CD version of the 2 LP companion to Ego Trip's Book of Rap Lists. They did a good job of including a lot of amazing old school tracks (1983-1989) that maybe not everyone knows about – but should, including some that are nearly impossible to find on 12". Every track here is worth it, and most haven't been on other compilations. Tracks include "Holy War (Live)" by Divine Force, "My Mic Is On Fire" by Lord Shafiyq, "Marly Marl Scratch" by Marly Marl featuring MC Shan, "Get Retarded" by MC EZ & Troup , "Get Down Grandmaster" by Grandmaster Caz, "Step Up Front" by Positive K, "This Cut's Got Flavor" by Latee, "Droppin' It" by Bizzie Boyz, "I'm Not Playing" by Ultimate Force,"Do It! Do It!" by Alliance, "Brooklyn Blew Up The Bridge" by MC Mitchski, and "Beat Bop" (full 10-minute version) by Rammelzee vs. K-Rob. CD

With a remix of "Ego Trippin (Part 2)" from the Buhloone Mindstate album plus two 12-inch only bonus tracks – "Ego Trippin (Part 3)" and "Lovely How I Let My Mind Float" featuring Biz Markie, both produced by Prince Paul. And if the music wasn't nice enough, the cover is done up in the style of one of those early 80's hip hop flyers. 12-inch, Vinyl record

A lasting classic from Digable Planets, and a record that really helped push the bar forward for hip hop at the time – at a level that's still kept this one strong all these many years later! Digable Planets weren't the first group to bring in some influence from jazz to their work – but they definitely found the right balance here, and a way of setting things up that was real and organic, instead of maybe just a nodding reference to the past that always felt a bit out of place. The use of live instrumentation next to samples is also key to the record's sound – common now, but pretty important at the time, especially in a world of declining sample access. The trio of Butterfly, Ladybug, and Doodlebug have a wonderful way of tripping through the lyrics – and titles include "The May 4th Movement Starring Doodlebug", "Black Ego", "Dog It", "Jettin", "Borough Check", "Highing Fly", "Dial 7", "The Art Of Easing", "KBs Alley", "Graffiti", "Blowing Down", "9th Wonder", and "For Corners". LP, Vinyl record album

Formative Madlib beatcraft – music made by 'Lib from 1990-2000 – crafted into a tight full length album that feels as fresh as ever! History Of The Loop Digga features funky hip hop instrumentals made at a time when he was producing underground beat tapes for himself and the Crate Diggas Palace crew of MCs. Raw Madlib hip hop beats from the early days with spackled with bits of vocals from Madlib & his Quasimoto alter ego, Declaime and others, plus mad vocal samples. At the core, it's excellent leftfield hip hop productions that aptly predicts for the unbridled genius to come, mixed in 2010 and feeling very much of the here and now. 34 shortish tracks on the 2LP version for more than an hour of modern vintage Madlib. Titles include "Static Invazion", "Stakeout", "Rapper X Radio", "Last Day's Music", "Nothing For Nothing", "Live From Outer Space", "Further Adventures Of Walkman Flavor", "Real Days" "CDP Assassins" (Pts 1-6) and a slew of untitled episodes. LP, Vinyl record album

El-P and Killer Mike finally deliver a killer duo record! We knew that this one would be a win, considering how great the El-P produced RAP Music album by Killer Mike turned out to be, how versatile the El-P futuristic production vibe is and how timelessly inventive each rapper is on their own. They didn't team-up to coast on their reputations, though, as Run The Jewels is nearly as great as anything either one has done in the preceding couple of years. Includes "Run The Jewels", "Banana Clipper" feat Big Boi, "DDFH, "Sea Legs", "No Come Down", "Get It", "Twin Hype Back" feat Prince Paul as his Handsome Boy alter-ego Chest Rockwell, "A Christmas F**king Miracle" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Nice comp of old school cuts including "PSK What Does It Mean?" by Schoolly D, "Ego Trippin" by Ultramagnetic MCs, "Rockin It" by Fearless Four, "Body Rock" by Treacherous Three, "Going Way Back" by Just Ice, "Bring The Beat Back" by Steady B, "Girls I Got 'Em Locked" by Super Lover Cee & Casanova Rud, "Stick 'Em" by The Fat Boys, "Def Fresh Crew" by Roxanne Shante and Biz Markie, "It's My Beat" by Sweet Tee and Jazzy Joyce, "Peter Piper" by Run DMC, and "Fresh" by Fresh 3 MCs. LP, Vinyl record album

