Art Of Noise —
Daft ... CD ZTT, 1983. Used ...
$5.99
A brilliant collection of work from the earliest and greatest years of Art Of Noise – sessions recorded during 1983, at a time when Trevor Horn and Paul Morley were still key members of the group – and when AON was working in a groundbreaking use of sound samples, beats, and other bits ... (Soul, Hip Hop)read moreCD
A long overdue retrospective of the amazing run of 90s classics by Pete Rock and CL Smooth – a CD only set, but whatayagonnado? The set is a pretty great compendium of the best parts of The All Souled out single/ep, Mecca And The Soul Brother, The Main Ingredient, Pete's Soul Survivor LP, ... read moreCD
The raw, gritty modern east coast classic from The UN – featuring Roc Marciano, Dino Brave, Mike Raw, and Laku – who we first heard as a unit on Pete Rock's Petestrumentals set before delivering this underground gem in the early 00s! Includes "Buildin", "Mind ... read moreCD
A fresh serving of genius from Madlib – served up here in yet another manifestation of the Yesterday's New Quintet combo! Sound Directions have a groove that's quite similar to YNQ, but which focuses a bit more on the skittish percussion of Otis Jackson and "Sloppy" Joe Johnson ... (Deep Funk, Hip Hop)read moreCD
A nice compilation of rare beats from the Lord Finesse archives – made up of beats he made back in the early 90s blueprint era! It's that near-perfect mix of golden age, gritty beatcraft that's stood the test of time incredibly well – crafted with the trusty SP-1200 drum ... read moreCD
The first full-length from Mos Def and Talib Kweli together as Black Star – a benchmark moment in hip hop history, and one of the finest duo vocal hip hip records of the 90s – and one of the best ever on Rawkus! In hindsight, it's all the more rewarding given Talib Kweli's longevity in ... read moreCD
One of the most unified albums we've ever heard from Greyboy – an excellent little set that perfectly bridges his two loves of funk and hip hop! The core style is in the hip hop-infused mode of earlier years – with lots of programming and scratches by Greyboy himself – but there's ... (Deep Funk, Hip Hop)read moreCD
20th anniversary edition of the classic first solo album by Big L! It's got 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 ... read moreCD
(20th Anniversary edition with expande liner notes, rare photos in a 72 page hardcover book!)
The real sound of the old school, and the best beats from the streets – the kind of early underground hip hop tracks that still sound wonderful after all these years! These are tracks from the earliest years of the style – when funk was as much a part of the music as lyrics – and ... (Funky Compilations, Hip Hop)read moreCD
Instrumental versions of 12 tracks from the Deltron 3030 album, with a new remix of "Turbulence" by Mark Bell, plus "3030", "Memory Loss", "Madness", "Love Story", "Mastermind", "Time Keeps On Slipping", "Positive ... read moreCD
(Includes slipcase. Out of print.)
Jay-Z —
Blueprint ... CD Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam, 2001. Used ...
$4.99
Ok, it's not underground at all, but to our ears this is one of the best LP's of 2001. The only commercial LP with true hip hop production (he could afford to pay for the samples...) and honestly, better production than most underground LP's. (The only unfortunate thing about the LP is that as ... read moreCD
A hell of a comeback for Tribe Called Quest – maybe one of the best musical comebacks ever, and a fantastic reminder of why we loved the group so much in the first place! 18 years have passed since we last heard from the trio (now, sadly, a duo) – and that time only seems to have ... read moreCD
A recommitted Jay-Z is back on his game with American Gangster – referencing the '07 film in spots, but this is no soundtrack – it's a return to solid hip hop from the biggest name in the game! American Gangster takes a couple minutes to get rolling, but once the hard hitting "Hell ... read moreCD
Excellent cuts from Pugs Atomz – one of Chicago's longtime hip hop champions! This set of bright, largely uptempo soulful tracks were cut over the past couple years – including one produced by the mighty Hi Tek, plus production by Colin Response & Big D– and appearances by ... read moreCD
A win for wily hip hip mainstay Big Boi's growing legacy as a solo star! The onetime more subtly innovative half of the Outkast – subtle as compared to Andre 3000's more flamboyant presence, anyway – succeeding mightily out front now, backed with solid, wisely timeless Organized Noize ... read moreCD
(Small cutout hole through CD case and tray card.)
