... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... CD

Kool Moe Dee's second album – a benchmark moment in mid-to-late 80s solo rap – and definitely worth a post millennium revisit! The title cut is a prime relic of the Kool Moe Dee vs. LL Cool J battles back in the day, and that along with "Wild Wild West" are bonafide classic cuts – but the a lot of the lesser remembered tracks here are ultimately just as nice. Even though it's only his second album, Moe was a block rockin' veteren by this point, with an MC pedigree stretching back to Treacherous Three, and is probably his sharpest point. Other tracks include "Suckers", "Way Way Back", "No Respect", "Don't Dance", "I'm A Player" and "Get Paid". LP, Vinyl record album

The second album, and even if it's not as dope as as the mythical Illmatic, but how could anyone hope to live up to those expectations? The Trakmasters come up with some nice beats, chided for being a bit on the commercial side by critics at the time, but they've aged a lot better than most street rap chart fodder at the time. Lyrically Nas is still on point, and going back to this record, especially considering a few of the ones he's dropped since, it wears well with the test of time. Includes "Street Dreams", "If I Ruled The World", "Affirmative Action" and "Black Girl Lost" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Great cuts from the old school – pulled together from the earliest days of hip hop – at a time when the boundary lines in the music weren't so fully formed! These days, the difference between hip hop and club cuts is huge – but back in the South Bronx scene at the start, there was a lot more interplay between styles – as 70s funk served as the blueprint, disco singles expanded the format, soul vocals gave some structure, and live rhymes and DJ work provided all of the spontaneous elements that made the music so unique – coming together with amazing energy that really reflected the street-level sounds of the New York scene! This ultra-hip collection brings together all those amazing strands from the early years – in a set that's one of the best historically important Soul Jazz titles we've seen in years – from the excellent track selection right down to the very detailed notes. There's plenty of rare cuts here you're not likely to have in your collection – and titles include "Body Rock" by Neil B, "Positive Life" by Love Bug Starski & The Harlem World Crew, "At The Place To Be" by Mr Sweety G, "New Rap Language" by Spoonie G & The Treacherous Three, "We Are People Too" by Master Jay, "Equidity Funk" by Mistafide, "And You Know That" by TJ Swan, "Searching Rap" by Bon Rock & The Rhythm Rebellion, "Willie Rap" by Willie Wood & The Willie Wood Crew, "Rhythm Rap Rock" by Count Coolout, "On The Go" by Black Bird & Kevski, "Philosophy Rappin Spree" by Super 3, "Move Your Body" by Bramsam, and "One More Time" by Sugar Daddy. (Funky Compilations, Hip Hop) CD

Great cuts from the old school – pulled together from the earliest days of hip hop – at a time when the boundary lines in the music weren't so fully formed! These days, the difference between hip hop and club cuts is huge – but back in the South Bronx scene at the start, there was a lot more interplay between styles – as 70s funk served as the blueprint, disco singles expanded the format, soul vocals gave some structure, and live rhymes and DJ work provided all of the spontaneous elements that made the music so unique – coming together with amazing energy that really reflected the street-level sounds of the New York scene! This ultra-hip collection brings together all those amazing strands from the early years – in a set that's one of the best historically important Soul Jazz titles we've seen in years – from the excellent track selection right down to the very detailed notes. There's plenty of rare cuts here you're not likely to have in your collection – and titles include "Body Rock" by Neil B, "Positive Life" by Love Bug Starski & The Harlem World Crew, "At The Place To Be" by Mr Sweety G, "New Rap Language" by Spoonie G & The Treacherous Three, "We Are People Too" by Master Jay, "Equidity Funk" by Mistafide, "And You Know That" by TJ Swan, "Searching Rap" by Bon Rock & The Rhythm Rebellion, "Willie Rap" by Willie Wood & The Willie Wood Crew, "Rhythm Rap Rock" by Count Coolout, "On The Go" by Black Bird & Kevski, "Philosophy Rappin Spree" by Super 3, "Move Your Body" by Bramsam, and "One More Time" by Sugar Daddy. (Funky Compilations, Hip Hop) LP, Vinyl record album

