Rap & Hip Hop Vinyl Records

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-Ones aggressive yet intelligent lyricism backed by Scott La Rocks 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.

Track Listing:
Poetry
South Bronx
9mm Goes Bang
Word From Our Sponsor
Elementary
Dope Beat
Remix For P Is Free
The Bridge Is Over
Super-Hoe
Criminal Minded

The Blueprint is the sixth studio album by American rapper Jay-Z, released September 11, 2001 on Roc-A-Fella Records in the United States. Its release was set a week earlier than initially planned in order to combat bootlegging. Recording sessions for the album took place during 2001 at Manhattan Center Studios and Baseline Studios in New York City. Contrasting the radio-friendly sound of Jay-Z's previous work, The Blueprint features soul-based sampling and production handled primarily by Kanye West and Just Blaze. At the time of its recording, Jay-Z was awaiting two criminal trials, one for gun possession and another for assault, and had become one of hip hop's most dissed artists, receiving insults from rappers such as Nas, Prodigy, and Jadakiss.

Track Listing:
The Ruler's Back
Takeover
Izzo (H.O.V.A)
Girls, Girls, Girls
Jigga That N***a
U Don't Know
Hola' Hovito
Heart of the City (Ain't No Love)
Never Change
Song Cry
All I Need
Renegade (feat. Eminem)
Blueprint (Momma Loves Me)

Unless you're from a different planet, you know Snoop Dogg and you should know his outstanding 1993 debut, which revolutionized hip-hop and stands as one of the most celebrated party records ever released. Dig the Dogg's languid rhymes and enviable flow as well as Dr. Dre's formidable production. A must.

Track Listing:
Bathtub
G Funk Intro
Gin and Juice
Tha Shiznit
Lodi Dodi
Murder Was The Case
Serial Killa
Who Am I (What's My Name)?
For All My Niggaz & Bitches
Ain't No Fun (If The Homies Can't Have None)
Doggy Dogg World
Gz And Hustlas
Pump Pump

Intro
Ghetto Musick
Unhappy
Bowtie - (featuring Sleepy Brown/Jazze Pha)
Way You Move, The - (featuring Sleepy Brown)
Rooster, The
Bust - (featuring Killer Mike)
War
Church
Bamboo - (interlude)
Tomb Of The Boom - (featuring Konkrete/Big Gipp/Ludacris)
E-Mac - (interlude)
Knowing
Flip Flop Rock - (featuring Killer Mike/Jay-Z)
Interlude
Reset - (featuring Khujo Goodie/Cee-Lo)
D-Boi - (interlude)
Last Call - (featuring Slimm Calhoun/Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz/Mello)
Bowtie - (postlude)

THE LOVE BELOW:

Love Below, The - (intro)
Love Hater
God - (interlude)
Happy Valentine`s Day
Spread
Where Are My Panties
Prototype
She Lives In My Lap - (featuring Rosario Dawson)
Hey Ya!
Roses
Good Day, Good Sir
Behold A Lady
Pink & Blue
Love In War
She`s Alive
Dracula`s Wedding - (featuring Kelis)
Take Off Your Cool - (featuring Norah Jones)
Vibrate
Life In The Day Of Benjamin Andre, A - (incomplete)

Eternal
Talk To Me
Like A Pimp (Remix)
Crank It Up

SIDE B:

Pretty Pink
Pop That
My Lord
The Game

SIDE C:

Gots To Go
The Christmas Song
Baptized In Dirty Water (Interlude)
OOh Ahh
Mama's House

SIDE D:

So In Love
Lil' Jones
Airforce Ones- The Remix
We Ride Them Caddies
The End- Interlude

The Message (Vocal) 7:11

Side 2

The Message (Instrumental)7:11

Digitally Remastered/EXPLICIT VERSION

The Chronic is the solo debut album of American hip hop artist Dr. Dre, released December 15, 1992, on his own record label Death Row Records, and distributed by Priority Records. Recording sessions for the album took place in June 1992 at Death Row Studios in Los Angeles and at Bernie Grundman Mastering in Hollywood. The album is named after a slang term for high-grade marijuana, and its cover is an homage to Zig-Zag rolling papers. It was recorded by Dr. Dre following his departure from hip hop group N.W.A and its label Ruthless Records over a financial dispute, and consequently features both subtle and direct insults at Ruthless and its owner, former N.W.A-member Eazy-E. Although a solo album, it features many appearances by Snoop Dogg, who used the album as a launch pad for his own solo career.

Upon its release, The Chronic received positive reviews from most music critics and earned considerable sales success. The album peaked at number three on the Billboard 200 and has sold over three million copies, which led to Dr. Dre becoming one of the top ten best-selling American performing artists of 1993. Dr. Dre's production has been noted for founding and popularizing the G-funk sub-genre within gangsta rap. The Chronic has been widely regarded as one of the most important and influential albums of the 1990s and regarded by many fans and peers to be one of the most well-produced hip hop albums of all time.

Track Listing:
1. The Chronic (Intro)
2. Fuck Wit Dre Day (And Everybody's Celebratin')
3. Let Me Ride
4. The Day The Niggaz Took Over
5. Nothin' But A 'G' Thang
6. Deeez Nuuuts
7. Lil' Ghetto Boy
8. A Nigga Witta Gun
9. Rat-Tat-Tat-Tat
10. The $20 Sack Pyramid
11. Lyrical Gangbang
12. High Powered
13. The Doctor's Office (Skit)
14. Stranded On Death Row
15. The Roach (The Chronic Outro)
16. Bitches Ain't Shit!

