Christened “Grandmaster” in recognition for many years of service in the field, the X-ecutioners’ Roc Raida has long held it down for the DJs. With Champion Sounds, Raida sits down behind the decks to showcase how turntablists can make records, not just routines. Using pure buttah blends to weave together exclusive productions and tracks by Triple Threat DJs, Radar, the Allies, D-Styles, Scram Jones and fellow X-Man Rob Swift, Raida reveals DJs as far more than “featured guests.” Champion Sounds thumps soundly with tempo and tone taken to task, but at no point does Technics trickery overshadow musicality and momentum. An excellent compilation that features boogie-down beatsmiths and MCs stitched together without getting cut (or dumbed) down.