Hip Hop Tape 541 Items

When Crimeapple and Big Ghost Ltd fi rst linked up on their "Aguardiente" collaboration in 2016, the two came to shake the game up. The iconic Antioqueño bottle left a mark in underground hip-hop that still stands strong to this day, and to follow up they cooked up the deadliest material to do that once again with "Bazuko". Named after the deadliest and most addictive street drug in Colombia, basuco, the album embodies the raw, uncut and un fi ltered essence of their artistic process, much like the gritty remnants of cocaine paste. Crimeapple's razor-sharp lyricism cuts through Big Ghost Ltd's masterful, hard-hitting beats, creating a visceral, addictive and immersive soundscape. With "Bazuko," the two aren't just following up on "Aguardiente"; they're raising the stakes, delivering a project that is as potent and unforgettable as its namesake.

Warped and dragged through the murky underbelly of the Levantine underground comes 'Volume 1' the x-rated left-field debut from the pseudonymous DJ Gawad.
Via pitched up vocals dripping with delay, DJ Gawad takes us on a tour of the region's most urgent artists, his interjections oscillating between cocky boast and frustrated lament.
Through this new persona, DJ Gawad pulls back the curtain to reveal himself as the protagonist of the mixtape-like album, as replete with features as it is with expletives, an enigmatic ghoul in the back of the studio with an endless supply of broken sample flips, giving the album its old school feel while still speaking to contemporary hip hop aesthetics.
A Jordanian/Palestinian Memphis gangster rap parody par excellence, the album is infused with satirical commentary on the state of the contemporary music scene, yet DJ Gawad shows as much as he tells, expertly fashioning a sound that makes you wonder about the identity of the artist behind the braggadocious persona of the self-titled "best producer in the Middle East."
Drawing heavily from the Memphis rap mixtapes of the mid 1990s, DJ Gawad has clearly identified the same brooding atmosphere in his own surroundings. On Mat3'anish (feat. Bleng & Fara7) DJ Gawad makes his most explicit reference to the Memphis sound, twisting the hallmark cowbells that defined that movement to reflect the equally raw nature of his own setting.
Similarly, in Bandana (feat. Jurum), DJ Gawad finds the perfect tension between his romantic sampling tendencies and the brutal sensibilities of his featured artist. As if liberated by DJ Gawad's anonymity and irreverence, his menagerie of artists appear to have been emboldened, embracing the obscene free naturedness of the album, setting their lyrical prowess free to wander.
No expense was spared in the post production treatment of DJ Gawad's debut, with Iraqi-American artist Mark Gergis incorporating the Nakamichi Dragon cassette deck in the mastering process, as is evidenced by the crisp saturation of the album's sonics.
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DJ Gawad, the self-proclaimed "best producer in the Middle East", is the pseudonymous persona of the Arab artist, pioneer, philosopher and lover. The anonymity grants him complete artistic freedom to pursue his creative endeavors in full. DJ Gawad embarked on a journey from the West to the East to collaborate with local left-field rap artists in the region to produce this masterful debut, released on Drowned By Locals.
DJ Gawad Presents: Volume 1 is his first feature album, and he will continue releasing more projects under this moniker. Stay tuned.
released August 1, 2024
Producer: DJ Gawad
Vocals and Lyrics: Tony Bleng, Fara7, rknddn, Julmud, Movenwomen, MrF13, Twinkie, Jurum
Master: Mark Gergis
Kingpin & Executive Producer: Sukk-Leil
Artwork: 3YN
Video: Hamada DVD & Dr. MP$
Text: Nihal El Aasar
Dbl27ct

Limited edition of 100 copies on cassette.

"Down To Earth" marked the debut album by Chicago's very own Grav. Originally released in 1996, the deep-voice MC flows on productions by No I.D., Dug Infinite, Big Q and a young Kanye West. Album guests include Al' Tariq and Lil Ray as well as DJ Nu-Mark on the cuts.

