One of the first hip hop singles that really made the crossover to dancefloor play. By this point, everyone's heard the sample three million times, but it's still holds up better than most of the uptempo cuts from that era. 12-inch, Vinyl record
The Stones may be old, but they ain't dumb! Mick & co. must have noticed the huge shot of artistic credibility Justin Timberlake received after the Neptunes hopped aboard, which is something the Stones haven't had in a couple of decades. The 'Tunes do a pretty great re-imagined take on the ... (Rock, Hip Hop)read moreCD
(Hybrid SACD pressing with the original lenticular insert!)
The classic critical breakthrough from The Roots – the one that really cemented their legacy as one great hip hop live bands ever, and help paving the way for many fascinating records to come! Do You Want More is a modern hip hop essential, chainging the way we looked at hip hop, and ... read moreCD
The classic critical breakthrough from The Roots – the one that really cemented their legacy as one great hip hop live bands ever, and help paving the way for many fascinating records to come! Do You Want More is a modern hip hop essential, changing the way we looked at hip hop, and ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A less tense and caustic Roots than the crew that hit us on the majority of Rising Down a couple years earlier – and this one's as strong of an album as they've delivered since moving over to Def Jam. In truth, we were a little scared when we saw some of the guests credited – Monsters ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
On Things Fall Apart ?uestlove, Black Thought, DJ Scratch, Rahzel and co. reinvigorated the scene with a Philly style soulful, melancholy groove that seemingly influenced the entirety of the NuSoul world – and it could even be argued that the Roots birthed that whole scene. Phrenology ... read moreCD
El-P and Killer Mike finally deliver a killer duo record! We knew that this one would be a win, considering how great the El-P produced RAP Music album by Killer Mike turned out to be, how versatile the El-P futuristic production vibe is and how timelessly inventive each rapper is on their own. ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(10th anniversary edition with the original plus bonus instrumentals LP – in a double gatefold sleeve each with split-colored vinyl!)
An important early 90s moment for Run DMC – as the set has one of the first big major hip hop acts of the 80s, retuning themselves slightly for the new decade – in part by opening the door to added guests and producers for the record! The core energy that makes the trio so great is ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(30th Anniversary edition, on red and white/black and white colored vinyl!)
A fantastic meeting of the minds – as director Jim Jarmusch makes a film that's a nod to the old martial arts films of the 70s that inspired the Wu-Tang Clan in their music – and RZA gets a chance to contribute to the soundtrack, with help from the Clan as well! The music is maybe the ... read moreCD
Featuring some of Hurby Luv Bug's best production work on "I'll Take Your Man", "My Mike Sounds Nice", "Tramp", "It's Alright". LP, Vinyl record album
(Original pressing with Trutone stamp. Cover has a large corner cut, heavy edge wear, bent corners, and some marker and index label in back. Labels have some marker and ink stamps.)
Salt N Pepa —
Very Necessary ... LP Next Plateau/Mercury, 1993. New Copy 2LP (reissue)...
$32.9936.99
A massive hit and creative triumph for Salt N Pepa – a record that was both maybe their biggest ever, and which had the duo working with Spinderella at a level that also bridged both hip hop and R&B! Although there were some younger up-and-comers on the scene at the time, Salt N Pepa had ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A massive hit and creative triumph for Salt N Pepa – a record that was both maybe their biggest ever, and which had the duo working with Spinderella at a level that also bridged both hip hop and R&B! Although there were some younger up-and-comers on the scene at the time, Salt N Pepa had ... read moreCD
(Cover has lightly bent corners. Shrinkwrap is partially cracked at the top seam and opening.)
Saul Williams —
Saul Williams ... LP Fader/Republic, 2004. New Copy (reissue)...
Just Sold Out!
Saul Williams is one of those hip hoppers who's not really a just a rapper – one who comes to the genre from a background that's already very multi-faceted – one that shows up instantly in the record's blend of sounds and styles, modes and moods! There's a definite political agenda to ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Savage Intellect —
Genesis Of Genius ... LP Black Buffalo, Mid 90s-Early 2000s. Sealed 2LP ...
$43.99
Led by Kevin Beacham aka AMC, long-time pillar of underground hip hop in Chicago, finally in physical form after decades in the vaults! With production by Jel, Maker, and Overflo; with guest spot by Costume. LP, Vinyl record album
The biggest book we've ever seen to focus on the photography of Jamel Shabazz – a Brooklyn photographer who was out on the streets in the glory days of the old school – famous for his work capturing key sides of the early hip hop scene, and plenty of other New York culture as well! The ... (Books, Hip Hop)read moreBook
Shabazz Palaces —
Black Up ... CD Sub Pop, 2011. Used ...
