In the tradition of the Molemen and All Natural, another nice one from the Chicago underground. "Think U Jammin'?" uses a killer organ bassline and DJ Diamond Kut cutting up a line from Steady Serv's classic "You Know The Time" for the chorus, and of course straight up dope hip hop verses. 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

A long-delayed album from Main Source – one that was recorded back in the early 90s, but never really saw the light of day until 5 years later – a record that features a revised version of the group, but still working with all the best energy that made them so wonderful on their debut! Large Professor is out, but Mikey D does a mighty nice job as the MC – working with cuts that are mostly produced by K-Cut, with a few more by Sir Scratch – all sharing that lean love of key samples and laidback vibes that make Main Source such a standout act, even all these many years later! The style here is almost a refinement of the Native Tongues approach, taking things to a core, while also adding a bit of NYC street to the mix – on titles that include the classic "Set It Off", plus "F*ck What You Think", "Down Low", "What You Need", "Where We're Coming From", "Hellavision", and "Diary Of A Hitman". CD features the bonus track "Breaking It Down". CD

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

A really cool mixing of modes that comes of even better than we might have expected – rhymes from Lou Piensa of the group Nomadic Massive, set to backings from Brazilian group Mental Abstrato – in a way that creates a very cool hybrid of sounds! This isn't the Brazilian hip hop that we knew from years back – and Lou's not afraid to step aside and let the group take over at times – so that the record is less of a straight hip hop album than you might expect, with some soulful vocals at times that are equally as nice as Lou's. Mental Abstrato bring in all sorts of very cool elements to the music – bossa guitar, cuica, percussion, and plenty more – and the set also features guest work from Dayme Arocena, Fabriccio, Jorge Du Peixe, and Kamau – on titles that include "Mountain Top", "Piensa", "Bom Balanco", "Still In Transit", "Be", "Voltar Para Voce", "Last Train", "A Cidade", and "Space Cuica". (Brazil, Hip Hop) CD

The 7" single debut of two tracks from these Oakland underground legends! The Action Packed Gangsters deliver a nice lean groove for "Takin It To The Streets" – a mix of skittish beats and spare bassline that really serves things well lyrically, and which almost has an early Philly hip hop vibe! "Daily Routine" has that classic "Think" groove kicked up more, which does plenty for the lyrical power of the tune too! Both cuts great – and well-deserving of this treatment. 7-inch, Vinyl record

A heady duo, working here with a boundless sense of depth – Steeltipped Dove on production, Fatboi Sharif on vocals – all operating with the sort of bleak sensibility that you might expect from the cover image! Dove has outdone himself with experimental production – and even among the darker territory of the Backwoodz label, the set's got a sonic intensity that's mindblowing – almost avant at points, with all these edges and unsettling elements that many other producers might do well to study! Titles include "Ash Wednesday", "Phantasm", "East Hollywood", "Measuring Spoon Techniques", "Think Pieces", "Kingdom", "Boogie Monster", and "The 6th Floor". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic masterpiece from J Dilla – a record that set the tone for countless hip hop releases in years to come – but which still shows Jay Dee as one of the smartest, sharpest, most forward-thinking producers to rule the roost! The set's got some incredible live instrumentation – lots of funky drums from Karriem Riggins, and a wealth of Fender Rhodes and other keyboards from Dwele – two artists brought along from the Detroit underground by Dilla, in a lineup that also includes work from Frank N Dank, Blu, Phat Kat, and Beej. The whole thing is fantastic, this amazing blend of instrumentals and vocal numbers that show that hip hop had plenty of new territory to open up in the 21st century – on titles that even include tributes to some key inspirations – like "African Rhythms" (Oneness of Juju), "Brazilian Groove" (Earth Wind & Fire), and "Think Twice" (Donald Byrd). The whole thing is classic – and other cuts include "Rico Suave Bossa Nova", "Shake It Down", "Give it Up", "The Clapper", and "Come Get It". CD

Moor Mother continues to blend genres and come up with one that's all her own – a unique space between soul and poetry, music and message, all with a vibe that's unlike anything else we can think of! This set may be Moor Mother's heaviest to date – an unflinching examination of colonization, slavery, and their legacy on the human condition – served up in darkly textured soundscapes, layered voices, and instrumentation that goes beyond recognition – with key guest work from Lonnie Holley, Kyle Kidd, and Alya Al-Sultani. Titles include "All The Money", "Guilty", "Liverpool Wins", "Spem In Alium", "South Sea", "Compensated Emancipation", and "Death By Longitude". (Neo Soul, Hip Hop) CD