An insanely wonderful record from De La Soul – a set that's sometimes eclipsed by its legendary precursors, but which would easily stand as the best record in the catalog by any other group! Prince Paul's production is impeccable – leaner than before, likely due to new restrictions on samples – but with a focus that really hones in on the incredible word play that De La have developed even more strongly than before! That strong sense of whole album presentation the group really helped forge in hip hop is definitely in place here – on titles that include the classics "Ego Trippin' (Part 2)" and "Breakadawn", "Eye Patch", "En Focus", "Patti Dooke", "I Be Blowin'", "3 Days Later", "Area", "I Am I Be", "In The Woods", and "Stone Age". LP, Vinyl record album

A lasting classic from Digable Planets, and a record that really helped push the bar forward for hip hop at the time – at a level that's still kept this one strong all these many years later! Digable Planets weren't the first group to bring in some influence from jazz to their work – but they definitely found the right balance here, and a way of setting things up that was real and organic, instead of maybe just a nodding reference to the past that always felt a bit out of place. The use of live instrumentation next to samples is also key to the record's sound – common now, but pretty important at the time, especially in a world of declining sample access. The trio of Butterfly, Ladybug, and Doodlebug have a wonderful way of tripping through the lyrics – and titles include "The May 4th Movement Starring Doodlebug", "Black Ego", "Dog It", "Jettin", "Borough Check", "Highing Fly", "Dial 7", "The Art Of Easing", "KBs Alley", "Graffiti", "Blowing Down", "9th Wonder", and "For Corners". CD

The MC Gift of Gab serves your ears melodic, driving, challenging wordplay at it's best on this album from the Quannum Projects label out of the Bay Area, who brought you DJ Shadow and Latyrx. The jazzy, soulful, reflective, bouncing music is entirely produced by DJ Chief Xcel and features cameos by Lyrics Born and Lateef from Latyrx on two separate tracks ("Do This My Way" and "Smithzonian Institute Of Rhyme", respectively.) It also includes the single "Deception" and the tracks "Searching", "The Fabulous Ones", "A To G", "Cliff Hanger", "Shallow Days", "Ego Trip By Nikki Giovanni", "You Didn't Know That Though", "Trouble (Eve Of Destruction)", "Reanimation", "Beyonder", "Making Progress", "Sleep", and more. CD

The first Clipse album to see release – and a neo-electro/drug rap/crossover hip hop masterpiece produced by the Neptunes – the debut LP on their own Star Trak label. Malice and Pusha T arrive as smooth, confident rhymers with plenty of standout moments, while the Neptunes reach an early production peak. The Neptunes' fingerprints are evident on just about every second of every track, but it doesn't diminish the role of the rappers in the least. This is a true hip hop record from beginning to end, something the 'tunes had shied away from around the same time with the hard rockin' NERD and their more pop-oriented productions. We thought from the first needle drop that this was a record we'd be able to come back to for years and years and years, and that indeed holds true! Tracks include "Young Boy", "Ma, I Don't Love Her" featuring Faith Evans, "Ego", "Comedy Central" featuring Fabulous, "Gangsta Lean", "Let's Talk About It" featuring Jermaine Dupri, and more. CD

A lasting classic from Digable Planets, and a record that really helped push the bar forward for hip hop at the time – at a level that's still kept this one strong all these many years later! Digable Planets weren't the first group to bring in some influence from jazz to their work – but they definitely found the right balance here, and a way of setting things up that was real and organic, instead of maybe just a nodding reference to the past that always felt a bit out of place. The use of live instrumentation next to samples is also key to the record's sound – common now, but pretty important at the time, especially in a world of declining sample access. The trio of Butterfly, Ladybug, and Doodlebug have a wonderful way of tripping through the lyrics – and titles include "The May 4th Movement Starring Doodlebug", "Black Ego", "Dog It", "Jettin", "Borough Check", "Highing Fly", "Dial 7", "The Art Of Easing", "KBs Alley", "Graffiti", "Blowing Down", "9th Wonder", and "For Corners". LP, Vinyl record album

