While much of Manchester circa 1990 was gripped with indie dance from the likes of The Happy Mondays and Stone Roses, RRA provided a stark contrast, offering heartfelt insights and diverse musicality. The crew’s first offering in 1987 existed as a limited white label and, the B-side in particular, KISS AMC, was a regular on the legendary Mike Allen radio show alongside luminaries such as LL Cool J and the Beastie Boys.
Fast-forward to 1990 and, like many other British outfits such as Caveman, the band scored themselves a major label deal. Though perhaps not a monumental release within the tight nucleus of the UK hip-hop world, Killer Album was widely acclaimed and achieved some crossover appeal – though this was limited due to the Assassin’s radical outspoken approach. Once again, Original Dope have chosen well (see our Blade review on page 78). Furthermore, this reissue comes with bonus tracks previously only available on singles, as well as an in-depth history of the crew written by esteemed writer Andy Cowan. Complete with original iconic artwork, this reissue is killer material.
