A Japanese only compilation of one of our all time favorite hip hop groups! Includes "Just Hangin Out", "Fakin The Funk", "Just A Friendly Game Of Baseball (rmx)", "Peace Is Not The Word To Play", "Live At The Barbeque", "Snake Eyes", "Looking At The Front Door", "Watch Roger Do His Thing" and "Down Low" + 9 more! CD

A record that no hip hop home should be without – the debut album from Main Source, but a set that's more than strong enough to stand next to the best from contemporaries like De La Soul, Tribe Called Quest, and Black Sheep! Like all three of those groups, these guys have a way of bringing together fresh rhythms and samples, sharp-edged writing, and a keen sense of wit – all part of that next-generation level of intellectual hip hop that made them so groundbreaking at the time – and which still makes this album a fantastic delight all these many years later! The album introduced the world to the genius of Large Professor – and continues to shine for decades, thanks to tunes that include "Snake Eyes", "Looking At The Front Door", "Live At The Barbecue", "Just A Friendly Game Of Baseball", "Peace Is Not The Word To Play", "Watch Roger Do His Thang", "He Got So Much Soul (He Don't Need No Music)", and "Just Hangin Out". CD

The classic debut of Gang Starr – and a record that would really help chart the direction for hip hop in the decade to come! And yes, the set's not the first in this mode – but the production work of DJ Premier alone here sets a whole new standard for smart samples, creative rhythms, and really matching the groove to the lyrical interplay – qualities that are still continued when Mark The 45 King helps out on a few tracks too! The duo have a way of serving up smart lyrics with just the right work on the mic – yet all at a level that never hits you over the head – so that the record can easily travel between the streets, the clubs, and the kind of ears tuned towards something smarter than the rest. A classic all the way through – with cuts that include "Manifest", "DJ Premier In Deep Concentration", "Positivity", "Jazz Music", "Gotch U", "2 Steps Ahead", "Knowledge", "Gusto", "Cause & Effect", and "No More Mr Nice Guy". Features a whole album of bonus material – with cuts that include "Here's The Proof", "The Lesson", "Dedication", "Positivity (rmx)", "Manifest (rmx)", "Gusto (inst)", and "No More Mr Nice Guy (return of the bass version)". LP, Vinyl record album

A record that no hip hop home should be without – the debut album from Main Source, but a set that's more than strong enough to stand next to the best from contemporaries like De La Soul, Tribe Called Quest, and Black Sheep! Like all three of those groups, these guys have a way of bringing together fresh rhythms and samples, sharp-edged writing, and a keen sense of wit – all part of that next-generation level of intellectual hip hop that made them so groundbreaking at the time – and which still makes this album a fantastic delight all these many years later! The album introduced the world to the genius of Large Professor – and continues to shine for decades, thanks to tunes that include "Snake Eyes", "Looking At The Front Door", "Live At The Barbecue", "Just A Friendly Game Of Baseball", "Peace Is Not The Word To Play", "Watch Roger Do His Thang", "He Got So Much Soul (He Don't Need No Music)", and "Just Hangin Out". CD

The classic debut of Gang Starr – and a record that would really help chart the direction for hip hop in the decade to come! And yes, the set's not the first in this mode – but the production work of DJ Premier alone here sets a whole new standard for smart samples, creative rhythms, and really matching the groove to the lyrical interplay – qualities that are still continued when Mark The 45 King helps out on a few tracks too! The duo have a way of serving up smart lyrics with just the right work on the mic – yet all at a level that never hits you over the head – so that the record can easily travel between the streets, the clubs, and the kind of ears tuned towards something smarter than the rest. A classic all the way through – with cuts that include "Manifest", "DJ Premier In Deep Concentration", "Positivity", "Jazz Music", "Gotch U", "2 Steps Ahead", "Knowledge", "Gusto", "Cause & Effect", and "No More Mr Nice Guy". CD