A sharp Statement Of Intent from DJ Format – whose format is timeless boombap and deft live instrumention on this solid set – which includes collaborations with Sureshot La Lock, Phill Most Chill, Nostalgia 77 and others! Classic craft, though timelessly inventive. The spacey sci fi funk of the Nostalgia 77 collabos is as hot as you'd expect, as are the other diverse sounds at play here. Includes "Staetement Of Intent", "A Quick Ego Trip", "Dope Pusher" and more with Sureshot La Rock, "Spaceship Earth" feat Edan, "Notes In Quotation" and "The Long Goodbye" feat Nostalgia 77 Quintet, "Terror" feat Mr Lif, "Beyond Disco" with The Simonsound, "Live At The Place To Be" with Phill Most Chill & Sureshot La Rock and more. LP, Vinyl record album

An insanely wonderful record from De La Soul – a set that's sometimes eclipsed by its legendary precursors, but which would easily stand as the best record in the catalog by any other group! Prince Paul's production is impeccable – leaner than before, likely due to new restrictions on samples – but with a focus that really hones in on the incredible word play that De La have developed even more strongly than before! That strong sense of whole album presentation the group really helped forge in hip hop is definitely in place here – on titles that include the classics "Ego Trippin' (Part 2)" and "Breakadawn", "Eye Patch", "En Focus", "Patti Dooke", "I Be Blowin'", "3 Days Later", "Area", "I Am I Be", "In The Woods", and "Stone Age". CD

A stunning surprise from Andre 3000 – at least if you only know him as part of Outkast – and a record that finally gives us an audio document of the sounds that Andre has really been involved with in recent years – a beautiful blend of spiritual jazz with mellower currents, aided here by some members of the contemporary LA scene! There's a resonance here with some of the more laidback projects on the International Anthem label, and with the work of Carlos Nino – and no surprise, Nino is on board to deliver great production work throughout, and co-produced the album with Andre too. Andre delivers a lot of work on flute, as hinted at by the cover – and also serves up beautiful sounds on wind controller too – as the set moves between contributions from other artists who include Nate Mercereau on guitars, and Diego Gaeta and Surya Botofasina on keyboards – as well as guest vocals from Mia Doi Todd on two tracks, and shakuhachi from Shabaka Hutchings on one more. Titles include "That Night In Hawaii When I Turned Into A Panther & Started Making These Low Register Purring Tones That I Couldn't Control", "Ninety Three Til Infinity & Beyonce", "Dreams Once Buried Beneath The Dungeon Floor Slowly Sprout Into Undying Gardens", "Ants To You Gods To Who", and "I Swear I Really Wanted To Make A Rap Album But This Is Literally The Way The Wind Blew Me". (Jazz, Hip Hop) CD

A stunning surprise from Andre 3000 – at least if you only know him as part of Outkast – and a record that finally gives us an audio document of the sounds that Andre has really been involved with in recent years – a beautiful blend of spiritual jazz with mellower currents, aided here by some members of the contemporary LA scene! There's a resonance here with some of the more laidback projects on the International Anthem label, and with the work of Carlos Nino – and no surprise, Nino is on board to deliver great production work throughout, and co-produced the album with Andre too. Andre delivers a lot of work on flute, as hinted at by the cover – and also serves up beautiful sounds on wind controller too – as the set moves between contributions from other artists who include Nate Mercereau on guitars, and Diego Gaeta and Surya Botofasina on keyboards – as well as guest vocals from Mia Doi Todd on two tracks, and shakuhachi from Shabaka Hutchings on one more. Titles include "That Night In Hawaii When I Turned Into A Panther & Started Making These Low Register Purring Tones That I Couldn't Control", "Ninety Three Til Infinity & Beyonce", "Dreams Once Buried Beneath The Dungeon Floor Slowly Sprout Into Undying Gardens", "Ants To You Gods To Who", and "I Swear I Really Wanted To Make A Rap Album But This Is Literally The Way The Wind Blew Me". (Jazz, Hip Hop) LP, Vinyl record album

The Neptunes' first release as NERD! The music and verses are completely different from their big hits productions for others in the early 00. All these years later, we're still not sure what they're up to here – are they serious and making music they love or thumbing their noses at the music industry with a huge inside joke? Either way, it's good to hear some dope original hip hop that doesn't fit into any of the normal club/radio/underground/abstract hip hop categories. Includes "Lapdance", "Things Are Getting Better", "Brain", "Provider", "Truth Or Dare" (feat. Kelis & Pusha T), "Tape You", "Run To The Sun", "Baby Doll", "Am I High" (feat. Malice), "Rock Star", "Bobby James", "Stay Together". NOTE: This is the "Live" US version with a nice range of styles – with live band accompaniment by the band Spymob – and sounds from a lighter funky soul style, to rough, guitar and drums heavy rap rock (in a good way – not that played out, rap metal way). CD

