US Rap Classics 232 Items

Back in print for the 20th anniversary!

Official and limited reissue on Def Jam. ‘undun‘ is the 10th studio album from legendary hip-hop band The Roots originally released on 2nd December, 2011. The Grammy® nominated album (best rap album) incorporates neo soul and indie music elements. It is an existential concept album about the short, tragic life of fictional character Redford Stevens, set in urban poverty, and is told through a reverse-chronological narrative. undun received widespread acclaim from critics, who praised its existential subject matter, production quality, and the band’s musicianship. It was included on several critics’ year-end lists of best albums. Previously released as a 2LP set, this version has now been converted to 1LP, in addition to a limited edition CE color vinyl version.

No One Can Do It Better is the debut album by The D.O.C. from 1989 and is produced by the then upcoming Dr. Dre who contributed on most of the fast hard hitting rap tracks with his heavy funk laden beats. The album reached number one on the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and went platinum five years after its release.

In celebration of hip-hop’s 50th anniversary, the iconic Def Jam Recordings brings us some of its classic repertoire on vinyl in a spectacular “fruit punch” variant – a color emblematic of its longstanding association with Def Jam. Some titles include Public Enemy’s Yo! Bum Rush the Show, Ludacris’ Word of Mouf, Method Man’s Tical, and Slick Rick’s The Great Adventures of Slick Rick.

One of the best albums ever.

Vinyl LP pressing. Tommy Boy Records celebrates 30 Years of House of Pain's debut album House of Pain (Fine Malt Lyrics) with this remastered edition. Everlast, DJ Lethal & Danny Boy formed House of Pain while attending high school and were signed to Tommy Boy Records after fashioning themselves as rowdy Irish-American hooligans, hitting the local rap and alternative music scene. House of Pain (Fine Malt Lyrics) went multi-platinum and the self titled debut album spawned the successful producer DJ Muggs, who produced the single "Jump Around". The song was also remixed twice by Pete Rock, one version featuring a verse from him and one without. "Jump Around" became a hit in 1992, reaching number 3 in the United States. The album also featured Cypress Hill member B-Real on the song "Put Your Head Out" and Funkdoobiest's Son Doobie on "House and the Rising Sun", both members of the musical collective known as Soul Assassins.

180 gram black vinyl pressing!

Funkdoobiest is an American rap group from Los Angeles, California.
The original members were Son Doobie, DJ Ralph M and Tomahawk Funk. Which Doobie U B? is the debut studio album by the Latino rap group Funkdoobiest.
DJ Muggs was the executive producer for this album. Tracks on the album are performed by Son Doobie and Tomahawk Funk, including additional Cypress Hill member B-Real on the track "Wopbabalubop".
Hence the album is very much in line with the Cypress Hill productions. "It all works anyway", according to Allmusic review writer Steve Huey, he continues "Muggs is in his absolute prime as a producer here, and Son Doobie's rhymes are fittingly surreal and stoner-friendly, albeit more cartoonish than menacing like his Cypress counterpart".
The album title derived from a line in an episode of the 1970s sitcom What's Happening!!, when the main character, Raj, is introduced to special guests The Doobie Brothers.

Dead Prez may have been slightly ahead of their time during their golden years, but that is definitely meant as a compliment. Sermonizing Black Nationalism, Pan-Africanism and the benefits of a healthy and just lifestyle during the height of the Bad Boy / Roc-A-Fella era of nihilistic excess in the late ‘90s, they also signed to a major label (Loud /
Columbia) despite leaning much more towards the burgeoning indie aesthetics of the day. But this was a good thing – using major label muscle to wake up righteous hip-hop fans who might have fallen asleep at the wheel.

The group itself – consisting of MCs stic.man and M-1, who produced or co-produced most of the duo’s music – was formed in Tallahassee, Florida in the
early 1990s (M-1 originally hailed from Brooklyn). By later that decade, the duo had started making significant waves, having their music heard on the soundtracks to “Soul In The Hole” and “Slam,” as well as appearing on albums by Big Pun and The Beatnuts.

By 1998, they released their first official single, the serious, stark “Police State,” on Loud, appropriately brought to the label by Lord Jamar of Brand Nubian.

After building a solid rep over the next two years with fiery live performances, in 2000 they unleashed their debut album, Let’s Get Free. The album was a welcome return to provocative and often radically political rhetoric that hearkened back to hip-hop forebears including The Coup, Public Enemy and KRS-One (as well as poetic descendants like the Last Poets and Watts Prophets).

Let’s Get Free was critically acclaimed and benefited from multiple singles, including the infectious, thick analog drive of “Hip-Hop” (which became the de facto theme song for “Chappelle’s Show”); “It’s Bigger Than Hip-Hop,” with a remix co-produced by a young Kanye West; “Mind Sex” (with Abiodun Oyewole of the
Last Poets); and the poignant “I’m An African.”

But the singles weren’t the only worthy songs, as just about every cut here has deeper meaning than most full albums by their early 2000s peers. Highlights:
the thought-provoking, anti-drug album opener “Wolves”; “We Want Freedom” (co-produced by frequent collaborator Hedrush); “They Schools” and “Propaganda”
(co-produced by Lord Jamar, one of five songs he assisted on).

All in all, this is one of the more underrated and possibly Top 5 fully-realized political hip-hop albums of all time. If you don’t agree with the previous sentence, give Let’s Get Free another listen… you might be surprised at how well it has held up over the years."

