88 Keys has been an household name in hip-hop’s underground since (around) the time of Rawkus’ Lyricist Lounge Vol. 1. He’s remained steadily in the background, working capably and building connections. One of those may yet pay off. Next week 88 Keys releases “The Death of Adam,” his debut as an MC and a record aided in part by friend Kanye West. This, obviously, will raise interest, and though Kanye appears only once, that singular stamp might be the ticket. Other guests are notable, if of a lower profile. There’s Redman, Bilal and Phonte.

“The Death of Adam,” also benefits from significantly better cover art than might usually be expected. Clear, simple and direct. And, decidedly without any lame allusions to hip-hop itself. The release is set for November 11 on Decon.

Momentarily taking the spotlight away from the abundant chatter on Kanye’s latest, Eminem is back. For those of us who’ve earned for a return to the brilliance of “Desparados” the new joint “I’m Having a Relapse” gives just enough to allow hope to shine. Let’s hope this is the tip of the ice berg and not a one off. Excited for the album now.

Check out “I’ve Relapsed” at Fader.

Written by graphic designer Cey Adams, with help from noted hip-hop photographer/historian Bill Adler, DEFinition: The Art and Design of Hip-Hop gets to the nuts and bolts of establishing the hip-hop aesthetic. Both Adams and Adler contribute essays, as do notables like Russel Simmons and Sacha Jenkins. Visuals, the driving force behind the book, come from the likes of HAZE and Dapper Dan. Fine arts are also represented, with the work of Mr. Cartoon, Kehinde Wiley and others reproduced and dissected.

A must for anyone interested in hip-hop and its many spin-offs. Out now from Collins Design.

Images from DEFinition after the jump.

Hip-hop chess tournaments are a growing trend in the United States. From Washington D.C.’s Bum Rush the Boards event, sponsored by Words Beats Life, to the West Coast centered Hip-Hop Chess Federation, recognizing the values to be learned is in evidence. Long time fans of chess, the Wu-Tang Clan might just have some of the most overt references to the 64 squares. 
In that spirit Clan mastermind Rza has teamed with Chesspark.com to form WuChess.com. The site is an online chess community with a hip-hop sensibility. For a fee of $48 per year, users can join and meet other like minded chess players. A portion of the fee goes to the previously mentioned hip-hop chess federation, with whom Rza often competes. 
All in all, it’s nice to see some positive social networks being developed that promote some cognitive activity.