... 12-inch, Vinyl record

Off "14 shots to the Dome", with Marley Marl and QDIII production, and a remix by Teddy Riley. 12-inch, Vinyl record

A classic electro groove – and one of the tracks that's a contender for the origin of the word "hip hop"! A very nice groove with an early Arthur Baker feel, and the kind of cut that we slept on during the 80s, but which sounds totally great today! 3 different edits. 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

Leave it to career iconoclast Nas to declare Hip Hop Is Dead on his Def Jam debut – a defiantly straight up hip hop record that's one of the leanest full lengths he's delivered since his abbreviated debut masterpiece! Hip Hop Is Dead, not surprisingly, is actually a very lively LP – and it's tried-and-true hip hop – another in Nas's strong series of subsequent LPs of the 00s. Nas once released a perfect piece of work – something very few artists in any idiom ever do – setting up a nearly impossible standard to live up to, but, Hip Hop Is Dead is well worth your time. Production by Salaam Remi (natch), LES, Kanye West, Scott Storch (who delivers a Kanye-like sound on one cut) and others. Titles include "Money Over Bullsh*t", "You Can't Kill Me", "Carry On Tradition", "Hip Hop Is Dead" feat Will I Am, "Black Republican?" feat Jay Z, "Not Going Back" feat Kelis, "Still Dreamin" feat Kanye West & Chrisette Michelle, "Hold Down The Block", "Blunt Ashes", "Play On Playa", "Where Are They Now?", "Let There Be Light" feat Tre Williams, "Hustlers" feat The Game & Marsha Ambrosious and more. CD

Leave it to career iconoclast Nas to declare Hip Hop Is Dead on his Def Jam debut – a defiantly straight up hip hop record that's one of the leanest full lengths he's delivered since his abbreviated debut masterpiece! Hip Hop Is Dead, not surprisingly, is actually a very lively LP – and it's tried-and-true hip hop – another in Nas's strong series of subsequent LPs of the 00s. Nas once released a perfect piece of work – something very few artists in any idiom ever do – setting up a nearly impossible standard to live up to, but, Hip Hop Is Dead is well worth your time. Production by Salaam Remi (natch), LES, Kanye West, Scott Storch (who delivers a Kanye-like sound on one cut) and others. Titles include "Money Over Bullsh*t", "You Can't Kill Me", "Carry On Tradition", "Hip Hop Is Dead" feat Will I Am, "Black Republican?" feat Jay Z, "Not Going Back" feat Kelis, "Still Dreamin" feat Kanye West & Chrisette Michelle, "Hold Down The Block", "Blunt Ashes", "Play On Playa", "Where Are They Now?", "Let There Be Light" feat Tre Williams, "Hustlers" feat The Game & Marsha Ambrosious and more. 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

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

For your female rappers collection. Or better yet, for your Stimulated Dummies collection. 17 tracks in all, including "SD50's Groove", "Giggahoe", "Keep It Flowin", "I'll Talk", "Heartbreaker", "Play In Vain", "Get A Job Kid", "Black Is A Nation" and "Chinese Delivery". (Cassettes, Hip Hop) Cassette

Off the Baby Boy soundtrack, featuring Tyrese and Mr Tan. 12-inch, Vinyl record

With AG, Pete Rock, and T-Max on "Queen (Hip Hop)" and Noel on "Still Searchin". 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

A huge array of photographs from the golden years of 90s hip hop – all captured within a few short years by Peter Spirer, at a time when he was diving deep into the scene to really document the sort of energy that's made this stretch such a legendary one for the music! These photos are way more than standard portraits or stage shots, as Peter managed to really penetrate the everyday lives of the artists, to a point where you'll find some very surprising, and very striking images of figures who aren't always captured without striking a pose. The book features over 130 photographs, with subjects who include Dr Dre, Das Efx, Biz Markie, Busta Rhymes, Notorious BIG, Method Man, Nas, Q-Tip, Tupac, Guru, KRS-One, and dozens of others – and the heavy hardcover book is 240 pages in length – with added text from Soren Baker, and an introduction from Ice T. (Books, Hip Hop) Book

(Soul, Hip Hop) 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

From Red Alert's dancehall/hip hop crossover comp. 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... CD

