First Word Records is proud to bring you 'The Essance' - the classic debut album by Essa (formerly known as Yungun),
originally released in 2004, now released on vinyl & digital for the first time, 20 years on!

A lyricist, lawyer and a Londoner, legendary MC Essa has earned praise over the years from artists such as Nas and
Mark Ronson, as well as performing and recording with legends like De La Soul, Wu-Tang Clan, Guru, Slum
Village and Pharoahe Monch.

This 15-track album is considered one of the greats to emerge during UK Hip Hop's "golden era"; a vibrant time for the
genre when artists such as Ty, Jehst, Roots Manuva, Klashnekoff, Skinnyman, Task Force, Doc Brown and
Foreign Beggars were garnering huge fanbases, and an eco-system of shops like Deal Real, club nights like Kung
Fu, labels like Lowlife, and stations like Itch FM were prevalent, while BBC 1Xtra was a mere infant.

'The Essance' includes production and features from luminaries such as Harry Love, Mr Thing, Lewis Parker, Kyza,
Devise & Ben Grymm, to name a few.