – packed with depth, humour and social comment. Using a sampledelic approach incorporating elements of rock, reggae, pop, jazz and even rock'n'roll ­­– segued into a continuous soundscape by producer Greg Wilson's guerilla mix skills – British rap's three wise men's open embrace of diversity has haunted the grooves of countless acts that have flowed in their wake.

Memorably described as 'like a Toblerone – out on its own' by style bible The Face, Killer Album met with massive national music press acclaim on its release, as did And It Wasn't A Dream – issued as a single and widely tipped for chart success. Radio, however, found the Assassins too radical for the times, despite the fact that the single's heartfelt insight into the trials and tribulations of their parents' generation was more cathartic than confrontational. Acclaimed as the 'best British rap lyric ever' and included in Mojo magazine's 50 Best British Tracks Ever (2006), praise was no substitute for the lack of daytime radio support, and without a hit single Killer Album failed to make an impact beyond the underground.

More relevant then ever in today's age of unwanted austerity and critical welfare cuts, the Killer Album is back with a vengeance.

The 20th anniversary edition of Killer Album comes with extensive liner notes and includes three super rare bonus cuts including remixes from Norman Cook and De La Soul's Mase.

Killer Album is the debut release by Original Dope – a funky fresh imprint of Cherry Red, dedicated to preserving the legacy of the planet's finest hip-hop music. The label is curated by Andy Cowan, long-term editor of legendary rap magazine Hip-Hop Connection.


TRACKLISTING

Crew From The North / Law Of The Jungle / And It Wasn't A Dream / Go Wild! / Just Mellow / Here Today...Here Tomorrow / Justice (Just Us) / Posse Strong / Jealous MC / That's My Nigger / To The Other MC's / Yakety Yak / B Line / Three The Hard Way / Just Mellow (The Norman Cook Remix) / And It Wasn't A Dream (The Thinking Man's Mix) / Justice (Just Us) (The Mase Remix)