... CD

Tracks from Pentagon, Prince Po with Don Caligula, Wild S.P.I.C.K.S., P-Pham, Usual Suspex, Claudia Mia with Don Caligula, Bad Newz, Wild S.P.I.C.K.S., Bear, Pentagon with Stack A Dollar, and Union Officials. CD

Tracks include "Rock Dis Funky Joint" by Poor Righteous Teachers, "Music Man" by Master Ace, "Bonita Applebum" by A Tribe Called Quest, "It's Funky Enough" by the DOC, "Erase Racism" by Kool G Rap & DJ Solo, and 10 more early 90s classics! CD

Tracks include "Check The Rhime" by A Tribe Called Quest, "Slow Down (Radio Version)" by Brand Nubian, "Fudge Pudge" by Organized Konfusion, "Blue Cheese" by the UMCs, "Tonite" by DJ Quik, and 10 more. CD

Music from Main Source, Poor Righteous Teachers, Lord Finesse & DJ Mike Smooth, YZ, Master Ace, Jungle Brothers, A Tribe Called Quest, D-Nice, The D.O.C., Special Ed, and more. CD

Rare cuts by Divine Beings, Young Zee, Darc Mind, Legion Of DUME, Mr Mic Rippa, Prophets Of The Ghetto with Bahamadia and more! LP, Vinyl record album

With cuts by Rasco & Kut Masta Kurt, Izm Da Mad Soul, Live Human, Sacred Hoop, Rob Swift, Roc Raida, Mr Dibbs, and others. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the comps that rode the mid 90s wave of turntablism, with a nice time table inside the gatefold sleeve. Not as much over the top trickery as you might hear on the Return of The DJ compilations on Bomb, but some essential moments, like Cut Chemist's "Lesson 6" and the X-Men's "A Turntable Experience". Radar's "Radar Frees Tibet" and Beyond There "On Wax" display some nice turntable moments, while a few of the other tracks don't really justify their place in the context of the comp, but are nice to have anyway – like Latyrx's "Say That". Also includes Prince Paul "DJ Prince Paul Vs The World", Ingrid De Lambre & Eddie Def "Poeisies, Scene 1 Le Blues", DJ Swingsett & DJ Wally "Centaurus Space Bass (Cloak & Destroy mix)", Peanut Butter Wolf & The Beat Junkies "They Don't Fall Down", Mumbles "At The Mountains Of Madness" and Q-Burn's Abstract Message "Book Of Changes". CD

An instant party in a single package – a set that brings together a whole host of rare singles from back in the day – all work that's almost an equal blend of old school funk and early hip hop! The work here comes from the Spring label and related Posse imprint – a company who were around on the New York scene to issue plenty of soul and funk during the 70s – then made the move into hip hop at the end of the decade, yet in a way that also brought some of their funky currents forward! Where other labels were maybe using a lean approach and more records as the basis for cuts, Spring already had access to some great groups to back up the MCs – and the result is a batch of funky cuts that are already primed for a party crowd in the South Bronx! As the 80s move in, the cuts use more beats and electro elements – yet that older ear for funk is still nicely in place, and really keeps things moving throughout. Titles include "Money (Dollar Bill Y'All) (long version)" by Jimmy Spicer, "Charley Says (Roller Boogie Baby)" by King Tim III, "The Beach (long vocal)" by Afrika & The Zulu Kings, "Go For What You Know" by The Bally Boys, "Tearin It Up" by D4, "Rockin It" by MC Flex & The Crew, "I'm Hot" by The Rangers, "Magic's Message" by Mr Magic, "To Whoever It May Concern" by DJ Hollywood, "Cars (Zulu club mix)" by Afrika & The Zulu Kings, and "King Tim III (Personality Jock)" by Fatback – a cut that some folks call the first-ever hip hop single! CD

