A master beatsmith and lover of abstract hip-hop, Eliot Lipp joined the Hefty Records family in 2006 with his second full-length, Tacoma Mockingbird. Much touring and love from the media followed, then last October, Lipp released his 30-minute, 10-track Steel Street Scraps EP, which saw him subtly incorporate rock, electro, soul, funk, and disco into his usual sound.

XLR8R caught up with Lipp this week to find out what’s in heavy rotation on his stereo these days, and, as expected, his list is as eclectic as his production.

Eliot Lipp’s Top Ten 

1. Cool Breeze
East Point’s Greatest Hits
Interscope
This dude is very underrated as an MC. The beats are super-dope too, all done by Organized Noize.

2. Hieroglyphic ImperiumPresents:
The Building
Hieroglyphics Imperium
Everyone comes through on this record, especially Pep Love & Casual. The Z Man track “No Cure For Sugar” is insane.

3. George Duke
Faces in Reflection
MPS
This record is very chill. All the synth lines are dope, and you might even find a 2Pac sample in here.

4. Return to Forever featuring Chick Corea
No Mystery
Polydor (Germany)
This record almost turned me into a Scientologist.

5. Hal Galper
The Guerilla Band
Mainstream
Basement recording of some weird-ass fusion-jazz. Very fresh.

6. Gershon Kingsley
Music to Moog By
Audio Fidelity
This classic is still getting proper bumps on my speakers. “Hey Hey” and “Popcorn” are the jams.

7. Roger (Troutman)
The Many Facets Of Roger
Warner Brothers
This is like if you could cut out the middle-man and just let a pile of cocaine make a record. Do it Roger, do it!

8. Telex
Neurovision
WEA International, Inc.
Early French electro-pop. Very unique.

9. Drexciya
Harnessed The Storm
Tresor
This record is the shit, but Neptune’s Lair by Drexciya is good too.

10. Reed Dollaz’s YouTube Clips
This guy can really really rap. Seriously. He takes that Philly style to a new level.