US Hip Hop 157 Items

Cream coloured vinyl has a few paper scuffs. Lenticular cover is close to NM. With insert

As wikipedia says: The album features uncredited guest appearances from Schoolboy Q, Charlie Wilson, Kali Uchis, Kanye West, Lil Wayne and Pharrell Williams ... so check it out!

Only 115 hand numbered copies pressed on Clear Gold Vinyl.

Undun is the tenth studio album by The Roots, released on December 6, 2011. It is a concept album that tells the tragic, reverse-chronological story of a fictional character named Redford Stephens, a young man who becomes involved in a life of crime and meets an untimely death. The album explores the themes of fate, choice, and the socio-economic pressures that lead individuals into cycles of poverty, crime, and existential struggle.

Undun is told in reverse order, beginning with Redford’s death and slowly moving back through the key moments of his life that led to his demise. This structure provides a reflective, somber narrative, examining the forces that shaped his decisions and eventual downfall.
The album’s narrative structure emphasizes the sense of inevitability and regret, making it a powerful meditation on the fragility of life and the consequences of choices.
The character of Redford Stephens was inspired by a piece of music by composer Sufjan Stevens, titled "Redford (For Yia-Yia and Pappou)." This instrumental track is reinterpreted and appears toward the end of the album, underscoring its emotional weight.

Musically, Undun is a mix of hip-hop, neo-soul, orchestral elements, and art rock. The production is lush yet sparse, with haunting melodies, complex arrangements, and The Roots' trademark live instrumentation.
Questlove’s drumming and Black Thought’s lyricism are central to the album, with the music often using minimalist beats and atmospheric soundscapes to complement the lyrical themes of existential despair and reflection.
The album also features moments of instrumental interludes, which add to the cinematic and conceptual feel of the project.

Key Tracks and Highlights:
"Sleep" – The album’s opening track (which depicts the final moment of Redford’s life) is introspective and haunting. Black Thought raps about the moments before death, with lyrics like "I’ve lost a lot of sleep to dreams" capturing the sense of hopelessness and inevitability.
"Make My" (featuring Big K.R.I.T.) – This single features a melancholic beat and lyrics that delve into regret and introspection, with Big K.R.I.T.'s verse complementing Black Thought’s meditations on life and death.
"One Time" (featuring Phonte and Dice Raw) – A standout track that focuses on the idea of seizing moments and making choices, set to a gritty, understated beat. Black Thought and guest rapper Phonte trade verses, exploring themes of existential crisis and fleeting opportunities.
"Kool On" (featuring Greg Porn and Truck North) – One of the lighter, more groove-driven tracks on the album, yet still reflective, with lyrics addressing Redford’s attempts to navigate the temptations and pressures of street life.
"The Otherside" – A soul-stirring track that looks at the crossroads between life and death, with deeply philosophical lyrics. Black Thought’s introspective verse, combined with Dice Raw’s somber chorus, reflects the haunting struggle between moral choices and survival.
"Tip the Scale" – A reflection on the difficulty of breaking free from the cyclical patterns of poverty and crime, with Black Thought delivering some of the most emotionally raw and philosophical verses on the album.
"Redford" (the instrumental suite) – A moving four-part instrumental conclusion, drawing from Sufjan Stevens' original composition. This suite, made up of piano, strings, and drums, evokes the emotional depth of Redford’s life and his ultimate fate.

Existentialism and Free Will: The album continually questions the role of fate versus choice. Redford’s life is portrayed as a series of decisions that, while influenced by his environment, ultimately lead to his downfall, raising questions about whether he had any real control over his fate.
Social Injustice and Poverty: Many of the lyrics explore how systemic injustice, poverty, and lack of opportunity can push individuals into lives of crime. The album highlights the harsh realities faced by young Black men in America, grappling with the intersections of race, class, and violence.
Regret and Reflection: Much of the album has a reflective, mournful tone as Black Thought and other guest vocalists deliver verses that look back at life’s moments, filled with what-ifs and regrets, exploring the loss of potential and the weight of past decisions.
Production and Collaborations:
The album is largely produced by The Roots themselves, with Questlove overseeing much of the production. The minimalist yet atmospheric production style mirrors the album’s darker themes, with an emphasis on live instruments.
Undun includes collaborations with Big K.R.I.T., Phonte, Dice Raw, Truck North, and Greg Porn, all of whom contribute to the narrative through their verses and vocal contributions.