Underground lyrical terrorist, Grav, is among Chi town's most jovial and modest rappers. His personality is a blend of tranquillity and sangfroid, whether he's belting out razor sharp metaphors or head-nodding in time with a hip hop DJ. He grew up in Harlem when hip hop's street poets began taking a firm hold on the minds and hearts of New York's disenfranchised urban youth. He often journeyed to a park within the Lincoln Projects at 135th Street between Fifth and Madison avenues to hear such emerging hip hop artists as Doug E. Fresh beat box or rhyme. Grav remembers a special camaraderie emanating from those park jam sessions. "Everybody just grew up being cool with everybody," he says. "It was like a second family." In 1992, Grav moved to the Midwest to major in computer animation and sound engineering at the Art Institute of Chicago. Once he got to the Windy City, Grav decided to settle in the section of town referred to as Wicker Park. Wicker Park is the Midwest equivalent of Greenwich Village with it's ultra bohemian clubs, art galleries, cafes, bookstores, and theaters. Grav was then introduced to the city's underground hip hop scene through his roommate, Free. Grav spent most of his days with his head buried deep in his university school books to master the heavy scholastic work load. But his nights were spent flexing in freestyle sessions and ripping ciphers to shreds at clubs with an open mic night. He took on the name "Grav" when he teamed up with rapper, Magpie. In 1993, the two of them organized the group Indigenous Theory. Commenting on his unique moniker, Grav says, "My name reflects my down to earthness with people and how they react to me when I perform. I'm not just up there kicking lyrics. There's something in my style that attracts people to me, like the force of Gravity." Eventually Grav went solo when the group broke up in 1994. During this time Grav decided to seriously enter the rap game and lie concentrated on captivating audiences with the machine gun rhythm of his incredible flow and delivery at the legendary B Side Café. Grav rapidly graduated from headliner to host, with shows on Chicago's underground rap circuit. His debut album "Down To Earth" adds to the handful of projects that Grav already has on his plate, like rhyming on countless underground mix tapes and contributing to producer No.ID album (beat maker supreme for Common, Al Tariq, etc.).

Available in a limited run on 2LP+7", CD in jewel case, cassette and digitally on all major platforms.

Tape 1: C45 in Transparent Pink with a bold Full Color Onbody Print. The full album, just the way it’s meant to be.
Tape 2: C21 in Smokey Brown – this is where it gets crazy: the “Crewed & Torted” version of the album, raw and straight to your ears

This album was the first complete album entirely produced at Bump Park Studios of Indigolith. The incredible view of this mysterious place gave Frizz the energy to channel the vibe of Indigolith directly into his sound. But he must continue, as he is a driven individual.

He is a newcomer to this strange town, and there are many levels yet to be explored. After the final release, he is supposed to be initiated into further secret dealings of his label boss. Sometimes, when he dreams, he hears the sounds of breaks underwater.

It remains wild. Follow him if you aint bumped enough.

Written and recorded off grid in the Portuguese mountains and produced in full by the Leigh Brothers (Leaf Dog & Illinformed), ‘Dragonfly’ is Fliptrix’s lightning in a bottle moment; a series of life-changing events compelling Fliptrix to hole up in the studio to capture the true essence of his recent experiences in real time.

The result is his most alive offering to date; handbrake fully off, emotions and energies dialled up to 11 across 14-tracks. Each unpacking a tumultuous year which included the birth of his daughter and unexpected passing of his father, all this while navigating the ever-shifting music scene he has championed for so many years as the founder of High Focus Records and 1/4 of supergroup The Four Owls.

Exploring the connections between the natural landscape and the spirit world, the dragonfly as a totem to the other, but more poignantly, in the fact that Fliptrix’s late father played drums in his own rock band of the same name in the 1970’s, ‘Dragonfly’ carries a personal weight that sets it apart from his previous album offerings, Fliptrix delving deeper than ever before; incredible highs paired with moments of introspection, reflection and mourning as he searches for meaning in the songs that he writes.

And with a stunning feature courtesy of psychedelic RnB superstar Greentea Peng on huge single ‘Cosmic Scenes’, ‘Dragonfly’ is the perfect body of work to round off Fliptrix’s canon of ten solo albums, spanning seventeen years (and counting) of music making at the very top of the scene.

Limited TO 50 Hand Numbered Copies!

His most striking offering to date, ‘Tears Of The Dragon’ is an evolutionary listen, Onoe staying true to the primordial pillars found in the DNA of all the great albums; love and lust, loss and heartbreak key players in an inspired narrative arc that sees Onoe reveal all about his recent past in unmistakeable fashion.

Having written a heap of songs and arranged a number of versions he was More than happy with, real life events saw Onoe return to the bones of the album, with a desire to create something truly timeless. As a result, he moved away from a mixtape mentality and began to carve out the real truth along a stricter, more considered sonic path, crystallising his experiences with an immediacy that makes the album even more unique.

Writing a love album made all the more sense after speaking directly to fans when touring Europe late last year. Stories of love, heartbreak, and the positive influence his music has in moments of extreme emotion became a driving force for Onoe when writing the record and constructing the arc…

“…everything is fine, then they break up, then follows the aftermath. Repeat.”

‘Tears Of The Dragon’ follows the same aesthetic that has become synonymous with Onoe’s universe. A tapestry of speeds and rhythms, nights and days, smooth and hardcore; expertly tied together by Onoe's love-fuelled source code.

