- If we are to learn anything from this years offering of rap, aside from the ever shifting and ever-contentious 'who is the most real of rappers', it is that rap isn't solely a young man's game. Close to twenty years ago, in the early nineties, Busta Rhymes and Q-Tip were east coast trailblazers, giving life to the genre, boom bap. Just late last week, these veterans dropped a mixtape, The Abstract & The Dragon.

This mixtape is a ninety minute retrospective of remixes, skits, tributes and re-releases, oh and a quaint offering of four new tracks. It's all one, two drop with Busta Rhymes displaying his regular flair and rumble whilst Q-tip is his established, cool self. So, for newcomers, this is an opportunity to educate yourself, to get to know the style, the history and the east coast's personnel with their respective claims on a critical era of hiphop. For those who are dedicated fans, though, this should be appreciated as a celebration of the genre. It has some of Q-tip's and Busta's best boom bap tracks, re-worked and remastered. Most notably, the track Scenario, known as a breakout for the young Busta and as one of the greatest posse cuts.

The four new tracks, which are all within the boom bap spectrum but with an understandable modern palette, point to the future and gently direct your attention to the respective solo projects for 2014. Q-tip has a solo release and is a reported producer of Kanye's next album, all on GOOD music. Busta's track Pardon My Ways is a taster from his, Q-Tip produced, upcoming ELE 2.

As much as this mixtape serves as hype for 2014. It is also a 'Best Of', a compilation of Busta Rhymes' and Q-Tip's creative relationship to date, and It has been compiled with dignity and a reverence for an era where the American east coast was a major player in cultivating hiphop culture. The Abstract & The Dragon is a boom bap, original rap treasury, just in time for the old dog's fresh tricks.

- Nick Rodwell.