50 Years of Hip-hop: The DJ Jams

As I sat down to listen to "50 Years Of Hip Hop: The DJ Jams," I couldn't help but chuckle at the audacity of this compilation. Trying to sum up 50 years of hip hop in just one album is like trying to condense a Shakespeare play into a haiku. But hey, DJ Jams has given it a go, and you know what? It's actually not half bad. The tracklist reads like a who's who of hip hop legends, from the OGs like Grandmaster Flash and Afrika Bambaataa to the new-schoolers like Kendrick Lamar and A$AP Rocky. The mixing is seamless, the transitions are slick, and the beats are heavier than my grandma's meatballs. Each track is a little slice of hip hop history, from the old-school boom-bap of the '80s to the trap bangers of today. Sure, there are a few glaring omissions (where's Missy Elliott, for starters?), but overall, "50 Years Of Hip Hop" is a solid tribute to the genre that has shaped modern music as we know it. So dust off your Kangol hat, grab a slice of pizza, and get ready to nod your head to some classic beats. DJ Jams may not have covered every base, but he's certainly given it a good go. Pitchfork rating: 7.5/10.