Sony Legacy Launches Certified Classic For Vintage Hip-Hop, R&B, With Three Record Store Day Releases

Certified

SONY MUSIC's LEGACY RECORDINGS has launched CERTIFIED CLASSICS as a cross-platform urban catalog brand devoted to the "curation and celebration" of classic hip-hop and R&B music and culture with a focus on the '80s, '90s and 2000s.

Commented LEGACY RECORDINGS President ADAM BLOCK, "The records of the classic hip-hop and contemporary R&B eras are bridges to the pop and youth cultures of the 21st century. CERTIFIED CLASSICS is proud to be making this music available to longtime fans of hip-hop culture while introducing these groundbreaking artists' albums and singles and the often incredible stories behind them to new generations of music lovers."

CERTIFIED CLASSICS is live online at www.ThisIsCertified.com.

CERTIFIED maintains a commitment to high-quality physical 12" vinyl releases, including the first-ever official issue of BIG L's legendary "Devil's Son" EP (featuring five additional tracks) for the 10th anniversary of RECORD STORE DAY on APRIL 22nd. 

In addition to the BIG L release, CERTIFIED's RSD 2017 exclusives include "DJ MUGGS Presents...The Soul Assassins Chapter One" and "Giant Single: The PROFILE RECORDS Rap Anthology, Vol. 1."

The library from which CERTIFIED will draw includes seminal titles, original masters, outtakes, live recordings and more from artists including FUGEES, MAXWELL, NAS, A TRIBE CALLED QUEST, XSCAPE, among others, and labels such as JIVE, LOUD, RUFFHOUSE, J RECORDS, ARISTA, LaFACE, SO SO DEF, PROFILE, RCA RECORDS, EPIC and COLUMBIA.  

With full access to the SME vaults, CERTIFIED will access and release previously unavailable audio, video, and photo content while using found material to create new original content including interviews with artists, label executives, producers, engineers, managers and others involved in the creation of classic hip-hop and modern R&B. In addition to reissuing classic albums on vinyl, CERTIFIED will be creating custom anniversary and commemorative editions. The label is designed to bridge the gap between old school soul, disco, and R&B to Hip-Hop, Rap, contemporary R&B and beyond connecting younger developing artists to the musical revolutionaries who continue to inspire generations.

HARLEM rapper BIG L (1974-1999) helped pioneer hip-hop's horrorcore sub-genre of hip-hop during his too-short but notable career with his underground track "Devil's Son," a song recorded but deemed too controversial for 1995's "Lifestyles Ov Da Poor & Dangerous." "Devil's Son" is released for the first time officially on 12" vinyl alongside an instrumental version plus five legendary and long-bootlegged tracks from the "Lifestyles Ov Da Poor & Dangerous" sessions.

For "The Soul Assassins Chapter 1," producer DJ MUGGS assembled a hard-hitting album that combined a murderer's row of hip-hop icons with MUGGS' laid-back, WEST COAST beats. With verses from CYPRESS HILL, DR. DRE, RZA, GZA, GOODIE MOB, KRS-ONE, MOBB DEEP, WYCLEF JEAN and more. The album's being reissued for its 20th anniversary as a 12" picture disc featuring the original album's striking cover illustration and logo.

While NEW YORK-based PROFILE RECORDS was conceived as a home for disco when it was founded in 1979, the fledgling label caught on to the hip-hop movement as the 1980s dawned, releasing pioneering tracks by DR. JECKYLL & MR. HYDE (featuring future Urban music exec ANDRE "DR. JECKYLL" HARRELL), RAMMELZEE vs. K-ROB, RUN-DMC, DANA DANE and more. with 15 classic hits on two-LP red vinyl!

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