Featuring Jay-Z. (Soul, Hip Hop) 12-inch, Vinyl record

The legendary unreleased LP album from Large Professor – recorded for Geffen in the mid 90s, finally seeing official release by Large Professor's own Paul Sea Productions! It's a solid effort, with a vibe that for some reason wasn't speaking to Geffen brass at the time, but it stands up now as a pretty faultless example of solid blueprint beatcraft by one of the scene's pioneers. Some of the production is laidback and jazzy, some has a more booming bass beat, and LP's rhymes are tailored nicely to his beats. Titles include "That Bulls**t", "Hungry", "I Juswanna Chill", "Funky 2 Listen 2", "Mad Scientist", "Hard", "One Plus One" feat Nas (not too far removed from his Large Pro collaborations on Illmatic at this point), "The LP", "Dancin' Girl", "Large Pro:Verbs", "Havin' Fun", "Spacey", "Amaman", "Queens Lounge", "Bowne" and "Big Willie". LP, Vinyl record album

Little Brother returns with another head nodding batch of true school for the oughties – deep rhymes, smooth flows and 100% grade A beats whipped up from dusty crates of the best in the business! As always, it's refreshing to hear Phonte and Big Pooh deliver a gimmick free set from start to finish, reminding us it's not necessary to dig way down into the underground for to wash the taste out of that greasy kids stuff out of your ears. Khrysis is the anchor beat scientist on this album, with appearances by 9th Wonder, Nottz, DJ Babu, DJ Spinna, Kickdrums, RJD2 and others, and guest rhymes by Oh No, Kardinal Offishal, Rhymefest, Skillz and more! 16 tracks in all, keeing the Justus brand viable in today's crowded market, including "Can't Stop Us", "Delusional", "Life Of The Party (rmx)", "Best Kept Secret", "Do It To Death", "Too Late For Us", "Never Leave", "The Pressure", "Stylin", "Cross That Line (rmx)", "Back At It (rmx)" and "Time Of Your Life". CD

Prefuse 73 doing his distinctive thing – mood-setting, hypnotic beats that roll from raw and deconstructionist to big and boisterous – with plenty off off-kilter melodic touches between! The range from stripped down and mellow to dense and rollicking is impressive as always, and his way of putting such signature stamp on the craft of abstract electronics an spacey hip hop beatcraft is impressive ever. There's coolly layered vocals too that give it a lot of atmosphere. Titles include "Late To The Party", ""Gravure", "The World Is Bigger", "We Lost Our Beat Tape In Mecca", "In The Blood", "Silver And Gold", "Her Desire Is To Be Left Alone", "Transmission Of Eights" and more. CD

A well-titled set from the lyrical king – the mighty T La Rock, one of the key mid 80s MCs who helped introduce a whole new level of sophistication to hip hop! T La Rock maybe never hit the heights of KRS-One, Rakim, or other contemporaries – but this set has all the sharp fire and intensity that made that moment of new creativity so great – from the edgey production work and scratches by Louie Lou, to the extra help from Mantronik, and even the album's early appearances by Special K and MC Serch – which further the sense of collaboration from the streets that made some of the Fresh Records sets so great. Titles include "Lyrical King", "Back To Burn", "Three Minutes Of Beat Box", "Bust These Lyrics", "This Beat kicks", "Big Beat In London", and "It's Time To Chill". LP, Vinyl record album

A well-titled set from the lyrical king – the mighty T La Rock, one of the key mid 80s MCs who helped introduce a whole new level of sophistication to hip hop! T La Rock maybe never hit the heights of KRS-One, Rakim, or other contemporaries – but this set has all the sharp fire and intensity that made that moment of new creativity so great – from the edgey production work and scratches by Louie Lou, to the extra help from Mantronik, and even the album's early appearances by Special K and MC Serch – which further the sense of collaboration from the streets that made some of the Fresh Records sets so great. Titles include "Lyrical King", "Back To Burn", "Three Minutes Of Beat Box", "Bust These Lyrics", "This Beat kicks", "Big Beat In London", and "It's Time To Chill". CD version includes four bonus tracks "It's Yours (12" radio mix-1984)", "Breakdown (12" version-1985)", "Breaking Bells (12" version-1986)" and "Bass Machine (12" version 1986)". CD

