Tru Ruts/Speakeasy Records + Smokesignyl Productions join forces to release HIGHSTYLEKYLE + TRU RUTS present LIGHTNING + THUNDER (VOLUME ONE), the first compilation of its kind in Minnesota, fusing reggaeton, dancehall, reggae and hip hop. Featuring the talents of twenty musical luminaries of the Twin Cities, LIGHTNING + THUNDER, highlights the musical dexterity of producer, Highstylekyle, member of noted hip hop band, Leroy Smokes, who produced all the tracks on the album, along with cohorts Fredy Kruger (of the Good Fellas), J Skills and Hashbrown, and is executive produced by the powerhouse duo of e.g. bailey + Shá Cage. The album includes an all star cast of Twin Cities trailblazers, such as Maria Isa, The Kamillion, Don Xaba + Backup Plomo, Prince Jabba, Innocent, Truthmaze, Pee Wee Dread (Dread I Dread), Unicus, St. Paul Slim (G.O.B.), Buss One, Chico Fino, members of Leroy Smokes, and much more. LIGHTNING + THUNDER sets the stage for the next musical movement to catch the Twin Cities by storm.
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"The "Lightning Thunder" disc and its accompanying release party really do constitute an exciting and genuinely substantive reggaetón movement in the Twin Cities. If you have any interest at all in Caribbean grooves (or just shaking your shit for an hour), I suggest you seek out the compilation and join the bandwagon soon, lest you have to make up stories for your grandkids when they ask you about the first great TC musical renaissance of the 21st century." - Jordan Selbo (City Pages)
"Lightning and Thunder is by far the most diverse reggae, dancehall, hip-hop and reggaetón compilation published to date representing the diverse global musical roots and production genius of the Twin Cities." - M. Riviére (Emetrece Productions)
"It celebrates the cross-pollinization of musical communities in the Cities, moving fluidly thru dancehall, reggae, hip hop and reggaeton." - Tru Ruts