US Hip Hop 138 Items

Seasons Change, People Too is the new double album by Fokis. Created during the pandemic, the album was initially released in 4 parts but now the project is available as a full album. The project also includes new tracks and excludes a few songs from the previous releases, making it a cohesive body of work.

Xardinal Coffee is a debut album that is a strikingly contemporary record of slick hip hop, rich textures, idiosyncratic grooves and electronic-tinged wonky R&B. It’s an album that feels intricate and busy but also manages to retain a sense of space and looseness, allowing hypnotic rhythms to unfurl with grace. Exum, aka Antone Chavez Exum Jr. credits the 'genius' of his two producers, Erik Samkopf and Dex Barstad, who he works closely with. Samkopf being the producer responsible for Xardinal Coffee respectively. 'Sam and I don’t really like doing anything that doesn’t have an ückean effect. We’re not from here you know, we’re just getting adjusted’, says Exum of the album’s eclectic sonic palate. 'We love to push the envelope on what is considered quirky, but try not to think about it too much. If me and another are walking down a street, whose going to be first to try something spectacular? Them. My walk will speak.’

However, any sense of weirdness is also married with an infectious and accessible quality. Tracks such as Arrest the Dancer - 'a David Bowie/Lady Gaga-type beat we got from YouTube by a producer named Raixsa' - comes alive with an irresistible funk strut, almost recalling Prince in the swaggering bounce of it. On top of this, Exum’s vocals offer versatility and flexibility, moving from caramel smooth croons to tight rap flows and to enthusiastic bursts of singing.

A sense of texture is palpable throughout too. Portabella Mushroom was recorded on a rare magic mushrooms trip and retains a lysergic and psychedelic quality, sucking the listener up into its swirling atmospheres. Whereas the sparse, minimal and slightly eerie beats of Wolves Eat Wolves was recorded in pitch black and the song takes on that kind of crepuscular vibe, which interspersed with the song’s dark lyrical content - touching upon sex trafficking - further cements this. ‘I take no form’, the artist says, and his formless nature speaks to his willingness to constantly recreate himself as an artist.

A love of words is also clear in Exum’s delivery, with them being carefully placed and sequenced amidst the ambitious soundscapes of the record. 'Writing is precious to me', he says. 'The vulnerability to bleed on paper. While playing with words, styling the same outfit for the 7th day in a row.'

Initially Exum looked up producer Erik Samkopf to work with when he’d had a temporary falling out with his previous producer Barstad. In love with Samkopf’s work with Pen Gutt, Exum took a punt and flew from his hometown of Richmond, Virginia to Oslo, Norway to work with him. As Exum and Barstad patched things up, Exum and Samkopf were building chemistry, creating something truly unique. 'Dex and Sam never cease to amaze me', he says. 'They’re versed and creative beyond measure, they both have an immense amount of musicality, and most of all, their love for music is sweaty.’

However adding to the legend, Exum took a little detour on his musical journey, spending years as a professional footballer in the NFL, for teams such as the San Francisco 49ers and the Minnesota Vikings. Now leaving that chapter of his life behind, Exum has returned to the true love held dear to him ever since he can remember: music.

Exum is not simply trying his hand at music though; he is crafting every part of his artistic journey, from carefully selected contributors (such as string composer Christian Balvig) and overseas producers, to shaping his own brilliant music videos with directors such as Allison Bunce and Rosabel Ferber. Both of whom occupy creative space in his art world, which goes by the name of ücke. He has effectively created his own musical ecosystem. 'You’ve got to create your own world and live highly in that first', he says. 'Making it inevitable for other worlds to not be touched by what’s vibrating through you. In my world I’m already a massively iconic artist.'

NYC-based producer Endemic Emerald is proud to present the release of his 3rd album entitled “The Virux”. Featuring such renowned emcees as General Steele, Chris Rivers, Sadat X, Planet Asia, Tragedy Khadafi, Ruste Juxx, Rim & Royal Flush - to name but a few - the set is packed with high class talent embedded in electrifying soundscapes. Endemic, known for producing outstanding compilation records [Terminal illness 1 & 2] once again does not disappoint with this offering, which comprises a cohesive selection of epic, yet gritty east coast bangers. Collaborating with a combination of legendary and upcoming rappers “The Virux” has that classic feel from beginning to end, ensuring it to become an underground favourite.

