US Hip Hop 449 Items

"These “Big Hole” 7 Inches From Lord Willin’ Are Presented On White Vinyl In Mini Star Trak Die-Cut Jackets – Replicas Of The Label’s Original 12” Sleeves. The first hip-hop group signed to The Neptunes' newly formed Star Trak label in the early 2000s was a Virginia based duo known as The Clipse. The group’s first single “Grindin’,” impacted young people with its bare-boned but infectious drum beat in the same way that Run-DMC’s “Sucker MCs” did almost two decades earlier. MCs Pusha T and Malice, combined with The Neptunes’ groundbreaking production, sent a clear message to the rap world – “we are not the same.” Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo were able to combine their electro-punk production with just the right group to create a street masterpiece. Following in the footsteps of such rap criminologists as Kool G Rap, Nas, Jay-Z and Mobb Deep, the Clipse offer a hustler's viewpoint, with clever, hard-hitting lyrics that are consistent throughout the album. Select singles from Lord Willin’ will now be available from Get On Down on white vinyl in 7” size diecut jackets that reproduce the look of the original 12” releases on the Neptune’s Star Trak imprint."

Acclaimed Ukrainian-American rapper Your Old Droog recently made waves with the unexpected release of "It Wasn’t Even Close", a brand new album that drew widespread attention and endless praise after dropping in April with no advance warning. Fresh off this success, your old pal is returning less than two months later with "Transportation", a different album dropping on June 14th. The album features 15 tracks, all of which loosely relate to a method of transportation. “Not everything is literal though,” says the artist, which comes as no surprise considering the man’s penchant for abstract metaphors. "Transportation" finds Your Old Droog returning to the unique remind-you-of-NYC-at-night soundscapes that served as the backdrop to his classic self-titled debut, which was named one of the top 10 albums of 2014 by The New York Times and one of the top 15 rap albums of 2014 by Rolling Stone. Similar to the first project, the bulk of the beats on "Transportation" are handled in-house by eclectic Inwood beat wizard Mono En Stereo. Droog sounds more than at home delivering the audio equivalent of comfort food, with interludes sprinkled around beats and rhymes that go together like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with a cold glass of milk in the middle of the night. In Droog’s case, it might be Bulgarian buttermilk.

The Good People are exactly that, good folks that have maintained a strong presence in Hip-Hop since the mid-naughts. Consisting of MC/DJ Emskee and MC/producer Saint, these two heads eschew the violence and misogyny of hardcore Hip-Hop but still give fans that energy and sound of classic 90s Boom Bap. While some may even group them under the conscious Hip-Hop banner, their intent is to just make the kind of music that listeners can't help but nod their heads to. The type of tunes that send b-boys into the circle without a second thought.

While this true school twosome dropped a number of well-received projects (group and solo) between 2004-2013, it wasn't until earlier this year that they released their third official group album, "Good For Nuthin". The effort showed they hadn't lost a step. In fact, it is the very definition of essential, "no frills" Hip-Hop. The LP features some of the genre's most enduring pioneers and vets, including DJ Red Alert, Large Professor, Sadat X, Lil Fame, the Cella Dwellas and more.

Now, only a little more than four months later they are back with an offering perfect for the upcoming dog days, which is appropriately titled "The Summer EP". The 6-track affair carries on tradition without sounding retro. It starts with the genuine LA vibes of "Windows Down" featuring Tash of Tha Alkaholiks, which is followed up by a braggadocios posse cut with A-F-R-O and Termanology titled "Sidewalk Barbecue." Quintessential East Coast horns and thumping drums dominate the remainder of songs, including the laid back lead single, "A Summer Night At The Symphony." The joint starts with the same narrated intro as The Juice Crew's "The Symphony," and features noted spitter John Jigg$ and his team, MXNXPXLY Family, getting busy on the mic.

Suffice it to say, this extended player will be getting enough spins in convertible rides, at BBQs, and on late night radio shows that still play the real. Push play and experience that feeling of a cold drink on a sweltering day.

