Hip Club Groove are back with their first new song in 30 years which doubles as the second single from Bassments of Badmen 4!
As old heads coming up in the 90s, Hip Club Groove have noticed a little something different in hip hop these days. Too many rappers are saying a lot while saying nothing. No one pays their damn dues anymore. As MCs, Cheklove and MacKenzie had to address this lack of accountability in the way they know best—by rapping about it. The duo present their case with witty lyrics and humourous punchlines over a throwback boom bap beat dominated by a groovy bass loop and a horny hook section, all courtesy of Moves. The first new song from Hip Club Groove in 30 years was recorded specifically for Bassments of Badmen 4, a compilation celebrating 30 years of Hand’Solo Records, so it had to be honoured as the second single.
Raps written and performed by Cheklove and MacKenzie Produced by Moves Cuts by Moves
“…bringing pure, unfiltered lyricism back to the forefront.” – Folded Waffle
For their Fresh Drop column, Folded Waffle has provided an excellent review for “Golly”, the most recent single from And Nero Played, the upcoming album from Ultra Magnus.
The 30th Anniversary bundle for $30 for the month of July has been up at Bandcamp for a bit but I’m just getting around to posting about it now. It’s a great deal with 4 Pasquale cassettes, plus an extra bonus cassette for the first three orders. That’s a lot of tapes for so little money! This bundle includes the instrumental series of Specials 1, Specials 2 and Specials 2.5, plus the Chadio/Radiohead mashup Chadiohead 2. The bonus tape is Bootlegs Volume 4 and 5, my last remaining copies of Pasquale’s infamous remix series.
Noah23 x Fresh Kils’ Tuff Racket drops on July 31, but you’re now able to pre-order the album on vinyl (in two colour ways), CD, and digital. Or if streaming is your way, you can pre-save the album.
“Heater In My Truck II est un album pour les anciens. Il est mou. Il est tranquille.” – Fake For Real
It’s great to hear from Fake For Real again as they provide a great review of Epic’s Heater In My Truck II…
Translation:
Epic, the rapper from the Prairies, is back on our radar. Over the last two years, he has resurfaced through several collaborations (Nassau Manor with Rob Crooks, A Library Called Calder with Deadly Stare). And in 2026, he is releasing his first solo project in a long time. The album serves as a sequel to *Heater In My Truck*—a vinyl release from 2003 that heralded the (excellent) *Local Only*—reminding us of the niche Epic carved out for himself in the Canadian underground a quarter-century ago. He even rallies other figures from that old scene here, such as Moka Only and DJ Moves (both on production) and the eccentric Noah23.
What makes Epic unique is that he never looked like a typical rapper. As for his lyrics, they never really relied on the genre’s standard braggadocio. The Canadian artist tells stories about the province of Alberta and his own mundane daily life—glimpses of which are offered on the album cover. He speaks of trivial details: his unlikely career as an obscure rapper, a trip to Rome amidst the tourist traps (“Rome (Day Job Retirement)”), the old junk piling up in his garage (“Old Shit Out In The Garage”), and his patched-up glasses (“Taped Glasses”)—classic nerd tropes—all delivered with a dry, vaguely world-weary sense of humor.
Epic has long insisted on one point, however: he loves nothing but rap. He is a true child of hip-hop. He demonstrates this time and again—whether through braggadocio (“Rapping Phenomenal”) or by dropping “check check check” at every turn (“Lethal Test Pressings,” “Us,” “Lawson,” “Survey In A Box”). The Canadian pays homage to hip-hop by honoring its beloved formats—cassette and vinyl (“Cassettes”)—and by breaking out the scratching (“Lawson”) and name-checking the likes of Heavy D, Mantronix, Guru, and even Mystik Journeymen—forgotten underground favorites.
There is certainly a touch of self-deprecation in Epic—such as when he talks about the crowd of eight people attending his show—but not all that much. At its core, his rap is serious business. He always delivers. It is just that this man—who, with his gray hair and the air of a shy accountant, has always looked older than his years—now seems to be finally catching up with time itself.
*Heater In My Truck II* is an album for the old-school crowd. It’s laid-back and mellow. Aside from standout tracks like “Lawson” and “Lethal Pressing” (produced by DJ Moves, who hasn’t lost his touch), the production is relaxed. It’s minimalist—take “Epic 109 Noah 23,” for instance, a really cool collaboration with Noah23. It might only appeal to those who knew Epic back in the heyday of “rap du gouffre.” That said, it’s far from bad; Epic is aging quite well.
