One of the most sonically intense albums to date from Aesop Rock – a set that matches his ever-sharp rhymes with the sorts of musical settings that really live up to the spirit of the title! The vocals come on with this really crispy sort of edge – partly the production, partly the ... read moreCD
(Blue colored polycarbonate CD pressing and with stickers!)
A career-spanning set of work from the Beastie Boys – one that features tracks from both their Def Jam and Capitol/Grand Royal years – in a way that really shows the continuing evolution of their sound! The tracklist is great – classics from every generation, and the kind of cuts ... read moreCD
A solo set from once and hopefully future half of Outkast Big Boi – and he delivers big here for Def Jam – classic Outkast level excellence from Sir Lucious Leftfoot! Production by Organized Noize, Scott Storch, J Beattzz, DJ Cutmasta Swiff and others, many songs with co-production ... read moreCD
The classic first solo album by Big L – with bedrock DITC production by Buckwild, Showbiz and Lord Finesse – perfectly framing the rhymes by Harlem's finest. Big L didn't leave a huge wealth of recordings before he was taking away from the world, but he started out strong, and this ... read moreCD
A solid, relatively underappreciated effort from Bishop Nehru and MF Doom – one we appreciate even more with bit of time on its side! Doom is more or less focused on the production side on this one while the former handles the majority of the rhymes – and having arrived at a time when ... read moreCD
The legendary debut of Black Moon – and a landmark indie hip hop classic from the early 90s east coast scene! Beloved by the deeper digging hip hop heads back in the day, and making a few waves commercially with the singles "Who Got Da Props" and "I Got Cha Opin", this ... read moreCD
Black Rock & Ron —
Stop The World ... CD RCA/Get On Down, 1989. New Copy ...
$6.9914.98
The rare, late 80s gem from Black Rock & Ron – dedicated to and featuring production by the late, great Paul C McKasty – along with some production by Jazzy Jay and Skeff Anselm. You can hear Paul C's influence in the edits, the tightness of the beats and the layering and chopping ... read moreCD
The title might seem familiar – given that Blundetto's first album was called Bad Bad Things – but this record really shows a strong evolution of his sound over the ten years since that release – the shifting sense of sound between hip hop, global roots, and more dynamic elements ... (New Grooves, Hip Hop)read moreCD
Tracks include "Lock & Load", "Never Scared" feat Killer Mike & TI, "Back Up" feat Dru, "Grippin The Grain" feat Lady Ice & Marcus, "Puttin In Work" feat David Banner & Lady Ice, "Getting It (Get Dat Money)" feat Jack Frost ... read moreCD
(Enhanced CD pressing. Barcode has a cutout hole, booklet has a small promo sticker.)
Nice mid period effort from the blast master. Includes "Blackman In Effect", "Ya Know The Rules", "Beef", "House Niggas", "100 Guns", "Ya Strugglin", "Breath Control II", "Edutainment", "The Homeless", "O ... read moreCD
A selection of late 80s South Bronx Teachings – classic Boogie Down Productions circa Criminal Minded! South Bronx Teachings focuses soundly on the class of '87 – so you get fistful of the Criminal Minded cuts and a few other blasts from KRS-One & Scott La Rock, nicely paced over ... read moreCD
The funky titans are at it again! "Deuces Up, Double Down" is a killer new track from the group – an original tune written by drummer Miles Tackett, with a heavy scattershot beat at the bottom, and lots of loud, fast, honking horns over the top. The guitar player's licking away at ... (Deep Funk, Hip Hop)read moreCD
Includes "Just Begin" feat Raz Fresco, "Flute" feat Joey Bada$$ & CJ Fly Of Pro Era, "Clear Light" feat Chelsea Reject, "Red Alert", "We In Here" with David Dallas, "The Choice", "This Is My World" feat Steele of Smif N ... read moreCD
Classic minded but truly fresh duo hip hop from the Chuck Inglish and Mikey Rocks, aka the Cool Kids – billed as an EP, but a pretty generous one at 10 tracks and more than a half hour in length – a strong hint that these Kids are going to make a huge splash! The Cool Kids produce ... read moreCD
(Out of print.)
Curren$y & Harry Fraud —
Director's Cut ... CD SRFSCHL, 2021. New Copy ...
