Hip Hop — CDs  

The stellar remix version of DJ Shadow's early 00s masterpiece Private Press – made for the Japanese market and never released in the US – featuring remixes, b-sides and more – with mixes or appearances by Unkle, Roots Manuva, Mos Def, Z Trip and others! 14 tracks in all: "Six Days (Soulwax mix)", "GDMFSOB" (Unkle Undcensored) feat Roots Manuva, "Walkie Talkie" (extended radio edit), "Six Days" (rmx) feat Mos Def, "Mashin On The Motorway" (radio edit), "Right Thing" (Z-Trip 'Get The Party Off Mix' In Three Parts) and more. CD is enhanced, featuring videos for "Walkie Talkie" and "Six Days".

A great set of archival DJ Shadow instros from the early-to-mid 90s – from back when his primary means of production was the Akai MPC sampler – along with his endless arsenal of vinyl and limitless creative inspiration! This is formative, but essential material for fans of classic Shadow. It's a superior follow up to the 4 Track Era compilation, and a solid blueprint for his very best work to come! This is all previously unreleased, and it was produced from 1992 to 1996 – which is the period that beat heads and leftfield hip hop production historians outta know culminated in the release of the classic Endtroducing album. That said, this is not a set of Endtroducing leftovers – it's strong, original and legacy-building instrumental work from a crucial period – assembled by the man himself! 24 tracks on the CD. Includes "Intropy (Original Version)", "Vee In Detroit", "Alright", "Don't Try It", "Falling Up", "Aye", "Britty But Magic", "Atmospheric Disturbances", "Quickstep", "Freddi's Popcorn", "From The Old School", "Mystical With Solo", "Fast Rap Fanfare" and more.

Ghostface Killah and Adrian Younge team up for this intriguing collaboration – one with a promising concept and they deliver on it in full – shadowboxing their way to a knockout! On the mic tip, Ghostface is in his comfort zone here – spitting lyrics laced with martial arts, mafia and supernatural imagery – and doing so with a furious flow and peak precision. Adrian Younge and his Venice Dawn group lay down the sounds – with dusty soul and funk, naturally – but what really pushes this one to a superior level are the unpredictable and ingenious nods to 70s Italian film scores, particularly in the giallo genre. Spooky, echoey keyboards and occasional angelic female backing vocals elevate the vibe and balance the grit. 12 tracks and no filler: "Beware The Stare", "Rise Of The Black Suits", "I Declare War" with Masta Killa, "Blood On The Cobblestones" with U-God & Inspectah Deck, "Rise Of The Ghostface Killah", "Murder Spree" with U-God, Masta Killa, Inspectah Deck and Killa Sin, "Enemies Around Me" with William Hart of the Delfonics, "The Sure Shot (Parts 1 And 2)", "Twelve Reasons To Die" and more. 2CD deluxe edition includes the full instrumentals on disc 2!

A Shaolin hip hop essential! Heavy numerological rhymes, and the best production on any Wu project (still to this day, even). Probably our favorite LP in the entire Wu pantheon, and next to Enter The Wu Tang and a few of the other firstline efforts, it's a work of greatness from start to finish. 14 tracks on the original classic album: "Labels", "Cold World", "Shadowboxin", "Liquid Swords", "Living In The World Today", "Killah Hills 10304", "Investigative Reports", "Gold", "Duel Of The Iron Mic", "4th Chamber", "Hell's Wind Staff", "Unexplained", "Swordsman" and "I Gotcha Back". Chess Box edition also includes the full instrumentals on a bonus CD, plus extended liner notes – and a miniature chess set!

Ghostface Killah and Adrian Younge team up for this intriguing collaboration – one with a promising concept and they deliver on it in full – shadowboxing their way to a knockout! On the mic tip, Ghostface is in his comfort zone here – spitting lyrics laced with martial arts, mafia and supernatural imagery – and doing so with a furious flow and peak precision. Adrian Younge and his Venice Dawn group lay down the sounds – with dusty soul and funk, naturally – but what really pushes this one to a superior level are the unpredictable and ingenious nods to 70s Italian film scores, particularly in the giallo genre. Spooky, echoey keyboards and occasional angelic female backing vocals elevate the vibe and balance the grit. 12 tracks and no filler: "Beware The Stare", "Rise Of The Black Suits", "I Declare War" with Masta Killa, "Blood On The Cobblestones" with U-God & Inspectah Deck, "Rise Of The Ghostface Killah", "Murder Spree" with U-God, Masta Killa, Inspectah Deck and Killa Sin, "Enemies Around Me" with William Hart of the Delfonics, "The Sure Shot (Parts 1 And 2)", "Twelve Reasons To Die" and more.