$5.99
... CD
(Packaged in a black velvet slipcase with golden sparkles.)
Sim-E Auto smoked it up on the third volume of this great series, and he returns with even more force on this collection of well-chosen cuts! Production on most of side one is by Temper3000 – and tracks include "Mind Trixxx" and "After Midnight" – plus a guest ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Essential 90s material from Smif N Wessun – one of those key records that was not only great in and of itself, but also as part of a larger tapestry of top shelf talents finally getting to shine in the spotlight! Previously, Smif N Wessun had shown up on Black Moon's first album – and ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A set that's got Flying Lotus working in his best old school mode – that sharp yet sophisticated style that's opened so many doors for him in recent years on other projects – very nicely fitted here to deft lyrical contributions from Smoke DZA! The record's a short one, but not out of ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A remix-heavy version of a record that may have the year 1993 permanently locked into its title – but a set that's got more than enough strength to survive strongly over the decades – the first great statement from Cali giants Souls Of Mischief, and a record that would set the tone for ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A record that may have the year 1993 permanently locked into its title – but a set that's got more than enough strength to survive strongly over the decades – the first great statement from Cali giants Souls Of Mischief, and a record that would set the tone for the Hiero Imperium scene ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Blue translucent vinyl pressing. Cover has a tiny center split on the top seam, but looks fantastic overall.)
(Original pressing. Includes the printed inner sleeves and download card. Cover has a bumped corner and a bit of wear at the opening.)
Specifics —
Specifics II ... LP P-Vine (Japan), 2007. New Copy ...
$29.9936.99
You gotta love a hip hop album that begins with an Alice Coltrane sample – and The Specifics follow suit with plenty more other jazzy bits too – almost evoking an old Tribe Called Quest generation with they way they use key samples, but also doing so at a level that's very understated ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
An East Bay classic from Spice 1 – and a great little record from that time before the west coast became a bit too much West Coast! There's a thuggish, early gangsta vibe that runs through the whole set – but as with some of the more enduring Cali hip hop of the time, the set's got a ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
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 ... (Books, Hip Hop)read moreBook
Steinski cuts a rough mix for the pros: 28 continuous cuts including "Swingset (10 beautiful girls mix)", "The Id (small world mix)", "By All Means Necessary (Malcolm & Bobby mix)", "I Like It Like That (Scratch It One Time mix)" "Country Grammar ... read moreCD
A lively little groover from the Sugarhill Gang – one based around the excellent "Daisy Lady" sample from 7th Wonder! The track makes great use of the original's brassy horns – inflecting a bright, almost Latiny finish on the tune – all to set the stage for some great ... read more12-inch, Vinyl record
13 cuts, production by E Swift & Rockwilder, guest spots by Raekwon, Kurrupt, Xzibit, Outkast & others. Includes "Ricochet", "True Homies", "Pimpin' Ain't Easy" & "Blackula". LP, Vinyl record album
An odd collaboration between Afrika Bambaataa and John Lydon that was sort of club hit at the time, but we're not sure what to make of it these days. Dense production by Bill Laswell with his standard heavy beats, guitar and synth lines. The vocal version has Bambaataa and Lydon predicting the end ... read more12-inch, Vinyl record
The second album from Too Short, and like the first, a set that firmly established both the Cali scene and the Bay Area as a hotbed of harder-hitting hip hop! And sure, there were countless later gangsta acts that slide into the sorts of cliches that often marred the genre – but back at the ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Dangerous/RCA pressing. Cover has ring & edge wear.)
Tribe Called Quest —
Anthology ... LP Jive, 1990s. New Copy 2LP ...
$30.9932.99
Tracks include "Check The Rhime", "Bonita Applebum", "Award Tour", "Can I Kick It?", "Scenario", "Buggin' Out", "If The Papes Come", "Electric Relaxation", "Jazz (We've Got)", "I Left My Wallet In El ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
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
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 moreLP, Vinyl record album
Tribe Called Quest —
Low End Theory ... LP Jive, 1991. New Copy 2LP (reissue)...