$14.9915.98
Hard to believe this is the fifth project together between Curren$y and Harry Fraud – and definitely a standalone project, despite what you might guess from the title! The album was originally supposed to be a deluxe take on Outrunners, but the duo are so quickly collaborative, they ended up ... read moreCD
Curren$y & Harry Fraud —
Outrunners ... CD SRFSCHL, 2020. New Copy ...
$13.9915.99
Curren$y and production partner Harry Fraud, outrunning a lot of their peers, even on relatively low key sets like Outrunners – with Curren$y's laidback flow in as fine of form as ever – and Fraud's production honestly rock solid track for track! The set is filler free and faultless, ... read moreCD
Cypress Hill's debut masterpiece – one of the biggest and best first albums in 90s hip hop – in cased here in skull for its 25th Anniversary! There's little we can add to the canon when it comes to describing this album's impact, but it's still pretty revelatory. Like other west coast ... read moreCD
(Note: Outside box has some very very light wear – but otherwise everything else is in great shape!)
Some of Blue Note's hippest tracks of recent years get the remix treatment – in a strong set of modern hip-hop meets jazz grooves that are put together by DJ Smash! There's a total of 14 tracks in all – some exclusive to the set, a few others pulled from hard to find 12" singles ... (New Grooves, Hip Hop)read moreCD
Peven Everett & Upper Esh —
Star Studded ... CD Satelite Soundscape, 2003. New Copy ...
$11.9913.99
A wicked blend of hip hop and underground soul from Peven Everett and Upper Esh – warm Peven-styled beats and keys underneath, and rhymes by Asian A and Pretty Toan over the top! If you dig Peven's self-produced albums, you'll find plenty in here to like – as a lot of the tracks have ... (Neo Soul, Hip Hop)read moreCD
Freddie Gibbs & Alchemist —
Alfredo ... CD ESGN, 2020. New Copy ...
$11.9912.99
Freddie Gibbs's gradual ascent to the upper echelon of modern hip hop – and his impeccable choice in production partners, this time working from beginning to end with long serving beat king The Alchemist – shows no signs of slowing down! Lyrically, Freddie is riffing on mob lore on ... read moreCD
These guys are known by some as the backing band of Anderson.Paak, but they're a hell of a group on their own – rock-solid right at the core, and able to effortlessly craft a sweet blend of funk and soul – yet also leave room for plenty of guests along the way! The musicianship here is ... (Neo Soul, Hip Hop)read moreCD
Frighty & Colonel Mite —
Life ... CD Profile, 1990. Used ...
Just Sold Out!
Includes "Life (Is What You Make It)", "Ragamuffin Girl", "My Baby Just Cares For Me", "Realize", "Can You Handle It", "Maximum", "I Know You Know", "Don't Go" and "Jah Put It Deh". (Reggae, Hip Hop)CD
(Out of print.)
Jahari Massamba Unit (Madlib & Karriem Riggins) —
Pardon My French ... CD Madlib Invazion, 2020. New Copy ...
$12.9915.99
A tremendous collaboration between Madlib and drummer Karriem Riggins – both artists who are great enough on their own, but who really hit some new territory in this funky instrumental project! Riggins plays live drums, and Madlib throws in all this other instrumentation that really changes ... (Deep Funk, Hip Hop)read moreCD
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 – ... read moreCD
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 ... read moreCD
Kazi & Madlib —
Blackmarket Seminar ... CD Below System (Netherlands), 1996/2021. New Copy ...
$14.9915.99
A rare studio set from Kazi and Madlib – recorded way back in the mid 90s, but with the kind of crispy intensity that would make Madlib so influential for years to come! The title and the occasional skits on the set refer to a search for a "blackmarket seminar" – an ... read moreCD
A legendary record from KMD – one that languished unreleased for far too long! Black Bastards has few tracks the maintain the jazzier sound of the first album, but they're mostly coming a little bit rawer, perfectly balancing their earlier style that gritty early 90s hip hop vibe. As solid as ... read moreCD
A second volume of classic LL Cool J cuts – from benchmark mid 80s jams produced by Rick Rubin to the best of his mid 00s cuts – stellar cuts all the way, be they trailblazing old school classics or unpretentious, well crafted mainstream ear candy. LL has done it all, All World Volume ... read moreCD
One of the early classics on Stones Throw! Don't judge this book by it's cover – we'll award this one corniest LP cover art of the year, but the music is still straight, produced by the infamous Madlib, one of underground's most respected producers. Combining all the earlier singles like ... read moreCD
Madlib/Kieran Hebden —
Sound Ancestors ... CD Madlib Invazion, 2021. New Copy ...
