Originally rooted in hip-hop, Tuff City has transitioned its focus toward rescuing thousands of blues, jazz, funk, soul and R&B treasures from obscurity, thus creating several specialized reissue imprints devoted to music of the highest caliber.

Prophet is an underground funk musician from the San Francisco Bay Area, who, until this year, had only put his name to one record: an obscure private-press LP called Right On Time (1984, Treasure Records). Full of mind-blowing leftfield boogie, it now has a dedicated cult following and can be found changing hands for hundreds of dollars online. 

Now Prophet is making a return. His new album Wanna Be Your Man, is produced by Mndsgn, and sounds simultaneously like retro hits and the music of the future. 

Prophet is the first to point out that his journey has been longer than most artists. After Right On Time, he says, “Nobody really gave me a shot. Imagine if someone came up to you and said: ‘It’s not going to break for you for another 30 years.’ I had to stay focused and stay on the path.” 

But there were some fans who kept the flame of that first album alive. Stones Throw founder Peanut Butter Wolf came across Right On Time at San Francisco’s Groove Merchant in the early 2000s and was instantly intrigued. “It was just the kind of music I grew up on, with Prince and The Time vibes, but a rare, lo-fi bedroom version,” he remembers. “Having said that, it doesn’t necessarily...  more

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released May 11, 2018

Access to groovy, funkin', rockin', psychedelic, revolutionary (etc.) African music as we've grown to like it at Paris DJs was not for everyone before the internet age. For Paris DJs co-founder Loik, it began in the early 80s when he met with a former Fela Kuti horn player, who introduced him to Afrobeat. When Loik arrived at Radio Nova in 1986 (he was radio programmer there between 1987 and 1997), he then discovered marvels of African Music (other than Fela), through the radio's vast record collection, which soon led to the word-famous "La Sono Mondiale" concept. 

At the same time, Grant Phabao, in his late teens, discovered Congolese music through friends from Zaire. He gets access to Afrobeat in the mid-90s with a Fela Kuti CD gathering the "Zombie" and "He Miss Road" albums, which long-time friend Djouls brought back from his diggin' sessions in Paris. Many friends ripped and burned that CD, for sure. Then the legendary Daktaris album happened on Desco Records in 1998, followed by the beginning of the Antibalas, the Comet Records & Strut Records compilations in 2000, and soon after Soundway Records… the rest is history but that's roughly how African Music started for us at Paris DJs. 

At this point we met online with Calumbinho on the...  more

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releases June 15, 2018 

A1. Talking & Singing 
Lyrics written by Sandra Nkaké & Jî Drû 
Music composed by Grant Phabao 
Vocals by Sandra Nkaké & Jî Drû 
Flute by Jî Drû 
Hammond Organ by Guillaume Méténier 
Drums, percussion, bass, guitars, keyboards by Grant Phabao 

A2. The Wow 
Lyrics written by AFRODYETE 
Music composed by Grant Phabao & Ben Abarbanel-Wolff 
Vocals by AFRODYETE 
Drums by Tony Allen 
Percussion by Steve Haney, Oghene Kologbo & Alfred Sonou 
Tenor guitar by Adrian Quesada 
Clavinet by Will Rast 
Vox organ by Guillaume Méténier 
Baritone saxophone by Saké Smith 
Tenor saxophone & bass by Ben Abarbanel-Wolff 
Trumpet by Valentin Pellet & Sean Billings 
Guitars, keyboards by Grant Phabao 

A3. Ma Ndiongua Baloueti 
Lyrics written by Swala Emati 
Music composed by Grant Phabao & Sake Smith 
Drums by Tony Allen 
Percussion by Oghene Kologbo & Alfred Sonou 
Vox organ by Guillaume Méténier 
Baritone & alto saxophones by Saké Smith 
Tenor saxophone by Fab Smith 
Trumpet by Raphi Sake Smith 
Bass, guitars, keyboards by Grant Phabao 

A4. Feeling You Feeling Me 
Lyrics written by AFRODYETE 
Music composed by Grant Phabao 
Drums by Tony Allen 
Percussion by Oghene Kologbo & Alfred Sonou 
Baritone & alto saxophones by Saké Smith 
Trumpet by Raphi Sake Smith 
Bass, guitars, keyboards by Grant Phabao 

B1. Longi Kwa Tiena 
Lyrics written by Swala Emati & RacecaR 
Music composed by Grant Phabao & Muyiwa Kunnuji 
Percussion by Oghene Kologbo & Alfred Sonou 
Baritone saxophone by Saké Smith 
Tenor saxophone by Ben Abarbanel-Wolff & Pierre Pierrot 
Trumpet by Muyiwa Kunnuji & Valentin Pellet 
Drums, bass, guitars, keyboards by Grant Phabao 

B2. Fohunnonla 
Composed by Grant Phabao & Gregsky 
Percussion by Oghene Kologbo & Alfred Sonou 
Soprano & tenor saxophones by Gregsky 
Drums, bass, guitars, keyboards by Grant Phabao 

