Hip Hop — All Formats  

Homeboy Sandman delivers a nicely gritty EP for Stones Throw – paying tribute not only to the legendary DJ Kool Herc in the title – and ultimately honoring blueprint, funky break beats era hip hop in general! Homeboy specifically names it after Kool Herc, but it's not a covers EP or collaboration – it's more to pay tribute to the era Herc personifies, albeit in a fresh contemporary way. Sandman's rhymes are as freewheeling and creative as ever, but he's showing a bit of verbal restraint here, and he's more about solidly matching the ompellingly gritty production by Rthentic – as opposed to taking the word count to a surreal level. Great stuff – and pretty generously packed for an EP. 8 tracks in all: "My Brothers", "Oh, The Horror", "Lonely People", "Dag, Philly Too", "Moon", "Men Are Mortal", "Peace & Love" and "I".

Instrumental versions of the Sex Style LP, from yet another of Kool Keith's personalities. With "Don't Crush It", "Sly We Fly", "Plastic World", "Still The Best" and "Keep It Real. . .Represent".

Dawn of the 80s party rap from Kool DJ AJ! "Ah, That's The Joint" is notable as an early Terry Lewis production, but what's really great about it is how brilliantly it rocks a 70s funk vibe underneath the vocals. The bass groove is unstoppable and the the beat is incredible – with benchmark rap style with call & response backup vox.

The instrumental companion to one of the prolific funky man's various incarnations of hip hop prankster. Tracks include "F-U M.F.", "27 Shots", "Operation Extortion", "Baddest MC", "I Don't Believe You", "Lived In The Projects", "Keith N Bumpy", "Shoes N Suits", "Back Stage Passes", "Mad Man Departure", and more.

Genius from the mind of Kool Keith aka Big Willie Smith aka Poppa Large aka Dr. Octagon. Since his days with Ultramagnetics, no one has mastered the abstract lyrical style like Kool Keith, self-proclaimed inventor of all rhyme styles. 20 tracks, with dope atmospheric features by the Automator and scratches by the legendary Q-Bert, including "Earth People", "No Awareness", "Technical Difficulties", "Blue Flowers", "A Visit To The Gynecologist" and "Bear Witness".

NYC features Kool G Rap and Jinx Da Juvenile. The flip features Flipmode Squad and American Cream Team.

Fat Joe's first LP – a very strong slice of east coast early 90s gangsta that's way stronger than the 14-year-olds who listened to Joe in the 00s will probably ever know. With quality production all the way through by The Beatnuts, Diamond D, Showbiz and Lord Finesse and scratches by Rob Swift and Rock Raider (Roc Raida). Features guest appearances by Grand Puba (that to our ears anyway, sound better than his solo stuff from that time), Diamond D, Kool G Rap, Apache, and King Sun. With the hits "The S**t Is Real", "Watch The Sound", "I'm A Hit That", "Flow Joe", "You Must Be Out of Your F***in' Mind" and eight more.

10 tracks, including "Puerto Rico/Black People", "Feel The Vibe", "You & You & You", "Boriquas On Da Set" (original and remix), "The Cypher Pt 3", "Know Da Game" and "Pay Ya Dues", featuring an all start cast of rappers, including Heltah Skeltah, Lost Boyz, Sadat X, Fat Joe, Craig G, Roxanne Shante, Biz Markie, Big Daddy Kane, Mobb Deep, Kool G Rap, Keith Murray, Busta Rhymes and the Cocoa Brovaz.

Hard to believe how important this soundtrack was, back in the day. One of the first good hip hop soundtracks, and a motherlode of great cuts like "Paid In Full (7 minute Cold Cut remix)" by Eric B & Rakim, "Butcher Shop" by Kool G Rap, "Colors" by Ice T, "Mind Is A Terrible Thing To Waste" by M.C. Shan, and "Go On Girl" by Roxanne Shante. More by Salt N Pepa, Big Daddy Kane, 7A3, and Rick James. Marley Marl produced the motherlode of these cuts, and this was the early days of the Cold Chillin/Warner alliance.

A nicely done compilation of the some of the best of Just-Ice – culled from the legendary Fresh, Warlock and Sleeping Bag recordings – a solid entry point for hardcore hip hop pioneer if you don't already own those records! Includes some the most legendary Mantronix productions, the best of the Just-Ice and KRS-One co-productions and a few of better cuts that Grandmaster Flash produced – and the 2CD set is sprawling enough to bring in some of better 12" versions, too! 23 tracks on 2CDs: "Cold Getting' Dumb", "Back To The Old School", "Latoya", "Gangster Of Hip Hop", "Going Way Back", "Freedom Of Speech", "Kool & Deadly", "The Desolate One", "Na Touch Da Just", "Way Back (We're Going)", "Cold Getting Dumb ('97 Remix)" and more.