$12.9915.98
A hell of a collaboration – core sounds by Madlib, which are then re-arranged by Kieran Hebden – at a level that seems to open up new dimensions in both artists! The sound is definitely Madlib's, but there's also a sense of majesty that seems to flow through the whole thing – ... read moreCD
Raw crackling hip hop funk beatcraft at its deepest from mighty Madlib – working in his Beat Konducta style for this third entry in the epic Madlib's Medicine Show Series! Beat Konducta In Africa is a hazy hip hop instrumental set from 'Lib (lest you thought it might be a funky compilation ... read moreCD
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 ... read moreCD
Low Budget Hi Fi Music from Madlib – the eleventh entry in his epic Madlib's Medicine Show series – 28 tracks of hip hop unofficially dubbed the Dirty Demos! The set feature sample enriched instrumentals by Madlib as Loop Digga and collaborations with Strong Arm Steady, J Rocc, Madlib ... read moreCD
Beats and mixes by Madlib & rhymes by unnamed rappers – an unplanned appendix to the Madlib Medicine Show series – The Black Tape! Number 13 finds Madlib flipping the script on the hip hop DJ mix racket – applying his deep-digging, adventurous style to rhymes by a broad ... read moreCD
Madvillain (Madlib & MF Doom) —
Madvillainy ... CD Stones Throw, 2004. Used ...
Just Sold Out!
A Stones Throw sci-fi masterpiece – one that was destined for greatness from conception, but we're still pretty well blown away by the final product! MC Doom and beatmaster Madlib couldn't be better suited for a collaboration. As much as we've dug the best of Doom's material of the last ... read moreCD
Marcelo D2's still looking for the perfect beat, but this time around he's got some great help in his search – a list of heavy duty guests that includes Seu Jorge, Miriam Aydar, Medaphor, Roberto Sa, and Marcos Valle – each of whom get a chance to add strongly to a track on the album! ... (Brazil, Hip Hop)read moreCD
This album was produced entirely by Kutmasta Kurt, featuring rhymes by Kool Keith and Motion Man. Yep, ANOTHER Kool Keith project! This one has it's hilarious moments, as they all do, but Kutmasta Kurt's the star of the show this time around, with head nodding production throughout. Includes ... read moreCD
(Out of print.)
Mister T —
Big Day ... CD Cold Busted, 2015. Used ...
$4.99
Remixes of tracks from Ill Suono, Pepe California, Busdriver, Her Space Holiday, Mia Doi Todd, The Free Design, The Postal Service, Clearlake, Build An Ark, Presto, and more. CD
No lyrics, no overdubs, just 74 minutes of wall to wall beatbox. CD
(Out of print.)
Pete Rock & The Soul Brothers —
Petestrumentals 3 ... CD TruSoul, 2020. New Copy ...
$12.9915.98
Killer funky work from Pete Rock – a set that's still rooted in the hip hop traditions he helped form over the past few decades, but which also has a strong degree of instrumental funk as well! Pete did the set with the Soul Brothers quartet – a great group with riffing guitars, funky ... read moreCD
A big step forward for Psalm One – possibly the best female MC in Chicago – featuring some of best production we've heard by a number Chi hip hop figures – all of which is to say her sophomore album and debut for Rhymesayers is a damn fine effort all around! We were impressed by ... read moreCD
PE's third LP, and their last with full on Bomb Squad production. With classics like "Fight The Power", "Burn Hollywood Burn", "Welcome To The Terrordome", "Power To The People", "911 Is A Joke" and the title track. CD
Public Enemy gave us plenty of knowledge and power back in the day – and we maybe need their message more than ever in 2020 – a year that marks their return to their original home at Def Jam! The group have help from plenty of guests here – maybe more so than they would have had ... read moreCD
Who is this man, yoy might ask? It's John Robinson, a stellar MC with a busy, thoughtful and dexterous mic flow – who's had this tight album finished since 2004, and it's only now seeing the light of day in the US! It may have languished due to the usual politics of the business, but in ... read moreCD
(Produced by MF Doom.)