Moor Mother continues to blend genres and come up with one that's all her own – a unique space between soul and poetry, music and message, all with a vibe that's unlike anything else we can think of! This set may be Moor Mother's heaviest to date – an unflinching examination of colonization, slavery, and their legacy on the human condition – served up in darkly textured soundscapes, layered voices, and instrumentation that goes beyond recognition – with key guest work from Lonnie Holley, Kyle Kidd, and Alya Al-Sultani. Titles include "All The Money", "Guilty", "Liverpool Wins", "Spem In Alium", "South Sea", "Compensated Emancipation", and "Death By Longitude". (Neo Soul, Hip Hop) LP, Vinyl record album

Think you know hip hop records? Think again – because if you only know the commercially released and vocal versions of the material, then you only know half the story – because among true collectors, the instrumental wax can be even more in-demand! This book opens up that secret world of hip hop – by detailing rare instrumental versions of hip hop albums – some issued only as promotional items, some only as record club or online releases, and some as dodgy bootlegs from the underground! The book has page after page of these releases – with label scans of the original records, alongside other release information, and a very well-done review for each item – a brilliant book that will really open you up to a greater range of hip hop vinyl to collect. There's listings for about 200 different instrumental records, plus more images and other details in the book – and the whole thing even features a bonus CD of instrumental mixes! (Books, Hip Hop) Book

Tsutchie does a really wonderful job here – blending hip hop elements and some warmer melodic moments – all with a vibe that makes the Samurai Champloo soundtracks so unique! Think of a hip hop take on the instrumental music from a Studio Ghibli film, and you'll get part of the charm – but there's a lot more going on at the core – and at many moments, the simplicity of the sound is the real charm – as you'll hear on "Flip", "Mists", "Absolute", "Adapt Myself", "No Icon", "Stretch Out", "Tune", "Deeper Than Words", "Let Me Know What U Think", and "Strike Back". Azumi Riki of Small Circle Of Friends also makes an appearance on "Fly". LP, Vinyl record album

Sample funk spun from records rescued by The Numero Group – edited by white label production crew Shoes without Numero's consent – which was then seized by Numero at the pressing plant, they bootlegged the bootleg, and release it here legitimately as Eccentric Breaks & Beats! The breakbeat funk aware will recognize the packaging for its parody of the Ultimate Breaks & Beats series – and however you feel about the politics of grey market music – creatively, this thing is a total win! Numero takes such impeccable care with their reissues, from the masters to the notes and packaging, we actually never really thought of the music as sample material – funky as the funkiest of their ouvre is! That's a testament to the curators of Numero, as the singers, players and producers of the original material are of paramount importance and we think of them individually when we listen to those compilations. Shoes, on the other hand (. . .or foot), heard potential for hypnotic, swirling psych funk blends and spins an undeniably creative set to suit. Titles include "Give Me Another Day", "Not Ready For School", "John Goodman Is Too Cool To Cry", "Peopleibrium", "Feel What Lies Behind You", "Saving Mr Billy's Soul", "Cosmic Clock", "Which Jesus Am I", "Everything" and more. (Funky Compilations, Hip Hop) CD

A nice, moody hip hop/funk album from one of the deepest talents on the Stones Throw roster! Dudley came to underground hip hop fame as Declaime, but really stepped forward as a durable, innovative artist with the Dudley Perkins singles that have dropped thus far – and A Lil Light soundly delivers on that promise. It's all about mood – this may be the murkiest, most muddily funky thing Madlib has ever produced, with crackly, hissing beats, bass and samples. Dudley's vocals are about as far from the crooning NuSoul sound as you can get. He's grooves along with an improvised feel to the lyrics, loosely scatting in both a rolling deep bass and a soulful, nearly crying falsetto. The sound falls somewhere between the denser parts of D'Angelo's Voodoo and the spacier aspects of 70s soul and funk. Totally unique and satisfying – would you expect any less of Stones Throw? Tracks include "Money", the Sun Ra-inspired "Gotta Go", "You Really Know Me?", "Washedbrainsyndrome", "Flowers", "Just Think", "Yo' Soul", "Momma", "Lil' Black Boy" and more. CD