Limited edition with fresh-n-def chrome cover!

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Snoop Dogg's multi- platinum Doggystyle, heralded as one of the most important albums of all time, Death Row Records will be bringing this back to retail with the original 1993 track listing on vinyl. This new 30th Anniversary edition will include the track "Gz Up, Hoes Down" which has not been on the album since it's pressing in 1993. For new and old fans alike, this is the definitive version of the classic album that launched Snoop's solo career and helped define the sound of Los Angeles in the process.

Dead Serious is the debut studio album of American hip hop duo Das EFX, originally released in 1992. Recording sessions for the album took place at Firehouse Studios in Brooklyn, New York and at Charlie Marotta's North Shore Soundworks studio in Long Island, New York.

At the peak of his powers as a producer in the mid-‘90s, Wu-Tang mastermind RZA crafted a distinctive soundtrack at his basement studio in Staten Island. This haunting landscape of dusty samples, sharp snares and menacing urban gloom – culled from the Japanese film “Shogun Assassin” as well as wide-ranging R&B and funk sources – would soon become a pillar of hip-hop history. These sounds were to become GZA’s 1995 sophomore classic, Liquid Swords – considered by many to be the ultimate Wu-Tang Clan solo album. 17-years later, it’s impossible to debate or deny the album’s legendary status, still standing up to any release that has come out in the rap pantheon, before or since.

Cerebral and precise with his words like a shaolin swordsman, GZA crystallized a range of influences, from chess to kung-Fu and mob films to Eastern philosophy. The album features appearances by the entire Wu-Tang Clan, including the memorable debut of Killah Priest on “B.I.B.L.E.”

Certified 90s hip hop classic!

In celebration of hip-hop’s 50th anniversary, the iconic Def Jam Recordings brings us some of its classic repertoire on vinyl in a spectacular “fruit punch” variant – a color emblematic of its longstanding association with Def Jam. Some titles include Public Enemy’s Yo! Bum Rush the Show, Ludacris’ Word of Mouf, Method Man’s Tical, and Slick Rick’s The Great Adventures of Slick Rick.

Until the End of Time is the seventh studio album, and third posthumous album by 2Pac. It follows his previous posthumous albums R U Still Down? (Remember Me) and Still I Rise. The album consists of material recorded while the rapper was on Death Row Records from 1995–1996. The album debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart.

A majority of the music compositions were remixed from their original state. Highly anticipated, Until the End of Time was ultimately one of the best selling hip hop albums of 2001. There were only three times references to Death Row Records were not censored (“Until the End of Time” (both versions), “U Don’t Have 2 Worry”, and “All Out”). The core vocal tracks and some instrumentation was recorded during and after the All Eyez On Me and Makaveli: The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory sessions.

This will be a 180 gram 4LP 20th anniversary reissue of the long out-of-print, 4x platinum, posthumous album.

Finally, this Beastie Boys classic gets a reissue!

An undesputed classic album comes back with the 25th anniversary treatment! Remastered from the original tapes by Bob Power (D'Angelo, De La Soul) plus three remixes by Ceelo Green, Pharrell Williams & J. Cole!

US import. Must have classic! Brand new pressing made in Czech Republic for the US market leading to high import prices. But it's worth every cent. Briliant album

People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm is, quite simply, one of the finest albums in hip-hop. It's easy to argue that a Tribe Called Quest reached their zenith on this, their debut album: though they went on to produce another world-class disc (The Low End Theory) and broadened their palates and their consciousness, never again were they quite this naturally free and easy. Q-Tip and Phife's delivery is deceptively simple, flowing like wine and tasting like candy, and Jairobi adds some contrast. The music, so self-assured that it never raises it's voice to make a spectacle, follows suit. Four albums later, on their last tour, songs from Paths of Rhythm still were at the top of the set list. - Randy Silver.

Illadelph Halflife is the third studio album by The Roots. It features a tougher and broader sound than their previous album, Do You Want More. The album was selected as one of The Source's 100 Best Rap Albums. In 2006, the album was selected as one of Hip-Hop Connection's 100 Best Rap Albums from 1995 to 2005. Continuing with its Respect The Classics campaign UMe will be reissuing this classic back on standard weight vinyl.

Ghost Dog - Original Motion Picture Score, produced by The RZA, is now available on official Vinyl and CD editions! This masterpiece was previously only given a limited Japanese release, and is the first film score produced by The RZA and features appearances by Wu Tang Clan.

