{"title":"Backwoodz Studioz \/ Rhymesayers","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"hiding-places","title":"Hiding Places","description":"\u003cp\u003eRhymesayers Entertainment brings us a reissue of billy woods and Kenny Segal’s classic 2019 album \u003ci\u003eHiding Places\u003c\/i\u003e, to celebrate their newly announced partnership with Backwoodz Studioz. As time passes, and more of the duo’s work enters the canon, it is easy to forget what an unlikely pairing these two were in 2019. Both woods and Segal were already more than a decade into their careers, but neither had collaborated this deeply with artists outside of their coastal scenes. Kenny’s most recent projects were a couple of jazzy instrumental albums and production for Self-Jupiter, Open Mike Eagle, and Milo. For his part; woods was two years removed from his previous solo album with Blockhead. When \u003ci\u003eHiding Places\u003c\/i\u003e happened it changed the trajectories of both artists, and Backwoodz Studioz. The original 2019 vinyl pressing was limited to 500 copies alongside a numbered run of 100 special-editions with alternative artwork by M. Musgrove. 2020 saw a new pressing that included the album instrumentals; this version had all-new artwork and was limited to just 1000 copies. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis five-year anniversary reissue brings back the iconic house cover, and also includes a gatefold with new original artwork from M. Musgrove. As for the music, while the original album description is a little quaint in retrospect, it remains accurate: \u003ci\u003eHiding Places\u003c\/i\u003e finds both artists deep in the labyrinth. Segal’s lush soundscapes have a new edge, woods’ writing is, paradoxically, at its most direct. \u003ci\u003eHiding\u003c\/i\u003e \u003ci\u003ePlaces\u003c\/i\u003e is a child’s game: funny and cruel, as brutal as a fairy tale. The album features contributions from both artists’ well of collaborators with Elucid, Self-Jupiter, and Mothermary making appearances. In 2022, just three years after its release, \u003ci\u003eHiding Places\u003c\/i\u003e was named one of the 200 Greatest Hip-Hop Albums of All Time by Rolling Stone.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Backwoodz Studioz \/ Rhymesayers","offers":[{"title":"Black LP","offer_id":50504879440203,"sku":"2219340","price":39.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":50504879079755,"sku":"2219339","price":13.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/Hiding_Places_37323cb5_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1727811346"},{"product_id":"golliwog","title":"GOLLIWOG","description":"\u003ch4\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.roughtrade.com\/browse\/albums-of-the-year-2025\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAlbums of the Year 2025: #51\n\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGOLLIWOG\u003c\/strong\u003e is \u003cstrong\u003ebilly woods\u003c\/strong\u003e’ first album in two years, preceded by 2023’s \u003cem\u003eMaps\u003c\/em\u003e, his second collaboration with producer Kenny Segal. That nimble travelogue has little in common with woods’ newest work, despite the fact that Segal shows up a couple times in the credits.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGOLLIWOG\u003c\/strong\u003e is a haunting collection that weaves horror, humor, surrealism, and Afropessimism into a cinematic tapestry, aided and abetted by a murderer’s row of producers. African zombies, time-traveling trap cars, malevolent ragdolls, and a dying Frantz Fanon are just a few of the revelers in woods’ danse macabre.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGOLLIWOG\u003c\/strong\u003e features production from The Alchemist, Kenny Segal, EL-P, Conductor Williams, Preservation, Messiah Musik, Sadhugold, Ant (Atmosphere), Shabaka Hutchings, Steel Tipped Dove, DJ Haram, Willie Green, Jeff Markey, Saint Abdullah, and LA-based experimental jazz trio Human Error Club. Meanwhile, woods is joined on the mic by Backwoodz labelmates ELUCID and Cavalier, along with rappers Bruiser Wolf, Despot, Al.Divino, and singer-songwriter Yolanda Watson.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGOLLIWOG\u003c\/strong\u003e is another triumph in the woods oeuvre, as layered and compelling as anything he has ever done. A black carnival pitched in a muddy field overnight, empty rides whirring and clattering in the dark.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Backwoodz Studioz \/ Rhymesayers","offers":[{"title":"2LP - Black","offer_id":51418404389195,"sku":"R6186-5562","price":44.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":51418404421963,"sku":"R6186-9270","price":13.