Undun received widespread critical acclaim for its ambitious concept, narrative depth, and emotional resonance. Critics praised the album for its cohesive storytelling, complex themes, and innovative production.
Many hailed it as one of The Roots' best albums, with its conceptual depth and musical sophistication setting it apart from conventional hip-hop albums.
The album was noted for its maturity and introspective tone, marking a departure from The Roots’ earlier, more outwardly political works, and instead focusing on the internal struggles of the individual within a broken system.

Undun is often regarded as one of the best concept albums in hip-hop, comparable to works like Kendrick Lamar’s good kid, m.A.A.d city for its narrative depth and thematic richness.
The album’s reverse chronology and philosophical musings influenced other artists looking to explore more experimental and narrative-driven albums.
Undun reinforced The Roots' reputation as one of the most innovative and thoughtful acts in hip-hop, further blurring the lines between rap, live instrumentation, and high-concept artistry.

Undun is a deeply reflective and philosophical album, focusing on the life and fate of a character caught between the societal pressures and personal choices that ultimately lead to his demise. With its reverse storytelling, live instrumentation, and poignant lyricism, the album stands as one of The Roots’ most emotionally complex and musically innovative works. It challenges listeners to think deeply about the forces that shape lives and the fine line between survival and destruction.

Produced by Patchworks aKa Mr President aKa Uptown Funk Empire and more…

The Legion is back with some more BX rawness for your ears! Following the success of their "Straight Flow / Automatic Systematic" 7-inch from earlier this year, the Bronx trio (Chucky Smash, Molecules and Cee-Low) hits you with two more unreleased tracks before they bless the hip-hop world with a brand new album. "Keep Your Eyes Open" and "Street Truth" are two certified bangers recorded back in 1995 at the infamous D&D Studios, NYC.

Includes download code! Janelle Monae, Vic Mensa, James Fauntleroy, Kaytranada and Tyler, the Creator are aboard!

Reissue without hype sticker! Janelle Monae, Vic Mensa, James Fauntleroy, Kaytranada and Tyler, the Creator are aboard!

From the makers of Wu Tang vs The Beatles, 'An Adventure To Pepperland Through Rhyme & Space' continues the obsessive use of Beatles samples (and cover versions) but this time laced with all the classic MCs of the 90s such as Biggie, Nas, Big Daddy Kane, KRS-One, Rakim, Kool G Rap, Public Enemy, The Beastie Boys, Busta Rhymes, Large Pro, Lord Finesse and The Wu-Tang Clan. This record is as if the Beatles themselves were transported to 1990s New York (as implied by the intro) and set up a studio to make tracks with the legendary MCs. Nowhere else will you find the attention to detail in pairing up raw raps with Beatle based sample madness. The album was painstakingly made over a 4 year period and uses rare recordings and cover versions that were meticulously researched and filtered through to find loops that complimented each MC.

From the makers of Wu Tang vs The Beatles, 'An Adventure To Pepperland Through Rhyme & Space' continues the obsessive use of Beatles samples (and cover versions) but this time laced with all the classic MCs of the 90s such as Biggie, Nas, Big Daddy Kane, KRS-One, Rakim, Kool G Rap, Public Enemy, The Beastie Boys, Busta Rhymes, Large Pro, Lord Finesse and The Wu-Tang Clan. This record is as if the Beatles themselves were transported to 1990s New York (as implied by the intro) and set up a studio to make tracks with the legendary MCs. Nowhere else will you find the attention to detail in pairing up raw raps with Beatle based sample madness. The album was painstakingly made over a 4 year period and uses rare recordings and cover versions that were meticulously researched and filtered through to find loops that complimented each MC.

The King of “Reggae vs Hip-Hop” remixes is back with a new and last LP collecting all his 7inches released over the past few months and a bunch of unreleased new Rocksteady remixes, done for the occasion. Yaaaayyyyy!

Back in 2001 producer Keith Science and rapper Swift Wizdom recorded a dope project that they ended up pressing on Cd-r for their immediate friends and family.



In 2015 Keith decided to press this baby up on vinyl through his own label Central Wax and in 2016 some Cd-r copies were sold on CDBaby but those dried up quickly and have been impossible to find ever since.



