When a true OG says "I'm Back," you listen. Chicago’s underground hero DJ Phats is storming the scene again with a sizzling new album, dropping June 6 via his own Phats Music Box label.
“I’m Back” is a 12-track deep-dive into the steamy, relentless world of ghetto house, juke, and footwork — everything that made Chicago’s dance floors sweat bullets in the ‘90s and still keeps the energy raw today. Phats isn’t just rehashing old glories though; he’s blending fresh fire with nods to his roots, including some turbo-charged reworks of classics like his 1998 banger “I Wanna Slut” from the legendary Dance Mania days.
Adding some extra historic weight, the album wraps up with a remix by none other than the late, great DJ Deeon — a real tear-jerker moment for anyone who understands just how foundational Deeon was to the genre.
Phats has been a quiet but undeniable force since the ‘90s, blessing labels like Dance Mania, Afrocuts, and Sugar Daddy Records, and cooking up some real magic alongside DJ Skip. This release also rides the wave of the 30 Years of Ghetto House celebrations that recently shook Chicago, where Phats shared the stage with luminaries like DJ Slugo, DJ Clent, DJ Milton, Traxman, and Jana Rush. Talk about family reunions that actually slap.
In true Phats style, the new album promises fast, filthy grooves built for grimy basement parties and after-hours raves where the only dress code is less clothing, more sweating.
If you’re even half serious about your ghetto house education, you’ll want this record locked and loaded for summer 2025. Trust.
Full Tracklist:
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Social Media
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Bend On Over
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Phats Arcade
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Make It Work (Ghetto House Mix)
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We Jukin Over Here
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Ghetto Shit
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I Wanna Slut (Rework) (Rave Mix)
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I Wanna Slut (Rework) (Ghetto House Mix)
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Back In The Day (Rework) (Rave Mix)
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Back In The Day (Rework) (Ghetto House Mix)
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Feels Great (Rework)
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Juke Shawty (Bonus) (DJ DEEON REWORK)
Degenerate Trader's Take:
If DJ Phats' new album were a shitcoin, it would have been stealth-launched in the most ratchet Telegram group imaginable, mooned overnight, and crashed because everyone got too sweaty dancing to cash out properly. Not financial advice, but: buy high, sweat harder.