US Hip Hop 326 Items

SMK aka South Memphis King is one of the real godfathers of Memphis rap. He released his first album in 1991 and is still active today. This is one of his early recordings, never released on vinyl before, Straight bangin' underground shit for the streets of your city. Roll a blunt and enjoy the sick madness over here.

Includes 60 x 60 cm poster of the album artwork! The poster is only available at HHV!

When Leon Michels and El Michels Affair released their rst record, Sounding Out The City, in 2005, it was hard to guess what was next for Michels and his then-introduced, now-patented "cinematic soul" sound. Now, four EMA studio albums and scores of tribute and remix projects later - all while producing for some of the biggest names in the industry - Michels has trademarked his sound, with each project taking audiences somewhere new and pushing the boundaries of what he is known for. The man is a river, not a lake and this time he takes his golden touch into the realm of hip-hop laying down a musical bed for one of the greatest to ever rhyme into a microphone: Black Thought of The Roots crew. Releasing on Big Crown Records, the LP is called Glorious Game and it is a remarkable debut partnership in more ways than one. Michels provides his bottom-heavy, soul-tinged production for Black Thought who gives us some of the more personal and transparent verses we've ever heard from him. Michels and Black Thought have been in each other's orbit for a while now. The two first met in the 2000s when Thought was first getting familiar with the contemporary soul scene. "Out of that whole world, Menahan Street Band was probably my favorite," recalling the funk and soul group Michels was a founding member of back in 2007. Fast forward a few years and musicians from that collective - Dave Guy on trumpet and Ian Hendrickson-Smith on sax - are now full time players with The Roots. This connection eventually led Leon and Thought to doing a few fundraising events around NYC and Philly together. "Before long, Black Thought was coming around the studio and would jam with us from time to time," Michels explains. "Then, fast forward to 2020 and Covid lockdowns, he just hit me up out of the blue, wanting me to send him stuff to write to. We both were looking to stay busy." Being that Black Thought is the co-founder and emcee for, hands down, the best live-band group in hip-hop. Michels took a decidedly different approach to this project and instead of sending recorded tracks of live compositions, he pulled out the sampler and sampled himself and some records from his collection. "I'm a big fan of soul music," as if Michels has to remind us. "And part of hip-hop's appeal to me has always been the sample-based production" For Glorious Game, Michels would make wholly composed and recorded soul songs in his studio, sample himself, then chop and/or loop up his sounds and create instrumentals for Black Thought. On some tracks he took a more traditional hip-hop approach, starting from samples of other people's music but then adding live instrumentation on top. But for the most part, it's him reinterpreting his own compositions into something new. The result is an organic feel of loop-based tracks that breathe and uctuate enough for Black Thought to ex on. "What I write about is determined by the equation of the producer's energy and my energy," Black Thought says. "It's about where we meet." So armed with Michels sampled and re-sampled soul cinematics, Black Thought rhymes through personal memories.

When we talk about DJ Zirk we're talking about Memphis history. A real legend is showing the many faces of Memphis Hip Hop music on this very vinyl! Backed up by Tha II Thick Family this can't fail. Just the sickest styles offered. Just the dopest flows delivered. Bass Tape II is just swagin' and bangin' till you start over again!

Cover as new with slightly dented corners.
Records with just a few paper scuffs are close to VG+

Following his collaboration with 9th Wonder on "The Don & Eye" earlier this year, Bronx lyricist The Musalini teams up with another Jamla representative, this time joining forces with Khrysis on brand new full-length "Pure Izm". Luxurious lifestyle bars delivered on Khrysis top tier productions, featuring guest appearances by Planet Asia, Ian Kelly, Reuben Wright, King Draft, Izzy Hott, O Finess and Ice Lord, and killer artwork by Huey P.

Guice & Eli are Snubnoze. They're a real dream team when it's about dope rap from Memphis. This one is for the real classic heads of Tennessee Hip Hop Music. Nine hypnotic drive by shooters are about to bang ya eardrums. The album is entirely produced by Blackout!

Limited edition of 350 hand-numbered copies

Limited Edition Collector's Lunchbox with Czarmageddon! Cassette and Exclusive Trading Cards (Series 2) Includes: -Collector's Lunchbox with embossed Czarface art on front and back -Series 2 Trading Cards only available with the Lunchbox. -Cassette of Czarmageddon! only available in the Lunchbox

Hot off their two smashes for Marvel’s blockbuster film Venom: Let There Be Carnage, Czarface is back, triumphantly swinging into your universe with their new album Czarmageddon! Expect many twists and turns as Wu-Tang’s Inspectah Deck and Esoteric go to war with an all-new, all-different soundscape from Czarface producers the Czar Keys. Alt-rap icon Kool Keith shatters the lyrical glass and the enigmatic Frankie Pulitzer, who first appeared on the Venom soundtrack on Czarface’s Today’s Special, is back with guns blazing. Collectors will crash the gates for this all new chapter of the Czarface saga. Includes exclusive trading cards illustrated by Czarface chief artist Lamour Supreme!

