Jigmastas

The Profile

Jigmastas are a Brooklyn hip-hop duo—DJ Spinna and MC Kriminul—active from the mid-1990s, known for sample-driven boom-bap and underground releases such as Infectious (2001) and Resurgence (2016).

Formed in 1996 in Brooklyn by DJ Spinna and Kriminul. Early single: Beyond Real/Dead Man’s Walk (1996). Released the EP Grass Roots "Lyrical Fluctuation" (2000) with collaborators including Pharoahe Monch, Mos Def, and Talib Kweli. Debut album Infectious (2001) followed a move from Rawkus Records to Landspeed. The record features contributions from Sadat X, Apani B. Fly, Truth Enola, Angela Johnson, Vernon Reid, and Lorenda Robinson, with production centered on DJ Spinna’s eclectic sampling. A deluxe edition includes the “Beyond Real” single, a “Lyrical Fluctuation” remix, and related Spinna productions. Resurgence arrived in 2016 on BBE Music.

A deep-dive into Jigmastas’ Infectious (2001), set against rap’s turn-of-the-millennium shifts. The review praises DJ Spinna’s crate-digging production, Kriminul’s adaptable flow, and standout cuts like Cliché, Elevate, and Nocturnal Jam. It highlights notable guests and the deluxe edition’s bonuses. The piece argues the album aged better than much mainstream rap of its era and notes renewed attention after Resurgence (2016).