Rare promo copy! Few scratches on both records!

Vinyl has a few scuffs and scratches! Close to VG+!

Limited indie exclusive edition

Produced by The Alchemist, Black Noi$e, Samiyam & others, finally available on vinyl.

Picture Disc, Special Edition. Cover with a small seam split on top spine, close to NM.

Limited edition of 25

AAAAHHH SHITTTT! HHE is back with another previously unreleased project and it's a sick one!! We hooked up with DJ Stress from Connecticut, a man who has been paying his dues in hip-hop for over 35 years now! He first started out as a DJ back in 1985 and around 1992 he started getting into production as well.



In 1996 he recorded a 16 track deep album with local Hartford, CT emcee Tone Benjaminz. An album that remained shelved until now, 25 years later! Tone Benjaminz is a multi-talented emcee, producer, songwriter, and voice actor who goes all out with gritty, multi-syllabic, aggressive lyrics over DJ Stress' hard hitting and grimey beats. All tracks were remastered from the OG DATS and the vinyl will be limited to only 300 copies total and that's it!

Bonus 7" is missing!

mix of the latest in hip hop - feat. Quasimoto, Dave Ghetto, Non Prophets & Slug, Tame One and more!

Def3’s forthcoming album titled Weddings and Funerals, produced by Denver based electronic producer Late Night Radio, marks the rapper’s third full length release, and is the follow up to his 2017 LP, Small World. Weddings and Funerals is the second collaborative project between Def3 and LNR. The nine-track record features Denver’s electronic funk duo Recess, Vancouver emcee Kapok, and instrumentalists Miles Lujan and Melissa Joy. Weddings and Funerals juxtaposes the rush of togetherness and new life with loss and grief. The album came together over a two-year period, during which time LNR and Def3 consistently pushed each other to develop their niche sound. Notably, during production Def3 also became a father and re-located to Vancouver, BC. The album title holds literal meaning for Def3, who celebrated his wedding and buried his grandfather in the same week, but it is also a metaphor for deeper themes and intangible disruptors.

Two new joints by Cousin Feo & Lord Juco aka Death AT THE Derby produced by the almighty Big Ghost LTD. Themed around the MLS’s two lone derbies between the LA Galaxy & Lafc, as well as the NY Red Bulls & Nycfc, they bring the series to the states & celebrate two of league’s marquee clashes with "Los Traficantes" b/w "Bodies In The Hudson".

Copy is still in shrink!

Heres some new Detroit Hip Hop on Fxhe approved by Omar S! Sonny Dulphi & Pat2Dope is the Hi Tech to Hip Hop. They have the same energy as Milf Melly and King Milo from Hi Tech,in fact Milf Melly and Sonnydulphi are Cussins. This Double 7" comes in a Dope ASS dual 7 " Booklet.

White wax!

White wax!

“G.I.T.U., an acronym for Greatest In The Universe. The title encompasses the feeling this body of work for me. It’s my life experiences, my loves and losses, my stories about overcoming obstacles both external and internal, while learning to love myself and becoming the best version of me. Both as a person and as an artist I tried to push my boundaries and expand my limitations. Everyone’s world is their own, everyone has their own universe that they are in control of, this is mine. I’m the G.I.T.U.” – Chris Rivers

Since he first entered the rap game, every mention of Chris Rivers inevitably acknowledges the influence of his father, Big Pun, one of the art form’s all-time greats. It’s a gift that offered the Bronx MC the opportunity to be heard, but simultaneously a curse that elicits unfair comparisons. But with his Mello Music debut, G.I.T.U., Rivers achieves what would’ve been impossible for a lesser talent: he stakes his claim as a singular artist, one speaking for his generation, his culture, his familial heritage, and most crucially, himself.