New Juice WRLD album Fighting Demons cover and tracklist has been revealed. The album, features collaborations with Justin Bieber, Trippie Redd, SUGA of BTS, and Polo G.

“There was nothing Jarad “Juice WRLD” Higgins enjoyed more than delivering new music to his millions of fans around the world. He left behind an astonishingly deep catalog of music that will ensure his fans will have new songs to listen to for years to come. Jarad was always searingly honest about his struggles and through his musical genius he articulated what was on his heart and mind vividly through his art. He never gave up and his friends and family never gave up on offering their support to him. Today we announce a new album “Fighting Demons” out Dec 10th. We encourage all of you who struggle with addiction and mental health to never give up the fight. We continue to extend free support to you via LiveFree999.org created in his honor.”

- Ms. Carmela Wallace and Grade A

Released on July 10th, 2020, Legends Never Die had a record-shattering debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and spent two weeks at the top spot and has since landed five singles in the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100.

In April of 2020, Juice’s mother Carmela Wallace announced the establishment of the Live Free 999 Fund, which receives additional support via Grade A and Interscope Records in addition to individual donations. The Live Free 999 Fund honors the legacy of her son by supporting young people in their battles and to do so with love, joy, and emotional honesty.

When it comes to the pantheon of hip-hop movies, ‘Wild Style’ is number one. While the actual plot carries about as much weight as ‘Beat Street’ or even the Fat Boys vehicle ‘Disorderlies’ – and the acting is also nothing to write home about – the soundtrack is an indelible classic.

What the film and its soundtrack caught was a moment in time and some key performances from genuine pioneers instrumental in the nascent hip-hop scene. And the influence has passed down through the ages, with rhyming couplets from the ‘Wild Style’ album still cited today, and Nas drawing on a snippet of the film for the opening track of his one true classic album, ‘Illmatic’.

What’s unusual about the soundtrack – and evidenced on the tracks showcased here, available for the time on 7” since a 1983 Japanese release – is that it didn’t draw on the tried-and-tested breakbeats that many of the artists featured on it would have cut their chops on. Charlie Chase, whose slithery scratches adorn both sides of this record, would have been used to going back to back on the records captured later on the ‘Ultimate Breaks & Beats’ compilations.

Instead, the music is produced by Chris Stein of Blondie in collaboration with Fab 5 Freddy, drawing inspiration from those earlier breakbeats, with drums provided by one Lenny Ferrari. Here, Grandmaster Caz of the legendary Cold Crush Brothers is at ease over both sides, the music evoking the sound he would have rhymed over at the block parties where he built his reputation. It’s a moment trapped in amber – you can’t listen to this 7” without imagining a graffiti strewn subway car in New York.

Limited edition of 150 hand-numbered copies on black vinyl.

Seminal electro-fusion / machine-funk classic. Includes previously unreleased radio edit. The genre, electro (or electro-funk), is sometimes perceived to have a separate identity to hip-hop; however, this electronic cousin was integral to the early development of the hip-hop sound. Drawing on drum machines, such as the Roland Tr-808, and influenced by funk, these two genres were intertwined and rode a parallel axis for a while, with rap, breakdance, and graffiti as pillars of the culture and community. The mechanical sound of electro would later go on to inspire a different set of producers and played its part in influencing contemporary electronic dance music. For this 7" release we are taking things back to 1984 and 1985 with a split single from The Egyptian Lover and Jamie Jupitor. First up is a track from The Egyptian Lover, AKA Greg J. Broussard, the cult Los Angeles-based producer, vocalist and DJ, who is a true hip-hop / electro-fusion pioneer. 'Computer Love (Sweet Dreams)' is a seminal electro-fusion / machine-funk classic that saw a release on the iconic label Freak Beat Records (owned by Greg himself). The original 7" release is now very sought-after by collectors. On the flip we have another electro jam from The Egyptian Lover disciple, Jamie Jupitor. 'Computer Power’ was additionally produced and arranged by The Egyptian Lover, and was released on Egyptian Empire Records (the label that evolved from Freak Beat Records). For this release we have opted for a special 7" unreleased radio edit, that has Greg kindly provided us with, which differs slightly in composition from the previously released versions. One for fans of Dãm Funk, electro and 80s funk.