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/5d54fa58-95f8-eecd-aa6d-83e4bdc38728_24acb6c0-b548-46c6-9d5b-1ce3a97a91c7.jpg?v=1752231873"},{"product_id":"all-portrait-no-chorus","title":"All Portrait, No Chorus","description":"\u003ctable border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" width=\"100%\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd valign=\"top\"\u003e\n\u003ctable align=\"left\" border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" width=\"100%\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd valign=\"top\" class=\"m_275711310643511233mcnTextContent\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cem\u003eAll Portrait, No Chorus\u003c\/em\u003e is the new album from indie rap pioneer doseone and NYC producer Steel Tipped Dove. Together, these two artists have crafted an uncompromising masterpiece. Knowing the caliber of MC he is paired with, dove skillfully paints with every color on the palette, and doseone skates effortlessly on every track, whether skating languid figure 8s or landing lyrical triple axels. Somehow the veteran sounds sharper than ever and the songs are lean and hungry, cut to the quick. It is no accident that this project is released under the Backwoodz Studioz imprint; the road that leads to this collaboration starts with, of all things, a ShrapKnel demo.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHere is how dose explains it:\u003cbr\u003e“I have been inspired by Backwoodz for a while, in many ways, but the most potent being all these distinct pens. September 2023, I had heard a nearly done version of ShrapKnel’s latest record, and something snapped in me. Hearing that perfectly hungry, inspired rapping turned my power back on. For me, being inspired warrants telling those who are inspiring you, so [once I heard Decay] I reached out and sent Fatboi Sharif and Dove some kind words about that record. The rest is history.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAt the end of December 2023 Dove sent dose the first beat pack. Somewhere around the second week of January 2024 dose already had five songs written and recorded. By the middle of March, a rough album framework was essentially done, and they brought on Minneapolis producer Andrew Broder to freak the turntables across the whole project. Then, as a final piece, dose and dove added select collaborations from some of their favorite rappers. By the end of April it was done.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“I’m not really a features guy, but to align with and connect with those who inspire me, I called in some beautiful humans I had never worked with but always meant to: Open Mike Eagle, M.Sayyid, billy woods, Fatboi Sharif, and Myka 9 connect eras, artists, and styles of unconventional rap I hold incredibly dear,” doseone explains.\u003cbr\u003eListening to \u003cem\u003eAll Portrait, No Chorus\u003c\/em\u003e you can hear the battery in doseone’s back as he pythons his way through each instrumental. For his part, Steel Tipped Dove—a prolific producer over the last two years—delivers some of the most diverse work of his career. The result is a dynamic, propulsive listen that casts its crackling energy in every direction except backwards.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e","brand":"Backwoodz Studioz \/ Rhymesayers","offers":[{"title":"LP - Black","offer_id":51461027266891,"sku":"R2295-8157","price":36.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/d7ff89d2-aa39-2e03-65f1-678d153c3257.jpg?v=1742217485"},{"product_id":"did-you-enjoy-your-time-here","title":"Did You Enjoy Your Time Here...?","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cem\u003eDid You Enjoy Your Time Here…? i\u003c\/em\u003es the new studio album from Backwoodz Studioz artist PremRock (perhaps best known as ½ of ShrapKnel; the sobering yin to Curly Castro’s furious yang). Did You Enjoy Your Time Here...? picks up where Prem’s pensive Backwoodz debut, 2021’s \u003cem\u003eLoad Bearing Crow’s Feet\u003c\/em\u003e, left off; clear-eyed, heartfelt, and unsparingly witty. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe album boasts production from Sebb Bash, Blockhead, YUNGMORPHEUS, Child Actor, Controller 7, ELUCID, Small Professor, Jeff Markey, and Fines Double while Prem’s longtime collaborator Willie Green weaves everything together. Lyrically Prem is aided and abetted by some of the world’s best, Pink Siifu, billy woods, Cavalier, Nappy Nina, Illogic, AJ Suede, Mary Esther Carter and of course Castro. Each guest extracts the best out of the mixture and producing fruitful collaborations not merely guest verses. Featuring original artwork inspired by the record from Chicago artist Gabe Karagianis.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Backwoodz Studioz \/ Rhymesayers","offers":[{"title":"LP - Black","offer_id":51742620844363,"sku":"R8990-3243","price":36.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/BWZ802.jpg?v=1745961024"},{"product_id":"today-i-wrote-nothing-10-year-anniversary-reissue","title":"Today, I Wrote Nothing (10 Year Anniversary Reissue)","description":"\u003cp\u003eWhen \u003cstrong\u003ebilly woods\u003c\/strong\u003e released \u003cem\u003eToday, I Wrote Nothing\u003c\/em\u003e ten years ago, it was an unexpected departure from a rapper who was just starting to make waves in the indie rap scene. After spending the earlier part of his career in the wilderness, woods had managed to crawl out of obscurity with the minor success of 2012’s \u003cem\u003eHistory Will Absolve Me\u003c\/em\u003e. \u003cem\u003eDour Candy\u003c\/em\u003e, 2013’s collaboration with underground legend Blockhead drew accolades, which only increased with Armand Hammer’s debut \u003cem\u003eRace Music\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThen, woods dropped out of sight for two years before returning with \u003cem\u003eToday, I Wrote Nothing\u003c\/em\u003e, a record that deviated significantly from what had come before. Where \u003cem\u003eDour Candy\u003c\/em\u003e had been concise and focused, \u003cem\u003eToday, I Wrote Nothing\u003c\/em\u003e was a sprawling 24 tracks. Where \u003cem\u003eHistory Will Absolve Me\u003c\/em\u003e was anchored by hard-hitting beats, anthemic songs, and a couple high-powered features, \u003cem\u003eToday, I Wrote Nothing\u003c\/em\u003e was comprised of short vignettes, quietly eclectic production, and the only guests were his Backwoodz label-mates.