It’s been more than forty years since Kool Herc starting throwing parties in the South Bronx, and so you could forgive the casual fan for thinking that nearly every permutation of hip-hop has already been explored. But KEITH, the new album from the iconic rapper Kool Keith and the master producer Psycho Les (due out July 12 on Mello Music Group) argues just the opposite: that what’s absurdly funny can also be sinister and strange, that the form can still be broken in new and radical ways. Keith is, of course, one of the pivotal figures in the history of hip-hop, and has been one of the genre’s most singular writers and original voices. The Bronx native was a founding member of Ultramagnetic MCs, whose debut album, 1988’s Critical Beatdown, served as a blueprint for both internationally famous acts like Public Enemy and for the entire future of underground rap. But Keith’s solo work, which began in earnest in the mid-’90s with Dr. Octagonecologyst (released under a pseudonym, naturally) is even stranger, more experimental, more brilliant. He will enjamb seemingly unrelated ideas and images against one another with a poet’s love for language and a pornographer’s knack for camp. Subsequent records like 1997’s Sex Style, ‘99’s Black Elvis/Lost In Space, and 2000’s Matthew were hailed as instant classics; Keith has spent the last several years crafting expertly written records that are rewardingly bizarre, unlike anything else on the rap landscape –– and KEITH is a crown jewel in that excellent late-period run.

Psycho Les is a founding member of the Beatnuts, who were first notable as the only Latino members of the Native Tongues, the collective of groups that pushed hip-hop to its avant edges in the early ‘90s. They were staples throughout that decade, both with their own albums and via the production they did for artists as disparate as Fat Joe and Common –– as well as for their work pioneering the remix. The Beatnuts’ music had in its foreground cramped house parties and reckless debauchery; Les developed the unique ability as a producer to merge that abandon with technically rigorous sample manipulation and unique arrangements.

If you’re worried that two artists who have been working at this for so long would be tempted to rest on their laurels or make music that’s predictable, disabuse yourself of that notion. Keith opens the album with a tangent about Foot Locker –– not about buying shoes, but about lusting after the footwear chain’s employees, with their tight, referee-striped shirts and form-fitting black pants. It only gets stranger from there. His Lamborghinis aren’t just green, they’re pistachio green; his head is perfectly round like Charlie Brown’s; his handkerchief is worth your per diem. And as a vocalist, Keith is still as slippery and innovative as ever: see the way he slides right into an unorthodox flow at the beginning of “Slave Owner,” only to thin out his writing to allow for a string of insults from the titular slave owner.

KEITH is a laser-focused, remarkably vital work from two artists entering the fourth decades of their respective careers. If nothing else, take as an example a couple of the guests who appear here: there’s Jeru the Damaja, who represents the true-school ethos of New York in the early ‘90s, but there’s also Paul Wall –– he rides shotgun on “Foot Locker” –– who broke through more than a decade after Jeru, as the woozy, laconic Houston scene of the mid-2000s briefly stole the national spotlight. Both serve as ideal foils for Keith: they’re somehow tethered to Earth as we understand it, while he’s free to orbit around them, and us, in a path that only he will ever understand.

i'd like to thank the silence
it's the womb of all vibration
and very rare to find
because most of the time
everything is singing
but when it does arrive
it's a healing force too.
i'd like to thank the wind
for being so dear.
i wanna thank the blues
for helping me out
and the fonk
for setting me free
as i can possibly be
under this oligarchy.
and a special thanks
to the sweet scent
the rain leaves behind itself
cause
it makes me wanna make music
i wanna thank you
for sharing this moment with me.
uhuru na haki
g
produced mixed and recorded by g.a.m. at SomeOthaShip
mastered by Romeo "D.J. ROMES" Jimenez

Being an emcee, producer, and CEO, 38 Spesh and his TCF Music Group label are basically self-contained. Realistically, he can flip a beat, rap on it, get a verse from TCF artists Che Noir or Klass Murda, and have a banging cut within an afternoon. So, his collaborative albums really speak volumes about what drives The King of Upstate — he loves to make the kind of raw Hip-Hop that fans need. He’s not just another hustler eating off rap, as his ambitions are much bigger than that. When he did joint albums with Benny The Butcher and Kool G. Rap last year, it seemed only fitting as Spesh's style gels well with either of theirs. Nonetheless, he also dropped another collab project not many listeners are aware of, and may seem outside his wheelhouse to some. In The Mob We Trust paired the TCF bossman with Oakland native Joe Blow. This extra prolific spitter is the protege of Mob Figaz capo The Jacka (Rest In Power). He is one the few rappers who put out albums on The Artist Records, an imprint that mostly released The Jack’s music. Spesh heard Joe shout him out in a song, and without hesitation, he reached out. Becoming fast friends, the Rochester native proposed a joint album. However, he also decided executing it over the net wasn’t going to cut it, so he made a trip to The Bay. The voyage produced an offering that echoed the cross-country flavor and camaraderie of The Jacka and Freeway linking up half a decade earlier. Having finally got over the weed hangover he endured while in Oaktown, Spesh will be connecting with Blow once again for a follow-up at the beginning of 2020. So, if you ain’t up on game, it’s time to plug in.