‘Try Counting Sheep’ was always a bit of a curio. For reasons best left in the dark, distant days of record label meetings of the early 1990’s, it only ever saw a UK and Europe release, our US cousins having to do without it. A strange decision because, while it doesn’t have the headnod hummability of ‘The Choice is Yours’, the group’s biggest hit, it perfectly captures their ramshackle charm coupled with a catchy hook. While Dres was a characterful and idiosyncratic MC, one thing that often goes uncelebrated about Black Sheep was their production nous. As on their other singles, they mine some familiar tracks but use the samples in original and creative ways. The Original Sheep LP Mix is a likeably meandering track that borrows bass from Jimi Hendrix and different bits of Rare Earth’s ‘(I Know) I’m Losing You’, with a real lightness of touch. As this was a UK release – the original 7” of which now fetches around three figures – the label rafted in UK producer The Principle for a remix. Best known for his work with Profile Records crew Caveman, he brings the same kind of propulsive organ track to the remix that underpins much of their best work. He adds in an instantly familiar drum break from ‘Impeach the President’ to drive a fine re-imagining that is very much of its time. It’s a record that can still summon the fun of a hip-hop club in 1991, and one that’s no longer impossible to find on 7”.

If you collect vintage 70's soul-jazz vinyl, there is a good chance that you already own a record that features the amazing vocal talents of Dee Dee Bridgewater. Whether it be Roy Ayers, Norman Connors, Billy Parker or Carlos Garnett - Dee Dee is the glue that fuses these artists together. Although best known for her jazz work, Dee Dee has had a wonderfully rich and varied career encompassing soul, musicals, gospel, and underground disco from the 70's to the present day. She is still active as a vocalist, composer, and producer and remains one of our favourite vocalists at Mr Bongo HQ. We take things back to the early years of Dee Dee's career with her debut album 'Afro Blue'. Recorded in Tokyo in 1974, the album was released exclusively in Japan via two different Japanese labels (Trio Records in 1974 and All Art in 1985 respectively). Each release had unique cover art and we have opted to present the album in its original 1974 form. 'Afro Blue' features an exquisite collaboration of American and Japanese musicians, such as Cecil & Ron Bridgewater, Motohiko Hino and producer Takao Ishizuka. The result is a sublime deep soul-jazz masterpiece with timeless versions of 'People Make The World Go Round', 'Love From The Sun', and 'Afro Blue'. It is arguably one of the finest albums in its genre. This record has long been a sought-after item for DJs and collectors alike, so we are delighted to finally make this wonderful music from an understated great available to all.

With Retropolitan, Skyzoo’s most recent collaborative project with Pete Rock, he got to live out a dream, as two generations of legendary native New Yorkers aligned to create an album that was both a love letter and a wakeup call to the city they love. Now, with The Bluest Note, Skyzoo is checking another box on his bucket list. “Since my debut album, I’ve never released a project that didn’t include a moment of jazz influence; with some sort of live instrumentation, something that connected my lyricism with the truest definition of musical lyricism; jazz” Skyzoo commented. “As much as I’ve incorporated my favorite genre of music with my other favorite genre of music, this is the first time I’ve been able to craft an entire project based on jazz production from top to bottom” Skyzoo quipped. “The Bluest Note is a testament to something I’d been longing to do for as far back as I can remember.” In 2017, Sky was touring in Italy and met the Tuff Kong Records team, who recruited Dumbo Station to bring Skyzoo’s vision to life and in June 2019 Skyzoo was in Rome writing, composing and recording music with the talented musicians. “Collaborating with Italy’s renowned jazz band Dumbo Station was an absolute honor. From writing musical arrangements with them and having them bring them to life in the studio in Rome, Italy; it was a perfect union and execution of what I foresaw when I began to sketch out the project. Six songs, as an homage to the classic jazz albums of the genre’s heyday (when LPs were around six tracks total). The Bluest Note is the storytelling and inner-city expressions you’ve come to know and love from me, attached to the jazz orchestration I’m dying to introduce to some and re-introduce to others. Ladies and gentlemen, this is, The Bluest Note…” This is the Black Vinly.

Black Sheep – and their 1991 ‘A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing’ album - were definitely an outlier in the Native Tongues fold. They were raunchier and more playful than their peers which, given that those peers were A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul and Jungle Brothers, is really saying something.
‘Strobelite Honey’ catches that difference perfectly, leaning heavily on a pair of 1980 disco samples rather than the jazz of their brethren, and taking a somewhat less chivalrous approach to women. ‘Strobelite’s slender but fun narrative sees rapper Dres up in the club and fooled by the lights – approaching a girl he likes the look off but backing off when they reveal she’s not what he expected. Charmed, we’re sure.
Dres and his partner Mr. Lawnge were always willing to push boundaries, and that extends to the often confusing labelling of the various remixes of this choice single. 12”s dropped with the ‘No We Didn’t Mix’, ‘Yes We Did Mix’ and ‘Maybe We Did Mix’ (not to mention a separate 12” of House mixes).
The last and best of these accompanied the original version on the now-rare 1991 7”, as it does here. The ‘Maybe We Did Mix’ adds urgent horns - almost like the buzzing of a bee - and a new beat to completely reconfigure the sound into something much more of its era. It’s a reminder of when remixes were about much more than the same beat with different rappers.