The mid 90s debut of San Diego MC Jayo Felony – with gritty street centric rhymes and a flow that falls comfortably between the laidback and more manic styles of period west coast gangsta rap of the period. Take A Ride is extra notable for a prominent behind the scenes figure – the legendary Jam Master Jay – working here as a producer in a style that's far removed from the vibe he pioneered in Run-DMC's a decade + earlier! Includes "Lock Down", "The Loc Is On His Own", "I'ma Keep Bangin'", "Homicide", ":Love Boat", "Sherm Stick", "Day 1", "Can't Keep A Gee Down", "Penitentiary Bound", "They Got Me On Medication", "Funk 2 Da Head", "Take A Ride". LP, Vinyl record album

Aggro experimental hip hop and fiercely creative noise from Death Grips – their first for Epic Records – and it's still one of the most surprisingly uncompromising, genre-defying records to get a major platform at the time! The way the group splices scattershot yet momentum-building beats with rawly shouted, yet hip hop-rooted rhymes makes them impossible to categorize, but it's truly gripping stuff. Includes "Get Got", "The Fever", "Lost Boys", "Blackjack", "Hustle Bones", "System Blower", "The Cave", "F*** That", "Punk Weight" and "Hacker". (Rock, Hip Hop) CD

A stone classic from People Under The Stairs – a record that not only stands as some of their strongest work on wax, but which undeniably helped a lot of the west coast find a way forward after too many years stuck in the shadow of thuggish posturing! The set bristles with the kind of inventive production and lyricism that would unfold on the west coast in years to come – upbeat and positive at points, but without ever sounding weak, commercial, or watered down. The balance is key – and is what makes the record endure so strongly as the years go on – and tracks include "The Suite For Beaver parts 1 & 2", "OST(Original Soundtrack)", "Tales Of Kidd Drunkadelic", "Keepin It Live", "Empty Bottles Of Water", "The Outrage", "The Hang Loose", "The Double K Show", "Montego Slay", "8 Is Enuff", "The L.A. Song", "Acid Raindrops", "The Joyride", "The Breakdown", "The Dig", and "The Heat". LP, Vinyl record album

The most uncategorizable grooves in the canon of Guillermo Scott Herren – his Rhodes, Wurlitzer, and otherwise keys-and-drums centered Piano Overlord guise – and a collection of rare vinyl singles cut from 03-05! Maestro Scott wrote, plays, and produced all the tracks – done with lots of keys, drums and samples – and range from abstract atmospherics to a more rollicking, beat driven approach. Tracks include "Walk Home", "Another Marion B Moment", "Spring's Arrival", "Spring's Demise", "Agorophobia", "Recuerdas?", "Stay Home", "Intermission Thing", "Running JCH For All His Beats And Jewels", "Triste Maita", "You Stole My Stereo Outro", "Diplo Electric Manatee Final Mixdown", "The Overlord Meets The Adventure Time In Sleepy Keys", "Agorophobia (Count Bass D interpretation)" and "No Community (Blu Jemz K Kings version)". (Deep Funk, Hip Hop) CD

The missing piece of the epic Madlib's Medicine Show series – No 9 in the eclectic soundscape architects year-long effort to release full length albums on a near-monthly basis ended up following No 11, but the collaboration with MC Frank Nitt is worth the wait! Nittyville is funky hip hop excellence that's, in a way, one of the most straight-forward entries in the series. Solid wordplay delivered sharply by Nitt and funky Madlib production that's framed to suit. That said, 'Lib's an adventurous cat, so even as straight up hip hop it's challenging convention at every turn. The sorta concept of the album is that it's Channel 85 is running a show called Nittyville, with a support cast that includes Oh No & MED. Includes "Nittyville (The Landing)", "So Beautiful (Dues Paid)", "Stageridin", "Jus Follow", Eyegotcha", "What Can U Tell Me" feat MED, "Red Light Green", "Set It Off" and more. LP, Vinyl record album