The British nightmare to America’s dreams

What do yall know bout vintage UK hardcore rap? I sorta grew up on this shit, mostly thanks to my childhood brother from a different mother, Han Shock, who is now based in Berlin as part of Born 2 Roll crew fame and is also known as a heavyweight collector of vinyl from that particular era and movement. I remember hearing groups like Hijack, Son Of Noise, Gunshot and Killa Instinct for the first time in Han Shock‘s living room during the mid-90s, discovering an entirely unique and different style of rap music as a pendant to all the US rap I’ve already been a huge fan of. This era was pretty much a genre of its own. Mostly popular in the UK but also quite big in Germany, we Germans even went as far as coining the term “ Britcore“. Hard and fast breakbeats, often politically themed raps with a heavy cockney slang, a certain ‘darkness’ to it and last but not least LOTS of fast and technical scratching that was way ahead of its time made this sound so significant. Here’s the ultimate mixtape covering the UK hardcore rap prime time from the late 80s to the mid 90s, compiled and mixed by Han Shock in 2003. Some nostalgia for those who are familiar and an important lesson in rap history for those who aren’t.

Download link:

Han Shock – Always Remains Hardcore

Tracklist: