Tracks include "Ms Fat Booty", "Hip Hop", "Know That" featuring Talib Kweli, "Mr Nigga" featuring Q-Tip, "Mathematics", "Brooklyn", "Umi Says", "Do It Now" featuring Busta Rhymes, "Fear Not Of Man", "Habitat", and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Mos Def brings a veering diversity to New Danger – his first album in five years – a record that hits on tried-and-true Rawkus flavored beats and rhyme schemes, slow-rolling, smoked out soul & blues, and Quickness era Bad Brains-esque arena rock! Of course our favorite cuts are the straight up hip hop tracks, produced by Minnesota with a percolating, synth-layered sound that works really well – giving the backdrop kind of a pulpy, cinematic sweep. Other tracks feature Mos and his soul/rock/blues outfit Black Jack Johnson. Mos clearly refuses to be roped in by anyone's expectations at this point – a quality that reminds us of Common's Electric Circus – in spirit, if not in the actual sound. Tracks include "Boogie Man Song", "Ghetto Rock", "Zimzallabim", "The Rape Over", "Blue Black Jack" featuring some straight electric blues guitar work by the one-and-only Shuggie Otis, "Bedstuy Parade & Funeral March", "Sex, Love & Money", "Sunshine", "Grown Man Business", "Modern Marvel", "Life Is Real", "War" (produced by Beatnut Psycho Les) and more. CD

Mos Def and Diverse are joined by the genre pounding, beat twisting, influential producer Prefuse 73 to churn out another memorable song from the "Urban Renewal" compilation on Chocolate Industries. The B-Side is a remix by Def Jux heavy hitter RJD2. 12-inch, Vinyl record

Creative sounds from alto saxophonist Steve Coleman – working here with his Five Elements group, at a time that was one of his most productive! The group have an angular sort of swing – a style that certainly grows out of some more exploratory moments in 80s mainstream jazz, yet which here comes across with a warmer, more acoustic feel overall – never nearly as bogged down by some of the too academic moments that could hold back some of their contemporaries, or even Coleman at some earlier moments. Rhythms are stiff, but still nice and warm – thanks to drums from Gene Lake – and in addition to Steve's alto, the group also features piano from Andy Milne, bass from Reggie Washington, and a bit of tenor from Ravi Coltrane. Titles include "Dogon", "Flint", "Veritable Pedagogy", "The Khu", "Pad That", and "Multiplicity Of Approaches". CD

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 appearance from Bogey on "Rokk Dis" and Ill Seed on "Men Or Mice". The flipside features a more varied mix of cuts and collaborations – with cuts that include "Un Game (rmx)" with Illanoyz, "Impervious" with Denmark Vessey, "Tyme" with Skyzoo, "Sultan Of Ishtar" with UG, and "3 Roundzzz" with Guilty Simpson and Sean Price. LP, Vinyl record album

With tracks by Lathun, Virgo, Corina, Ghostown DJs, Inoj, Zae', Luke, Don Yute, Bo Hagon, Edward J, and Gucci Crew II. LP, Vinyl record album

The Latin Rascals add some 80s flavor to this clasic number from Brick. 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

3 remixes of this slow jam off the classic first LP, by Erick Sermon and a couple by DJ Premier. 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... CD

A great mid 80s Pop Art release, and even though Marley Marl gets credit for mixing this single it's basically Roxanne rhyming over the Biz beatboxing with some canned crowd noise in the background. 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

The first single from Super Nature, who later went on to fame and fortune after changing their name to Salt N Pepa. "Show Stoppa" is a funny reply to Doug E Fresh's "The Show." The production and rhymes follow the pattern of "The Show", from the live crowd intro to the beatboxing. With early production by Hurby Luv Bug. The 7-minute "Def Mix" is a dub version with extended beatboxing not on the original version. 12-inch, Vinyl record

... LP, Vinyl record album

A compelling collection of work from the Chicago scene of the late 80s – and a set that not only features some lesser-known house, but also a proto-hop hop track from The Village Crew! Other artists include "Two Of A Kind", "Kool Rock Steady", "Tyree Cooper", "Paradise Inc", "debrice King", and "Reggio". LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

Redman, where hath thee been? One of the most reliable and unique voices of 90s hip hop finally drops a long delayed second official record in the 00s – after getting killed by Chucky in one of those killer doll movies and a failed sitcom – thankfully picking up his day job right where he left off and easily bettering '01's Malpractice LP. More of a return to form than a rehash, this reminds us how inimitable the man truly is. Production by Pete Rock, Timbaland, Scott Storch and others. Welcome back! Titles include "Bak Inda Buildin", "Put It Down", "Gimmie One", the gem "Walk In Gutta" feat Keith Murray, Erick Sermon & Biz Markie, "Dis Iz Brick City", "Get 'Em" feat Saukrates & Icadon, "Merry Jane" feat Snoop & Nate Dogg, "Gilla House Check", "Hold Dis Blaow", "Suicide" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

The stellar full length debut from Redman – who was just then breaking out solo after honing his craft as part of the EPMD Hit Squad clique – and rose pretty quickly to the upper echelon of early 90s MCs! The masterstroke of Whut Thee Album is the way that Redman balances a gritty, hard hitting approach to the mic and to the lyricism, while still leading a funky party rocking record. The Erick Sermon production is a big part of that balance, with beats that show a real love classic 70s funk – and looking back, it's amazing the number of 'hits' off this one that still hold up today – with "Time 4 Sum Akshun", "A Day of Superman Lover", "How To Roll A Blunt", "Blow Your Mind" (and rmx), "Rated R", "Hardcore", "Redman Meets Reggie Noble", "Tonight's Da Night" – 21 tracks in all. LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

Hip hop's reigning kings of longevity The Roots deliver another great album with Undun – we'd have to think it's entirely uncompromising and they're doing exactly what they want to do on this one – so if you thought their day (eh, latenight) job would would bring their album work into more of a mainstream style. . .hell no! Undun is a serious, soul searching and boldly creative album length character study inspired by a Sufjan Stephens song (!!!) – ambition is not something this group lacks – and it's stunning. An album that's in the upper tier of Roots albums in quality – there's certainly no chart bait here. Includes "Dun", "Sleep", "Make My" feat Big KRIT & Dice Raw, "One Time" feat Phonte & Dice Raw, "Stomp" feat Greg Porn, "I Remember", "Tip The Scale" feat Dice Raw, the four part "Redford" suite and more. LP, Vinyl record album

The debut release from Terri Walker – an incredible soul singer set to take the world by storm! The album's got a stripped-down, syncopated approach that's quite nice – lots of laidback beats and keys coming together in a style that's clearly informed by hip hop, but without any of the cliches that have crept into so much other modern R&B work. Terri's vocals are great too – really honest and not overdone, set to simple and straightforward lyrics that give the album an instantly appealing quality. Titles include "Brand New Day", "Drawing Board", "Love Fool", "Ching Ching", "Dirty Weekend", "4 Feet Under", "Da Business", and "It's All Good" – plus "Guess You Didn't Love Me", featuring a guest appearance by Mos Def! LP, Vinyl record album

With Ron Isley. 12-inch, Vinyl record

Alyson Williams is anything but raw here – as this Def Jam Titles debut really marks the singer as one of the warmer, smoother talents of her generation – an artist who almost emerges as a superstar right from the start, at least with the sense of power and bearing she brings to her music! The set's got a few key duets – including two tracks with Chuck Stanley, and one more with Oran Juice Jones – but Alyson hardly needs to tie herself to the previous generation of Def Jam soul, as she's already ahead of the pack – and working with a voice that would sound every bit as great with 60s or 70s styled-arrangements as it does with the late 80s R&B sparkle of this set! Titles include "Just Call My Name", "I'm So Glad", "My Love Is So Raw", "Still My No 1", "Sleep Talk", "I Need Your Lovin", and "Masquerade". CD features bonus tracks "Sleep Talk (extended)" and "My Love Is So Raw (extended)". CD

Early Jeezy single featuring Bun B. 12-inch, Vinyl record

Jungle Brothers - "Doin' Good For Yourself", Newkirk - "Small Thing", Terminator X - "The Blues", Nice & Smooth - "Paranoia", Slick Rick With Mr. Lee - "Slick Rick - The Ruler", Slick Rick - "I Shouldn't Have Done It", The Famlee - "Love Me", Jungle Brothers - "718 Kit", Alyson Williams - "She's Not Your Fool", Downtown Science - "If I Was", Herbie Hancock & The Don - "Livin' Large" LP, Vinyl record album

Includes selections by Dru Hill featuring Redman, Jay-Z featuring Amil, Wu Tang Clan, JA Rule, Slick Rick, Montell Jordan featuring Monifah and Flesh N Bone, Jon B, Terror Squad, Too Short, and others; plus the theme by Lalo Schifrin, and skits with Chris Tucker. LP, Vinyl record album

Includes "The Vapors" with Vince Staples, "Bed Peace" with Childish Gambino, "Stay Ready (What A Life)" with Kendrick Lamar, and "WTH" with Ab-Soul. 12-inch, Vinyl record

Def Jux's funky party band Chin Chin returns – spacey, 70s inspired club funk and synthy grooves galore! The core Chin Chin trio of keys, strings, drums, percussion & vocals but they really flesh these jams out in the studio – going all in with loads of horns and additional percussion, guitars and more. Unpretentious and groovy fun all around. Titles include "The Flashing", "Stay", "Moments", "It's OK", "Peteredactyl", "Go There With You", "That's Where I'll Be", "The Fancing", "GG And The Boys" and "Hotter Than Hot". CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

The first post-EPMD album from either of the brothers from Brentwood LI. As you'd expect, bottom heavy beats and the classic E-Double slow rolling flow. Includes "Payback II", "Stay Real", "Imma Gitz Mine", "Hostile", "Safe Sex", "Hittin' Switches", "The Hype", "The Ill Sh!t" and "Swing It Over Here". CD

"Gold Digger" is another great single from Kanye West – with a minimalist funky clappin' beat track and a Ray Charles sample – plus an appearance by Ray-incarnate Jamie Foxx. The subject matter couldn't be more tired, but Kanye's vocal approach is still fresh, and the production is nice! The subject matter of the flip "Diamonds From Sierra Leone" is anything BUT tired – and this remix features a rhyme by Jay-Z! 12-inch, Vinyl record

Produced by Marley Marl and QD III. 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

Classic-styled soul from Musiq Soulchild – his debut set for Def Soul, and the start of a great run of mellow grooves! As you might guess from the compressed wording of the title, the tunes here have a great set of flow – a laidback, kicked-back sort of sound that's not nearly as full-on or swaggering as other male soul of the time. Musiq's even more relaxed than D'Angelo here – and the tunes are awash in warm keyboard lines and mellow bubbling beats – all with plenty of room for Musiq to stretch out in some sweeeeeet vocal lines. Titles include "Speechless", "You & Me", "Just Friends (Sunny)", "Girl Next Door", "Mary Go Round", "Love", "Poparatzi", and "You Be Alright". LP, Vinyl record album

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

The massive second album by PE – and the one where where the hit their full creative stride, and their politics and philosphy hit at full force – moving Public Enemy from an imposing threat to both the hip hop and pop music status quo to a straight up cultural phenomenon! There's little we can add to canon of critical regard this unimpeachable classic – just know that it's as essential as any hip hop album of the era. Includes "Bring The Noise", "Don't Believe The Hype", "Prophets Of Rage" and "Rebel Without A Pause", "Cold Lampin With Flavor", "Terminator X To The Edge Of Panic", "Louder Than A Bomb", "Caught, Can We Get A Witness", "She Watch Channel Zero", "Night Of The Living Baseheads", "Black Steel In The Hour Of Chaos", "Prophets For Right To Fight" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

Slick Rick's first solo album – one of the vital early front-to-back hip hop albums of the late 80s Def Jam prime era – and up there with the best ever! MC Ricky D introduced the world to a whole new rap style on Doug E Fresh's "The Show" and by the time this album dropped the world was more than ready for a full set of his unique flow. There's no other voice like Slick Rick's, with a skewed sense of humor even at it's most profane, which makes it all the more disarming when he gets serious for a minute. He proves himself the master of the storytelling rap of the period, and the Hank Shocklee, Eric Sadler and Jam Master Jay production is top tier, too. Includes "Treat Her Like A Prostitute", "Children's Story", "The Ruler's Back", "Mona Lisa", "Hey Young World", "Teenage Love" and more. Remastered 30th Anniversary edition – classic original tracklist on 2LPs! LP, Vinyl record album

On one of his first tracks since Tribe Called Quest, Q-Tip definitely aims for the dancefloor with two remixes of "Vivrant Thing". One featuring Q-Tip, Missy Elliott and Busta Rhymes, and the other featuring Da Franchise, Sonya Blade, Captain, and Harry O. 12-inch, Vinyl record

With Mannie Fresh on "And Then What" and Bun B on "Trap Or Die". 12-inch, Vinyl record

... LP, Vinyl record album

The dark, innovative, head crushing classic by Cannibal Ox – perhaps the signature LP of fairly brief, but legendary Def Jux era! Vordul and Vast Aire from the Atoms Family crew twist metaphors and create dark visuals of NYC and outer space with ease on one of the most forward thinking hip hop albums in quite some time – produced by El-P, who we thought of at the time as the underrated MC and producer of underground faves Company Flow – long before he broke big with Run The Jewels! Tracks include "Atom" with Alaska and Cryptic from Atoms Fam, the single "Iron Galaxy", "Raspberry Fields", "Straight Off The D.I.C.", "Vein", "The F Word", "Stress Rap", "Battle For Asgard" with LIFE Long and C-Rayz Walz from Stronghold, "Painkillers", "Ridiculoid" with El-P, "Pigeon" and more. CD

... Cassette

A posthumous album from the mighty DMX – mirroring his career in way, from rugged and raging street anthems to soulful confessions and pleas to family. Exodus is heavy on guests appearances – and under the circumstances that feels right and fitting, to give this legendary voice the stars-studded sendoff he deserves – with one time rivals Nas and Jay-Z teaming up as show of respect, and appearances by Snoop Dogg, Moneybagg Yo, Lil Wayne & Swizz Beatz, Alicia Keys, Westside Gunn and more. Includes "That's My Dog", "Bath Salts", "Dongs Out", "Hold Me Down", "Skyscrapers", "Hood Blues", "Take Control", "Letter To My Son (Call Your Father)", "Prayer" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Tracks include "Biscuits" feat Trife, "Beat The Clock", "Metal Lungies" feat Sheek Louch & Styles P, "Save Me Dear", "It's Over", "Tush" feat Missy Elliott, "Holla", "Ghostface", "Run" feat Jadakiss, "Love" feat Musiq & K Fox, and more. LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

Time will tell whether the sophomore LP Late Registration will prove to be as revolutionary of a commercial force as College Dropout turned out to be – but it's a better album! We loved the debut as much as the rest of the world did, but this one's an easier listen from beginning to end. The production is tight, the guests earn their spots, and the whole thing's furiously soulful. Much is being made of LA hipster/orch pop troubadour Jon Brion's co-production, but this is Kanye's show. On one level Kanye can rock a subject as cliched as "Gold Digger", and still come out with a fresh perspective that runs deeper than it sounds on the surface, then deliver a serious track about the evils of the diamond trade that still rocks the ice. And those are just the first singles. Another great one! Tracks include "Wake Up Mr West", "Heard 'Em Say", "Touch The Sky" feat Lupe Fiasco, "Gold Digger" feat Jamie Foxx, "Drive Slow" feat Paul Wall & GLC, "My Way Home" feat Common, "Crack Music" feat Game, "Roses", "Bring Me Down" feat Brandy, "Diamonds From Sierra Leone" (rmx) feat Jay-Z, "We Major" feat Nas & Really Doe, "Gone" feat Consequence & Cam'Ron and more! LP, Vinyl record album

Pop culture baggage aside, this is some pretty mesmerizing stuff from Kanye West! Ye the album, if his persona hasn't turned you off by now, is a compelling effort from what we'll dub Kanye's "puzzle period" – this strange era of his recorded output that's a long time since his creative and popular breakthroughs, past the more challenging and complex work circa My Beautiful Dark Twisted Family that enchanted critics and polarized fans, and just got more polarizing from there. The man is a riddle, wrapped in an enigma, hiding behind a Twitter handle but this might be very well be pop art genius...we'll see how it holds up over time! Pretty stripped down compared to some of his denser productions the past few years, and lyrically daunting, but oddly hypnotic all the way. Includes "I Thought About Killing You", "Yikes", "All Mine", "Wouldn't Leave" and "Ghost Town" with PartyNextDoor, "No Mistakes" and "Violent Crimes". LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

Kanye West's & Kid Cudi's joint debut as Kids See Ghosts! Each looks inward and tackles existential personal issues on the lyrical front, with kind of a spacey melancholy vibe to the production, and with cool synths and fuzz-steeped production with some really interesting samples in the mix – from Mr Chop to Kurt Cobain. Officially billed as an album, but with 7 tracks and a 23 minute length, it's straddling the line between EP and full length when it comes to running time – but that's not a knock as it's a tight, filler free effort. Includes "Feel The Love", "Fire", "4th Dimension", "Freeee (Ghost Town Pt 2)", "Reborn", "Kids See Ghosts" & "Cudi Montage". LP, Vinyl record album

... 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

With Chubb Rock, Nasty Nas, and Red Hot Lover Tone on "Here It Comes"! 12-inch, Vinyl record

One of those early hard to find Next Plateau single, before they were distributed by Polygram. Maybe we're off in our geography, MC Sugar Ray sounds almost like a Brooklyn version of Big Daddy Kane. 12-inch, Vinyl record

With all the singles they dropped in the years prior to this, everyone was anticipating this one with glee, and believe it or not, it still lives up to the hype. The first full length double feature with "1, 2, 1, 2", "Da Rockwilder", "Tear It Off" and another dozen smoked out cuts, including "Run 4 Cover", "Fire Ina Hole", "Mi Casa", "Maaad Crew" and "Dat's Dat S**t". CD