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Baker's Dozen

Origin Story: Billy Woods' Favourite Albums
Zachary Lipez , May 24th, 2023 08:25

As he releases acclaimed new album Maps alongside Kenny Segal, underground hip hop mainstay Billy Woods takes tQ through the thirteen records that have defined his life, from Goodie Mob to Ghostface Killah

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Juggaknots – Clear Blue Skies EP

I went to college with this kid who was a rapper and was the first person I really knew who kept an up to date hip hop record collection. He was from the city and got records on the regular. I was over there, in his room, and he just started playing this record, which was only available on vinyl at the time. I had never heard an MC rap like Breeze Brewin; his ability to just have such a great voice, such a nasty style, so much style. And underneath all of that, he was always really capable of telling a good story. And that's what drew me in on the first joint I ever heard of his work, which was ‘Clear Blue Skies’, the single, which is also the name of the EP.

The song is a back and forth, basically a story told in the form of an argument between a white father and his son, about him dating a Black girl. I'd never heard anything like it, you know? On top of that, to be a Black dude but he chose this perspective to tell the story. It's one of those things where I never heard anyone rap like that. And there was definitely no one with his combination of abilities. That was always a high watermark for me.