Strongly limited edition of 300 copies on colored 2LP vinyl.

We are pleased to present the very first full vinyl release of Rubberoom's 1995 "Gothic Architecture". This is a true underground gem from the mid-90's Chicago scene originally released on cassette by Elastic Recordings (EL3701). Avantgarde rap in its early stages, reminds of Fondle ‘Em and Def Jux releases. Includes early works by the likes of The Isle Of Weight and Mr. Echoes (also known as The Opus). Contains fully new crafted artwork by so talented Boggie Cramb. Tip!

Since the early aughts, rapper Diabolic and producer Vanderslice have moved in similar circles, so it was only a matter of time that they would join forces for a collaborative record. With the release of Collusion, that time is now, and it couldn’t have arrived at a more perfect moment. The project eschews every trend and flash-in-the-pan style to create a record that’s a must-listen for anyone who truly appreciates sharp lyricism and neck snapping production.

“We’re two artists with 18 years of friendship, colluding to form a cohesive monster,” Diabolic says of working with Vanderslice. “The chemistry is automatic,“ he adds. “At first, we tested the waters to see if the chemistry was there, and if we could actually make a cohesive record, that we were both passionate about, and we did,” echoes Slice.

It’s apparent that Collusion is an absolute force when you hear opening track “Think of That,” a blistering banger featuring shots at his rivals, over Slice’s hypnotic production. And the remainder of the album hits just as hard, with tracks like the chest-thumping “Normalize,” the Nems featured heater, “See the Light,” the DJ Revolution-assisted “Simon Phoenix,” and the B-Side opener, “The Other Side,” which Vanderslice claims to be one of his toughest beats in years.

In addition to battle-ready bars and neck-breaking production, the lyrics and album title of course reference the nation’s current political climate. But the thing is, that wasn’t intentional for either collaborator. “The ‘political’ topics I touch on are just hints of what’s on my mind at the time” Diabolic explains. Adding to that, Vanderslice states: “You let the artist write and record whatever they want. It's my job to trim the fat and present it in it's absolute best light.” With the fat trimmed and everything in place, we're left with one of the most noteworthy rapper-producer collaborations of the year.
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Born and raised in the infamous Coney Island section of Brooklyn, Nems started writing at the age of 15, when he hit the gas and never slowed down, winning almost every notable freestyle battle and performance based competition in NYC. At age 17 Nems participated in the MTV series “Fight Klub”, during which Nems battled fellow MCs to a 20-3 record and became a stand-out on the show, garnering him attention from Def Jam, Shady Records and countless labels of all sizes. Nems inked a deal with Psycho+Logical / Koch Records and began touring throughout the United States, dropping his first album in 2010, the critically acclaimed Prezident’s Day. Since dropping Prezident’s Day, Nems has released numerous albums and mixtapes (including Coney Soprano, the Skinny Nems series and Planet of the Apes series) and has collaborated with legends and up-and-comers in the rap game alike, including Ghostface Killah, Kool G Rap and Benny the Butcher.
Nems’ hard work over the years has paid off, amassing a cult like following with no major-label backing or support. His loyal fan base continued to grow as he established
the “FYL” clothing and apparel brand, selling out a new piece of merch every week to die-hard fans all over the world, including those who expressed their dedication with Nems and FYL tattoos. Now, in 2019, fans of Nems can get their fix with GORILLA MONSOON, his new 13 track LP ft Conway, Spit Gemz and more, and entirely produced by Jazzsoon.

Collaboration full-length by Los Angeles based MC Lyric Jones and producer Nameless. /// Featuring guest appearances by Guilty Simpson, Black Soul, Blu and Vic mSpencer among others /// Limited edition vinyl run of 300 handnumbered copies, 100 on aqua green vinyl and 200 on black vinyl. This is the black edition /// Formidable Los Angeles-based MC Lyric Jones has returned to the album arena after several years with GA$ MONEY, a collaborative effort with producer Nameless. The album’s title is derived from both artists sides hustles (driving Uber/Lyft and truck driving) and how their presence on the scene reflects on the bare minimum — which is nalso reflecting in the leadoff single, “Adulting.” We are proud to bring their new 10-tracks collaboration, featuring appearances by the likes of Blu, Guilty Simpson and Vic Spencer among others. Limited edition of 300 handnumbered
copies:
- 100 on aqua green vinyl
- 200 on black vinyl