The classic debut of Gang Starr – and a record that would really help chart the direction for hip hop in the decade to come! And yes, the set's not the first in this mode – but the production work of DJ Premier alone here sets a whole new standard for smart samples, creative rhythms, and really matching the groove to the lyrical interplay – qualities that are still continued when Mark The 45 King helps out on a few tracks too! The duo have a way of serving up smart lyrics with just the right work on the mic – yet all at a level that never hits you over the head – so that the record can easily travel between the streets, the clubs, and the kind of ears tuned towards something smarter than the rest. A classic all the way through – with cuts that include "Manifest", "DJ Premier In Deep Concentration", "Positivity", "Jazz Music", "Gotch U", "2 Steps Ahead", "Knowledge", "Gusto", "Cause & Effect", and "No More Mr Nice Guy". CD

A record that no hip hop home should be without – the debut album from Main Source, but a set that's more than strong enough to stand next to the best from contemporaries like De La Soul, Tribe Called Quest, and Black Sheep! Like all three of those groups, these guys have a way of bringing together fresh rhythms and samples, sharp-edged writing, and a keen sense of wit – all part of that next-generation level of intellectual hip hop that made them so groundbreaking at the time – and which still makes this album a fantastic delight all these many years later! The album introduced the world to the genius of Large Professor – and continues to shine for decades, thanks to tunes that include "Snake Eyes", "Looking At The Front Door", "Live At The Barbecue", "Just A Friendly Game Of Baseball", "Peace Is Not The Word To Play", "Watch Roger Do His Thang", "He Got So Much Soul (He Don't Need No Music)", and "Just Hangin Out". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the last dope releases from the Wild Pitch glory days, and an essential piece of early 90s hip hop from the Diggin' In The Crates crew. Nice, smooth production from Buckwild with lyrics to match, and a couple tracks produced by Lord Finesse and Organized Konfusion, and three tracks that were up there with the best of 1994: "Times Up", using the Slick Rick "Their time's limited . . ." sample, "Word... Life", "Born To Live", "No Main Topic", "Point O Viewz", "Constables", "Ma Dukes", "Story", "Ga Head" and more. 14 tracks in all. CD

One of the most underappreciated gems from the Wild Pitch days – Hard Knocks, from the Bronx, with a style that's sometimes laidback, but more often righteously angry and funky. Perhaps Bronx crews were supposed to be more hardcore at the time to go anywhere sales wise, but this record works for us just as well as some the more famous golden age landmarks. Ripe for a late discovery! Includes "A Dirty Cop Named Harry", "Runaway Child", "Young Guns", "Young Black Male", "Strictly From The Bronx" "Ghetto Love", "Hands of a Stranger". CD

A long-delayed album from Main Source – one that was recorded back in the early 90s, but never really saw the light of day until 5 years later – a record that features a revised version of the group, but still working with all the best energy that made them so wonderful on their debut! Large Professor is out, but Mikey D does a mighty nice job as the MC – working with cuts that are mostly produced by K-Cut, with a few more by Sir Scratch – all sharing that lean love of key samples and laidback vibes that make Main Source such a standout act, even all these many years later! The style here is almost a refinement of the Native Tongues approach, taking things to a core, while also adding a bit of NYC street to the mix – on titles that include the classic "Set It Off", plus "F*ck What You Think", "Down Low", "What You Need", "Where We're Coming From", "Hellavision", and "Diary Of A Hitman". CD features the bonus track "Breaking It Down". CD

A fantastic cut from Main Source – one that steps loud and proud with a killer Lou Donaldson sample and some mighty Idris Muhammad drums! "Vamos A Rapiar" is one of the overlooked nuggets on their first album – served up here on a limited and mighty nice 7" picture disc single! 7-inch, Vinyl record

A great pairing of early genius from Main Source – their drum-snapping "Live At The Barbeque" – matched with a majestic ode to "Large Professor" – all served up on a very cool, limited edition 7" pic disc! 7-inch, Vinyl record