If Rivers is unquestionably the son of the first solo Latin rapper with a platinum plaque, he has clearly evolved into his own man. G.I.T.U is the opportunity to tell his story--one that starts full of mourning and self-doubt but matures into a gripping tale of self-discovery. In bold declarative terms, he sketches a portrait of a life lived on the margins, weathering the storms of abuse, poverty, and the lingering shadow of high expectations.

There are struggles with addiction and suicidal thoughts, but Rivers transcends those demons to deliver audio dope that does his legacy proud. He raps with the jaw-dropping lyrical agility and syllable precision that you’d expect from his patrimony, but with the vulnerability and introspection that can only come from an artist who possesses a rare knowledge of self. You can hear the inheritance of his late great father, but also a synthesis and expansion upon the path trodden by Black Thought, Mos Def, and Lupe Fiasco.

The title itself doubles as a mantra: Greatest In The Universe. This is the self-affirmation that Rivers told himself in his most turbulent moments. It’s an inspirational credo that allowed him to keep going, but also operates as fuel to listeners -- particularly those seeking a refracted light from someone deeply familiar with the darkness.

The 16 tracks encompass nearly every mood. There’s the confessional “Perfect,” where Rivers declares “well, I never loved myself, but right now I’m in love with two bitches, I mean women, I mean prisons, I mean prisms.” In the course of a single sentence, he’s able to convey labyrinthine complications. There is “Trick,” where Rivers rumbles like a champion prizefighter, boasting about how his sisters taught him how to brawl, reminiscing on his early days as a “little Puerto Rican fat boy with a brain like an asteroid.” Over rope-a-dope drums, he creates an anthem built for stage-diving and chaos, delivering a pummeling series of references that run from MC Hammer to Cassius Clay to anime. It’s a modern iteration of a tunnel banger: riotous, rowdy, New York brass knuckle rap.

“Damaged Goods” finds the 25-year old lyricist questioning the differences between lust and love, dropped his guard to exhibit a relatable sensitivity. “Wolf Mode” pairs a poignant sax lick with a plea to be able protect oneself from the storms of life. It’s not about being bulletproof, but rather, to possess the strength to endure the chaos that we must face. Yet Rivers is willing to accept the challenges head-on, claiming that he’d “rather have the hard truth than a sweet lie.” While “N.A.S.A.” takes dead-aim at the traps of millennial life: too many useless contacts in your phone, the dim lies of clout, and the indelible need to find the real ones who will hold you down. There is also a flawless “Pakinamac” homage.

The emotional centerpiece of the album arrives on the heart-wrenching “Sincerely Me.” It’s a tribute to Big Pun, but one that refuses to bow down to over-sentimentality. You feel Rivers’ pain and sadness, the struggles of his family, and his frustration at being unable to have a father to turn towards for advice. It’s a votive to a dearly departed spirit, gone much too soon. But when the song fades out, Rivers is stronger than before. A prayer has been answered. It’s the fully fleshed out picture of a son who doesn’t want to eclipse the father but rather, who wants to be able to stand beside him, shoulder to shoulder, two of the greatest of their times.

When Chester Watson debuted in the mid-2010s with verbose, technically precise music indebted to MF Doom, Earl Sweatshirt, and more obscure artists from the stratosphere and the blogosphere, it was as if he was simultaneously from the past and future. Before he was old enough to legally drink, there were “Best Of,” rarities compilations, and .zip files floating through the ether. Whenever industry prospectors earmarked him as the next big thing, he disappeared back underground, only to reemerge sharper, leaner, weirder. Though only 26, the St. Louis-born rapper and producer has seen enough for several lifetimes—and raps as if he’s tapped into many more. But after a few years of highs, lows, and traumatic odysseys, he was able to stare straight into the abyss and conquer it. This regained confidence is exhibited on fish don’t climb trees, the largely self-produced new album that reaffirms him as one of rap’s great auteurs. While working on "fish", he vowed to be more true to the emotions and experiences he’d endured. Being true to those fractured, discordant feelings requires a prismatic approach. And so you get fish’s exhilarating hairpin turns: from downtempo dub (“bora bora”) to 808s rattling through a haunted house (“tourniquet”), beats that sound as if they’re molting into new shapes in real time (the two-song suite of “daze” and “grey theory”) to ones that that plunge to the bottom of a pocket (“spirits”). The album’s title comes from the maybe-apocryphal Einstein quote, about how a fish judged by its ability to climb trees will “spend its whole life believing it is stupid.” For Watson, this meant embracing the cheery first half of the quote (“Everybody is a genius”), but also being cognizant of the dark undercurrents that flow just beneath seemingly innocent misjudgments and mis-categorizations.