With the original UK 7” of this release now as rare as hen’s teeth, and with the group having recently ‘reformed’ for one last album together, the Mr Bongo replica re-release of this 1990 masterpiece by Gang Starr couldn’t be more timely.
The now-legendary duo of DJ Premier and Guru dropped this at the height of hip-hop’s sampling of jazz, which had led to a creative leap forward for the genre. Yet while others plundered in the dark, this instant classic wore its influences on its sleeve and paid verbal homage to the musicians they were sampling. The “melodious funk” of “Thelonious Monk” gets namechecked, while the track samples two of his records, including 1958’s Bop gem ‘Light Blue’.
While both versions presented here have common elements, the ‘Movie Mix’ – so-named for the song’s appearance on the soundtrack to Spike Lee’s mythic jazz biopic ‘Mo’ Better Blues’ – goes in a few different directions to the ‘Video Mix’. Rather than just drop in an instrumental for the B-side, DJ Premier instead shows his versatility by switching up the base track (Kool & The Gang’s 1971 ‘Dujii’) and layering in other samples. In more ways than one, his virtuosity here echoes the improvisation of a jazz musician, akin to Denzel Washington’s Bleak in the movie.
Of course, he’s not the only show in town. The late Guru’s voice is as mellifluous as an instrument itself here, his potted history of the genre and the artists of jazz delivered with his own unmistakable cadence. Without this record, would he have gone on to make his ‘Jazzmatazz’ projects.

Ohio rapper Stalley burst onto the scene in 2010 with his breakthrough mixtape “Lincoln Way Nights”. In the years since, he's seen his stock rise further after signing with Rick Ross and Maybach Music Group, contributing to chart-topping albums, and releasing acclaimed solo projects featuring artists like Scarface, Nipsey Hussle, Migos, 2Chainz, Ty Dolla $ign, Meek Mill, Curren$y, and more. Now going the independent route, Stalley is back with the new project “Reflection Of Self: The Head Trip”. The collection is entirely produced by Jansport J, the California beatsmith responsible for tracks by Snoop Dogg, Ab-Soul, Dom Kennedy, Freddie Gibbs, Kool G Rap, Planet Asia, and many more. With Jansport’s raw, soulful instrumentals setting the tone, "Reflection Of Self: The Head Trip" is Stalley’s most introspective project to date. "With this music it’s more spiritual - it’s my story," he explains. "By being independent and having total control of my career, I now have the freedom to create freely and bare my whole self to my true supporters."

Boston, MA beatsmith Stu Bangas aka Stu Ferrigno has been hard at work behind the drum machine dropping notable collaborations with Ill Bill, Blacastan and Starvin B, Vanderslice and Esoteric just to name a few, and gaining production credits on some incredible projects. He’s now back with a banger under his belt, his new “Discernment” EP on which he recruits a plethora of killer emcees, handing the mic to Ill Bill, Lord Goat, Blacastan, Apathy, Has Kingpin, SmooVth, LMNO and Nowaah The Flood to create some incredibly brutal tracks for the masses.

"Pulp Phixion" is a brand new collaboration project by legendary Brooklyn MC ILL BILL with producer SUNDAY aka Thriller Machine of Italian hardcore hip-hop powerhouse DSA Commando. The two have got together to shape this incredible 4 tracks EP featuring guest appearances by Vinnie Paz, Sick Jacken, D.V. Alias Khryst and the first appearance of Lord Goat formerly known as Goretex.

Following last year's highly acclaimed
"Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth",
Spanish Harlem MC and Fat Joe affiliate
UFO Fev is back with a brand new project
teaming up with DJ J Hart to bring you
“EMIGRES":
é·mi·gré
A person who has left their own country to
settle in another. This defines DJ J Hart, a
French native who left his homeland in
search of the purest form of hip hop NYC has
to offer. After packing his equipment &
hitting the road, Hart's journey led him to
Spanish Harlem, NYC. Home of your favorite
rappers favorite rapper, UFO Fev. As Fat Joe
would describe him, the spanish Nas. UFO
Fev has been bubbling up the ranks as an
emcee, now linking with J Hart to craft a
fresh raw sound that captures the heartbeat
of the underground as well as hints of Fev's
charisma with cuts like, "Mr.Officer" &
"Running It". Pro Era alumni C.J. Fly joins
UFO Fev for "Sunrise", for purists and casual
fans alike Émigrés is a body of work all will
enjoy.