A nicely done compilation of the some of the best of Just-Ice – culled from the legendary Fresh, Warlock and Sleeping Bag recordings – a solid entry point for hardcore hip hop pioneer if you don't already own those records! Includes some the most legendary Mantronix productions, the best of the Just-Ice and KRS-One co-productions and a few of better cuts that Grandmaster Flash produced – and the 2LP set is sprawling enough to bring in some of better 12" versions, too! 21 tracks on 2LP version: "Cold Getting' Dumb", "Back To The Old School", "Latoya", "Gangster Of Hip Hop", "Going Way Back", "Freedom Of Speech '88", "Kool & Deadly", "The Desolate One", "Na Touch Da Just", "Way Back (We're Going)" feat Chubb Rock, "Cool & Wicked" and more.

Sweet beats from this cool French duo – a pair who've got that same sort of genre-jumping quality we've loved in French grooves since the days of MC Solaar! The approach here is mostly hip hop, but there's strains of Neo Soul, jazzy funk, and more – shifting the vibe nicely from track to track, but always with a nicely cohesive feel. Some cuts – billed as "samba rap" or "rap bossa" – show a nice Brazilian influence – and titles include "Byrd", "Avolta", "Dance Me", "Kool Out", "Now That I Know You", "Oedeep", "One More Time", and "So Tired".

Featuring Kool & The Gang.

The classic, finally back in print on LP! The roots of Kool Keith's abstract poetical style are in evidence here in all it's brilliant glory, properly displayed without the smug hipster irony that makes so much of his latter day projects so off putting. Plus, the Ultramags had that amazing production by Ced Gee. This is still one of our all-time favorites late 80s new school hip hop albums. With "Watch Me Now", "Ego Trippin", "Ease Back", "Funky", "Kool Keith Housing Things", "Feelin It", "Ced Gee (Delta Force One)", "Traveling At The Speed Of Thought" and more.

Odd six track promo sampler from Epic. The best track here is "Rock On" from Funkdoobiest with a good combination of hyped vocals over mellow production. Also includes a short un-named verse from Kool G Rap. Other tracks: Mystidious Misfits "I Be", Vicious feat. Shyheim "Life Of A Shortie", Mista Grimm "Situation Grimm (acapella)", Dana Barros "Check It (acapella)".

A strong, well-assembled History Of Queensbridge – featuring rarities and freestyles from breakout hip hip superstars, blueprint era legends and longtime underground heavies alike – include Nas, Mobb Deep, Kool G Rap, Noreaga, Tragedi Khadafi, Cormega and more! Features MCs from Queensbridge proper and collabos with legends from elsewhere in and around NYC – and the titles include "Testaments" by Cormega, "Black Life" by Mobb Deep & ACD, ""Triple Threat" by Nas, Noreaga & Nature, "Holla Back To Dope" by Kool G Rap & Nas, "Freestyle S**t" by Cormega feat Busta Rhymes, "Real" by Tragedy Khadafi, 'Freestyle 1994" by Mobb Deep, "Gun Ring" by E Money Bags, "Thug Chronicles" by Kool G Rap & Havoc, "Betrayal" by Nature & Tragedy Khadafi and more. 20 tracks in all.

Double LP collection from 1987-88. Public Enemy "Don't Believe The Hype", EPMD "Strictly Business" (club mix), De La Soul "Plug Tunin", Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock "It Takes Two", Kool Moe Dee "Wild Wild West" (extended remix), Salt-N-Pepa "Push It" (remix), Run DMC "Run's House", and five more.

The best music in years from RZA – the man who introduced styliized martial arts soundtrack funk to hardcore hip hop – and the soundtrack to his own damn stylized martial arts film, The Man With The Iron Fists! Musically, it's top notch! RZA's wise enough to contemporize his tried-and-true style rather than revisit it – with swelling soul strings and a crisper sound than the dusty Shaw Bros-sampling Wu Tang sound of past endeavors –and he's joined by a diverse roster of guests that includes Ghostface, Raekwon and other Wu veterans, Kanye, MOP, Pharoahe Monch, The Black Keys, Corrine Bailey Rae, Danny Brown and many more! Includes "The Baddest Man Alive" with The Black Keys, "Black Out" with Ghostface, MOP & Pharoahe Monch, "White Dress" with Kanye West, "Rivers Of Blood" with Wu Tang Clan and Kool G Rap, "Chains" with Corrine Bailey Rae, "The Archer" with Killa Sin, "Just Blowin' In The Wind" with RZA and Flatbush Zombies, "Your Good Thing Is About To End" by Mable John, "Built For This" with Method Man, Freddie Gibbs & Streetlife" and more.