HHE has now worked with Keith to drop a very limited run of only 150 copies on CD. Don't sleep!

Back in 2001 producer Keith Science and rapper Swift Wizdom recorded a dope project that they ended up pressing on Cd-r for their immediate friends and family.



In 2015 Keith decided to press this baby up on vinyl through his own label Central Wax. HHE has secured some of the last available copies of this release, all vinyl is still brand new and sealed and this won't be repressed. For the CD headz, check out the CD section as we worked with Keith to drop a very limited run of only 150 copies on CD as well.

Native Angeleno, producer, emcee (formerly known as Subtitle) and all around crevvy dude Giovanni Marks is releasing a new ten-track instrumental EP through the killers at HIT+RUN entitled "Double Tech Jeep Music" !
Recorded over the fall/winter 2014 season, the record serves as a semi-formal introduction to the "crev-wave" sub-genre of music that Giovanni has been cooking up over the last few years, as well as a soundtrack to the various escapades one would encounter while walking the roads and streets of their own area code. Rounded out by an appearance from the enigmatic Coto, (bass on "Put Name Here") this is definitely a indication that the crevolution just might be televised.

Produced entirely by Harry Fraud (who produced French Montana's "Shot Caller"), Smoke DZA's upcoming LP will feature appearances from the likes of Action Bronson, Domo Genesis, and his Jet Life labelmate Curren$y, among others. Harlem's own Smoke DZA has seen his career skyrocket lately, as acclaimed projects like George Kush Da Button and Rolling Stoned have introduced the public to Smoke's irresitible laid-back flow. DZA has also been collaborating with a who's who of young hip-hop stars (Asher Roth, A$AP Rocky, Big K.R.I.T., Kendrick Lamar, Cory Gunz, Mickey Factz, Dom Kennedy, and more), firmly establishing himself as a leader of the next generation of rhyme spitters. The proud stoner is now joining forces with High Times for Rugby Thompson, a brand new album produced entirely by Harry Fraud. With Fraud's pounding drums providing the backdrop and appearances from Action Bronson, Curren$y, Sean Price, Schoolboy Q, and Domo Genesis of Odd Future, Rugby Thompson is among DZA's most impressive work to date.

Produced entirely by Harry Fraud (who produced French Montana's "Shot Caller"), Smoke DZA's upcoming LP will feature appearances from the likes of Action Bronson, Domo Genesis, and his Jet Life labelmate Curren$y, among others. Harlem's own Smoke DZA has seen his career skyrocket lately, as acclaimed projects like George Kush Da Button and Rolling Stoned have introduced the public to Smoke's irresitible laid-back flow. DZA has also been collaborating with a who's who of young hip-hop stars (Asher Roth, A$AP Rocky, Big K.R.I.T., Kendrick Lamar, Cory Gunz, Mickey Factz, Dom Kennedy, and more), firmly establishing himself as a leader of the next generation of rhyme spitters. The proud stoner is now joining forces with High Times for Rugby Thompson, a brand new album produced entirely by Harry Fraud. With Fraud's pounding drums providing the backdrop and appearances from Action Bronson, Curren$y, Sean Price, Schoolboy Q, and Domo Genesis of Odd Future, Rugby Thompson is among DZA's most impressive work to date. Also available: Substance Abuse, the hit mixatpe now re-mastered for retail with six bonus tracks (features Devin The Dude, Nipsey Hussle, Curren$y, Cory Gunz, Curtains, and more).

Record Store Day 2021 Release.

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.

US reissue from 2015 with bonus 7".

Purple wax!

Very limited! Only 1 per customer!

A critic and cult favorite in Hip Hop circles, Reks is back with an instant classic!

Red Pill of Ugly Heroes fame is about to release another dope EP for 2015!

Virginia hiphop stalwarts MC Rapper Big Pooh & grammy-award winning producer Nottz team up to create a homage to their origins in their new album “Home Sweet Home”.

The Chefs‘ new album with features from Ghostface Killah, ASAP Rocky, Busta Rhymes, 2 Chainz, Snoop Dogg, Rick Ross & Estelle!

Limited Edition of 500 copies on blood splattered vinyl.

