Instrumental University

Rap beatmaker Araabmuzik lays out some of the highlights of his production portfolio on *Instrumental University*, a tape of hard-knocking instrumentals he originally made for MCs like Cam’ron, Lloyd Banks, Vado, and Jim Jones. With no verses up top, the slickness of Araab’s compositions shines through: Tough drums are matched by skewered guitar lines on the sinister “Shady Murder,” while on the fresh “Ain’t Mad Acha,” he chops up old soul samples to produce some smooth, glimmering hip-hop.

Following on last year's hypnotic Electronic Dream, this set collects beats made for rappers including Lloyd Banks, Fabolous, Jim Jones, Cam'ron, Vado, and others.