On his second solo LP, KRS wisely brings in producers Premier, Diamond D, Showbiz and others to liven things up. Except for "Free Mumia", less politics than his earlier LPs. 14 tracks including "MC's Act Like They Don't Know", "Rappaz R N Danja", "Represent the ... read moreCD
Biggie's masterpiece! There's very little we could possibly say about this east coast landmark that isn't already etched in stone in the annals of hip hop history. Biggie's a master storyteller, whether he's spinning tales of violent street nihilism, his skills beneath the sheets, or blistering ... read moreCD
As with the other Rawkus compilations, you probably know already how dope this is, and the list of MC's and producers on these 20+ tracks says it all. Common Sense, Mos Def, Pharoahe Monch, Diamond D, Q-Tip, High & Mighty, Shabaam Sahdeeq, Prince Paul, Reflection Eternal, Bahamadia, and more. ... read moreCD
Nice one from 1996! Contains the great cut "The Bizness", with a guest appearance by Common and "Big Brother Beat" with help from Mos Def. Other cuts include "Supa Emcees", "Itzsoweezee", and "Betta Listen". CD
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
A mindblowing debut from Cybotron – one of the most unusual groups to ever hail from Detroit – and that's saying a hell of a lot, given the musical legacy of the city! Cybotron have a sound that's starkly electronic, and a huge influence on later electro, hip hop, techno, and house ... (Soul, Hip Hop)read moreCD
3rd album by the man who put Chicago on the map as a hip hop center. 2 albums strong, and with a lot of guest appearances by folks like De La Soul, Q-Tip, Chantay Savage, Erykah Badu, and Cee-Lo. No I.D. produced most of this, and a few tracks were done by Doug Infinite. Includes "1 '2 ... read moreCD
A record that no hip hop home should be without – the one and only album from Main Source, but a set that's more than strong enough to stand next to the best from contemporaries like De La Soul, Tribe Called Quest, and Black Sheep! Like all three of those groups, these guys have a way of ... read moreCD
Paid In Full, indeed. Eric B & Rakim's seminal album still pays off in so many ways, and it was such a vital link between the party rockin' style of the old school and the terse, hard-hitting beats and rhymes of what was then the new school, we can't even come up with the words for the praise ... read moreCD
Let's face it, you're not buying an album entitled "B!tch Betta Have My Money" for lyrical depth. For better or worse, this one's earned its place in the hip hop history books, and we'll be the first to prop up "Vertical Joyride" as a funky guilty pleasure, and guaranteed floor ... read moreCD
(Out of print, traycard artwork has some light staining.)
Includes "Resurrection" with Masta Killa, "He Got Game", "Unstoppable" with KRS-One, "Is Your God A Dog", "House Of The Rising Son", "Politics Of The Sneaker Pimps", "Go Cat Go", "What You Need Is Jesus", "Game ... read moreCD
The 2008 mixtape that launched modern rap icon Danny Brown – given the deluxe treatment here for this 2014 edition – featuring a bonus instrumentals CD. Includes "Leve One", "Dance", "What's Up Doe", "Swagger To The Max", "Rese-Vor Dogs" ... read moreCD
It seems like when this came out, critics, and even DJs liked to drop the term "Trip Hop" whenever possible, and this album was held up as the watershed mark. A few years down the line and it still holds up, but as an instrumental hip hop LP, as much as a rock album (Shadow's gone on to ... read moreCD
El Michels return again to the Wu-Tang chambers – and the results this time might even be better than before! Wu-Tang forged their initial sound out of a love of offbeat samples and unusual funk – so it's only fitting that one of the hippest funk groups around strip the music right ... (Deep Funk, Hip Hop)read moreCD
A sweet little groover of an instrumentals set from Chicago's Thaione – a newer version on CD! April January is a mellow, trippy, sampledelic platter of soundscapes from start to finish, cut with some nice dialogue samples that set the cool, cool vibe very nicely. All told, it's a jazzy, ... read moreCD
"This here is the victory lap," raps Hove midway through The Black Album, his supposed career-capper (for this stage, anyway), and if nothing here immediately dazzles us to the core the way the best of his past singles have done, overall this is probably the most consistent front-to-back ... read moreCD
17 tracks, plus the intro, almost all produced by KRS-One: "Double Trouble", "Nine On My Mind", "Own Destiny", "Crazy", "Bad Luck", "Real Ting", "Body & Shape", "Baby Father" and "Stop Dat Sh*t". CD
(Out of print, small amount of writing in pen inside booklet.)