Quelle Chris has recorded with plenty of producers but his bond with Chris Keys extends beyond music. After linking through mutual collaborator Roc Marciano, the two Chris’ became fast friends. About four years worth of hang-out sessions, bong hits, video games and take-out food culminated in 2Dirt4TV3: Innocent Country, a deceptively subtle character study of self disguised as an excellent piece of stoner headnod hip-hop.

Throughout the 33 minutes that comprise Innocent Country, our two protagonists are in synch like a pair of Jaeger pilots. Though the LP certainly has instances of energy and aggression, “Madness In The Oasis” and “Where The Wild Things Roam” are two, more often than not it lives within introspective mid-tempo moments like the languid “Nothing Moves.” Quelle is the wayward MC waxing bittersweet on the reflective “Well Running Deep,” filling Chris Keys’ sweeping string samples with palpable nostalgia. Our peregrine rapper is the lowkey consummate artist, powerful enough to give a rousing performance on the moving “I Asked God,” then turn on a dime and nail the hilarious and self-effacing “Drugfest TooThousandToo.”

Upon repeated listens, one might see that Innocent Country speaks to the blissful naivete of youth. It’s the soundtrack to self-medication as an escape from reality, but it doesn’t jump ship before the inevitable moment of clarity. Innocent Country is a party, but it’s also the morning after and the day before. A sweet experience on the surface, this is therapy billed as reefer night at your man’s spot.

Pete Rock is the man who J Dilla told, “I wanted to be like you.” Kanye once called himself the “new Pete Rock.” But the original Pete Rock remains permanently vital. The evidence bangs in his latest opus, Petestrumentals 2, the sequel to the 2001 classic that helped define the hip-hop instrumental record. It marks the legend’s first album on Mello Music Group, a fitting union between the author of the boom-bap blueprint and the label that’s expanded upon his legacy. Petestrumentals 2 conjures memories of BBQ cookouts and 70s Blaxploitation scores, rattling summer jeep cruises and blunted Jamaican vacations. There’s a gorgeous requiem to Dilla (“Dilla Bounce (R.I.P),” where the originator pays tribute to the prodigy. You see the full range of Rock’s gifts on display: the meticulously chopped horns, unquantized drums, and air raid sirens. It contains the emotion of a thousand eulogies. An even 20 slaps and rhythmic levitations. It’s Pete Rock at his best, accelerating and kicking cosmic slop, extending wishes, hope, love, gritty drums and eternal wonder. This special 24 for '24 Artist Series Edition is a one time pressing on metallic gold vinyl w/ original KipDaFog oil painted cover art.

Los Angeles artist Open Mike Eagle's "A Special Episode Of" takes on social pressures and emotional expectations in creative, entertaining, and relatable way. Described as Art Rap, this follow up to "Dark Comedy" features production from Gold Panda, Exile and more has been streamed over 20 Million times. This special Artist Series Edition of vinyl features an original oil painting rendition of the cover art by KipDaFog and is a limited one time pressing.

Official reissue without the deluxe stuff gimmicks, just beats and rhymes. Classic!

Oddisee's breakthrough album: Imbued with love, honesty, and selflessness, The Good Fight is virtuosic in its musicality, direct in its language, and infinitely relatable.

In a landscape overrun with abstract indulgence and shallow trend-chasers, the Prince George’s County, Maryland artist has created a record that reminds you that it’s music before it’s hip-hop.

For Oddisee, “The Good Fight” is about living fully as a musician without succumbing to the traps of hedonism, avarice, and materialism. It’s music that yields an intangible feeling: the sacral sound of an organ whine, brass horns, or a cymbal crash. It’s a meditation on our capacity to love and the bonds binding us together. It’s our ambition and greed warring with our sense of propriety - a list of paradoxes we all face when living and striving.

Oddisee’s production simmers in its own orchestral gumbo. You sense he’s really a jazzman in different form, inhabiting the spirit of Roy Ayers and other past greats. The Fader’s compared him to a musical MC Escher, calling hailing his “grandiose and symphonic sound” and “relevant relatable messages.” Pitchfork praised his “eclectic soulful boom-bap.”

Records with scuffs and slight scratches! Gtaefold cover with slight storage wear and a bent corner!

Black and silver vinyl.

An unexpected but surprisingly effective combination straight out of hip-hop fans' fantasies.