15-tracks, with features from Lofty305, Ledbyher, Eter & 169 stalwart L-Zee Roselli, ‘Tears Of The Dragon’ really is an album for the ages.

As Onoe explains…

“I want this album to be my Michael Jackson ‘Thriller’ … I also listened to Prince a lot and would tell people my next album is gonna sound like Prince meets Max B at a Halloween party…”

Get into the spooky sounds of the season with our new instrumental hip hop compilation, "urbnet Halloween Beat Tape." Featuring over 40 minutes of blood-curdling and spine-chilling beats, this continuous mix features music by Danny Miles, Moka Only, DJ Unknown, Nickelman, Swamp Thing, K-Rec, and a few more surprise visitors. The 14-track beat tape is the perfect soundtrack for scaring trick-or-treaters, fireside ghost stories, and stormy night drives. "Halloween Beat Tape" will be available on cassette tape, digital download, and your favorite music streaming service this October.

In their captivating collaborative album, Imaginarium, the dazzling duo of Savages & Tripcat invites listeners on a mesmerizing journey through downtempo, trip-hop, exotica, and chill-out soundscapes. The album’s 13 tracks showcase the artists' unique blend of classical influences, electronic experimentation, and hip-hop sensibilities, creating a sonic caravan that transports the listener to a realm of dreamy escapism. Savages & Tripcat’s Imaginarium delivers irrefutable evidence of the pair’s musical prowess and shared vision. The album’s cohesive yet diverse tracks offer a fresh, immersive listening experience that will resonate with fans of the downtempo and instrumental hip-hop genres. It’s another on-point release from the Cold Busted family.

"Boombap Guardians Episode 1" entails a journey through the lifestyle of bringing Hip-Hop culture to our daily lives… not only as independent artists, but as human beings. The notion of social and society collapse, fallen friends, inner peace and the beauty it takes to stay up, true life stories written on paper and expressed through HipHop. Boombap Guardians has improved on the design of sample based Hip-Hop backed by heavy percussion, speaking English and Dutch languages with some serious grime. This project has been many years in the making, although the majoring of the tracks were recorded over the last 3 years. BBG is important to us in the following ways…the beginning of friendships…the end of an era, but truly not forgotten. In many ways Hip -Hop has saved our lives and helped us move forward. Id have to say this project entails how even HipHop can turn strangers into brothers.

Yo yo! Another Krisengebeat sure shot takes you back to his 90s childhood. A world consisting of retro games (nba Jam), streetball challenges and skateboarding. Accompanied by the classic boom bap sound of the golden era he grew up with. Put this tape in your Walkman and do your homework kid!

All beats produced by Krisengebeat

Gaining attention with the release of high-quality lo-fi hip-hop compilations such as "Timeless" and "The Cave," Grey October Sound is a lo-fi hip-hop production team that has also gained recognition in Japan and abroad. They have released covers of famous Studio Ghibli songs in "Lo-Fi Ghibli," popular city pop tracks in "Lo-fi City Pop," and beloved Japanese anime songs in "Lo-fi Anime."

Now, a collaboration between Grey October Sound and Salad Days, widely known as Europe's top lo-fi/chill pop label, has come to fruition! This compilation features popular lo-fi tracks released digitally by Salad Days, including those by artists like Enra, Lenny Loops, Slowheal, and Eugenio Izzi. The visual imagery, including the cover art, is handled by illustrator Rika Nagatani, who is also well known with the artwork for "Lo-fi Ghibli" series.

Limited edition of 100 copies on cassette.

Yall So Stupid came from Atlanta's underground and gave their listeners the low down on their town on their debut album "Van Full Of Pakistans", originally released on Rowdy Records in 1993. MC's Unkle Buk, H2O, and Logic, with DJ Sha Boogie on the turns, stuck to what they knew and did best: busting straight up hardcore tracks for macks, honeys and tricks. Entirely produced by Spearhead X eccept a few productions by label mates Da King & I and Sylvan Sargeant.

Available in a limited run on 2LP+7", extra 7" of the title track "Van Full Of Pakistans" ("Album Version" b/w "Spearhead X Remix"), CD in jewel case, cassette and digitally on all major platforms.

Widely recognized as the most influential underground hip hop artist of the past 15 years, Roc Marciano returns with his latest masterpiece “Marciology.” Once again, Roc effortlessly colors his signature raw production with the razor sharp multisyllabic rhyme styles that spawned countless imitators. “Marciology” is mostly self-produced as usual, with Alchemist and Animoss offering up a few beats a piece., with guest verses from Larry June, Jay Worthy, Crimeapple, Flee Lord, and Knowledge the Pirate.

Limited to 250 tapes only!

close to NM

Limited edition. Numbered.