A classic masterpiece from J Dilla – a record that set the tone for countless hip hop releases in years to come – but which still shows Jay Dee as one of the smartest, sharpest, most forward-thinking producers to rule the roost! The set's got some incredible live instrumentation – lots of funky drums from Karriem Riggins, and a wealth of Fender Rhodes and other keyboards from Dwele – two artists brought along from the Detroit underground by Dilla. The whole thing is fantastic, this amazing blend of instrumentals and vocal numbers that show that hip hop had plenty of new territory to open up in the 21st century. This one returns the project to more of that pre-planned breakbeat feel. A stellar set, with lyrics, or without – one that laid the groundwork for Dilla's subsequent production aesthetic! Features great remakes of "African Rhythms" (Oneness of Juju), "Brazilian Groove" (Earth Wind & Fire), and "Think Twice" (Donald Byrd), plus the cuts "Y'all Ain't Ready", "Shake It Down", "Give it Up", "The Clapper", and "Come Get It", "Think Twice" and more! CD

Pick any 10 words out of any Outkast album description on our pages at random, and you'll see how dearly we've loved these boys throughout the years – but truth be told, deep down we didn't think that they would be able to pull off the double album/solo album project(s). We were seriously wrong – Speakerboxxx/Love Below is HUGE in every way, and both halves are great all the way through! If you were worried Big Boi's Speakerboxxx half would be lazy southern hip hop without Andre's freaky presence throughout, you can put those fears to rest right now. Speakerboxxx is a deeply soulful electro hopping pounder from front to back – every bit as innovative as Andre's half! Tracks include "Ghettomusick" (which features one of just two appearances by A3000 on the whole disc), "Bowtie" with Sleepy Brown, "Bust" with Killer Mike, "Church", "Tomb Of The Boom" with Konkrete, Big Gipp and Ludacris, "Flip Flop" with Jay-Z, "The Way You Move" and more. A lot of press has been given to the assumption that Andre 3000 has largely forsaken hip hop on his half (The Love Below) and has instead dived head first into cosmic future funk. Well, the rumors are true. There's lots of straight up jazz piano and horn bits on the Love Below, with Andre's half serious, half tongue-in-cheek romantic soul cabaret croon way over the top. It's steeped in the classic Outkast party vibe, but with lots of Sign Of The Times-era Prince (complete with androgynous distorted vocals), Parliament and Cameo thrown into the mix. Sick, energetic genius! Tracks include the deliriously great "Hey Ya!" single, "She Lives In My Lap", "Love Hater", "Happy Valentine's Day", "Roses", "Good Day, Good Sir", "Behold A Lady", "Pink And Blue", "Spread", "Dracula's Lady" with Kelis, and more. Who the hell knows what they can possibly do to surprise us after this – but wherever Andre 3000 and Big Boi go from here, they each have yet another classic in the discography! CD

Pick any 10 words out of any Outkast album description on our pages at random, and you'll see how dearly we've loved these boys throughout the years – but truth be told, deep down we didn't think that they would be able to pull off the double album/solo album project(s). We were seriously wrong – Speakerboxxx/Love Below is HUGE in every way, and both halves are great all the way through! If you were worried Big Boi's Speakerboxxx half would be lazy southern hip hop without Andre's freaky presence throughout, you can put those fears to rest right now. Speakerboxxx is a deeply soulful electro hopping pounder from front to back – every bit as innovative as Andre's half! Tracks include "Ghettomusick" (which features one of just two appearances by A3000 on the whole disc), "Bowtie" with Sleepy Brown, "Bust" with Killer Mike, "Church", "Tomb Of The Boom" with Konkrete, Big Gipp and Ludacris, "Flip Flop" with Jay-Z, "The Way You Move" and more. A lot of press has been given to the assumption that Andre 3000 has largely forsaken hip hop on his half (The Love Below) and has instead dived head first into cosmic future funk. Well, the rumors are true. There's lots of straight up jazz piano and horn bits on the Love Below, with Andre's half serious, half tongue-in-cheek romantic soul cabaret croon way over the top. It's steeped in the classic Outkast party vibe, but with lots of Sign Of The Times-era Prince (complete with androgynous distorted vocals), Parliament and Cameo thrown into the mix. Sick, energetic genius! Tracks include the deliriously great "Hey Ya!" single, "She Lives In My Lap", "Love Hater", "Happy Valentine's Day", "Roses", "Good Day, Good Sir", "Behold A Lady", "Pink And Blue", "Spread", "Dracula's Lady" with Kelis, and more. Who the hell knows what they can possibly do to surprise us after this – but wherever Andre 3000 and Big Boi go from here, they each have yet another classic in the discography! LP, Vinyl record album