Limited promo 7''of the upcoming MindsOne & DJ Iron "Phaseology" EP.

Underneath his mysterious metal mask, MF DOOM hides the cachetunderground legends are made of. After his first group KMD's sophomorealbum Black Bastards was shelved by Elektra in 1994, and his bloodbrother Subroc _ one half of the sibling rap duo _ passed away,surviving frontman Zev Love X slowly mutated into the supervillain MCknown as MF DOOM, and the rap world is better for it.The 1999 release of Operation: Doomsday marked MF DOOM's officialdebut, reintroducing a mysterious figure who would soon become one ofunderground rap's greatest voices. Within its 19 tracks, Operation:Doomsday reveals the confluence of DOOM's tragic past, personalinterests and daring creativity. His clever rhymes and remarkableschemes stood out against the landscape, and every sound he touched _from cartoon theme songs, to `80s soul, to rap classics and more _ gotreinterpreted into something brand new and surreal.Decades later, MF DOOM is still celebrated for all facets of his work andinfluence. In the face of tragedy, DOOM re-infiltrated the rap game on hisown terms, and crafted an instant cult classic. Operation: Doomsdaystands as a testament to the power of betting on yourself against all odds.

Masta Killa may not be the most high-profile member of the Wu-Tang Clan, but he's undoubtedly among the most consistent. The last original member to go solo, Killa has released two critically acclaimed albums in No Said Date and Made In Brooklyn, and has repeatedly stolen the show on recent Wu classics like Ghostface's Fishscale, Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx Pt. 2 and RZA's Man With The Iron Fists soundtrack. Now, more than six years after the release of his last studio album, Masta Killa is back with Selling My Soul!

"PRESSED ON LIMITED EDITION RED & WHITE VINYL! How do you define the music of Mantronix? Is it Hip Hop? Electro? Funk? House? Maybe the answer is all of the above (or is it none of the above?). It is true that Mantronix will be remembered for their multi-faceted sound as well as their ability to bend and blend genres flawlessly into a cohesive musical tapestry, but they will also most importantly they will be remembered as musical innovators and sub- genre pioneers. Kurtis Mantronik and MC Tee formed the group Mantronix In the early 80s. Their Sleeping Bag Records debut: Mantronix: The Album shot to commercial success on the strength of their debut single, ""Fresh Is The Word"". The influence of this groundbreaking debut is still felt in popular music today, having been sampled by the likes of Beastie Boys, Beck, The Prodigy and more. Kurtis Mantronik was also as dangerous behind the desk as he was behind the boards. Working as A&R for Sleeping Bag while signed to the label, Mantronik also helped recruit, sign, and produce for artists such as T La Rock and Just-Ice. Notable records from this era include, Just Ice's ""Cold Gettin' Dumb"" and ""Back to the Old School"" as well as T La Rock's ""Breaking Bells (12"" Version)"". Traffic Entertainment Group in conjunction with Sleeping Bag Records and Warlock Entertainment now presents; Mantronix: King of the Beats, The Anthology 1985-1988. This carefully curated double LP compilation combines the best of Mantronix's work from the early, and arguably, best era of their career into one amazing listening experience. Whether you are an avid Mantronix fan or are looking for a place to start - this is the collection to wrap your ears around."

How do you define the music of Mantronix? Is it Hip Hop? Electro? Funk? House? Maybe the answer is all of the above (or is it none of the above?). It is true that Mantronix will be remembered for their multi-faceted sound as well as their ability to bend and blend genres flawlessly into a cohesive musical tapestry, but also most importantly they will be remembered as musical innovators and sub-genre pioneers.

Even more 808s & Dark Grape flavors!

Madlib's very own remixes of "Madvillainy" now with full color artwork sleeve!

Swollen Member Madchild drops another full length in 2015!

Produced by Clams Casino, IDLabs, Mansions On The Moon & Ritz Reynold!

HHV Exclusive, limited to 500 copies.

Masta Ace joins forces with the metal faced MF Doom for Son of Yvonne, a highly personal concept album that celebrates the life and legacy of Ace’s recently departed Mother. Like his 2004 landmark Disposable Arts, Son of Yvonne is meticulously constructed with stories, settings, and characters that resonate with flesh and bone humanity. Interstitial vignettes provide a thematic backbone to the experience, and each track complements and completes the previous to form a narrative whole: a sometimes visceral, sometimes nostalgic slice of Ace’s young life in Brownsville, Brooklyn.