Too many people sleep on Tougher Than Leather, Run-DMC’s fourth album. But hear us out as we plead the case for this amazing LP.
By 1988 there was a lot more competition in the rap game – Public Enemy, Boogie Down Productions, Eric B. & Rakim, Ice-T and many more had given
Hollis, Queens’ prodigal sons lots of competition. But Joe, Darryl and Jay were still at the top of their game, and hip-hop fans should never let this
classic – chiefly produced by their Queens neighbor, DJ and multi-instrumentalist Davy D[MX] – get lost in their crates.
For starters, the album’s first single, “Run’s House” b/w “Beats To The Rhyme” is arguably the most powerful one-two punch of the trio’s career,
showing contenders to the rap throne that they could still destroy a beat, tag-teaming with power at any speed. Not to be lost in the shuffle, fans were
also reminded on both sides that Jam-Master Jay remained one of the world’s best DJs, flexing the pinnacle of what would be called “turntablism” a
decade later. Both songs show a musical telepathy between all three that has rarely been equaled.
The second single, “Mary, Mary,” driven by an infectious Monkees sample, took a different approach, shrewdly ensuring that pop fans who jumped on
the Raising Hell bandwagon had something to chew on. But, like “Walk This Way,” the song wasn’t just bubblegum – there was an edge to it, and
the lyrical gymnastics were very real. It wasn’t selling out, it was allowing fans to buy in. “Papa Crazy,” driven in concept and by a sample from the
Temptations’ “Papa Was A Rolling Stone,” followed a similar pop-leaning path.
Overall, the lyrical content on the album was a step up from the group’s first three LPs. It’s easy to infer, looking back, that they were feeling the heat
from their younger competitors in the rap game. The genre was changing fast, and they were up to the challenge. On cuts like “Radio Station” they
bring substance to the grooves, by attacking Black Radio for its continual denigration of rap. “Tougher Than Leather” reminds the world that they were
still the Kings of Rock, with hard guitars to drive the point home. And “They Call Us Run-DMC” and “Soul To Rock And Roll” both bring things back to
their early days, with sure-fire park jam rhymes and killer cuts.
Tougher Than Leather, which went platinum up against a lot of competition, perfectly bookends the ‘80s output of one of the decade’s most
important groups. It encompasses the full range of the trio’s capabilities, and reminds us that Run-DMC should never be forgotten as both pioneers
and party-rockers. And so, we say, long live Joe, Darryl and Jay!

The 1990s was a rich vein of classic hip-hop, especially on the East Coast, which rendered some of the greatest works from the likes of Wu-Tang Clan, Nas, Mobb Deep, and many others. Frequently lost in the genre's New York-centric history was Boston's burgeoning hip-hop scene during the 1990s, spearheaded by working class Roxbury native Edward Anderson, best known by his stage name Ed O.G Over the course of his career, which has spanned nearly 30 years, Ed O.G has maintained an admirably strong cult following, and has gone on to work with contemporaries like RZA, KRS-One, Masta Ace, Pete Rock, and Common, while touring the world over, and producing numerous solo and collaborative albums. Ed O.G.'s illustrious career debuted in 1991, with the release of what is arguably his best known album, Life Of A Kid In The Ghetto, a collaboration with his crew, billed as Da Bulldogs (which was actually an acronym for “Black United Leaders Living Directly on Grooving Sounds”), though Ed O.G was clearly the main event. An underrated classic in its own right, Life Of A Kid In The Ghetto runs a gamut of sounds ranging from the introspective conscious hip-hop of "Be A Father To Your Child", to the whimsical boasts of "I'm Different", to deeply political fare like the Ace & Quan and Def Jef-featuring "Speak Upon It", plastered across a backdrop of Joe Mansfield-produced sample-heavy soundscapes, which snatched clips from deep cuts of James Brown, Roy Ayers, and The Delfonics, to name just a few. It also managed to generate Billboardcharting singles out of tracks like "Bug-A-Boo", "Be A Father To Your Child", and "I Got To Have It", which would become Ed O.G's signature track, and sample fodder for 2Pac, De La Soul, and DJ Premier. Get On Down now presents Life Of A Kid In The Ghetto, an unheralded rarity of renaissance hip-hop, reissued on vinyl for the first time since 1991. The audio has been remastered from its original tapes, so every bit and piece of Ed O.G's masterpiece is crisp and clear on wax. An uncovered gem of 90s rap well worth a re-listen or first-time discovery, and a sterling representation of Boston hip-hop.

Classic Cube album. Must have album for a great price.

In the 4 years after The Clipse dropped their sophomore classic Lord Willin’ the duo was able to build a legacy that had
fans hungry for new material. After the smoke cleared and they hit the studio the Virginia brothers recorded the confidently mature sophomore effort, Hell Hath No Fury. Best known for
their unconventional radio smash “Grindin’,” Clipse are no strangers to taking risks with the boundary-pushing Neptunes, who return as trusted co-pilots for Hell Hath No Fury. As
always the duo is right at home over The Neptunes crafted beats which perfectly embrace Pusha’s inventive drug-game
metaphors and Malice’s soul-baring confessionals.

From the bouncy lead single “Mr. Me Too” and the Slim Thug assisted “Wamp Wamp” to the oddly haunting "Keys Open
Doors" to "Momma I'm Sorry", Hell Hath No Fury represents some of the duo’s best work. On the hypnotic “Keys Open
Doors,” over the eerie mix of screwed-up angelic voices, chimes and congas, the brothers run circles around the
competition, while the spine-tingling boom-bap of “Ride Around Shining” sets the stage for Pusha’s hilarious boasts.
Whether rhyming over distorted, lo-fi guitar plucks (“Dirty Money”) or overblown 808s (“Trill”), the brothers come with colorful references and inventive word play that easily places
them in a lyrical class of their own. Get On Down now proudly issues this Neptunes produced favorite on LP for the first time ever with the first run on white vinyl.

Official rerelease on double vinyl - that's a hip hop classic ... first group of MF Doom!

Few leftovers of the black "Bush Babees - Ambushed" logo tee bundled with the regular 2LP edition that comes with printed innersleeves instead of gatefold and without the 7".

"Ambushed" contains instant classics like "We Run Things" or "Remember We" and features productions by the likes of Ali Shaheed Muhammad of A Tribe Called Quest, Salaam Remi, Jermaine Dupri and others.

