Featuring Akbar. 12-inch, Vinyl record

A really great album from the LA scene of the early 90s – very different than most of the west coast work of the period, and much more in the spirit of some of the east coast work from the Native Tongues posse! The group features early work from Mikah 9, Self Jupiter, PEACE, and Aceyalone – all working in a really inventive mix of jazzy and inventive samples that come together in a great way – leaner than the layering of Q Tip, and not nearly as polished as work of its type would sound on bigger labels. There's almost a "what if" vibe to the record – glimpse at a less thuggish, posturing west coast that never full came to be – on titles that include "We Are The Freestyle Fellowship", "My Fantasy", "7th Seal", "Let's Start Over", "Sunshine Men", "Physical Form", "120 Seconds", "We Will Not Tolerate", "It's On", "Sike", "5 O'Clock Follies", "Legal Alien", "Convolutions", "Jupiter's Journey", "For No Reason", and "Here I Am". LP, Vinyl record album

With tracks by Finsta, Napoleon Da Legend, Njema Nefertiti, Finsta, and Shabaam Sahdeeq. 12-inch, Vinyl record

With tracks by Finsta, Napoleon Da Legend, Njema Nefertiti, Finsta, and Blaq Poet. 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

With Dres of the Black Sheep. 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

Sampler tracks from Funkmaster Flex Mixtape Vol 3. 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

Includes "Girls" by The B-Boys, "Get Fresh" by PC Crew, "Jimbrowski" by Jungle Brothers, "Def Fresh Crew" by Roxanne Shante, "Wrath Of Kane" by Big Daddy Kane, and some beatbox skits from Biz Markie. 12-inch, Vinyl record

"Number One Spot" features Ludacris. Produced by Green Lantern. "Murderous" features Talib Kweli. 12-inch, Vinyl record

Probably the best track off the second Mantronix LP. The 12-inch version fills out the trademark Mantronix sound with more syth and effects and the Freestyle dub is the more spare version. And then everything drops out but the bass kick and high hat on the 'bonus beat' version. 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

A 90s hip hop masterpiece from Diamond D – and like some of the rest of the best of the decade, a set that was slightly slept-on at the time, but which has gone to have massive impact over the decades – still sounding completely fresh in comparison to bigger hits of the time! Diamond D comes from the same DITC underground as Showbiz & AG, Big L, and Lord Finesse – and like those others, when he got his time in the spotlight, he really took off – with beats that had an influence on so much more to come – and a very collaborative spirit that opens the door for contributions from Fat Joe, Mark The 45 King, Brand Nubian, Lakim Shabazz, and some of his old partners in DITC. Titles include the classic "Best Kept Secret" – with its fantastic Kool & The Gang sample – plus "Sally Got A One Track Mind", "I'm Outta Here," "Check One Two", "Freestyle", "Stunts Blunts & Hip Hop", "Pass Dat S**t", "What You Seek", "Confused", "A Day In The Life", "Step To Me", and "Shut The *!*! Up". LP, Vinyl record album

Tracks include "I Never Liked Ya" feat Scarface, Raekwon, & Fat Joe, "Streetsweeper" feat the Lox, "50 Shot Ya" feat 50 Cent, "Too Much For Me" feat Nas, Baby, Foxy Brown, & Amerie, "Purple Haze" feat Diplomats feat Cam'ron, "Freestyle" feat Eminem, "Westside Driveby" feat E-A-Ski, MC Ren, & Kam, "Angels Voice" feat Flipmode Squad, and many more with many more guests. LP, Vinyl record album

A really great record, and maybe one of the few hip hop soundtracks to get at the real feel of the music on the streets – maybe no surprise, as the film for which it was created did the same thing! This isn't a fluffed-up Hollywood take on hip hop, with mainstream soul thrown into the mix – as the record was put together by Fab 5 Freddy and Chris Stein – the latter of whom really invests in his hip hop cred away from Blondie, and also provides some cool guitar bits and effects in the music too! There's some great freestyle bits and turntable tracks that really get at the underground side of the music that was alive and well at the time – and titles include "Wild Style Theme Rap 1" by Grandmaster Caz & Chris Stein, "Basketball Throwdown" by Cold Crush Bros & The Fantastic Four, "Stoop Rap" by Double Trouble & Rodney Cee, "Rammellzee & Shock Dell at the Amphitheatre" with Grandmixer DST, "Wild Style Subway Rap 2" by Grand Master Caz & Chris Stein, and "Cold Crush Brothers At The Dixie". LP, Vinyl record album