Entirely underscored by MF Doom’s iconic Special Herbs instrumentals, Son of Yvonne features the Juice Crew general Big Daddy Kane, newcomers Pav Bundy (The Bundies), Reggie B and even MF Doom on the mic. It’s Masta Ace’s no frills flow, however, that looms largest above the dusty samples and digger loops that define Doom’s production. Ace’s photo-realistic rhymes about stick-up kids, spraycan artists and wack emcees add extra gravity to his already celebrated reputation as “truly an under-appreciated rap veteran and underground luminary” (Allmusic Guide). Like Eminem recalls in his 2008 autobiography The Way I Am, “Masta Ace had amazing storytelling skills. His thoughts were so vivid.”

Green transparent vinyl! Cover is close to NM!

Debut LP from the Philly Group Live Percenters. Released 2012 digital only, finally on limited Edition Blue Vinyl (200 handmumbered Copies).

Beats by ProAktive. Rhymes by MDA (Lancaster, PA), I-Be4Evr (Philadelphia, PA), and Jorelle (Reading/Lancaster, PA). Cuts by Shortop.

If there’s a secret to time travel, Kool Keith owns the patent. Even a flying DeLorean seems too conventional for the Bronx legend. He’d more logically orbit throughout the galaxy in a gleaming chrome spaceship, teaching the stars and aliens new forms of originality. He is too weird to live, too rare to die, too uniquely ultra-magnetic to be accurately mimicked.

Released on Mello Music Group, Time? Astonishing! is the latest dimensional warp from hip-hop’s premiere astral traveler. His union with MMG producer L’ Orange finds him exploring uncharted terrain: choppy volcanic rock planets, ice glacier moons, new surgical procedures, and fresh rappers to toss into the ether. The scalpel remains eternally sharp.

The beats glow with radioactive grit. Hard enough to knock from your car speakers, cinematic and plutonium-propelled enough to transport you to strange terra firma. Buck Rodgers movie serials meet boom-bap. And along for the odyssey are a cast of the best underground MC’s of the last decade: Blu, Open Mike Eagle, Mr. Lif, J-Live, and more.

These are space symphonies and occult odysseys, fuel for wanderers, wonderers, and all the a-likes.

Welcome to the new world, even more sinister and suspenseful than the last one. We live in astonishing times: abstract, absurd, and indelibly Kool.

If there’s a secret to time travel, Kool Keith owns the patent. Even a flying DeLorean seems too conventional for the Bronx legend. He’d more logically orbit throughout the galaxy in a gleaming chrome spaceship, teaching the stars and aliens new forms of originality. He is too weird to live, too rare to die, too uniquely ultra-magnetic to be accurately mimicked.

Released on Mello Music Group, Time? Astonishing! is the latest dimensional warp from hip-hop’s premiere astral traveler. His union with MMG producer L’ Orange finds him exploring uncharted terrain: choppy volcanic rock planets, ice glacier moons, new surgical procedures, and fresh rappers to toss into the ether. The scalpel remains eternally sharp.

Jeremiah Jae and L’Orange’s noir-inspired opus, "The Night Took Us In Like Family"

Consider it the alchemy of Madvillain and "The Maltese Falcon": a five-part fable of tangled crimes, narrow escapes, and raining lead. Beats bend sinister with imagery aiming for the temples. Jae invokes dark clouds, crowns of thorns and LSD eyes. Bars written in dirt. Samples are disembodied and ethereal. It’s like a grand jury indictment doubling as a Greek chorus.

Jeremiah Jae and L’Orange’s noir-inspired opus, "The Night Took Us In Like Family"

Consider it the alchemy of Madvillain and "The Maltese Falcon": a five-part fable of tangled crimes, narrow escapes, and raining lead. Beats bend sinister with imagery aiming for the temples. Jae invokes dark clouds, crowns of thorns and LSD eyes. Bars written in dirt. Samples are disembodied and ethereal. It’s like a grand jury indictment doubling as a Greek chorus.

MF Doom’s first group and their controversial sophomore release Bl_ck B_st_rds now available as a double CD containing the full the album with a second disc of bonus material including rare cuts, remixes and instrumentals.