The trio consisting of Kaos, Y-Tee and Mr. Man grew up in the West Indies, so reggae had a strong influence on their music. Formed in 1992, the Brooklyn representatives dropped their debut in 1994 followed by the sophomore album "Gravity" in 1996 with the help from a number of Native Tongue members including Q-Tip and The Ummah, Pos of De La Soul, Rahzel of The Roots as well as a young Mos Def.

A Tribe Called Quest - Q-Tip, Phife Dawg (who passed away on March 22nd, 2016), Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Jarobi White - the groundbreaking 90's group that forever transformed the urban music landscape reunited on their first and last studio album together in eighteen years. Guests on ''We got it from Here...Thank You 4 Your Service'' include, Kendrick Lamar, Elton John, Jack White, Andre 3000, Busta Rhymes, Consequence, Anderson.Paak, and Talib Kweli.

This pre-order item is a made-to-order, limited edition release. They are available to order until November 30, 2023, at which time pre-orders will close. To secure your copy, please place a pre-order by November 30, 2023. We advise you to order this item by itself. Shipping March 2024

Straight from the "Slums of Shaolin" thirty years ago on November 9, 1993, The RZA, The GZA, Inspectah Deck, Raekwon The Chef, Ol' Dirty Bastard, U-God, Masta Killa, Method Man and Ghostface Killah released their classic debut album Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers).

To commemorate the 30th Anniversary of The Wu, Get On Down in partnership with Sony's Certified and The RZA is reissuing their debut album on limited edition clear with black and yellow splatter vinyl with a 30th Anniversary commemorative OBI. This is a shared exclusive with Get On Down in the US. In Europe only available at HHV.

The Lost Tapes is widely regarded as one of Nas' most important albums showcasing his raw lyrical talent and creative genius. This compilation features such stand out tracks as “Doo Rags,” “U Gotta Love It,” and “My Way” among others. The newly remastered 2LP set features all the original tracks from 2002’s original release pressed on premium quality black vinyl with full-color labels featuring classic Nas artwork. Whether you're a die-hard Nas fan or a lover of classic hip-hop, The Lost Tapes is an essential Nas record.

Never released early 90s album from Wolf and his good friend Charizma.

Undeniable classic of 90s New York hip hop!

Return of the Boom Bap is KRS-One's first official solo album, released in 1993. It peaked on the Billboard 200 charts at position 37. According to KRS-One the album has sold over 300,000 copies.
The album was selected as one of The Source's 100 Best Rap Albums.

Tommy Boy Reissues exclusive limited edition pressing of Capone-N-Noreaga's "The War Report" on October 22, 2021 as part of Tommy Boy's 40th anniversary Hailing from Queens, New York, Capone and Noreaga first met while both serving time in prison. Upon their release, the duo hit the studio, concocting their debut album, "The War Report, " and launching Capone-N-Noreaga in 1997. The now cult-classic, featured strong underground overtones and served as a turning point in Hip Hop, bringing a more hardcore sound and is credited for reviving East Coast Hip Hop and signaling a return to realistic, gritty, street aesthetics. Despite the projects underground appeal, it also found massive commercial success. Lead by singles, "L. A. , L. A. , " "T. O. N. Y. (Top of New York), " "Closer, " and "Illegal Life, " "The War Report" has since been certified Gold by the RIAA and continues to garner spins on radio stations around the globe. Thanks to N. O. R. E. 's unorthodox lyrical delivery and Capone's streetwise slang and Five Percenter references, Capone-N-Noreaga brought new life into the Gangsta Rap subgenre, becoming an instant underground phenomenon, and making them both a household name within the hardcore Hip Hop community. Topping out at #21 on the Billboard 200 and #4 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip Hop albums chart, "The War Report, " continues to prove itself as a must have amongst record collectors. This year, as part of Tommy Boy's 40th anniversary celebration, this classic project will be reissued as a limited, colored vinyl release that will for sure be a must have for golden era Hip Hop heads.

In listing the greatest albums in hip-hop history, one title never seems to stray from the upper echelons, no matter how many years pass: Boogie Down Productions’ undisputed classic from 1986, Criminal Minded. Released amidst a battle between BDP and MC Shan that would redefine the New York rap landscape as it was then known, the album, which features the songs “South Bronx,” “Criminal Minded” and “The Bridge is Over,” captures the excitement, urgency and raw power that embodies hip-hop culture as we know it, with KRS-One’s aggressive yet intelligent lyricism backed by Scott La Rock’s hard-hitting, stripped-down beats. A true classic, Criminal Minded has been recognized by Vibe Magazine, The Source and Rolling Stone as one of the most important albums of all time. Traffic Entertainment Group and B-Boy Records are proud to present Criminal Minded, presented in a double-LP pressing.

Pressed on green vinyl! Originally released on July, 20th 1987 on Dangerous Music, Born To Mack is Too $hort's 4th studio album and re-released as his first major label release in 1988 on Jive Records. Long out of print on vinyl, this West Coast classic contains the 9+ minute track "Freaky Tales" which Snoop Dogg would state was highly influential, to such an extent that Snoop covered the song in ‘97 for the hip-hop covers compilation In Tha Beginning. Too $hort is one of the pioneers of West Coast Hip-Hop, commemorated with a street named in his honor - Oakland’s Too $hort Way dedicated in December of 2022. Too $hort continues to make music and plays West Coast classics and upcoming artists on his Rock The Bells radio show Don't Stop Rappin and is a member of West Coast Pioneers super group Mount Westmore.

