DJ Drez Jahta Beat

• Words: Justin Hopper
• Label: Say It Loud
• XLR8R Rating: /10

For LA's DJ Drez, hip-hop isn't just about the boom-baps or the throwbacks-what's important are the rare grooves that went into hip-hop's creation, the reggae that preceded and paralleled the music's growth, and the myriad beats that inform the culture's sound. So, for his self-produced and mixed Jahta Beat, Drez dug into source sounds from North Africa, India, and the Bronx to create tracks that buzz with sitar and tabla as much as the funk drop. But Jahta comes across more like a world-y chill-out mix, with at least one generic "Eastern" moment for each genuinely interesting fusion.