Roforofo Jazz —
Fire Eater ... CD Office Home (France), 2021. New Copy ...
$19.99
A French group, fronted by an MC from Chicago – working here in a style that's every bit as striking as the cover! The core sounds blend together older Afro Funk elements with jazz – in a groove that's nice and lean, and which provides a really unique setting for the rhymes of Days ... (Global Grooves, Hip Hop)read moreCD
The massive third album from Run DMC – made at the top of their game – a pivotal effort that brought them to peak popularity and helped break hip hop in a huge way in the pop culture landscape! Part of the album's strength is its guitar-heavy sound on some of the grooves – ... read moreCD
The classic self-titled debut LP from Run-DMC – one that not only changed hip hop, but much of modern pop and rock forever! There's little we can add to the canon for this record, but the way Run-DMC ushered in a new era in contemporary urban culture, a harder hitting style of rap that ... read moreCD
A fantastic meeting of the minds – as director Jim Jarmusch makes a film that's a nod to the old martial arts films of the 70s that inspired the Wu-Tang Clan in their music – and RZA gets a chance to contribute to the soundtrack, with help from the Clan as well! The music is maybe the ... read moreCD
A smoking Rhymesayers debut from Sa-Roc – one of the most inventive female MCs of the past decade, and an artist who just continues to explode with fresh energy on each new release! The album's mostly produced by Sol Messiah – Sa-Roc's longtime musical partner, and a talent who really ... read moreCD
(Nice package – gold-laminated sleeve, and 16 page booklet!)
A smoking Rhymesayers debut from Sa-Roc – one of the most inventive female MCs of the past decade, and an artist who just continues to explode with fresh energy on each new release! The album's mostly produced by Sol Messiah – Sa-Roc's longtime musical partner, and a talent who really ... read moreCD
(Nice package – gold-laminated sleeve, and 16 page booklet!)
Tracks include "PSK- What Does It Mean?", "Gucci Time", "Put Your Filas On", "Saturday Night", "Dedication To All B-Boys", "Fat Gold Chain", "Parkside 5-2", "B-Boy Rhyme & Riddle", "Smoke Some Kill", " ... read moreCD
A fantastic second album from Chicago's Sen Morimoto – and, like the first, a set that really moves beyond simple definition! Sen's got years of experience in jazz and rock – and those elements come into play with his hip hop production, in ways that make for a real genre-crossing ... read moreCD
Slum Village teams up with the hip hop-reared jazz funk collective Abstract Orchestra for this worthy revisit/live band rework of the legendary Fantastic Vol 2 – a soulful Detroit hip hop classic and a vital piece of the late great J Dilla's legacy! A few cuts have prominent vocals, others ... read moreCD
An orchestral homage to Dr Dre spearheaded by Brooklyn's Sylvester Onyejiaka, aka Sly5thAve – fleshing out hooks and melodies from throughout Dre's career, from classic singles to deep cuts, into large scale jazzy soul – with a stellar roster of guests including Mark De Clive-Lowe, DJ ... (Deep Funk, Hip Hop)read moreCD
Classic Boot Camp hip hop from the Clik's peak era – with timeless production by Da Beatminerz. Stark, hard hitting beats of forthright rhymes from the heart of the mid 90s – such a classic era for hip hop in general, and this one strands strong even in such impeccable company! It might ... read moreCD
A sweet set from Sulu & Excelsior – essentially the solo project of singer, rapper and trumpet player Steven "Sulu" Mallorca despite the sprawling sound and stylistic breadth – with influences that stretch from classic Motown, to late 60s funk, to live horn-backed hip hop ... (Neo Soul, Hip Hop)read moreCD
Super Smoky Soul —
Cycling ... CD Circulations (Japan), 2007. Used ...