2023 repress.

20th anniversagy edition with new remixes by Destructo, Wax Motif & Photek!

180 gram pressing in gatefold sleeve!

2023 repress without the 'Respect The Classics' sticker.

This Gang Starr classic from the golden 90s back on the scene.

2021 Pressing.
Another golden era classic gets reissued by Get On Down: Although Diamond D handles the majority of the album's production, others such as Large Professor, Q-Tip, Jazzy Jay, Showbiz, and DJ Mark the 45 King co-produce on several tracks. The music he was making in 1992 cemented Diamond as one of the best producers in the game. This record is true to his heart, and because of the immense quality of its contents, it should be remembered fondly by all lovers of this music. As he puts it “Diamond is Dope Nuff Said”. Essential!

Limited edition of 300 copies on white vinyl of the third release on "90's Tapes" incl. download code. Endangered Species' “Intangible” was an underground classic released in 1999 on cassette in a very limited run, when word got out this music somehow spread from Calgary throughout Canada to Chicago, Australia, Europe & beyond. The producer / MC combo of Nohow & Infinite P produced the record on the ASR-10 in their dusty home studio using records & a Roland digital 8 track. The only guest appearances were from Agape (Isosceles) who also produced "Fortified Aorta" & DJ Vinroc (5th Platoon / Triple Threat DJ’s), a song they recorded on tour. 21 years later this record finally gets it’s proper reissue treatment on vinyl, cassette and digitally.

Limited edition of 750 copies on black vinyl in gatefold sleeve incl. inlay card and bonus 7" ("Extra Abstract Skillz" b/w "Skillz In '95'").

VA in the house! Mad Skillz' debut "From Where???" dropped in 1996 and became an instant classic amongst heads worldwide. Beside the strong lyrical talent of Skillz as an MC, the album features a heavy cast of producers and guests like Large Professor, Q-Tip, J Dilla, Buckwild, The Beatnuts and many more.

Available in a limited run on black vinyl 2LP+7", CD in jewel case and cassette.

It may have taken the Notorious B.I.G. a few years to follow up his milestone debut, Ready to Die (1994), with another album, but when he did return with Life After Death in 1997, he did so in a huge way. The ambitious album, intended as somewhat of a sequel to Ready to Die, picking up where its predecessor left off, sprawled across the span of two discs, each filled with music, 24 songs in all. You'd expect any album this sprawling to include some lackluster filler. That's not really the case with Life After Death, however. Like 2Pac's All Eyez on Me from a year before, an obvious influence, Biggie's album made extensive use of various producers -- DJ Premier, Easy Mo Bee, Clark Kent, RZA, and more of New York's finest -- resulting in a diverse, eclectic array of songs. Plus, Biggie similarly brought in various guest rappers -- Jay-Z, Lil' Kim, Bone Thugs, Too $hort, L.O.X., Mase -- a few vocalists -- R. Kelly, Angela Winbush, 112 -- and, of course, Puff Daddy, who is much more omnipresent here than on Ready to Die, where he mostly remained on the sidelines. It's perhaps Puffy himself to thank for this album's biggest hits: "Mo Money Mo Problems," "Hypnotize," "Sky's the Limit," three songs that definitely owe much to his pop touch. There's still plenty of the gangsta tales on Life After Death that won Biggie so much admiration on the streets, but it's the pop-laced songs that stand out as highlights. In hindsight, Biggie couldn't have ended his career with a more fitting album than Life After Death. Over the course of only two albums, he achieved every success imaginable, perhaps none greater than this unabashedly over-reaching success. Ready to Die is a milestone album, for sure, but it's nowhere near as extravagant or epic as Life After Death. - allmusic.com

Entirely produced by No I.D. ... critically acclaimed back when it came out and a classic today!

Packaged In A Wrapped Tip-On Gatefold Jacket With Green & Pink Colored Double Vinyl. Includes A Free Digital Download Card. Re-Pressed With Masters Previously Used For Mm..Food.In 1998 Zev Love X Of The Seminal Rap Group Kmd Re-Emerged As A Masked Super Villain Known As Mf Doom. The Following Year He Released The Ground Breaking Independent Classic Operation: Doomsday. Doom Only Added To The Mystery By Creating Multiple Aliases (King Geedorah, Viktor Vaughn, Etc.) And Took A No Holds Barred Approach To His Musical Career. With Collaborative Side Projects With Madlib (Madvillain) And Dangerdoom With Danger Mouse, Mm..Food Marked The Super Villain's Long Awaited Follow Up To Operation: Doomsday.

The album Tribe Called Quest wanted to make from the very beginning. It's their most even, consistent album of the original trilogy that also includes People's Instinctive Travels... and the Low End Theory. But in spite of this, or maybe because of it, it's also their most uninteresting. With so many competent tracks, there's no chance for something to stand out above the pack, like "Scenario" did on Low End Theory or "Can I Kick It" did on People's Instinctive Travels. The celebration is there ("Stir It Up"), the jazz drums kick ("Oh My God"), and the stand-up bass dribbles, keeping perfect pace with Q-Tip's unmistakable mic-touch ("Electric Relaxation"). There's even a Native Tongues armistice/reunion with de la Soul ("Awards Tour"). Although it comes together like a seamless tutorial in jazz hip-hop style, it comes together so damn well that it's hard for any one track to excel, cursing the album with consistent quality.