Pure wonderfulness from Internet – a group who seem to bound forward strongly with each new release! These guys are easily one of the most compelling mainstream soul acts we can think of – still very lean, and working with an indie-level vibe – but also able to focus in on hooks ... (Neo Soul, Hip Hop)read moreCD
Karriem Riggins —
Headnod Suite ... CD Stones Throw, 2017. New Copy ...
$10.9911.98
A set that's got a lot more going on than you might expect from the "headnod" title – as Karriem Riggens is at his most dynamic here – offering up way more than just the hip hop instrumentals promised by the album's cover sticker! There's definitely a hip hop aesthetic in ... (Deep Funk, Hip Hop)read moreCD
One of those rare moments where a mainstream hit goes onto preface years of creative talent to come – even though the whole thing might have seemed like a bit of a one-off at the time! The young Will Smith is fantastic as the Fresh Prince – full of charm, at a level that really upped ... read moreCD
Slick Rick's first solo album and of the front-to-back hip hop albums of the late 80s Def Jam prime era – up there with the best ever! MC Ricky D introduced the world to a whole new rap style on Doug E Fresh's "The Show" and by the time this album dropped the world was more than ... read moreCD
(Comes a big, nicely done "childern's book" illustrating the classic "Children's Story".)
Cavanaugh (Open Mike Eagle & Serengeti) —
Time & Materials ... CD Mello Music Group, 2016. Used ...
$6.99
Two of post millennium indie hip hop's most distinctive rhyme stylists – Open Mike Eagle and Serengeti – teaming up as Cavanaugh, and it's as inspired of a project as we'd hoped! There's a dark, hazy mood here – particularly in the thick waves of synth in the production, but the ... read moreCD
Chicago beatmaker Maker's third trip through the Now Again catalog the craft his own heady hip hop instrumentals – and it's the farthest reaching, funkiest yet! Give a no nonsense producer the keys to a vault as deep as Now Again's – rich with drum heavy funk, fuzzy psych, and heady ... read moreCD
Classic Boogie Down Productions circa '89 – with prime street poetry from KRS, perfectly raw beats and overall peak end of the 80s production! Blueprint is an apt title for a couple reasons – the beats aren't what we'd call spare, but they're raw and unvarnished – a perfect ... read moreCD
A fresh EP from feverishly creative moodscape & beatcrafter Flying Lotus! FL has been on such a furious win stream in the late 00s, it's tough to keep up with him, but that's a good thing – pretty much everything he puts out is of such consistently forward progressing quality. If you're ... (New Grooves, Hip Hop)read moreCD
Tracks include "Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)", "Ride Or Die", "Can I Get A..." with Amil & Ja Rule, "Money, Cash, Hoes" with DMX, "It's Alright" and "Coming Of Age (The Sequel)" with Memphis Bleek, "Money Ain't A Thing", ... read moreCD
Fudge (Prefuze 73 & Michael Christmas) —
Lady Parts ... CD Lex, 2016. Used ...
$3.99
A tight duo venture from producer Prefuze 73 and rhymer Michael Christmas! Prefuze 73 has been exploring all kinds of abstract production ideas for years, usually carrying his tired-and-true sputtering beats and tripped out atmopsherics, but his straighter hip hop productions really tighten things ... read moreCD
Del Tha Funkee Homosapien, Kid Koala, and Dan The Automator pool their skills for this dawn of the 2000s sci-fi hip hop classic – the masterful Deltron 3030! The guest list is almost too long to get into, but Money Mark, Prince Paul, PB Wolf and Mr. Lif are all here, along with many others. ... read moreCD
DJ Shadow at his most stylistically sprawling –doing his thing as distinctively as ever, unpredictable from one track to the next, but very much himself whether it's a sample and scratches cut reminiscent of the Entroducing era or beats-enriched avant jazz or keyboards-heavy tracks! Lots of ... read moreCD
(Still has the sticker and stencil sheet!)
