During my editorial stint at the hip-hop website TheBoombox.com, I compiled a top 20 list of the Greatest Jazz Rap Albums of the 1990s. It’s not a thorough list by any means (I only had 20 slots to fill), so I missed a few albums. But I have most of the celebrated jazz/hop-hop albums of that era.

One of the many artists featured on the list was a little unknown band called Justice System. They were an eclectic live band out of New York who made a name for themselves by performing energetic live shows throughout NYC. The group was eventually signed to MCA Records and released their debut album Rooftop Soundcheck in 1994.

The project was a great collection of jazz and rap-infused sounds that celebrated hip-hop culture. The LP was a toast to New York with standout tracks like “Trouble on My Mind" (with its hat-tip to Public Enemy's Chuck D) and “Santana,” which paid homage to legendary guitarist Carlos Santana.

Twenty-four years after the release of their debut album, Justice System is back with a new track called “Bronxian Bauxite.” Produced by Jason Famous Beats, the song is a salute to the birthplace of hip-hop (Bronx, New York) and the five elements from the culture.

Listen to Justice System's "Bronxian Bauxite"

There's plenty of old-school phrasings and deft rapping from the two MCs who are spitting lyrics over a melodic piano groove and a classic boom-bap beat. Lyrics consists of reflective rhymes like this:

"Seminole headstrap my rap is inspired by the "Big Payback" and Uptown brainiacs / They were sonic archeologists, non-apologists, obvious ominous in the invisible metropolis / Minding for gold with no handhold / Records untold, they were buying by the billfold / And when a new break was found...it was like, get down-get down."

You can cop/stream Justice System's "Bronxian Bauxite" at all digital stores including at Spotify and Apple Music.

If you are unfamiliar with the Justice System's 1994 album Rooftop Soundcheck, I added two of my favorite songs from the project for your listening pleasure. Hit the flip below.

It might be too soon for holiday music, but I couldn’t resist not telling you about singer-pianist PJ Morton’s new holiday song and his upcoming Christmas album.

Although PJ Morton is the keyboardist for the pop band Maroon 5, as a solo artist, his musical style is deeply rooted in the soul songbook of Stevie Wonder. Case in point: His Grammy-nominated album Gumbo is a delectable listen (excuse the pun) of soul and R&B music. Songs like “They Gon’ Wanna Come,” goes full Innervisions in both its orchestral sound and introspective lyrics. He takes his Wonder influence a step further on “Religion” where he denounces terrorist acts done under the auspices of God, as well as on the reflective track “Claustrophobic.” You can stream his entire project here.

Next up on PJ Morton’s plate is his holiday album Christmas with PJ, which arrives at digital stores on Friday (Nov. 9). The eight-song collection features the 37-year-old musician’s unique reworkings of your holiday classics.

For example, the set’s lead single is his remake of Mariah Carey’s 1994 holiday mainstay“All I Want for Christmas Is You.” Unlike Carey’s boppier version, Morton gives us a Stevie Wonder-esque vibe with his rendition complete with Stokley Williams (from the R&B group Mint Condition) dueting with him and playing the drums.

In his music video below, we see old home movies of a young Morton and his family enjoying Christmas year after year. The visual is intercut with scenes of Morton and Williams performing in the studio.

Check Out PJ Morton's "All I Want For Christmas is You" Feat. Stokley

As for Morton's upcoming Christmas album, the singer-pianist re-flips several of your favorite yuletide ditties. For example, Morton remixes Donny Hathaway's soulful holiday song "This Christmas" into a joyous New Orleans bounce track. Along with bounce artist HaSizzle's energetic vocals on the song, it will no doubt make you want to shake your butt under the mistletoe.

“I went all the way there with the string orchestra and the horns on top of the bounce beat. I don’t think anyone’s gone that far, to have an orchestra over bounce drums," he told Offbeat magazine about the song. "But that’s me, though! That’s the dichotomy of PJ. A brown beat for Jesus’ birthday with a full orchestra on it. Come on!"

If you want to know how PJ Morton gets ready for Christmas, click the link below. Also, I included one of my favorite songs from his Gumbo project - "How Deep Is Your Love."

Don't sleep on PJ Morton. You can cop/stream his Christmas With PJ album here.

Snoop Dogg’s new album, Coolaid, formally drops on Friday (July 1) but he’s been releasing several tracks from the LP to get fans interested in the project. The hip-hop vet’s newest loosie is “My Carz,” a track produced by the late and great J Dilla.

The electro hip-hop-infused production is not entirely new. The late studio maestro used the beat on “Trucks,” which currently appears on the just-released The Diary album. Also, the song samples Gary Numan’s classic 1979 track, “Cars.”

As for the lyrics, the Doggfather is simply boasting about his fleet of whips and chicks he likes to rotate on the daily. "My carz, they hot / My paint is wet / My bitches, they bad / And that's probably why you're mad," he rudimentarily spits.

"My Carz" is not the best Snoop Dogg performance, but it's good to hear the hip-hop vet rap over a  Dilla beat despite it being a very dated J Dilla beat.

You can cop Snoop Dogg's Coolaid album via iTunes. Peep the track below.

With the official start of summer just around the corner (June 21), it’s time for artists to drop some music that’s perfect for the warm weather. Enter: Lion Babe. The New York duo just announced title of their new mixtape, which is called Sun Joint.

The first single from the project is the summery tune, “Endless Summer.” The collection boasts 11 songs and is being described as a feel-good mixtape with a variety of sounds including “soul, funk and electronics and earworm melodies.”

The project will also feature "Jungle Pussy" on one track and co-production from DJ Dahi on another. There's also two guest appearances from Angel Haze and Raury.

The Sun Joint mixtape, which will be available on June 21, is the follow-up to their debut album Begin, which is easily one of the best albums of 2016.