Camp Lo’s late-‘90s hip-hop classic “Luchini (aka This Is it)” is, to put it simply, a sure-shot head-nodder. Upon making its way through any public-facing speaker system, then and now, it drives revelers to one of two important places – the dancefloor or the bar. It’s a feel-good rap track of the highest order, and sounds as good today as when it hit two decades ago.
Featuring Bronx MCs Sonny Cheeba and Geechi Suede and produced by then up-and-comer Ski Beatz (who, during the same era, helped a young Jay-Z begin his steady and triumphant ascent), the cut oozes warmth and MC bravado. Sonny and Geechi are both technically top-shelf, but not backpacker stiff. Riding over an inventive chop of Dynasty’s electro-soul groover, “Adventures In The World Of Music,” they made it look very easy.
The song would go on to create a stir on the Billboard charts in 1997, not only on the expected “Hot Rap Singles” list, but also well up the pop rankings of the “Hot 100” (peaking at #50). As with a few tracks from the era, it stretched beyond the rap world, as the group and their peers helped push hip-hop to the no-turning-back point, making the music into a true global phenomenon.
The smash we know and love is complemented here with the 12-inch’s original B-side, “Swing”: a pimp-strutting, stuttering groove (also produced by Ski Beatz), with faster, more aggressive flows from both MCs. If “Luchini” was for popping bottles at the club, “Swing” was meant for the late night afterparty cipher. It even features a cameo by one of the crew’s lyrical idols: Butterfly of Digable Planets.
Video for “Luchini” (from its original release):
This special 7-inch, part of Get On Down’s popular Jukebox Series of 45s (“Luchini” is number 7 of 10 in the series), is printed on translucent blue vinyl and is housed in a custom Profile 45 RPM sleeve, modified from Profile’s classic 12-inch sleeve design from the ‘80s.
Get On Down’s Jukebox Series launched in June this year. It features classic 12-inch singles from the ‘80s and ‘90s shrunk down to 7-inch size (“big hole” format), complete with the original 12-inch artwork. None of the releases in the series have ever been officially issued in 7-inch configuration before. Early adopters to the Series were able to purchase the now-sold-out Jukebox Binder, which will house all 10 of the 45s that will be released before the end of 2015.
Get On Down is an acclaimed record label and premium online boutique, offering an eclectic array of products, from deluxe music reissues on vinyl, CD and cassette to apparel and pop culture artifacts. Established in 2010, Get On Down’s record label boasts over 150 titles in its ever-expanding catalog. Forbes has called Get On Down “A premiere reissue imprint,” and they were given an “Adapter Award” in September 2013 by the Record Store Day organization (for “Record Store Day Release of the Year”). The New York Times also chose their Souls of Mischief 93 Til Infinity Deluxe as one of its two best hip-hop reissues of 2014.
The GetOnDown.com online boutique was launched in 2012 and operates with a strong “anti-big-box store” aesthetic, dedicated to carefully curating a premium product mix for independent-minded customers who span the globe. The site features items from its catalog along with unique, non-label offerings, including apparel, DVDs, t-shirts, books, and other pop culture artifacts.
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