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOnly one video was released; the claustrophobic “Flatlands”, shot on a shoestring budget in a Brooklyn housing project. Reviewers didn’t know quite what to make of the record, and in many cases, neither did fans. As is often the case for woods’ albums, many perspectives shifted as the years passed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eListeners came to see the sad, quiet beauty of \u003cem\u003eToday, I Wrote Nothing\u003c\/em\u003e; a road trip album that doubles as a meditation on life’s journeys and death’s hiding places. The album’s power is in its intimacy, its insistence on holding your hand through the darkness. Now, \u003cem\u003eToday, I Wrote Nothing\u003c\/em\u003e is considered one of the more unique and vital records in woods' catalogue.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe dynamic woods created with \u003cem\u003eToday, I Wrote Nothing\u003c\/em\u003e vis-a-vis \u003cem\u003eHistory Will Absolve Me\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eDour Candy\u003c\/em\u003e is one that would come to define his oeuvre; constant experimentation, a refusal to be pigeonholed, and an unwavering search for the emotional heart of his subject.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Backwoodz Studioz \/ Rhymesayers","offers":[{"title":"2LP - Coke Bottle Clear","offer_id":52503265739083,"sku":"R4467-6581","price":39.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":52503265771851,"sku":"R4467-6034","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/billy_woods_-_Today_I_Wrote_Nothing_fcbff22c-6657-4553-a581-a1e6c712f2eb.png?v=1752260240"},{"product_id":"sortilege","title":"Sortilège","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eSortilège\u003c\/em\u003e is the new album from esteemed producer and DJ Preservation and ascendant talent Gabe ‘’Nandez. The two artists first linked on Aethiopes, Preservation’s 2022 collaboration with billy woods, where Nandez was featured alongside Boldy James on one of the album’s standout tracks. “Sauvage” became the catalyst for Sortilège, as the New Orleans-based producer and New York-based rapper gradually began exchanging ideas—first long distance, then in February 2024, when Nandez flew to New Orleans for two weeks, ready to work.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“It was smooth, very synergetic,” ‘Nandez explains. “We listened to mad music—Boot Camp Clik, Scaramanga, Cuban Linx—and I was asking questions about all types of shit, trying to soak up game and history, which I did.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe two also bonded over their shared francophone ancestry: Preservation is half French and ‘Nandez is half Malian. These connections made their way into the music as well, via both aesthetics and sample sources, and that sort of exchange courses through Sortilège, bridging the generational, geographical, and cultural gaps between the two artists with a record that feels a world unto itself. Esoteric, yet blunt and uncomplicated as a fistfight, Sortilège erases the line between urbane and urban. It’s a movie in a lucid dream, A Clockwork Négritude projected against the wall of a construction site. Mixed-use residential.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTracing this arc, fellow travelers Armand Hammer, Koncept Jack$on, Ze Nkoma Mpaga Ni Ngoko, and billy woods all make appearances. Oh, and there are drums everywhere: drums that will rattle a hooptie and drums that whisper threats. Somehow, over the course of 14 tracks, Preservation seems to find his way to every instrument imaginable—yet each beat has room to breathe. Amidst this breakbeat symphony, ‘Nandez’s unmistakable baritone glides purposefully, ever forward, a bristling warship in troubled waters. Every time the bass thumps, ‘Nandez counterpunches. This is a record for heavyweight speakers and clunky headphones.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Backwoodz Studioz \/ Rhymesayers","offers":[{"title":"LP - Black","offer_id":53200305979723,"sku":"R2540-9570","price":36.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":53200306012491,"sku":"R2540-7955","price":13.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/GabeNandez_Preservation-Sortilege.jpg?v=1755531384"}],"url":"https:\/\/shop.roughtrade.com\/fr\/collections\/backwoodz-studioz-rhymesayers.oembed","provider":"Rough Trade","version":"1.0","type":"link"}