Today for #tunesday (my favourite day) I'd like to showcase a full-on funk fest that was just released today. "Rawkus Lee" is the fifth mixtape release of Steely Chan, a production duo from Vancouver but based in Toronto. They create remixes and mashups usually available for free download. Steely Chan's music is steeped in the source material of hip hop beat culture: heavy funk, soul, jazz, dub reggae, disco, psych rock, electronica, freak folk, brazillian pop, afrobeat & world music. In other words, any and all musics with strong rhythm and a healthy dose of funk.

This bad boy combines the gifted lyricism of the emcees on Rawkus Records with the gritty, instrumental psychedelia of Shawn Lee, one of my favourite instrumental bands (see "Shawn Lee Hits The Hits!). It’s a marriage of late 90s East Coast indie hip hop with a modern interpretation of groove-heavy soundtrack music from the 60s and 70s. I'd recommend it for fans of rare groove, cosmic funk, library music and weekend warriors sporting backpacks and skateboards. 

Track Listing:

1. Black Star & Shawn Lee - Spooky Funky Definition
2. Jurassic 5 & Shawn Lee - World Of Lagos
3. Pharoahe Monch & Shawn Lee - Simon Says Windy Stallion
4. Common, Sadat X & Shawn Lee - Bongo 99
5. Reflection Eternal & Shawn Lee - Cairo Beast Mission
6. Big L & Shawn Lee - Flamboyant Organ Grinder
7. Reflection Eternal & Shawn Lee - Move Some Full Moon
8. Mos Def & Shawn Lee - Song For Faded Universe
9. Eminem & Shawn Lee - Axel Jagger Man

Enjoy!

- CPR