Long Island’s Fifth God debut full-length produced by Blank Noriega. /// Featuring guest appearances by Skyzoo, Retch, Da$h and Fashawn among others. /// Limited edition vinyl run of 300 handnumbered copies, 100 on silver vinyl and 200 on black vinyl. This is the black edition. /// Long Island's Fifth God is a very prolific creative, an artist in its true sense and with a wide spectrum of interests. He has captured his vision in this tribute to the hip-hop culture which is "The Fifth Tape”. Teaming up with Blank Noriega on the productions, the two create a very interesting sound, suitable for classic veterans such as Skyzoo, Fashawn and Tragedy Khadafi as well as modern approach of artists such as Retch, Da$h together with countless other guests. We are proud to bring you "The Fifth Tape" as a limited edition 2LP vinyl release of 300 hand-numbered copies:
- 100 on silver vinyl
- 200 on black vinyl

Collaboration project by DITC immortal A.G. and Roman producer Cuns. /// Featuring guest appearances by Recognise Ali and Sage Infinite. /// Limited edition of 500 hand-numbered copies, with the first 200 pressed on white/olive green vinyl and the 300 on black vinyl. This is the black vinyl edition. /// Over the last couple of years, legendary Bronx lyricist and DITC Immortal A.G. and
Roman producer Cuns have been working on the low, creating and shaping the 5 tracks featured on their brand new EP entitled "Bronck's Kill". On this new body of work, Cuns has managed to create the perfect soundscape for A.G. unique style, intricate rhymes and seamless storytelling.
Limited edition of 500 hand-numbered
copies made:
- 200 on white/olive green vinyl
- 300 on black vinyl
Written by A.G.
Produced by Cuns
Recorded at Spanish Fly Media
Cuts by DJ Stile
Mixed and mastered by Bassi Maestro at
Press Rewind Studios, Milano
Artwork by Domenico Errico

LUCAS HIGH pays homage to DOUG LUCAS, a forgotten jazz-funk pioneer from the 1960s and 70s (Mombasa, JJ Band, Plus, SuperFunkyDiscotheque) whose songs have been sampled by hip hop luminaries including Busta Rhymes and Nas. Dan Ubick, aka Connie Price (Breakestra, The Lions) and co-producer and Executive Producer Matt Fife bring together sampled elements from Doug's catalogue with new production, arrangements, lyrics and sounds.

The record also celebrates hip hop's "Golden Age" with an all-star roster of musical titans spanning from the East Coast to the West Coast to Jamaica, including Big Daddy Kane, MOP, Grammy Winner Macy Gray, Talib Kweli, Brand Nubian, Rapsody, Lady of Rage, Brother J of X-Clan, Imani and Brown of The Pharcyde, Soup and Marc 7 of Jurassic 5, Wildchild of Lootpack, Guilty Simpson, Percee P, Jovi Rockwell of Major Lazer, and featuring scratches by the DJ Rhettmatic of the legendary Beat Junkies.

Zach Lucas, who was only a teenager when his father, Doug Lucas, passed away from Leukemia over two decades ago, joins Connie Price & The Keystones on these historic LUCAS HIGH sessions, creating a lost musical conversation between a late father and his son.

The LP comes with beautiful gatefold packaging, liner note insert and a digital download card included in the sleeve.

Creating a studio record of live studio instruments with this pedigree level of 90s hip hop artists is a rare and special thing. The records creates transcendent party sound for people young and classic, combining old school and new school rap with psych, Afrobeat, rocksteady, soul, and funk, all "building high and laying low" from the dance floor to the head funk.

Not to be confused with Snax.

Over the last couple of years, legendary Bronx lyricist and DITC Immortal A.G. and Roman producer Cuns have been working on the low, creating and shaping the 5 tracks featured on their brand new EP entitled "Bronck's Kill". On this new body of work, Cuns has managed to create the perfect soundscape for A.G. unique style, intricate rhymes and seamless storytelling.

Over the last couple of years, legendary Bronx lyricist and DITC Immortal A.G. and Roman producer Cuns have been working on the low, creating and shaping the 5 tracks featured on their brand new EP entitled "Bronck's Kill". On this new body of work, Cuns has managed to create the perfect soundscape for A.G. unique style, intricate rhymes and seamless storytelling.

The DOPE 2015 Baltimore Archives project on Herring gets a CD release!!

Limited to 500 copies. The second release in the DJ's Choice series! This time, the label meets New York City and heads back to old-school hip hop with a track featuring the amazing MC Illspokinn. The Rebel has been recording musicians to give him a fat instrumental, and the result is a tune that sounds fresh and funky! On the flip side is a B-Boy version of the track produced by Nickodemus, one of the most versatile producers in New York and a world renowned DJ. Grab your copy today!