Uber-classic southern rap album. If you don't like this one you don't like hip hop!

To a lot of heads this is the best The Roots album! Back on blue vinyl!

incl. The Breaks, ...

Back in stock! “We are the planters of the weeds or roses in our garden. Take the plunge within yourself to find The Main Ingredient.”
So reads CL Smooth’s album dedication in the liners to Pete Rock & CL’s underrated, soulful and deeply grooving sophomore
album. For fans, it was bittersweet, as it would be their last as a duo.
By 1994, Pete and CL were darlings of both fans and critics, still on a high after 1992’s Mecca & The Soul Brother and the album’s
emotional smash single “They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.).” Two years later, they had grown even more as men and artists.
Gone was some of the righteous striving of their earlier work, replaced by mature – yet still righteous – wisdom. And a lot more
love as well, bringing a larger female constituency into their fanbase. They were adults now, reveling in the plateau they had
reached.
The duo’s ‘90s swan song is a powerful double album that still resonates with Golden Era hip-hop fans: 16 cuts deep and full of
intelligence, fire and warmth. Beats-per-minute-wise, the album mostly clocks at a comfortable strutting pace, bolstered by Pete
Rock’s pioneering use of filtered basslines and a recently-hatched obsession with Rhodes piano. The new tracks filled speakers
and headphones with soul, as CL continued to assert his lyrical prowess all throughout.
The lead single, “I Got A Love,” is a perfect example of the group’s ‘94 steez: a super-catchy and respectful, but far-from-soft
love track, suitable for any rap fan’s romantic needs. “Take You There” and “Carmel City” cover similar ground. Considering CL
Smooth’s top-level brag rapper status, cuts like “I Get Physical,” “Get On The Mic” and “Check It Out” effectively reminded competitors
not to test him. Pete also gets in the game on the mic several times on the album, acquitting himself nicely (and solo)
on the cloudy day soul of “Escape,” alongside other cuts.
Add more pensive lyrical forays like “All The Places,” “Searching,” and – perhaps the album’s sleeper cut – “It’s On You” and you
have one of the more complete rap full-lengths of the mid-1990s. This isn’t surprising, considering the wonder twins-esque
skills of Pete and CL. But it does make fans wonder what would have happened if they had stayed together longer.

OutKast's debut album shows one of the most distinctive production sounds in the '90s: part hip-hop; part live, Southern-fried guitar licks and booty-thick bass runs; and part lazy, early-'70s soul.

In celebration of hip-hop’s 50th anniversary, the iconic Def Jam Recordings brings us some of its classic repertoire on vinyl in a spectacular “fruit punch” variant – a color emblematic of its longstanding association with Def Jam. Some titles include Public Enemy’s Yo! Bum Rush the Show, Ludacris’ Word of Mouf, Method Man’s Tical, and Slick Rick’s The Great Adventures of Slick Rick.

Despite an excellent debut album, "Naughty By Nature" was pegged as a one-hit wonder by some, after all, they'd never duplicate the inescapably catchy "O.P.P.". But when 19 Naughty III was released on February 23, 1993 with the lead single "Hip Hop Hooray, " the group proved that they could recreate that magic. Celebrating it's 30th Anniversary this year, the album has been certified platinum and "Hip Hop Hooray" has become a hip hop anthem. The single was #1 on the charts, earning the band their second Top 10 hit, with the video directed by Spike Lee, featuring appearances from Tupac Shakur, Run-DMC and more. The album also contains the hits "Written on Ya Kitten" and "It's On" and has guest appearances from Heavy D and Queen Latifah. Production was handled entirely by group member KayGee, who has one foot in the clubs and the other one on the street corner, and that's true of the group as a whole.

instant classic folks, a must have for all hip hop connaisseurs! Absoluteclassicalistic!

This special reissue was cut from the original production masters and is presented on 180-gram heavyweight vinyl.

Produced by Rick Rubin and Beastie Boys, Licensed To Ill was originally released November 15, 1986 - making the B Boys the fifth artist to release a full length album on the original Def Jam label after LL Cool J, Slayer, Tashan and Oran "Juice" Jones.

180 gram audiophile vinyl / SECOND STUDIO ALBUM BY TR LUV, DJ MOE LUV, KOOL KEITH, CED GEE AND TIM DOG / FEATURING THE SINGLES “POPPA LARGE AND “MAKE IT HAPPEN” / FOR THE FIRST TIME AVAILABLE AS 2LP-SET

Ultramagnetic Mc’s is composed of TR ‘Funky’ Luv, DJ Moe Luv on the one and two’s, Kool Keith, producer Ced Gee and occasionally Tim Dog. Their second studio album Funk Your Head Up was released in 1992, representing the foundation of Hip-Hop. Culled off the album are singles “Poppa Large” and “Make It Happen” plus tracks by Kool Keith’s “Pluckin’ Cards”, “Dolly And The Rat Trap”, the diss track “You Ain’t Real” about rapper Freddie Fox, skits, mad beats, and outlandish lyricism. Funk Your Head Up was originally only available as a 1LP but is now available as a 2LP-set for the first time

“The Marshall Mathers LP” is the third studio album by American rapper Eminem. It was released in 2000, by Aftermath Entertainment, Interscope Records, and Eminem's newly founded label, Shady Records in the United States and by Polydor Records in the United Kingdom. The album was produced mostly by Dr. Dre and Eminem, along with The 45 King, the Bass Brothers, and Mel-Man. Released a year after Eminem's breakout album “The Slim Shady LP”, the record features more introspective lyricism including the rapper's response to his sudden rise to fame and controversy surrounding his lyrics.

