Peanut Butter Wolf/Various

Anyone who had the opportunity to hear Roots Manuva’s bizarro cover version of the Beatles’ "Yellow Submarine” on Volume 2, will know that Badmeaningood series isn’t made up of your average hip-hop compilations. With UK figures Roots Manuva and Skitz picking tracks that have inspired them for the first two entries, the third edition has corralled DJ and Stones Throw label owner Peanut Butter Wolf. It’s obvious from the jump-off that PBW cares intimately about the throwback selections he lays down here in a seamless mix clocking in at just under an hour. He doesn’t draw excessive attention to himself and concentrates on blending rather than cutting things up and the approach pays dividends. Things start off with frenzied Grandmaster Flash and 45 King tracks, but soon settle down into smooth rare groove boogie action from Roy Ayers and Johnny Hammond and into the pop new wave of the Human League without batting an eyelid. Elsewhere he draws subtle parallels between hip-hop and reggae and lets the proceedings fade out with a gorgeous version of Keni Burke’s erstwhile "Risin to the Top.” It’s an eclectic mix that works and anyone who puts forth the unspoken thoughts of many, reasoning "Joe Jackson is so funky” and then slaps "Steppin Out” next to hip-hop pioneers the Cold Crush Brothers proves it’s not about the records you have but how you play them.