Juga-Naut ft. Liam Bailey: Been Away

Following on from last year’s release of his album, BEM, Juga-Naut returns to the fore with the latest video from the project. Been Away was already boosted by the ample talents of vocalist Liam Bailey and now it’s being pushed higher up the artistic ladder with a video which serves as a timely ode to Jugz’s much-beloved hometown of Nottingham. The video was directed by Michael Holyk. BEM is out now.

Juga-Naut & Micall Parknsun: Twelve Bricks

Another solid offering from Juga-Naut, as he reconnects with Micall Parknsun for Twelve Bricks. The success of their earlier Six Bricks EP prompted the duo to return to the lab and record a full-length. And we should all be thankful they did. Jugz has been sitting comfortably among the upper echelons of UK hip hop for a while now, so his partnership with a veteran as consistent as Parky makes a lot of sense, even more so when you hear the finished product. A nice variation in the beat selection helps to keep things interesting, especially when you make your way through the album for the umpteenth time in an attempt to collect every jewel that Juga-Naut is dropping. Some decent features too, with his fellow VVV gang stepping up to the plate on GAUDI-GANG, Tommy Nova and Scorz dropping in on The Juice, and Da Flyy Hooligan rounding things off on the album’s closer. You can experience the full thing for yourself below, with physicals also available.

Juga-Naut: Bone Marrow

New video from Juga-Naut, as he helps us stave off the onset of collective madness with a drop from his latest album. Bone Marrow sees the Nottingham artist paying homage to some of hip hop’s greats, over some nice soul drenched production from the man himself. Bem is out now on the usual platforms.

Vandal Savage x Claude Money: Raoul Moat

Nottingham maintains its rep as a hotbed of rap talent, thanks to this new project from Vandal Savage and Claude Money. The VVV MC seems to have found an ideal match in the rising Nottingham beat-maker, as he weaves his way through an array of woozy jazz samples and solid drum loops, ably assisted by Juga-Naut and Sonnyjim along the way. You can hear the full album above and it’s also available on Spotify.

Juga-Naut: Bem (Stream)

Never one to rest on his laurels, Juga-Naut returned to the fore yesterday with the release of his latest album, Bem. It follows on from his acclaimed collaboration last year with Giallo Point, and on this latest outing we find Jugz’s pen game reaching exactly the same dizzying heights as we heard on its predecessor. The Nottingham resident has long been favoured as an MC’s MC and with Bem it is easy to hear why, as the ease with which he delivers the most intricate bars is almost criminal. And his talents don’t stop there, as the majority of Bem is self-produced, with a couple of exceptions courtesy of the Beat Punisher himself, Stu Bangas. The more soulful side to the album is backed up with some nicely placed features, including Liam Bailey and Tyler Daley, as well as guest spots from Tommy Nova, Taja, Oliver Rees, and fellow VVV rapper, Vandal Savage. You can hear the album for yourself below and there are plenty of physical bundles available via Bandcamp. Plus it was Jugz’s birthday yesterday, so go and celebrate by buying some of his art.

Harleighblu & Bluestaeb ft. Janne Robinson: Queeen Dem

A brand new video from Harleighbu and Bluestaeb landed today, for their Queeen Dem track. As the title suggests, it’s something of a feminine celebration and features excerpts from Janne Robinson’s song, This is For The Women Who Don’t Give a Fuck. You can stream and download Queeen Dem on all the usual platforms.

Juga-Naut & Stickman: Cellar Sessions 2

Following on from their previous collaboration, Juga-Naut and his dad – aka Stickman – return with the next instalment of their Cellar Sessions series. The original version of this verse can be found on the Bozo Boyz album by VVV.

Juga-Naut & Stickman: Cellar Sessions 1

Kicking off the week on a family tip, with some new material from Juga-Naut. For those who might be unaware, Jugz’s pops is a very accomplished drummer and the two of them have been known to put together some excellent collaborations in the past, which is exactly what we’ve got here. Going by the fact this is Cellar Sessions 1, I’m hoping we’re going to get a lot more clips like this. Keep your eyes peeled.

Harleighblu: Interview

Harleighblu is a singer from Nottingham, whose work draws on influences from hip hop, soul, electronica and beyond. Thanks to a string of superb releases, including her Futurespective series, she is already forging her own path in an increasingly saturated scene. I caught up with her recently to discuss a number of things including her new project with Bluestaeb, her musical roots and surviving the industry as a female artist.

Juga-Naut: Bon Vivant (Stream)

Pleased to see the arrival of Juga-Naut’s latest solo album, Bon Vivant. It rounds off another strong year for the Nottingham artist, following on from a string of solid collaborations, including his Purple Door project with SonnyJim, as well as his own Found Objects release back in February. Bon Vivant sees Jugz summoning the collective strength of a number of UK luminaries to assist with the project, including Joe Buhdha, Micall Parknsun and his fellow VVV brothers, Cappo and Vandal Savage. You can stream the album below and there are physicals/merch available via Bandcamp.