The sharp Bomb Squad-spearhead soundtrack to Juice – standing the test of time very well over the years, thanks to the genuine dopeness of prime early 90s tracks by Cypress Hill, Brand New Heavies, Eric B & Rakim, EPMD and more! Some of the nicest includes Naughty By Nature's "Uptown Anthem", Eric B & Rakim's "Juice – Know The Ledge", Too Short's "So You Wanna Be A Gangsta", Son Of Bazerk's "What Could Be Better" and Big Daddy Kane delivering his long lost fast rhyme style while riding a very hyped Bomb Squad beat on "Nuff Respect". CD

Peanut Butter Wolf gathers the Stones Throw masses – compiling all new, all exclusive ST tunes from veterans and fresh talent alike – for a heady companion piece to the 2K8 B-Zombie War video game from 2K Sports! We'll be frank and admit we don't know as much about video games as we do vulgar, latenight cable cartoons, but this is a tight stand alone set of fresh Stones Throw hip hop & funk errata. It introduces us to some future allstars such as Supreme Team, Dam-Funk and others – plus worthy unreleased material from Madlib, MED, Dilla, Aloe Blacc and more – plus the return of MF Doom, plus guest appearances by Q-Tip and Talib Kweli! Titles include "See" by Supreme Team (Madlib & Karriem Riggins), "Break It Down" by MED, "Make It Fast" by Guilty Simpson, "Lightworking" by J Dilla feat Q-Tip & Talib Kweli, "Legendary Lyricist Pt 2" by Percee P & J Rocc, "Mash's Revenge" by Dilla feat MF Doom & Guilty Simpson, "Action" (Rap version)" by Oh No, "Trouble" by Beat Konducta, "Find A Way" by Aloe Blacc, "Sidewayz" by Dam-Funk, "Basketball Beat" by Koushik, "Big Girl, Skinny Girl" by CZZ Kidtronik feat Rockola and more. CD

Posthumous compilation of one of Harlem's finest MCs. Like the Lifestylez LP, this dope set leaves a great lyrical legacy behind from one of the streets' greatest wordsmiths. Beats by Premier, Pete Rock, fellow DITC member Lord Finesse, Mike Heron, Ron G and others. With "Ebonics", "Size Em Up", "Deadly Combination" featuring Tupac Shakur, "98 Freestyle", "The Heist", "The Enemy" featuring Fat Joe, "Fall Back" featuring Kool G Rap, "Flamboyant", "Casualties Of A Dice Game", "Platinum Plus" featuring Big Daddy Kane, "Who You Slidin Wit" featuring Stan Spit, "Games" featuring Sadat X & Guru, "The Triboro" featuring OC, Fat Joe & Remy Martin, and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Producer House Shoes and rhymer Big Tone team up as Big Shoes – one of the most fitting 2 man supergroups in independent hip hop of the late teens for sure – with a solid roster of guests including Demark Vessey, Quelle Chris, Jimetta Rose, Blu, MoSel, Ta'Raach and more! There's a straight forward sensibility, but depth in the details, on both the beats and the rhymes side. House Shoes lays down a no nonsense, driving backdrop, but brings in layers of atmosphere that standout more and more with each listen, while Tone and the guestsgo above and beyond the call of duty on the mic. Includes "Autobiography", 'High Velocity" (Pts 1 & 2), "From My Mouth To God's Ears", "King S**t" with Denmark Vessey & MoSel, "Exodus (Fly Away)", "No Guest List" with Quelle Chris, "Homage", "8th Day" feat Ta'Raach & 87, "Haze" with Jimetta Rose, "Beautiful Mind" with Blu & "Tru Story". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best debuts in the history of hip hop – and one of the most important albums the genre ever produced! Criminal Minded is a landmark for a number of reasons. Among the biggest is, of course, that it was recorded with the late great DJ Scott La Rock – and he was soon to fall prey to the very street violence that BDP documented with such raw brilliance by KRS-One. Importance aside, Criminal Minded is simply a great, timeless record that no true fan of gritty classic hip hop should be without. The track list alone is a full chapter in the hip hop book of legends – with tunes like "Poetry", "Elementary", "South Bronx", "Super-Hoe", "Bridge is Over", and the "P is Free" remix. Also includes "Criminal Minded", "Dope Beat", and "9mm Goes Bang". CD