An instant party in a single package – a set that brings together a whole host of rare singles from back in the day – all work that's almost an equal blend of old school funk and early hip hop! The work here comes from the Spring label and related Posse imprint – a company who were around on the New York scene to issue plenty of soul and funk during the 70s – then made the move into hip hop at the end of the decade, yet in a way that also brought some of their funky currents forward! Where other labels were maybe using a lean approach and more records as the basis for cuts, Spring already had access to some great groups to back up the MCs – and the result is a batch of funky cuts that are already primed for a party crowd in the South Bronx! As the 80s move in, the cuts use more beats and electro elements – yet that older ear for funk is still nicely in place, and really keeps things moving throughout. Titles include "Money (Dollar Bill Y'All) (long version)" by Jimmy Spicer, "Charley Says (Roller Boogie Baby)" by King Tim III, "The Beach (long vocal)" by Afrika & The Zulu Kings, "Go For What You Know" by The Bally Boys, "Tearin It Up" by D4, "Rockin It" by MC Flex & The Crew, "I'm Hot" by The Rangers, "Magic's Message" by Mr Magic, "To Whoever It May Concern" by DJ Hollywood, "Cars (Zulu club mix)" by Afrika & The Zulu Kings, and "King Tim III (Personality Jock)" by Fatback – a cut that some folks call the first-ever hip hop single! LP, Vinyl record album

Essential! A hard to find compilation of seminal grooves, the long-out-of-print first volume to the legendary Headz compilation! This one blew everyone's mind back in the mid 90s, and it shaped the world of beathead production dratically for the next few years. Loads of great titles, including "Slipper Suite" by Palmskin Productions, "2000" by R.P.M., "In Flux (alternative interlude '93 version)" and "Lost & Found (SFL)" by DJ Shadow, "They Came In Peace" by Tranquility Bass, "Stars" by Nightmares On Wax, "Contemplating Jazz" by Attica Blues, "The Time Has Come" by UNKLE vs Major Force Orchestra, "Head West – Gunfight At The OK Corrall" by Howie B, "Destroy All Monsters" by Skull, "Lowride" by Autechre and 'Ravers Suck Our Sound" by La Funk Mob, plus a bunch of other smoked out trip hop grooves! CD

Tracks include "Buffalo Gals" by Malcolm McLaren, "Bring The Noise" and "The Public" by Public Enemy, "You Gots To Chill" by EPMD, "Sally" by Stetsasonic, "Big Mouth" by Whodini, "Top Billin" by Audio Two, "I Got A Good Thing" by Super Lover Cee & Casanova Rud, "Jenifa" by De La Soul, and "Twist & Shout" and "Shake Your Thing" by Salt N Pepa. LP, Vinyl record album

Include music by Kurtis Blow, Sugarhill Gang, Treacherous Three, Eric B. & Rakim, Too $hort, Roxanne Shante, Naughty By Nature, Biz Markie, Public Enemy, 3rd Bass, Black Sheep, Onyx, Method Man, Wu-Tang Clan, Common, Busta Rhymes, 2Pac, and more! CD

Tracks from Sugarhill Gang, Run DMC, Salt-N-Pepa, Digital Underground, Coolio, House Of Pain, Rob Base And DJ E-Z Rock, The Fat Boys, MC Lyte, Kurtis Blow, and more. CD

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

Tracks include "Can I Get Open" by Original Flavor, "Lyrics To Go (Tumblin Dice remix)" by A Tribe Called Quest, "Best Kept Secret" by Diamond & The Psychotic Neurotics, "Hot Potato" by Freestyle Fellowship, "The Return Of The Crazy One" by Digital Underground, "Snake Eyes" by Main Source, "93 Til Infinity" by Souls Of Mischief, "Popcorn" by KMD, "Them That's Not" by J-Live, "One Of Those Days" by Schoolz Of Thought, and more. CD

A huge dip into the history of hip hop – in a set that's something of a groundbreaking effort from the folks at the Smithsonian! If we're honest, we'll tell you that we're old enough to remember a time when folks thought that hip hop was just a fad – when it was a musical style that would disappear in just a few short years. But now, all these many decades later, the form has had such an impact on American culture that the Smithsonian Institute is giving it some official sort of due – something we never would have believed back in the 80s! The package is huge – 9CDs with a whopping 129 tracks in all, and a 300 page book that supports the recordings with an insane amount of notes, photos, and all sorts of other information – alongside a track list that was put together by folks who include Questlove, 9th Wonder, Chuck D, Jeff Chang, and MC Lyte! The set is especially great on old school tracks up through the golden era hip hop years – but also moves into the 21st century too – and artists include Treacherous Three, Afrika Bambaataa, Fearless Four, Cold Crush Brothers, Herbie Hancock, Run DMC, Fatback, Sugarhill Gang, Kurtis Blow, Funky Four +1, T La Rock, Schoolly D, Beastie Boys, Kool Moe Dee, LL Cool J, Eric B & Rakim, Mantronix, Stetsasonic, Audio Two, Big Daddy Kane, MC Lyte, Marley Marl, Tone Loc, Jungle Brothers, NWA, Public Enemy, Slick Rick, 3rd Bass, De La Soul, Queen Latifa, DOC, 2 Live Crew, Dr Dre, Sir Mix A Lot, Digable Planets, Positive K, Pete Rock & CL Smooth, Naughty By Nature, Black Sheep, Tribe Called Quest, Geto Boys, Pharcyde, 2Pac, Warren G, Gang Starr, Notorious BIG, and many many more! CD