If our jukebox was like this, we'd be rich! The compilation's a much-needed overview of the limited edition 45s issued by the Stones Throw label – a genre-busting blend of hip hop, deep funk, and turntable work – always exciting, and with a style that's unlike anything else we can think of! The package really offers a great sampling of the work on these hard-to-find singles – 22 ultra-hip titles that are as appealing to any fan of classic funk as they are a fan of underground hip hop. Titles include "Getcho Soul Togetha (part 2)" by Breakestra, "Rocket Ship" by Stark Reality, "Harlem River Drive Interlude" and "I Am Singing" by Yesterday's New Quintet, "My 2600" by Captain Funkaho, "Breaks Of Meditate" and "Chops & Thangs" by Beat Conductor, "Things Could Be Better" by Ernie & The Top Notes, "On Point" by Lootpack, "Poppin Popcorn" by The Highlighters, "Devotion 92" by Charizma & Peanut Butter Wolf, "Take Me" by Fabulous Souls, "Color" by LA Carnival, "Enter Ralph Wiggum" by A Trak, and "Place Your Bet" by Medaphor. CD

An underground soul gem from DJ Harrison – aka Devonne Harris – a set that features the man himself on all the instruments, served up in a lean take on classic soul modes of the 70s! Think of the record as a one-man effort to capture some of the charms of Curtis Mayfield or the Isleys – sometimes on short tracks that are more sketches of ideas, but woven together as a much larger whole that really bristles with color and imagination throughout! There's plenty of Fender Rhodes on the set, and Harrison's got this crackling vocal style that's instantly charming – on cuts that include "Cigarette Ember", "Chester Fields", "I Gotta Go To Work", "The Man", "Soul Food Nostalgia", "DayDreaming", and "Chinatown Bus". (Neo Soul, Hip Hop) LP, Vinyl record album

Think what you want about DJ Quik, the west coast hip hopper is a key part of the sound of his scene in the 90s – and also maybe one of the most dedicated to the legacy of old school funk as well! This album's overflowing with wonderful samples – work by Cameo, Parliament, One Way, Rick James, The Blackbyrds, and others – all wonderful choices from Quik in the studio, and a way to ground his sometimes-dated rhymes with a really classic vibe – so much so, the album's maybe even more enjoyable now from the perspective of time – as a filter of the 70s through a 90s west coast style! Titles include "Get At Me", "Diggin U Out", "Somethin 4 Tha Mood", "Tha Ho In You", "Summer Breeze", "Quik's Groove III", "Sucka Free" and "Keep Tha P In It". LP, Vinyl record album

A solid early 90s hip hop album, from the waning years of the Native Tongues. This one still takes us back with cuts like the singles "40 Below Trooper" and "My Jimmy Weighs A Ton". Also includes "Spark A New Flame", "All I Think About Is You", "Simple As That", "JB's Comin Through", and "For The Headz At Company Z". CD

A rock solid effort from one of the finer producers on Stones Throw at this stage in the label's esteemed history! If you expect 1988 to be throwback effort by the number title, think again, but he's not as predictable as that anyway. He sets an impeccable and unpredictable mood that stays rooted in adventurous instrumental hip hop – with tracks like "Learn" that feel like a contemporary instrumental hip hop take on late 70s Bob James jazz, to soaring hip hop soul with bright keys and vocal samples, even bits of 80s boogie funk that do feel at home on a record called 1988. Includes "Don't Be Afraid", "Do You", "Listen", "Makeitliveforever", "Be Safe", "Mindin' My Business" with Durand Bernarr, "Uonlygetone", "With (Reality)", "Awomanslifeislove", "Solivelive" and more. 22 tracks in all! LP, Vinyl record album