Dutch producers Casiio and Sleepermane unite once more in ‘Unexplored’. Every track feels alive and organic, painting the picture of an alien world, yet very familiar. Other-worldly synths and foley/ambiences represent the different biomes and strange creatures walking around in this world we created. The steady pulse of soft drum loops and warm chords form the heartbeat of the landscapes - taking you on a journey through the Unexplored.

For the first time ever officially on CD! SWE is proud to announce the "Shadow Of Death" album from Capital Punishment Klik that was originally released back in 1997 on tape only!

Quantity: 1200
Release type: 'RSD First' Release

Ill Adrenaline Records is excited to announce a brand new 7" vinyl from critically acclaimed rapper Awon and UK producer Elements. The A side features "Game Matters" with head nodding soulful production highlighting Awon's raw uncut rhymes, blended together with a catchy scratch hook. Track 2, "Paper Off My Pager" combines Elements upbeat jazz infused production with Awon's vivid quick fire lyricism. Awon, "The 90s were really grimy and rigid, it was a different thought process of survival, getting money happened to be a part of that. While it sounds celebratory Paper off my Pager is really a reflection of bad decisions on top of bad decisions that led me to rap for a living. The celebration is that I survived." The B side features a golden age inspired Elements remix for "Game Matters" which shines a new light on Awon's braggadocio flows and showcases razor sharp cuts over melancholic jazz piano and upright bass. Awon has racked up millions of streams and immense exposure as an independent artist, with a stellar catalogue of underground hip hop classics. He recently starred in "Underdogs", a documentary that chronicles his journey with Don't Sleep Records, the label he founded with production partner Phoniks, winning best music documentary at Dtla film festival and streaming now on Netflix. Elements production placements have seen his music covered by tastemaker publications like Lyrical Lemonade, Afropunk, Billboard magazine and NPR music. The pair work together to create a unique sound on "Game Matters" and "Paper off my Pager" available for the first time on vinyl.

3 years in the making, Ambeez and Uncle Fester team up for their long awaited LP “Enjoy” Fester has dug into the deepest corners of his favourite crates, Ambeez has combined his one of kind top tier style with his most heartfelt and clever lyrics and the 2 have produced one of their best projects yet. Being released on Colored Vinyl with a customized MPC Obi strip. Sit back, relax and “Enjoy”

After the Fall comes the Winter. Ag Da Coroner serves the masses a splendid offering, an aperitif in the form of "Crushed Grapes". An intoxicating 9 song EP that breathes the streets of New York. The orchestral back drop is carefully conducted by the maestro ATG. The featured voices come from Ag's closest collaborators and help lend additional layers to the robust make up of the project. All this is to wet the pallet, to challenge the senses and ready the mind for "Sip the Nectar" this winter. Enjoy Friends. It was all made for you.

38 Spesh has quietly become tastemakers’ top pick for “next to blow.” Just ask LeBron James, Kevin Durrant, DJ Premier, Sway, Method Man, or Lloyd Banks, all of which have co-signed this Upstate New York emcee. His 7 Shots EP, the third and final instalment in his fan-favorite “Shots Series,” marked the moment that many caught on to the Trust movement. The 8 track offering gives underground Hip-Hop fans exactly what they want, hard bars over soulful beats. The project features guest verses from Freeway, Ransom, Eto, and Che Noir, as well as production from Streetrunner, The Heatmakerz, LT Beats, Thanos Beats, and more. Mixed and mastered by Chris Pinset Cover by Laz Art Direction by Jordan Commandeur A&R by Ransom