Music from Doug E. Fresh & the Get Fresh Crew, Howie Tee with the Real Roxanne, the Furious Five, Whodini, the Fat Boys, the Boogie Boys, UTFO, Run DMC, Kurtis Blow, Roxanne Shante, Marley Marl & the Bad Boys. CD

Tommy Boy Records takes a new step into the hip hop archeology game with this series of essential hip hop hits – tracks ranging from late 70s bedrock slabs of essential old school to the 90s party movers – going well beyond Tommy Boy label staples to include pioneering tracks and hugely influential hits from across the hip hop spectrum! 12 tracks in all: "Rebel Without A Pause" by Public Enemy, "Nobody Beats The Biz", by Biz Markie, "Goin' Back To Cali" by LL Cool J, "Looking At The Front Door" by Main Source, "Cinderfella" by Dana Dane, "Be A Father To Your Child" by Ed O G & The Bulldogs, "Just Buggin'" by Whistle, "F**k Compton" by Tim Dog and more! CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

An assortment of rare female hip hop tracks from the old school – including a few by MCs we're not sure we've ever heard before! Tuff City must have dug deep in the vaults for this one – as we're not sure these all were issued on the label at the time – and titles include "The Goddess" by Wanda Dee, "Round One" by Roxanne Shante with Sark D, "Sparky's Turn" by Sparky D, "Roxanne's Revenge" by Roxanne Shante, "Greetings From The Queen" by Queen Latifah, "We Are The Champs" by Nasty Girls, "The DMX Will Rock (rap mix)" by Davy DMX with Sweet Tee, and "Sixteen" and "The Boogaloo" by Traedonya. LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A really cool package, and one that goes past the easy old school hits from the early years of hip hop – and which instead brings together all these unusual strands of sound that really show how creative things were, right at the start! There's a number of tracks here that are a great surprise – nuggets we loved back in the day, and which spring to live here amidst other well-chosen tracks – all served up with the usual super-great notes and overall presentation we love from the Soul Jazz label. Many tracks have great basslines or boogie-styled grooves – from that moment when hip hop, funk, and soul were maybe more strong bedfellows than they would be a few years later – and themes are a nice mix of politics and partying, on titles that include "Get Live 83" by Carver Area High School Seniors, "Super Rock Body Shock" by Eye Beta Rock, "Street Talk" by Funky Constellation, "Do You Like That Funky Beat" by Kool Kyle The Starchild, "Jam To Remember" by Just Four, "Eei Eei O" by Silver Star, "Magic's Rap" by Magic's Trick, "Real Rocking Groove" by Chapter III, "To The Beat Y'All" by Sangrita, "Rappin & Rockin The House" by Funky Four Plus One More, "Do It Any Way You Wanna" by Mike T, and "Girls Of The World" by The Just Four. CD

A really cool package, and one that goes past the easy old school hits from the early years of hip hop – and which instead brings together all these unusual strands of sound that really show how creative things were, right at the start! There's a number of tracks here that are a great surprise – nuggets we loved back in the day, and which spring to live here amidst other well-chosen tracks – all served up with the usual super-great notes and overall presentation we love from the Soul Jazz label. Many tracks have great basslines or boogie-styled grooves – from that moment when hip hop, funk, and soul were maybe more strong bedfellows than they would be a few years later – and themes are a nice mix of politics and partying, on titles that include "Get Live 83" by Carver Area High School Seniors, "Super Rock Body Shock" by Eye Beta Rock, "Street Talk" by Funky Constellation, "Do You Like That Funky Beat" by Kool Kyle The Starchild, "Jam To Remember" by Just Four, "Eei Eei O" by Silver Star, "Real Rocking Groove" by Chapter III, "To The Beat Y'All" by Sangrita, "Rappin & Rockin The House" by Funky Four Plus One More, "Do It Any Way You Wanna" by Mike T, and "Girls Of The World" by The Just Four. LP, Vinyl record album