The album sold more than 1.78 million copies in the US in its first week alone, becoming the fastest-selling studio album by any solo artist in American music history. In 2001, the album won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album and was nominated for Album of the Year. Eminem lost the latter to jazz-rock duo Steely Dan and their album “Two Against Nature”. The album was certified Diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America in March 2011 for shipping 10 million copies in the United States. By December 2016, the album had sold over 11 million copies in the United States and more than 32 million copies worldwide. A sequel to the album, “The Marshall Mathers LP 2”, was released on November 2013.

Bahamadia’s 1996 debut album Kollage is rightly regarded as one of the greatest rap albums of the 1990s. For the first time ever, Be With present the definitive double LP version of this eternal hip-hop classic, including the legendary "Path To Rhythm" which never appeared on the original LP or on vinyl, anywhere. An indelible VIBE from start-to-finish, Kollage presents Bahamadia's swirling rhymes delivered with an irresistibly butter flow and razor-sharp assuredness over a steady slew of smoothed-out, jazzed-up, blunted beats. Achingly cool and effortlessly funky throughout, it's an absolute must for true 90s hip-hop fanatics.

The entire Kollage project was recorded at D&D Studios and the ties to Gang Starr are keenly felt, with DJ Premier producing five tracks in addition to the killer songs Guru had already produced with her. Working with the cream of the mid-90s East Coast sound, Kollage is, accordingly, a record that demonstrates a varied musical taste with disparate influences, as Bahamadia has previously stated: “The title Kollage was a reflection of my state of mind. I first got interested in music from playing my parents’ and grandparents’ records, as well what I heard on the radio. I wanted Kollage to reflect that diversity both lyrically and sonically."

With intelligent, poetic lyricism and a laconic verbal style bursting with both warm texture and deceptive energy, Bahamadia’s flow was as inspired by Aretha and Nancy Wilson as it was Q-Tip, Schoolly D and Lady B. Swaggering out the gate, "WordPlay" finds Bahamadia confidently showcasing her considerable old-school battle-rhyme skills over a Guru beat that utilises an infectiously bouncy bassline with splashes of sultry jazz horns and a Jeru vocal snatch for the hook. Up next, the quietly shimmering and ruggedly beautiful "Spontaneity" is one of the most alluring on the record, Da Beatminerz crafting a brilliantly soulful and jazzy soundscape for Bahamadia's effortless vocals to float across. It's followed by "Rugged Ruff", where the rapper carefully constructs a swift off-beat flow over Premier's raw jazzy fire.

With smooth spacey synth vibes overseen by former Geto Boys producer N.O. Joe, "I Confess" is, without question, a fly love song and soothing (p)-funk groove. "UKNOWHOWWEDU" is an airy, chilled tribute to her hometown. Produced by Ski Beatz & DJ Redhanded, it rides a gloriously mellow break. It's a true Philly anthem, shouting out a who’s who of the entire city’s scene. Early banger "Total Wreck" follows, presenting a murky Guru instrumental elevated by jazzy horns. Bahamadia invokes the title's suggestion, firing her brilliant bars more aggressively than we’re accustomed to. More Beatminerz-brilliance comes in the way of "Innovation", an opportunity for the MC to invoke Freestyle Fellowship in her forward-thinking and literary verses. "Da Jawn" features hometown buddies The Roots, with Black Thought gliding into a back-and-forth with Bahamadia over ?uestlove’s warm, snapping percussion. With the strut club banger "True Honey Buns (Dat Freak Sh*t)", DJ Premier provides some laidback vibrant boom bap for Bahamadia to share a wild, cautionary tale about a night out with her girl, Kia.

Fan favourite "3 Tha Hard Way" is a hypnotically sinister cut, with Bahamadia, K-Swift and Mecca Star taking star turns to coast over DJ Premier’s raw beat whilst the tender "Biggest Part Of Me" is a heartfelt stunner dedicated to her son. Incredibly, only the European and Japanese CD versions of Kollage was released with the brilliantly breezy “Path To Rhythm”, featuring Ursula Rucker. Whilst ostensibly a "bonus track", it's anything but, to our ears. Very much in sonic conversation with KRS-One's stretched-out sleeper classic "Higher Level", it's absolutely essential so we had to include it, appearing on wax for the first time here, exclusively. Quite a coup.

Somewhat predictably, whilst Kollage was released to significant critical acclaim, it suffered from disappointing sales. In the intervening years - and for far too long - it was a criminally underrated record, an increasingly hidden gem. We hope this double LP reissue - which looks and sounds amazing - will go some way to correct this. This 2024 Be With double LP re-issue has been mastered for vinyl by Simon Francis, cut by Cicely Balston and pressed at Record Industry. It's too bold and beautiful to remain overlooked and underserved.

Official repress on 180 gram vinyl!

30th Anniversary of the demo tape, limited to 500 copies worldwide. Comes with sticker.

LIMITED EDITION COLORED 7" BOX SET WITH 60 PAGE BOOK AND 30TH ANNIVERSARY TRADING CARDS PACK

Thirty years ago on November 9, 1993, The RZA, The GZA, Raekwon The Chef, Ol' Dirty Bastard, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Masta Killa, Method Man and Ghostface Killah formed like Voltron and set off the worldwide movement of the Wu-Tang Clan.

