Gift ideas for rap fans 105 Items

The contributions of the late Detroit producer James DeWitt Yancey -better
known to the world as J Dilla- to the world of hip-hop can't be overstated, and
nowhere is his legacy more apparent than his work as a member of Slum Village.
A founding member of the trio, (Alongside rappers T3 and Baatin) Dilla provided
the group's distinctly esoteric, free-wheeling sound, built around winding
basslines, quirky drumbeats, subtle low-end frequencies, and classic jazz & soul
samples. Against the backdrop of Dilla's rich production, T3 and Baatin's
free-flowing style of rhyming would also earn wide critical praise, leading to
comparisons as the successors to A Tribe Called Quest. (A label they themselves
have rejected.)
It's on Slum Village's 1997 studio debut, Fan-Tas-Tic Vol. 1, that all these
elements come together in the most proficient manner. An instant hit among
Detroit's underground hip-hop scene, the album seemed to combine all the best
elements of the reigning alternative and gangsta styles of hip-hop into one
cohesive style that was a hit among critics. Fan-Tas-Tic's influence extended far
beyond Detroit, as its sound heavily influenced the sounds of D'Angelo, Erykah
Badu, and The Roots just to name a few. (Roots drummer ?uestlove has even
declared that: "Hands down this album birthed the neo-soul movement.")
Ne'Astra Media Group now presents the album reissued on vinyl, for the first
time in several years. Every wobbling bass note of J Dilla's production has been
preserved and every freestyle line of T3 and Baatin has been re-created, to
maintain the legacy of a late-90s rap classic, and the legend of one of hip-hop's
greatest beatsmiths.

Although rap music is famous for its ingenuity, double entendres and clever turns of phrase, until now no one has attempted to collect rap lyrics into an organised compendium. Enter UNDERSTAND RAP, a very funny pop-cultural reference book based on the website of the same name, which precisely explains all the confusing terms and lyrics used in rap songs in a language even the most un-hip person can understand. The result is a book with breakout potential that's both entertaining and highly informative. The juxtaposition of dry, academic manner with Hip Hop terminology in UNDERSTAND RAP frequently lends itself to ironic comedy gold. For example: Lyric: "been servin' since you was doin' the runnin' man" Explanation: My experience selling drugs began long ago, while you were still concerning yourself with immature things like doing goofy dances where you look like you're running in place. (From Song: Rubberband Man on Album: Trap Muzik by Artist: T.I.) Understand Rap features hip hop artists of all names, colours, and creeds and organise their lyrics into the following categories: Cars, Money, Drugs/Alcohol, People, Places, Fashion, Crime/Weapons, Insults, Skills/Pride and Sex/Relationships.

From a Los Angeles hospital bed, equipped with little more than a laptop and a stack of records, James “J Dilla” Yancey crafted a set of tracks that would forever change the way beatmakers viewed their artform. The songs on Donuts are not hip hop music as “hip hop music” is typically defined; they careen and crash into each other, in one moment noisy and abrasive, gorgeous and heartbreaking the next. The samples and melodies tell the story of a man coming to terms with his declining health, a final love letter to the family and friends he was leaving behind. As a prolific producer with a voracious appetite for the history and mechanics of the music he loved, J Dilla knew the records that went into constructing Donuts inside and out. He could have taken them all and made a much different, more accessible album. If the widely accepted view is that his final work is a record about dying, the question becomes why did he make this record about dying?

Drawing from philosophy, critical theory and musicology, as well as Dilla’s own musical catalogue, Jordan Ferguson shows that the contradictory, irascible and confrontational music found on Donuts is as much a result of an artist’s declining health as it is an example of what scholars call “late style,” placing the album in a musical tradition that stretches back centuries.

152 pages.

Christopher R. Weingarten provides a thrilling account of how the Bomb Squad produced such a singular-sounding record: engineering, sampling, scratching, constructing, deconstructing, reconstructing - even occasionally stomping
on vinyl that sounded too clean. Using production techniques that have never been duplicated, the Bomb Squad plundered
and reconfigured their own compositions to make frenetic splatter collages; they played samples by hand together in a
room like a rock band to create a "not quite right" tension; they hand-picked their samples from only the ugliest squawks and sirens.

Weingarten treats the samples used on Nation Of Millions as molecules of a greater whole, slivers of music that retain their own secret histories and folk traditions. Can the essence of a hip-hop record be found in the motives, emotions and energies of the artists it samples? Is it likely that something an artist intended 20 years ago would re-emerge anew? This is a compelling and thoroughly researched investigation that tells the story of one of hip-hop's landmark albums.

160 pages.

The instant classic "Disposable Arts" from 2001 finally gets a proper vinyl reissue on blue colored wax.

Includes features and productions by the likes of Paul Nice, Jean Grae, Ayatollah, DJ JS-1, Domingo, Rah Digga and many more.

One of the essential Rap albums of the 2000 era that shouldn't be missed in any serious Hip Hop vinyl collection!

The instant classic "A Long Hot Summer" from 2004 finally gets a proper vinyl reissue on orange colored wax.

Includes features and productions by the likes of 9th Wonder, Big Noyd, Marco Polo, Ed O.G., DJ Spinna, Rahzel of The Roots, The Beatnuts and many more.

One of the essential Rap albums of the 2000 era that shouldn't be missed in any serious Hip Hop vinyl collection!

Ooooh, that's fresh! With the 2nd Madvillain album in the making, Stones Throw hooks up with James Reitano to create this ill-ass cartoon design. Relaxed fit. 100% cotton.

Dan LeRoy uncovers the story of this outrageous era in Beastie Boys history ... 129 pages

European pressing.
'Illmatic' is the debut studio album by American rapper Nas, released in April 1994. Often cited as one of the best hip-hop albums of the '90s, 'Illmatic' is the undisputed classic upon which Nas' reputation rests. It helped spearhead the artistic renaissance of New York hip-hop in the post-Chronic era, leading a return to street aesthetics. Hip-hop fans accustomed to 73-minute opuses sometimes complain about 'Illmatic''s brevity, but even if it leaves you wanting more, it's also one of the few '90s rap albums with absolutely no wasted space. 'Illmatic' reveals a great lyricist in top form meeting great production, and it remains a perennial favorite among serious hip-hop fans.