De La Soul take on the world of hip hop with a record that's very much at the top of their game – leaner in production than before, but at a level that also brings a bit more bite to their rhymes – a good thing too, as the group take on some of their contemporaries as they assess the state of hip hop in the shadow of the 21st Century! The shift from previous records is almost like that taken by Tribe Called Quest on Low End Theory – focusing their music, while still throwing in some of their trademark skits – and maybe even making the group sound more serious, yet never in some of the "too hard" styles that they rail against on the set. The set has two key moments for the up-and-coming generation – great cut "The Bizness", with a guest appearance by Common, and "Big Brother Beat" with help from Mos Def – next to other tracks that include "Supa Emcees", "Itzsoweezee", and "Betta Listen". CD

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. One of the benchmark albums in the leftfield underground hip hop canon – and a hugely influential set that burst the doors wide open for the more creative spirits in the hip hop and even experimental pop. Tracks include "State Of The Nation", "3030", "The Fantabulous Rap Extravaganza", "Things You Can Do", "Positive Contact", "St Catherine St.", "Virus", "Mastermind", "National Movie Review", "Time Keeps On Slipping", "Turbulence (remix)", "Battlesong", "Memory Loss" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A lasting classic from Digable Planets, and a record that really helped push the bar forward for hip hop at the time – at a level that's still kept this one strong all these many years later! Digable Planets weren't the first group to bring in some influence from jazz to their work – but they definitely found the right balance here, and a way of setting things up that was real and organic, instead of maybe just a nodding reference to the past that always felt a bit out of place. The use of live instrumentation next to samples is also key to the record's sound – common now, but pretty important at the time, especially in a world of declining sample access. The trio of Butterfly, Ladybug, and Doodlebug have a wonderful way of tripping through the lyrics – and titles include "The May 4th Movement Starring Doodlebug", "Black Ego", "Dog It", "Jettin", "Borough Check", "Highing Fly", "Dial 7", "The Art Of Easing", "KBs Alley", "Graffiti", "Blowing Down", "9th Wonder", and "For Corners". LP, Vinyl record album

This is really some different sh*t. Divine Styler takes abstract to the next level, about as out as you can get and still be hip hop, if this is hip hop – playing a ton of instruments himself, and backed by a live band for the most part, singing and delivering spoken word as often as he's rhyming. We seem to recall something in an interview well after the fact about a lot of mind altering substances being dabbled in around this time. Includes "Am I An Epigram For Life?", "In A World Of U", "Love, Lies And Lifetime's Cries", "Livery", "Grey Matter", "Mystic Sheep Drink Electric Tea", "Width In My Depth", "The Next", "Euphoric Rangers", "Walk Of Exodus", "Aura", and more. CD

DJ Jazzy Jeff returns – with a top shelf roster or MCs doing justice to his Philly soul reared, bedrock beatcraft – including Big Daddy Kane, Method Man, Rhymefest, Jean Grae, Kardinall Offishall, CL Smooth, Pos of De La Soul and more – underground spitters and mic icons alike! We don't know if Jazz tailors his beats for the chosen MCs – or if he seeks out the appropriate MCs for his ready-made material – but whatever his methods, they're still working well. Return Of The Magnificent is a standard bearing effort! Titles include "Hip Hop" feat Twone Gabz, "Let Me Hear U Clap" feat Pos from De La Soul, "Run That Back" feat Eshon Burgundy & Black Ice, "Jeff N Fess" feat Rhymefest, "Practice" feat J Live, "Supa Jean" feat Jean Grae, "The Garden" feat Big Daddy Kane, "Hold It Down" feat Method Man, "My Soul Ain't For Sale" feat Raheem DeVaugh, "Cone On feat Dave Ghetto, "Brand New Funk 2K7" feat Peedi Peedi and more1 LP, Vinyl record album

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 free jazz to hard bop, and Krush's spare and slightly abstract approach to both the turntables and with his beats creates just the right backdrop. We got open on "Ha Doh", "Sun Is Shining", "Fu Yu" and "Ki gen". 13 tracks in all. LP, Vinyl record album