One of the best debuts in the history of hip hop – and one of the most important albums the genre ever produced! Criminal Minded is a landmark for a number of reasons. Among the biggest is, of course, that it was recorded with the late great DJ Scott La Rock – and he was soon to fall prey to the very street violence that BDP documented with such raw brilliance by KRS-One. Importance aside, Criminal Minded is simply a great, timeless record that no true fan of gritty classic hip hop should be without. The track list alone is a full chapter in the hip hop book of legends – with tunes like "Poetry", "Elementary", "South Bronx", "Super-Hoe", "Bridge is Over", and the "P is Free" remix. Also includes "Criminal Minded", "Dope Beat", and "9mm Goes Bang". LP, Vinyl record album

Semi-impromptu recording session with Curren$y & Smoke DZA on the mic and Harry Fraud on the beats – going into the studio one night and leave it with one of the tighter hip hop EPs of the early teens! French Montana and Big KRIT guest on a track and all 4 tracks stand the test of time on the vocal and the production sides. Includes "First Light", "Gifts", "Thrusday Car", "10 Bricks" wtih French Montana & Big KRIT plus instrumentals for each track on the flip. 12-inch, Vinyl record

Cypress Hill's debut masterpiece – one of the biggest and best first albums in 90s hip hop! 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 rap heavies of the time, Cypress Hill documents real world street violence with a darkly comic sensibility, redefined usage of the word "blunt" forever more, and simply delivered one of the most influential rap (or rock. . . considering the astonishing crossover success) albums of the decade. "How I Could Just Kill A Man", "Hand On The Pump", "Hole In The Head", "Real Estate", "Stoned Is The Way Of The Walk", "Phunky Feel One", "Pigs", "Latin Lingo", "Something For The Blunted", "Psychobeatbuckdown" and more. CD

Cypress Hill's debut masterpiece – one of the biggest and best first albums in 90s hip hop! 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 rap heavies of the time, Cypress Hill documents real world street violence with a darkly comic sensibility, redefined usage of the word "blunt" forever more, and simply delivered one of the most influential rap (or rock. . .considering the astonishing crossover success) albums of the decade. "How I Could Just Kill A Man", "Hand On The Pump", "Hole In The Head", "Real Estate", "Stoned Is The Way Of The Walk", "Phunky Feel One", "Pigs", "Latin Lingo", "Something For The Blunted", "Psychobeatbuckdown" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

The Czarface team of Wu-Tang veteran Inspectah Deck and Boston underground hip hop heavyweights 7L & Esoteric are joined by the one-and-only MF Doom – a bonafide supergroup – and one of the finest comic book/sci-fi rap records since Madvillainy! Each one of these characters is so brilliant at their best, this record would've been a lot of fun even of they were just winging it – but it's actually pretty A-Game – with big, boisterous beats and clever samples and pretty deft rhymes throughout! Includes "Take Your Medicine", "Meddle With Metal", "Badness Of Madness", "Close Talker" (impressively riffing on a postpunk track by Wire), "Forever People", "Captain Crunch", "Don't Spoil It", "Phantoms" with Open Mike Eagle, "Bomb Thrown", "You Masked For It", "Nautical Depth", "MF Czar", "Sleeping Dogs" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