Holy cow! This is an original pressing of the last LP by the Ultramagnetics – on single vinyl, in a plain black sleeve with a sticker on the front. The last of the classic from the initial years of the Ultramagnetic MCs. The lyrics are still in the abstract style the Ultramags are famous for, but this time they're a little less manic – despite Kool Keith dropping his trademark madness. Ced Gee's production is still up to par to say the least – this one still sounds great! Tracks include "Two Brothers With Checks (San Francisco, Harvey)", "One, Two, One Two", "We Are The Horsemen", "Saga Of Dandy, The Devil & Day" (about Negro League baseball), "Adventures of Herman's Lust", and "Delta Force II." 14 tracks in all.

Genius from the mind of Kool Keith aka Big Willie Smith aka Poppa Large aka Dr. Octagon. Since his days with Ultramagnetics, no one has mastered the abstract lyrical style like Kool Keith, self-proclaimed inventor of all rhyme styles. 20 tracks, with dope atmospheric features by the Automator and scratches by the legendary Q-Bert, including "Earth People", "No Awareness", "Technical Difficulties", "Blue Flowers", "A Visit To The Gynecologist" and "Bear Witness".

Quality production all the way through by The Beatnuts, Diamond D, Showbiz and Lord Finesse, with scratches by Rob Swift and Rock Raider. Features guest appearances by Grand Puba (that to our ears anyway, sound better than his solo stuff from that time), Diamond D, Kool G Rap, Apache, and King Sun. With the hits "The S**t Is Real", "Watch The Sound", "I'm A Hit That", "Flow Joe", "You Must Be Out of Your F***in' Mind" and eight more.

Ahh, the glory days of the Native Tongues. Remember a time when dropping knowledge and keeping rumps bumpin' weren't mutually exclusive? This sophomore LP from the J Beez is a smorgasbord of funky breaks, jazzy samples and lyrical niceness from the golden era of hip hop. An unimpeachable hip hop classic that stands as one of our favorite records of the era. Disc one features the original album, which includes "Doin Our Own Dang", "J Beez Comin Through", "What U Waitin' 4", "Beyond This World", "Acknowledge Your Own History", "Sunshine", "Beeds On A String", "Done By The Forces Of Nature", "Kool Accordin 2 A Jungle Brother" and "Tribe Vibes". Disc two features an assortment of remixes, 12" edits and more classic and rare titles, one-time vinyl exclusives – most on CD for the first time! Also includes some unreleased Janatte Beckman photos from back in the day.

14 tracks: "Walk Real Kool", "Glooty-Us-Maximus", "Oregano Flow (gumbo soup mix)", "Fool Get A Clue", "Rumpty Rump", "Food Fight", "Future Rhythm", "Hokis Pokis (a classic case)", "We Got More", "Hella Bump", "Stylin'" and "Midnite Snack".

Ahh, the glory days of the Native Tongues. Remember a time when dropping knowledge and keeping rumps bumpin' weren't mutually exclusive? This sophomore LP from the Jay Beez is a smorgasbord of funky breaks, jazzy samples and lyrical niceness from the golden era of hip hop. 16 tracks, including interludes and such, with "Doin Our Own Dang", "J Beez Comin Through", "What U Waitin' 4", "Beyond This World", "Acknowledge Your Own History", "Sunshine", "Beeds On A String", "Done By The Forces Of Nature", "Kool Accordin 2 A Jungle Brother" and "Tribe Vibes".

The first new solo effort from Wu Tang gamer Masta Killa in a few years – and a timeless bit of raw, soul sample-based hip hop from one the more underappreciated Wu MCs! It's thankfully light on guest rappers – save for an appearance by Kurpupt and a vault verse from ODB, Masta Killa is the only voice. Production by Mathrmatics, 9th Wonder, Koolade, Inspectah Deck and others. Includes "Soul & Substance", "R U Listening", "Things Just Ain't The Same", "What U See", "Divine Glory", "All Natural", "Wise Words", "Dirty Soul", "Cali Sun" with Kurupt and more.

The first new solo effort from Wu Tang gamer Masta Killa in a few years – and a timeless bit of raw, soul sample-based hip hop from one the more underappreciated Wu MCs! It's thankfully light on guest rappers – save for an appearance by Kurpupt and a vault verse from ODB, Masta Killa is the only voice. Production by Mathrmatics, 9th Wonder, Koolade, Inspectah Deck and others. Includes "Soul & Substance", "R U Listening", "Things Just Ain't The Same", "What U See", "Divine Glory", "All Natural", "Wise Words", "Dirty Soul", "Cali Sun" with Kurupt and more.