Early work from DJ Muggs of Cypress Hill. Title track produced by the Shocklees. Includes "That's How We're Livin", "Everybody Get Loose", "Coolin In Cali", "Goes Like Dis", "Drums Of Steel", "Freestyle 88", "Express The Mind", "A Man's Gotta Do What A Man's Gotta Do" and "Hit Em Again". LP, Vinyl record album

Freestyle classic by the one and only Debbie Deb, with an instantly recognizable melody. A guaranteed sure shot! 12-inch, Vinyl record

12 tracks, and 4 skits, with E Double's newer hot sound in the beats, and Keith Murray and the Funk Doctor Spock joining him on the mic, including "Countdown", "Full Cooperation", "Rhymin Wit Biz", "The Game (Freestyle)", "Can You Dig It?", "No Guest List" and "Def Squad Delite". LP, Vinyl record album

"AM-PM" has that classic old-school freestyle lyrics over heavy beats sound. Produced and cowritten by Kurtis Blow. 12-inch, Vinyl record

"Vapors" is, of course, the mellow Biz classic off his first full-length LP, and probably the best use of the "Papa Don't Take No Mess" sample. "Biz Is Goin Off (dub)" is a nice echoey 6:30 minute reworking of the song with added beatboxing and scratching that aren't on the original. "The Do Do" is a track not on any LP, with a freestyle-type rhyme and shoutouts from the Biz. 12-inch, Vinyl record

A sharp NYC underground effort from the end of the 90s – originally slated to come out through Tommy Boy – and oddly shelved, given that excellent quality, a situation rectified 10 years later! With skills honed in the freestyle and mixtape scene, A-Butta, L-Swift and Mr. Voodoo bring it with finesse and energy on these tracks. Titles include "2 Tons", "Bust Mine", "Supreme Domination", "Survive", "Second Hand Smoke", "Tell Me Something Good", "Tri-Boro", "Paper Chase", "Survive" and more. 20 tracks in all. LP, Vinyl record album

Tracks include "Magnificent", "Ken Boogaloo Freestyle", "Crushed Velvet", "Amateurs Get Hung", "Never Underestimate", "The Norm", "The Next Degree", "Dummy", "The Path Is Narrow", "A Changed Man", "Universal", "Daily Intake", "High On Nothing" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic collection of work from a real golden age in hip hop – a period that you'll probably guess from the image of the Native Tongues posse on the front – served up here in a compilation that brings together classics from De La Soul, The Jungle Brothers, Monie Love, and many others! The set list is superb – and while most of the tracks are well-remembered gems, and not the kind of rare cuts we usually hear from Ace Records – taken together, they're a tremendous reminder of a time when hip hop really came alive – bursting with wit, wisdom, and a whole new sense of musical imagination! As usual with Ace, the liner notes and other details are great – making this way more than just a slap-dash mix of hits – and titles include "You're Not Coming Home (Mase's funkay recall mix)" by Groove Garden, "Age Ain't Nothin But A #" by Chi Ali, "Bonita Applebum" by Tribe Called Quest, "Sunshine Men" by Freestyle Fellowship, "Peachfuzz" by KMD, "K Sera Sera" by Justin Warfield, "It's A Shame" by Monie Love, "Doin Our Own Dang" by Jungle Brothers, "OPP" by Naughty By Nature, "Doowutchyalike" by Digital Underground, "A Roller Skating Jam Named Saturdays" by De La Soul, "The Choice Is Yours" by Black Sheep, "All For One" by Brand Nubian, "My Definition Of A Boombastic Jazz Style" by Dream Warriors, "Mama Gave Birth To The Soul Children" by Queen Latifah with De La Soul, "Where I'm From" by Digable Planets, and "We Run Things (It's Like Dat)" by Da Bush Babees. LP features two bonus tracks – "Case Of The PTA" by Leaders Of The New School and "What's Up Doc (K-Cut's fat trac rmx)" by Fu Schnickens. LP, Vinyl record album

Clean edited freestyles over "Looking At The Front Door", "Who Got Da Props", "Warm It Up Kane", and "Children's Story" – essentially remakes of the original tracks from Black Rob's perspective! 12-inch, Vinyl record