To commemorate the 30th Anniversary of the release of Wu-Tang Clan's classic 1993 debut album Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), Get On Down, in partnership with Sony's CERTIFIED and the RZA, is issuing a new limited edition box set of the album pressed on six split black and yellow 7-inches housed in a custom canvas wrapped Wu-Tang album art box with a printed outer slip case.

Box Set contains:

-The full album on six split black and yellow colored big hole 7-inch records in printed full color inner sleeves.

-A 60 page liner notes book titled The Shaolinothology featuring RZA input / interviews, extensive research by journalist Chris Faraone, album lyrics, rarely-seen photos and other rare images from the Enter The Wu-Tang era, plus new additional photos by Wu-Tang album cover photographer Danny Hastings.

-A pack of 30th Anniversary 36 Chambers Trading Cards featuring never-before-seen photos by photographer Danny Hastings. The trading cards are only available in this box set.

In celebration of hip-hop’s 50th anniversary, the iconic Def Jam Recordings brings us some of its classic repertoire on vinyl in a spectacular “fruit punch” variant – a color emblematic of its longstanding association with Def Jam. Some titles include Public Enemy’s Yo! Bum Rush the Show, Ludacris’ Word of Mouf, Method Man’s Tical, and Slick Rick’s The Great Adventures of Slick Rick.

First published in 2003, King Geedorah’s »Take Me To Your Leader« became an instant classic amongst fans. King Geedorah, named after the three-headed gold dragons from the Godzilla movies, is MF Doom's alias what he uses as part of the supergroup »Monsta Island Czars«. The album includes features by Jet Jaguar (MF Grimm) and some other »MIC« members.

Classic boom bap sound in a fresh dress for 2024! Agent Dan & Mr Mile finally teamed up, linked their MPCs, chooped stacks of records and pushed buttons to create some unique muffled and bassy, but full and warm soundscapes! The result are 13 straight banging beats featuring a variety of dope international MCs and polished with tight cutted hooks. The shhhh you wanna hear!

We are finally set to reissue Blowout Comb, the 1994 second album by cult, Brooklyn-based hip hop trio Digable Planets.

The album is named for the combs used to maintain an Afro hairstyle, and that’s significant. The group’s Ishmael “Butterfly” Butler said it summed up what they wanted to do with it: "It means the utilization of the natural, a natural style,” he has said.

Like with 1993’s debut Reachin’ (A New Refutation of Time and Space), ‘utilizing the natural’ meant creating hip hop that blended jazz with the formidable rap skills of the aforementioned Butterfly, Craig ‘Doodlebug’ Irving and Mary Ann ‘Ladybug Mecca’ Vieira. Unlike that debut, it meant broadening to include guests such as Gang Starr’s Guru, Jeru the Damaja, and Jazzy Joyce.

Following the gold-selling commercial success of their debut, they here set out to prove their artistic prowess. This is intelligent, alternative hip hop that sounded like party music. Its lyrics are dense with wit, social commentary and politics – and its original inner sleeve was modeled on the newspaper of the Black Panther movement.

Its instrumentation includes sax, vibraphone and flute. Its samples – gathered from global cratedigging trips while touring the first album around the world – included Grant Green, Eddie Harris, Shuggie Otis and jazz-funk pioneer Roy Ayers (whose “We Live in Brooklyn, Baby” became “Borough Check” here). And yet at the same time its beats are infectious and its spirit undeniable.

This is an album firmly rooted in Brooklyn. “Growing up hearing and cherishing this album, it created a textured soundscape of a mythical world of rhymes, jazz, breakbeats, culture, art and urban ambiance,” says DJ and fan Mick Boogie in the liner notes. “When I moved to Brooklyn years later, I found that the world I imagined while listening to this classic LP actually really existed…”

Though Digable Planets have reunited on occasion since – and though their influence endures in every top-shelf rap act with a jazzy sensibility – the trio parted ways after Blowout Comb, citing that old favorite "creative differences”. Sometimes, the most volatile combinations create the best art.

The Muggs Presents The Soul Assassins (Chapter 1)album was originally released in 1997 and is produced by DJ Muggs. It features tracks from a veritable 'who's who' list of rappers like Dr. Dre & B Real, Mobb Deep, RZA/GZA & Genius (Wu-Tang Clan), Krs-One (Boogie Down Productions), Goodie Mob plus contributions from his Cypress Hill fellow band members B-Real and Sen Dog.

Strictly limited edition of 500 copies on black colored 2LP.

"Exotic Essentials" is a handpicked demo compilation by Godfather Don himself including some lost gems of mid-90's works. The album includes 8 vocal tracks as well as 9 instrumentals shorties from the vaults. Available in a limited run on black as well as grey colored 2LP, on limited CD and cassette plus digitally on all major platforms.

The Main Ingredient is the second album by Pete Rock & CL Smooth, originally released in 1994. Characterized by sultry soul and jazz samples, the album saw a more polished sound than the duo's debut Mecca & The Soul Brother [MOVLP1633], building on the praise that they had already garnered. The Main Ingredient it contains some of the duo's best known work, in the form of tracks such as the upbeat "In The House", and the catchy "Sun Won't Come Out", which features a lush vocal sample from the song of the same name by Harvey Scales.

For the first time in a decade Lex are reissuing a limited quantity of Dangerdoom 'The Mouse and the Mask'.

The groundbreaking 1st album is back in print! Bombsquad in full effect.