B3. Carib 
Lyrics written by Sandra Nkaké & Jî Drû 
Composed by Grant Phabao 
Vocals by Sandra Nkaké & Jî Drû 
Flutes & percussion by Jî Drû 
Drums, percussion, bass, guitars, keyboards by Grant Phabao 

Produced, recorded, mixed and mastered by Grant Phabao at Paris DJs studio 
Illustrated by Ben Hito 
A&R by. Djouls 
Published by T.I.M.E.C. 
(p) & (c) 2018 T.I.M.E.C. / Paris DJs

5 track album

Otis Stacks is a collaboration be- tween Michael Munch aka JustMike, a producer from Denmark, and Elias Wallace a singersongwriter from Pasadena, California. The music is analog synth based soul with under- tones of the hiphop culture that both grew up in.  

Bringing you the toughest in Soul, Funk, Mambo & Spoken Word!
Scone Cash Players
Ketchy Shuby
Jason Joshua & The Beholders
The Colossians
The Black Dove
& More!

Produced by Dee-Jay P. Rock 
Vocals/Lyrics by Sogdee 
Label: CR Studio 
Genre: R'n'B/Soul 
Year: 2018

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releases March 17, 2018

Loads of Funky Barlow Jams. All tracks improvised on the spot. 

Raw Grunge Funk straight from the Barlow Station

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released March 5, 2018

‘Fifteen’ celebrates the work of Ben Lamdin – the musical maverick behind the Nostalgia 77 guise – with an eclectic compilation of releases spanning fifteen years of jazz, hip hop, blues, funk, downtempo, soul and psychedelia that have gained immense press plaudits from Record Collector, The Guardian, Uncut and The Telegraph to The Wire, Q, Echoes, Okayplayer and DJ Mag, alongside radio support across BBC 6Music, BBC Radio 2, FIP, Radio Nova, KCRW, BBC London and XFM. 

Handpicked by Nostalgia 77 and Tru Thoughts, this retrospective showcases the best recordings and remixes from the respected producer, composer, songwriter and guitarist. Classics like Prince Fatty’s “Medicine Chest Dub”; Bonobo’s immersive remix of “Quiet Dawn feat. Beth Rowley”; the second to none take of “Seven Nation Army” featuring the phenomenal vocals from the ever-soulful Alice Russell, and the beautiful tripped out hip hop take on “Sleepwalker” from fellow Brightonian producer Ambassadeurs are all included on this fantastic anniversary release.

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releases February 16, 2018

releases February 9, 2018

In addition to the video's for Hopscotch and Roads, we bring you the radio friendly edits. 

Watch the videos here: 
Bastelbande - Hopscotch 
www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTYoucZzgg0 

Bastelbande - Roads (feat. Tom Zips) 
www.youtube.com/watch?v=65VAhQxnMio 

Follow Bastelbande: 
www.facebook.com/bastelbande 

Full album 'Off the Beaten Tracks' on Digital, Cassette & Vinyl will drop February 3rd!

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released January 21, 2018

VINYL RELEASE ONLY. THE DIGITAL FILES ARE SNIPPETS OF THE ORIGINAL TUNES. THIS SINGLE WILL BE RELEASED ON DECEMBER 1ST, 2017 AND WILL SHIP AROUND THAT DATE. 

PUBLICADO EXCLUSIVAMENTE EN VINILO. NO HABRÁ VERSIÓN EN DIGITAL. LOS ARCHIVOS DIGITALES EXPUESTOS AQUÍ SON VERSIONES CORTAS DE LOS ORIGINALES. ESTE SINGLE SALDRÁ EL 1 DE DICIEMBRE 2017 Y LAS COPIAS PREPEDIDAS SERÁN ENVIADAS ALREDEDOR DE ESA FECHA.

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released December 1, 2017

'That's What She Said' is the brand new EP from Less Is More (of The Boombox Eulogy). Combining live jazz instrumentation, soulful beats & exclusively female Vocalists/MC's. 
Less Is More formulates a unique experience, from the female perspective.creditsreleased December 22, 2017 
© 2017 - LESS IS MORE ›› soundcloud.com/lessismoreproduction ›› www.facebook.com/lessismorebeats ›› www.instagram.com/lessismorebeats ›› open.spotify.com/artist/74Y9DJZlP8ULxEU4Sa4mTp 
© 2017 - Porsche Tiavale ›› www.instagram.com/porsche_tiavale 
© 2017 - The Jazz Hop Café Records ›› youtube.com/thejazzhopcafe ›› soundcloud.com/jazzhopcafe ›› facebook.com/jazzhopcafe ›› instagram.com/thejazzhopcafe ›› open.spotify.com/user/thejazzhopcafe 
Production: Less Is More Design: Porsche Tiavale Vocals: Holly Afoa, Zoe, GNOME, Abigail, Molly & Sióness