A record that no hip hop home should be without – the debut album from Main Source, but a set that's more than strong enough to stand next to the best from contemporaries like De La Soul, Tribe Called Quest, and Black Sheep! Like all three of those groups, these guys have a way of bringing together fresh rhythms and samples, sharp-edged writing, and a keen sense of wit – all part of that next-generation level of intellectual hip hop that made them so groundbreaking at the time – and which still makes this album a fantastic delight all these many years later! The album introduced the world to the genius of Large Professor – and continues to shine for decades, thanks to tunes that include "Snake Eyes", "Looking At The Front Door", "Live At The Barbecue", "Just A Friendly Game Of Baseball", "Peace Is Not The Word To Play", "Watch Roger Do His Thang", "He Got So Much Soul (He Don't Need No Music)", and "Just Hangin Out". LP, Vinyl record album

A record that no hip hop home should be without – the one and only album from Main Source, but a set that's more than strong enough to stand next to the best from contemporaries like De La Soul, Tribe Called Quest, and Black Sheep! Like all three of those groups, these guys have a way of bringing together fresh rhythms and samples, sharp-edged writing, and a keen sense of wit – all part of that next-generation level of intellectual hip hop that made them so groundbreaking at the time – and which still makes this album a fantastic delight all these many years later! The album introduced the world to the genius of Large Professor – and continues to shine for decades, thanks to tunes that include "Snake Eyes", "Looking At The Front Door", "Live At The Barbecue", "Just A Friendly Game Of Baseball", "Peace Is Not The Word To Play", "Watch Roger Do His Thang", "He Got So Much Soul (He Don't Need No Music)", and "Just Hangin Out". LP, Vinyl record album

A great single-only track from Main Source – and maybe the greatest thing ever about the White Men Can't Rap project! The tune's a sharp attack on wanna-bes in the hip hop world, served up by one of the best of the time – all delivered with that sharp crackle that makes Main Source so wonderful over the years! "He Got So Much Soul" is great too – this really skittish little number that cascades with funky drums, bassline, and a bit of trumpet as Main Source spins out their rhymes effortlessly! All served up on a limited pic disc single too! 7-inch, Vinyl record

One of our favorite cuts ever from Main Source – the tremendous "Looking At The Front Door", a tune that rides strongly on a great Donald Byrd sample to give it a righteous jazzy groove! Single also includes "Snake Eyes" from the Breaking Atoms LP – and the feel of this limited pic disc 45 is mighty nice! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Includes clean versions of "Grindin" with Bad Azz, "Ice Age" with El-Drex and Kurupt, "Wild Pitch" with Jah Skillz and Xzibit, "Ooh Wee!", "All Or Nuthin" with Twista, and "The End" with RZA. LP, Vinyl record album

The first Gang Starr single after they left Wild Pitch, from way back when Guru was still also known as Keith E. E. The original 12-inch version of "Just To Get A Rep" – the version included here – includes a whole extra verse at the end that gives a completely different ending to the song. For some reason, that verse was left off the LP version and the version on "Full Clip." 12-inch, Vinyl record

One of our favorite compilations in this amazing series – a killer batch of 70s funk from Ethiopia! The instrumental grooves are very much in the style of the best American work at the time – like tracks by James Brown or Kool & The Gang – but the vocals have this amazing other-worldly feel that makes the music sound totally unique, and which pulls out some strange pitches in the instrumentation that really gives the whole thing a wild and edgey feel! The set's got 17 tracks in all – none of which you've probably heard before – and titles include "Tashamanaletch" and "Wededku Afqerkush" by Alemayehu Eshete, "Muziqawi Silt" by Wallias Band, "Gedawo" and "Gud Aderegetchegn" by Ayalew Mesafin, "Ya Djaleleto" and "Antchin Yagegnulet" by Tamrat Ferendji, and "Yemendjar Shega" by Muluqen Mellesse. CD