Legendary jazz & hiphop fusionists Us3 return with single ‘Cool Cat’
Legendary jazz and hip-hop fusionists Us3 are back with a fun tongue & cheek anthem called “Cool Cat”, the debut single from their highly anticipated upcoming album Snap, Crackle & Bop! that harkens back to the 90s era with a revamped energy.
Throughout the 1990s, genre-blending pioneers Us3 ruled the charts with their signature fusion of jazz and hip-hop. From the U.K. to Japan, the U.S. to New Zealand, their sound became a global fixture—“Cantaloop (Flip Fantasia)” in particular became the unmistakable soundtrack of an era and was heard everywhere from grocery stores to college house parties.
After a long hiatus away from the spotlight, Us3 broke the silence in 2025 and re-emerged with an all-instrumental album entitled Soundtrack, this time fusing contemporary trap beats with an 18-piece horn section, playing arrangements largely influenced by the work of (Miles Davis collaborator) Gil Evans.
Now in 2026, Us3 return to more familiar hip-hop-jazz ground with a much anticipated new album out in the Autumn. MC Akil Dasan is the sole vocalist throughout, and Us3 regular sidemen Ed Jones (sax & flute), Bryan Corbett (trumpet & valve trombone), and Mike Gorman (keyboards) all return to the party. Us3 head honcho Geoff Wilkinson is at the production and mixing helm, holding things together in his own unique style.
“Cool Cat” kicks things off with a Jimmy Smith-influenced organ, guitar and big band horns vibe, augmented by both contemporary hip hop beats and finger snapping grooves that capture the track’s effortless swagger. The accompanying music video further amplifies the song’s playful energy and stylish aesthetic. “The jazz influence is also prevalent in the video” says Wilkinson, “through the artwork of the modernist painter Stuart Davis and the graphic design & movie title sequences of Saul Bass, particularly his work for several Alfred Hitchcock movies”.
Us3’s legacy arouses a cross-cultural hip-hop and jazz dialogue that remains as vital today as ever, pulling influences in from decades of musical experimentation. Wilkinson says “When I was a kid, my mum always used to say ‘Life is a journey not a destination’, and this is another big road trip!”
“Cool Cat feat. MC Akil Dasan” out digitally on June 12th 2026 on Us3