$9.99
The beats have Super Smoky Soul all right – but they're also loaded with atmospheric instrumental hip hop and headnodding funk! The Tokyo based production duo of Super Smoky Soul blend a solidly funky beat with off kilter samples, cosmic keys and layers of off kilter elements around the ... (New Grooves, Hip Hop)read moreCD
(Out of print, includes obi.)
Three Wize Men —
GB Boyz ... CD Rhythm King (UK), 1988. Used ...
$1.99
... CD
(Out of print, booklet has some very light staining, noting major.)
Too Short's third album for Jive and sixth overall, still riding at a near peak level, since Born To Mack and Life Is...pretty much made a legend while still in his early 20s! A few tracks have the same dark humor as the above mentioned classics, but he takes a turn into seriousness on "The ... read moreCD
Tribe Called Quest —
Anthology ... CD Jive, 1990s. Used ...
$4.99
Tracks include "Check The Rhime", "Bonita Applebum", "Award Tour", "Can I Kick It?", "Scenario", "Buggin' Out", "If The Papes Come", "Electric Relaxation", "Jazz (We've Got)", "I Left My Wallet In El ... read moreCD
Beats, Rhymes & Life – crucial aspects of Tribe Called Quest and hip hop in general – and the fourth album by the inimitable Tribe! After a couple or three years of down time following Midnight Marauders, the Tribe returned with this extra stripped down sound, collaborating with ... read moreCD
The last Tribe Called Quest LP – one of those "end of an era" type experiences for sure – and record that was fairly slept on it the time given the dizzying heights of their earlier record – and holds up today as an essential! The tracks are all produced by The Ummah ... read moreCD
(Barcode has a cutout hole.)
Twilite Tone —
Clearing ... CD Stones Throw, 2020. New Copy ...
$9.99
A really great Stones Throw debut from Twilite Tone – a Chicago beatmaker who's been one of our local heroes for years, and who finally gets the wider exposure he's deserved for way too long! Tone's done some big name work for Common, Kanye, and others – but here, he's very much at ... read moreCD
Ultramagnetic MCs —
Four Horsemen ... CD Wild Pitch/JCOR, 1993. Used ...
Just Sold Out!
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 ... read moreCD
Dr Cornel West gathers hip hop, soul and nusoul stars – as a loose collective going by the moniker Black Men Who Mean Business – including appearances Talib Kweli, Rhymefest, Malik Yusef, Prince, Black Thought, Andre 3000, Jill Scott, KRS One and more! The production is mostly credited ... read moreCD
(Out of print, digipack case has some edgewear & a sticker over the barcode.)
The full length debut of the Yancey Boys – Frank Nitt & Illa J – the former of the venerable duo Frank N Dank, the latter J Dilla's rhyme centric younger brother – who come together with the dual purpose of keeping J Dilla's production pedigree alive, and to simply deliver ... read moreCD
Throw away all your 70s electric funk records – because the classic sound is back, and fresher than ever! Yesterday's New Quintet is a side project from hip hop producer Madlib – and the group's firmly steeped in a love of the mellow funky sound of 70s labels like Kudu and CTI. Vibes ... (Deep Funk, Hip Hop)read moreCD
We weren't certain whether this dope little compilation qualified as a soundtrack or not, but we are certain it might as well be considered THE soundtrack to the first half of the oughties, with the cream of the Stones Throw stable lacing this collabo with the Adult Swim network with pure niceness ... read moreCD
J-Rocc takes on Jazzman Records – the mighty mixer from Stones Throw, handling a host of rare funk and soul gems from previous Jazzman reissues! The set's very heavily mixed – so that J-Rocc's really going to town with the rare singles included – cutting them up, spinning them ... (Funky Compilations, Hip Hop)read moreCD
A great collection of tracks from the documentary on the man behind Mo Wax Records – Unkle/James Lavelle – an artist in his own right, and a creative force who helped shape the sound of a generation! The package includes not only some key cuts from the Mo Wax catalog, but also tunes ... (New Grooves, Hip Hop)read moreCD
Manchester has got to be one of the hippest cities on earth – or at least it would seem that way, because the folks at the city's Fat City record shop keep turning out excellent funky compilations like this one! The set's like the best ones on the label in the past – a genre-blending ... (Funky Compilations, Hip Hop)read moreCD