The first major label release by the Gift of Gab and Chief Excel finds the duo expanding outward and experimenting with their signature sound, bringing in a host of guests including Quannum mainmasts Lyrics Born, Lateef, and Joyo, as well as Dilated People's Raka and Babu, J5's Cut Chemist and Chali 2na, Saul Williams, Gil Scott-Heron, Ben Harper, and more, plus guest production by ?uestlove and Hi-Tek. There are some definite gems on here, with plenty of soulful female vocals, but don't expect a Nia part 2. This is a lot different, with a little more songcraft sensibility and at the same time bumps like Blackalicious project should. Cuts include the eerie "Blazing Arrow", "4000 Miles" with Chali 2na and Lateef, the instant classic single "Make You Feel That Way", the fist pumpin "Paragraph President", and many more. 17 in all. CD

A late 80s high point for Ice T – and a benchmark west coast solo rap classic! Ice T's persona has always been over the top, but he's also great at pointing out the harsh realities of life in a violent world, and he's in peak form on Rhyme Pays – with the classic "6 In The Morning", "Make It Funky", and lots more. Other cuts include "Squeeze The Trigger", "Somebody Gotta Do It (Pimpin' Ain't Easy)", "I Love Ladies" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

The new album from Outkast and the soundtrack to their film Idlewild! Outkast has been daring haters for years to pounce at will – and they really take that approach to the next level by making what is far and away their oddest project in midst of the most scrutiny they will probably ever receive. We're lacking a bit of perspective in that we haven't seen the movie – but the best stuff probably makes it worth picking up. Idlewild continues the tag team style of Speakerboxx/Love Below in that the duo rarely appear together on the same tracks. The single "Mighty O" is the most notable expection, in that both rappers do their thing on it – and 3000 is actually rapping! The rest of the album, surprisingly, has a fairly coherent flow – with little touches of the 1930s vibe and atmosphere ( the setting of the film) – as envisioned by forward looking hip hoppers. It's a daring set of tracks with strong moments – and lots of additional singing by Sleepy Brown and others. Tracks include "Mighty O", "Peaches" feat Sleepy Brown & Scar, "Idlewild Blue (Don'tchu Worry 'Bout Me", "N2U" feat Khujo Goodie, "Morris Brown" feat Scar & Sleepy Brown, "Chronomentrophobia", "The Train" feat Sleep Brown & Scar, "Life Is Like A Musical", "Hollywood Divorce" feat Lil' Wayne & Snoop Dogg, "Buggface", "PJ & Rooster", "Greatest Show On Earth" feat Macy Gray. "When I Look In Your Eyes", "Dyin' To Live" and "A Bad Note". LP, Vinyl record album

Pick any 10 words out of any Outkast album description on our pages at random, and you'll see how dearly we've loved these boys throughout the years – but truth be told, deep down we didn't think that they would be able to pull off the double album/solo album project(s). We were seriously wrong – Speakerboxxx/Love Below is HUGE in every way, and both halves are great all the way through! If you were worried Big Boi's Speakerboxxx half would be lazy southern hip hop without Andre's freaky presence throughout, you can put those fears to rest right now. Speakerboxxx is a deeply soulful electro hopping pounder from front to back – every bit as innovative as Andre's half! Tracks include "Ghettomusick" (which features one of just two appearances by A3000 on the whole disc), "Bowtie" with Sleepy Brown, "Bust" with Killer Mike, "Church", "Tomb Of The Boom" with Konkrete, Big Gipp and Ludacris, "Flip Flop" with Jay-Z, "The Way You Move" and more. A lot of press has been given to the assumption that Andre 3000 has largely forsaken hip hop on his half (The Love Below) and has instead dived head first into cosmic future funk. Well, the rumors are true. There's lots of straight up jazz piano and horn bits on the Love Below, with Andre's half serious, half tongue-in-cheek romantic soul cabaret croon way over the top. It's steeped in the classic Outkast party vibe, but with lots of Sign Of The Times-era Prince (complete with androgynous distorted vocals), Parliament and Cameo thrown into the mix. Sick, energetic genius! Tracks include the deliriously great "Hey Ya!" single, "She Lives In My Lap", "Love Hater", "Happy Valentine's Day", "Roses", "Good Day, Good Sir", "Behold A Lady", "Pink And Blue", "Spread", "Dracula's Lady" with Kelis, and more. Who the hell knows what they can possibly do to surprise us after this – but wherever Andre 3000 and Big Boi go from here, they each have yet another classic in the discography! LP, Vinyl record album

