Producer and emcee Large Professor embodies the culture of true Hip Hop. His head-nodding instrumentals rely on a precise sampling technique. This method flips excerpts from classic jazz, reggae, rock and soul songs into original, memorable instrumentals that stand on their own and have provided the perfect soundscapes for an amazing arsenal of lyricists. In his early 90's album, Breaking Atoms, Large Professor was the featured member of the group Main Source. This recording set the template for his work that continues into the present day with a list of icons that include Nas, A Tribe Called Quest, Slick Rick, Public Enemy, and Rakim. Large Professor's pursuit of Hip Hop has created an evolving legacy that extends far beyond the five boroughs that first championed his sound. In the Vinyl Word segment, we examine the work of pianist Gene Harris and organist Reuben Wilson as two instrumentalists whose recorded works of the late 1960s became cornerstones for the new grooves of Hip Hop.

Produced by Billy Robinson