Album: Hand on the Torch by Us3 (1993)
Genre: Hip-Hop | Style: Jazz
Record Label: Blue Note
Format: Album

Description: Hand on the Torch is the debut album by the jazz-rap group Us3. It received much attention because of its mix of jazz and rap, using live jazz musicians. All samples used on the album are from old Blue Note classics: the most famous being Herbie Hancock's "Cantaloupe Island", used on the track "Cantaloop (Flip Fantasia)", which was recorded with two different music videos.

Artist Background: Us3 is a jazz-rap group founded in London in 1992. Their name was inspired by a Horace Parlan recording produced by Alfred Lion, the founder of Blue Note Records. On their debut album, Hand on the Torch, Us3 exclusively used samples from the Blue Note Records catalogue, all originally produced by Lion. Us3 is the brainchild of London-based producer Geoff Wilkinson. Formed in 1992 alongside production partner Mel Simpson, Us3 had two previous incarnations. The first, a limited edition white la... Part of the London, England music scene. Emerged in the 1990s era. Associated with Hip-Hop movement. Known for Jazz style.

Related Artists: Galliano, Brooklyn Funk Essentials, Freakpower, Jestofunk

Music Scene: Part of the London, England music scene. Emerged in the 1990s era. Associated with Hip-Hop movement. Known for Jazz style.

Tags: Hip-Hop, Jazz, 1990s, Album, Blue Note

Additional Context: Rating score: 10. Based on 1 votes. Available on Discogs marketplace


Hand on the Torch is the debut album by the jazz-rap group Us3. It received much attention because of its mix of jazz and rap, using live jazz musicians. All samples used on the album are from old Blue Note classics: the most famous being Herbie Hancock's "Cantaloupe Island", used on the track "Cantaloop (Flip Fantasia)", which was recorded with two different music videos.

Hand on the Torch

Us3

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