$36.9939.99
The second album from the immortal Tribe Called Quest – one of the absolute essential hip hop LPs, and a record that should be an anyone's shortlist of the best albums in several subsections of hip hop – just a straight up masterpiece anyway you cut it. The album is so high up on the ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A masterpiece from prime era Tribe Called Quest! Midnight Maurauders was Tribe's third LP, and even though there were no tracks yet credited to the Ummah, this is pretty much the beginning of Tribe's transition to that sound – with the same mellow, laid back vibe as their best early material ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
One of THE landmark hip hop albums – and the full length debut of great Tribe Called Quest! We hardly need to tell you about this classic – but it will always bear repeating. De La Soul might have kicked the door open on leftfield, anything goes artistry about a year or so earlier, ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
One of THE landmark hip hop albums – and the full length debut of great Tribe Called Quest! We hardly need to tell you about this classic – but it will always bear repeating. De La Soul might have kicked the door open on leftfield, anything goes artistry about a year or so earlier, ... 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 moreLP, Vinyl record album
2Pac —
2Pacalypse Now ... LP Interscope, 1991. New Copy 2LP Gatefold (reissue)...
$28.9934.99
The landmark debut of 2Pac – hard rhymes and gritty production laying the bedrock for an iconic legacy! 2Pac's voice is front and center throughout, nothing tentative about the rhymes or delivery, and true to legend, every word feels honest and real, whether you're comfortable with it or not. ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Tracks include "Keep Ya head Up", "2 Of Amerikaz Most Wanted", "Temptations", "God Bless The Dead", "Hail Mary", "Me Agains The World", "How Do U Want It", "So Many Tears", "Unconditional Love", Trapped", ... read moreCD
Grammy-winning work from Tyler The Creator – a record that's got a darker, moodier vibe than some of his previous work – very much the journey in sound that you might guess from the title – complete with narration from DJ Drama that does a great job of holding the whole thing ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Includes a vinyl only bonus track and a 12X12 poster!)
Wolf sounds almost pretty from the first few seconds of the intro, but soon after the soft opening, the gritty beat drops, the gravely/growling vocals kick in, and the wild mix of comical and caustic rhymes let you know good and well that Tyler The Creator's back. Guests include Hodgy Beats, Frank ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
(Includes cool 12x12" insert and oversized sticker!)
Funky sounds from Dan Ubick of Connie Price & The Keystones – and a killer set in this excellent sound library series from Madlib! As with the other volumes, the music has a strong nod to the classic 70s era of sound library funk, but also updates the work strongly too – in this ... (Sound Library, Hip Hop)read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A record that definitely funked our head up at the time of its release – a rock-solid follow up to the UMCs Critical Beatdown – and another record that has us just wishing they'd given us more music in this incarnation! A very young Kool Keith is key to the album – giving it an ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Vic Mensa —
Victor ... LP Roc Nation, 2023. New Copy 2LP Gatefold ...
$25.9928.99
Vic Mensa's a very different artist than on his previous record – a rapper who's taken the long years between the two sets to undergo a personal and spiritual rebirth, with results that come through instantly on the tracks on this set! There's an urgency that Vic never had before – ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
Viktor Vaughn (MF Doom) —
Vaudeville Villain ... LP Sound Ink/Get On Down, 2003. New Copy 2LP Gatefold (reissue)...
$34.99
Sinister sounds from MF Doom – working here under his Viktor Vaughn identity, yet serving up the same fantastic blend of hardness and wit as in the other records under his own name! There's a lean, mean quality to the record that's wonderful – thanks to production from King Honey, Max ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
A record as powerful as the image on the cover – and a set that strongly continues the personal and political legacy of British rapper VV Brown! The set works very strongly as a whole, to examine issues of race in contemporary England – and Brown mixes hip hop lyrics with sung vocals, ... read moreCD
VV Brown —
Am I British Yet ... LP Universal (France), 2023. New Copy 2LP Gatefold ...
$29.9934.99
A record as powerful as the image on the cover – and a set that strongly continues the personal and political legacy of British rapper VV Brown! The set works very strongly as a whole, to examine issues of race in contemporary England – and Brown mixes hip hop lyrics with sung vocals, ... read moreLP, Vinyl record album
6 tracks: "BeatWave", "Master Of The Mix", "Nunk (New Wave Funk)", "Light Years Away","Light Years Away (dub version)" and "No Man Is An Island". LP, Vinyl record album
(Cover has a thin stain with a bit of stuck-on paper at the bottom edge and is bumped at the bottom right corner.)
In the tradition of the Molemen and All Natural, another nice one from the Chicago underground. "Think U Jammin'?" uses a killer organ bassline and DJ Diamond Kut cutting up a line from Steady Serv's classic "You Know The Time" for the chorus, and of course straight up dope hip ... read more12-inch, Vinyl record
(Cover has some edge wear and is lightly bent at the bottom left corner.)