The debut full length from Pete Rock & CL Smooth – and a bonafide hip hop classic if there ever was one – one of the best ever! Pete Rock's trademark mix of heavy soul, jazz & funk beatcraft pretty much set the bar to a level that's been impossible to top ever sense. On top of being a front-to-back perfect album, Mecca & The Soul Brother has one of the great singles of the era, in "They Reminisce Over You (TROY)". What more can be said, really? An absolute essential! Tracks include "They Reminisce Over You (TROY)", "Return Of The Mecca", "Straighten It Out", "Soul Brother #1", "Lots Of Lovin", "Skinz" featuring Grand Puba, "The Basement" featuring Heavy D, Robo-O, Grap & Dida, "Anger In The Nation", "If It Ain't Rough, It Ain't Right", "Can't Front On Me", "It's Like That", "On And On", "Wig Out", "Ghettos Of The Mind", and "Act Like You Know". LP, Vinyl record album

The debut full length from Pete Rock & CL Smooth – and a bonafide hip hop classic if there ever was one – one of the best ever! Pete Rock's trademark mix of heavy soul, jazz & funk beatcraft pretty much set the bar to a level that's been impossible to top ever sense. On top of being a front-to-back perfect album, Mecca & The Soul Brother has one of the great singles of the era, in "They Reminisce Over You (TROY)". What more can be said, really? An absolute essential! Disc 1 includes the original full length album. Titles include "Return Of The Mecca", "For Pete's Sake", "Ghettos Of The Mind", "Soul Brother #1", "Wig Out", "Anger Of The Nation", "Can't Front On Me", "The Basement" feat Heavy D, Rob-O, Grap & Dida, "If It Ain't Rough, It Ain't Right", "Skinz" feat Grand Puba and more. 16 tracks in all. Disc 2 features a wealth of bonus tracks, including 12" versions, remixes, acapellas, instrumentals and exclusives, including "It's Not A Game (Original 12" Version)", "Lots Of Lovin (Remix)" "They Reminisce Over You (TROY)" (Remix, Vibes Mix, and Instrumental versions), "Straighten It Out (Instrumental Version)". 15 tracks of bonus material! Comes in a heavy duty, beautiful deluxe box with a 20 page book with notes by Brian Coleman, Dante Ross, Pete Rock & CL Smooth and a full sized poster! CD

Maybe not the first full length album by a female MC, but a really well-remembered set from the early days – and one that hardly tries to go for any crossover modes at all! Instead, Sparky-D really keeps it live and close to the streets – beginning the set with an acapella track that almost feels like a freestyle – then following with lots of strong production work from Spyder D – who again keeps things lean and nicely sharp – really providing the kind of beat-heavy burst that could make old school rhymes sound so powerful and urgent! Titles include "Never Ran, Never Will", "Grand Creator K-Wiz, Best In The Biz", "This Is Sparky D's World", "I Can't Stop", "Yankee Boy", "Punk Rock Rap", "Throwdown", and "Sparky's Rap". CD features bonus tracks – including "Throwdown (12" version)", "Throwdown (stupid Doc's dub)", "I Can't Stop (12" version)", "Changes (inst)", "I Can't Stop (inst)", and "Changes (12" version)". CD