DJ Krush —
Holonic ... CD Mo Wax (UK), 1998. Used ...
$9.99
A great mix album where Krush revisits his classic tracks from the Mo Wax years in a non stop set that also features short vocal cameos from MCs, producers and graff writers like Stash, Futura 2000, Finsta Bundy, DJ Cam and Shawn J Period, and some nice turntable antics from Krush himself. ... read moreCD
(Out of print.)
Kendrick Lamar —
DAMN. ... CD Aftermath/Interscope, 2017. New Copy ...
$14.9915.98
DAMN!, indeed – Kendrick has yet to take even a small step down from the creative peak he's been riding for years – and takes another daring step forward with this strong, strident, no-mess-taking classic in the making! The surprise-announced DAMN! finds him taking on timely concerns ... read moreCD
A collection of Unwrapped "flips" in the Hidden Beach Presents Unwrapped series – Back 2 Basics for lucky number 7 in the series – in which producer & songwriter teams up with a group of players to cast some classic and neo classic hip hop as jazzy soul instrumentals! ... (Neo Soul, Hip Hop)read moreCD
Heavy beats and funky grooves from DJ Cam – recorded back in his more formative years, when his sound was rougher, and more "in the crates"! The album's got a great mix of open-ended samples and jazzy instrumentation – sounding almost like early Greyboy work, but without as ... (New Grooves, Hip Hop)read moreCD
(Out of print special silk-screened edition.)
DJ Krush & Toshinori Kondo —
Ki-Oku ... CD Instinct, 1998. Used ...
$6.99
While most collaborations between hip hop producers and jazz players have been mediocre at best, neither really being able to get invloved enough in each other's music, this collaboration between Kondo and Krush is almost entirely successful. Kondo's played in just about every style from all out ... read moreCD
The first full-length from Mos Def and Talib Kweli together as Black Star – a benchmark moment in hip hop history, and one of the finest duo vocal hip hip records of the 90s – and one of the best ever on Rawkus! In hindsight, it's all the more rewarding given Talib Kweli's longevity in ... read moreCD
A moody, uncompromising album of experimental, yet accessible and downright hypnotic textures from Prefuse 73 – with less fractured, stuttering beatcraft and more spacious, droning atmosphere! It's pretty tripped out stuff for a record as Prefuse 73, which makes it all the more rewarding. A ... read moreCD
A brilliant set of early 80s post-punk club tracks – from those magical crossover years on the New York scene! The set focuses on stuff that got a fair bit of play at the Mudd Club in NY, and that wasn't out of place at the Danceteria or the original Limelight either. And while some of the ... (Funky Compilations, Hip Hop)read moreCD
The loopy West Coast classic! Heavily steeped in the P-Funk party vibe, Del's first LP is still a hip hop holy grail. Ice Cube's production is a nice snapshot of west coast hip hop circa '89, and Del's style is inimitable. Standouts Mistadobolina" and "Ahonetwo, Ahonetwo" are ... read moreCD
Formative Dilla beats – raw SP-1200 and Akai MPC material created and cataloged by the legendary producer over the years and served as blueprint/building blocks for some of his most revered productions throughout his career! This being the work of master, it doesn't play like a mere beat ... read moreCD
Diminishing Returns finds DJ Shadow in his element – nothing but live mixer madness and scratchy hip hop production genius – originally broadcast on the BBC's Radio-1 in March 2003, laid out in it's entirety, including John Peel's adulatory intro! 80 minutes of DJ Shadow doing what he ... read moreCD
One of the best hip hop albums of all time – given the remastered, deluxe edition treatment! In 1994 when everyone seemed to be turning hardcore, Common Sense wasn't having it. Introspective tales of growing up and living on the South Side that fit perfectly with No ID's mellow production ... read moreCD
(A beautiful box set edition of one of greatest hip hop albums of the past 20 years!)
The first of a proposed trilogy from Chi's Lupe Fiasco – and his first official independent album after stepping away from Atlantic! Lupe had concerns over the major label system stifling his creativity, so it should be no surprise that he's as lyrically-focused and deeply thoughtful as ever ... read moreCD
Old school, true school, golden age, random rap, west coast, east coast, independent, southern, and midwestern hip hop -- as well as some commercial classics!
Art Of Noise —
Daft ... CD 