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 down to its roots – performing new live interpretations with their wickedly sinister groove – all at a level that makes the whole thing a slow funk masterpiece from start to finish! El Michels has always been one of the few real standouts in the deep funk scene – and it's records like this that keep us loving them so much. And even though the set features vocals from Lee Fields on two tracks, and Lady Wray on one more – the instrumental groove is what dominates and draws our ears, on tracks that include "Tears", "Sipped Up", "Shadow Boxing", "Iron Man", "4th Chamber", "Shaolin Brew", "Drums For Sale", "Verbal Intercourse", "Tearz", and "Wu Tang Clan Ain't Nuthin Ta F Wit". (Deep Funk, Hip Hop) LP, Vinyl record album

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 also a larger collaborative feel to the record, with plenty of space for guests that include Sharon Jones, Bart Davenport, Quantic, D-Styles, and others. The whole thing's nicely chilled-out – never over the top in the beats and samples – but more kicked back, in a slow funk mode that makes for a rich album of tasty tracks throughout! Titles include "To Know You Is To Love You", "Awright", "Son-Ray", "Bronson", "See My Eyes", "Omega", "Genevieve", "Loggia", "Make Music", "Everyday Problem", "Big Tito", and "Got To Be A Love". (Deep Funk, Hip Hop) CD

Spacey soul soundscapes from Nicolay – another big step for the unpredictable, but always soulful beatmaker, producer, and artist – inspired by a consciousness awakening trip to Tokyo on Shibuya – City Lights Volume 2! When we were first tipped to Nicolay's sounds, it was from a soulful hip hop perspective, and he still carries that vibe, but the scope of colors he's composing with is broad – using them to craft material that's both intimate and hypnotic. Fresh beats, Rhodes, Moog, bass, strings and drums flavor the sound. Much of the material on this set is instrumental, but several tunes featuring lovely vocals by Carlitta Durand – with lyrics penned and vocal arrangements by frequent collaborator and Foreign Exchange partner Phonte Coleman. Titles include "Lose Your Way", "Saturday Night", "Wake Up In Another Life" and more with Carlitta Durand, "Shibuya Station", "Crossing", "Rain In Ueno Park", "A Ride Under The Neon Moon", "Bullet Train", "The Inner Garden", "Departure" and more. (New Grooves, Hip Hop) CD

Anderson .Paak and Knxwledge's full length debut as a duo – and the most triumphant Stones Throw record in years! To this (still early) point in young .Paak's career, his voice has already proved to be a prime vessel for natural grit and mood, if not gamechanger songwriting, best paired with crackling, funk-steeped hip hop soul production. That's the case whether he's producing himself, working with a giant like Dr. Dre, or paired as he is here with Knxledge. Knx's production is a perfect backdrop – beats out front in the mix, classic Cali sample funk and soul framing the vocals – with a lingering haze holding it all together amazingly well! Intentional or not, Yes Lawd channels earlier Stones Throw classic LPs like Jaylib and Madvillain in the way it pairs distinctive contemporary talents for a joint duo effort, and after .Paak's solo shot Malibu, it's his second potential classic in a single year! Includes "Livvin", "Wngs", "What More Can I Say", "Kutless", "Lyk Dis", "Can't Stop", "Get Bigger", "Scared Money", "Suede", "Starlite", "Sidepiece", "Jodi", "Link Up", "Another Time", "Fkku" and more. (Neo Soul, Hip Hop) CD

The huge creative leap forward for Outkast – and one of the greatest hip hop albums ever! The duo laid some incredible groundwork with the debut Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik, but this one is really their first (and stunningly, not their last) masterpiece. Timeless and soulful outer space grooves lace teh production and beats behind crazy good, free flowing, inventive rhymes that still manage to stay grounded enough to aptly reflect the darker realities of the ATL of the time. Most tracks have a laid back southern fried groove, and Dre and Big Boi's rhymes are as great as ever here. Essential! Tracks include "ATLiens", "Two Dope Boyz (In A Cadillac)", "Wheelz Of Steel", "Jazzy Belle", "Babylon", "Millennium", and "13th Floor/Growing Old". 14 cuts in all. LP, Vinyl record album

The massive third album from Run DMC – a set that was done at a time when the duo were totally at the top of their game – and broke out big to a much wider audience than the usual hip hop crowd! Part of the album's strength is its guitar-heavy sound on some of the grooves – produced by Rick Rubin and Russell Simmons with a classic early Def Jam vibe, in the same manner that helped the Beastie Boys get their records in the hands of folks who'd never buy hip hop otherwise! And that sound comes to culmination on the album's hit collaboration with Aerosmith on a remake of "Walk This Way". But apart from that rocker, most of the rest of the set also shows an increased complexity in both the lyricism of the pair, and the way Jam Master Jay serves up their beats – which makes for a stone classic all the way through, on tracks that include "Peter Piper", "It's Tricky", "My Adidas", "Proud To Be Black", "You Be Illin'", and "Walk This Way". Bonus tracks on this expanded edition include "My Adidas (acapella)", "Walk This Way (demo)", "Lord Of Lyrics (demo)", "Raising Hell Radio Tour Spot" and "Live At The Apollo Raw Vocal Commercial". CD

Bloody knuckles rap from the late Sean Price and starkly furnished, hard hitting funk beats from Lil Fame – surprisingly strong unreleased rhymes from SP given the number of years that had passed since he departed this realm – with appearances by MOP, Tek, Rockness Monsta, Illa Ghee, Guilty Simpson and more, none of home divert from the prominence of Mr. Price. Includes "Big Gun Vs Lil Gun" feat MOP,, "Center Stage", "Boston George" feat Tek, "Pigs" feat Steele, "They Ain't F***ing With Is" feat Rockness Monsta, ""Remember The Time" feat Illa Ghee, "Peter Pop Off" feat Rim, Teflon & I-Fresh and "Enemy Of The State" feat Conway The Machine and Guilty Simpson. LP, Vinyl record album

A fierce late 90s effort from Showbiz & AG – joining the ranks of veteran hip hop acts who continued to release dope material after leaving a major label and after their early classic runs! All the tracks live up to the best of their earlier material, though they feature a little heavier production and lyrics. Includes "Drop It Heavy" featuring KRS & Big Pun, "Q&A" featuring the Ghetto Dwellas, "Full Scale" with OC, "Raw As Ever", "Dignified Soldiers Remix" with Big L, Lord Finesse & OC, "Hidden Crates", "Who's The Dirtiest" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

The Chicago-centric Culture Power 45 teams up NYC's Cocoonmovements for the Afro Picks Vol 1 compilation – picking out mic and production talent from not only the midwest and east coast, but the west coast and southern scenes too – diverse in sound and style, united in the timeless approach! There's a range of styles and stylists here, but the flow is pretty seamless – rolling from starkly-furnished, hard-hitting beatcraft setting up forceful rhymes, to laidback soul jazz beats for mellower rhymes – with production and samples that range from righteous and prideful, to playful to slyly sinister funk. Solid all the way through! Titles include "Vernacular" by Triple Ogs with Chico Son, Sir Syl & Lord Superb, "AFC (All Fat Caps)" by Infinito 2017 (who is also on ball with the cover art direction & design), "I Am" by Writer's Guild (Loer & LIFE Long), "Making Music" by Percee P, "Second Coming" by Merc The BigBody Benz, "Brothers" by Sophisticated Savage (White Owl, Rhinoceros Funk & Yahzeed Divine, "Blowing Off Steam" by Akil (of Jurassic 5 fame) and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Includes tracks from the Roots, Beatnuts, Cypress Hill, Raekwon, Kardinal Offishal, Pharoahe Monch, Big L, Teflon, People Under The Stairs, and more – mixed by SURGE. CD