Straight Outta Compton is the debut studio album by American hip hop group N.W.A, released August 8, 1988 on group member Eazy-E's record label Ruthless Records. Its title refers to the group's native town, Compton, California. Production for the album was handled by Dr. Dre, with DJ Yella giving co-production. The album has been viewed as the pioneering record of gangsta rap; with its ever-present profanity and violent lyrics, it helped to give birth to this then-new sub-genre of hip hop. It has been considered groundbreaking by music writers and has had an enormous impact on the evolution of West Coast hip hop.

Track Listing:
Straight Outta Compton
F*** Tha Police
Gangsta Gangsta
If It Ain't Ruff
Parental Discretion Iz Advised
8 Ball (Remix)
Something Like That
Express Yourself
Compton's N The House (Remix)
I Ain't Tha 1
Dopeman (Remix)
Quiet On Tha Set
Something 2 Dance 2

BONUS Tracks
F**k Tha Police (Bone Thugs-N-Harmony)
Gangsta Gangsta (Snoop Dogg/C-Murder)
Dopeman (Mack 10)
If It Ain't Ruff (WC)
Compton's N The Hous (Dr.Dre/M.C. Ren) Live

Import (Germany)

Illmatic is the debut album of American rapper Nas, released April 19, 1994, on Columbia Records. Following his signing to the label with the help of MC Serch, the album was recorded during 1992 to 1993 at Chung King Studios, D&D Recording, Battery Studios, and Unique Recording Studios in New York City. Its production was handled by Nas, Large Professor, Pete Rock, Q-Tip, L.E.S., and DJ Premier. Stylistically a hardcore hip hop album, Illmatic features Nas' multi-syllabic internal rhyme patterns expressing inner city lyrical themes and narratives based on his native Queensbridge, New York.

Upon its release, the album debuted at number 12 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart, selling 59,000 copies in its first week. However, its initial sales fell below expectations and its five singles failed to achieve significant chart success. While it experienced initial low sales, Illmatic received positive reviews from most music critics upon its release and earned praise for its lyrical content, production, and Nas' lyricism. On January 17, 1996, the album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America, and in 2001, it earned platinum certification after shipments of one million copies in the United States.

Since its initial reception, the album has been recognized by writers and music critics as a landmark album in East Coast hip hop. It contributed to the regional scene's artistic renaissance in New York, while marking an influential, stylistic change in hip hop at the time. Its influence on subsequent hip hop artists has been attributed to the album's production and Nas' rapping. Several writers have cited Illmatic as one of the quintessential hip hop recordings and one of the greatest hip hop albums of all time. It has been included in numerous best album lists by critics and publications.

Track Listing:
The Genesis
N.Y. State Of Mind
Life's A Bitch
The World Is Yours
Halftime
Memory Lane (Sittin' In Da Park)
One Love
One Time 4 Your Mind
Represent
It Ain't Hard To Tell

With beats courtesy of Jake One, Amp Live, Trackademics and Lyrics Born himself, Everywhere At Once dabbles in everything from old-school rap, electro, 1970s soul, and G-Funk to contemporary R&B, pop, and jazz. By refusing to assign himself to any specific style within the hip-hop genre, Lyrics Born is able to transcend it. The end result is a well-rounded effort that succeeds in its many endeavors, appealing to all kinds of music fans while never sounding derivative. Honest, introspective and eclectic, Everywhere At Once is among the best hip-hop albums of 2008.

Track Listing:
1. Intro Tag
2. Don't Change
3. Hott 2 Deff
4. Differences
5. Cakewalk
6. Shoe Hoes Anonymous
7. I'm A Phreak
8. I Like It, I Love it v 9. The World Is Calling
10. Top Shelf
11. Is It The Skin I'm In?
12. Homeland Security
13. Do U Buy It?
14. Rules Were Meant To Be Broken (Remix)
15. Whispers
16. I Can't Decide(Everywhere At Once)
17. Re-Intro
18. Let Me In, Let Me Out (Remix)

Track Listing:
The Intro (Skit)
Make It Hot
Hip Hop
Hey Lover
Doin It
Life As...
I Shot Ya
Mr. Smith
No Airplay
Loungin'
Hollis To Hollywood
God Bless
Get Da Drop On 'Em
Prelude (skit)
I Show Ya (Remix)

2007 was a breakthrough year for Cash Money/Universal Superstar artist Lil Wayne. Vibe Magazine named him 'The Best Rrapper Alive,' he was crowned MVP at the 2007 BET Awards beating out hip-hop icons such as Jay-Z and Kanye West, snagged the coveted fan-voted Peoples Champ Award and also won 2008's Viewers Choice Award.

Track Listing:
1. 3 Peat
2. Mr. Carter (Featuring Jay Z)
3. A Milli
4. Got Money (Featuring T Pain)
5. Comfortable (Featuring Babyface)
6. Phone Home
7. Dr. Carter
8. Tie My Hands (Featuring Robin Thicke)

Im not doing too much pre-hype on the album, Tip says of his new project. I just want everyone to know that its coming out in a few months and that Im going to answer a lot of questions in the music. Its intense and insightful; its gonna shake up the game and its me at my best.

Track Listing:
1. No Matter What
2. Been There Done That
3. What Up, Whats Haapnin
4. Swing Your Rag
5. Live Your Life feat. Rihanna
6. Propane
7. Yeah feat. Lil Wayne
8. Collect Call
9. My Life Your Entertainment
10. Beat Down
11. On Top of The World (Featuring Kanye West and B.o.B.)
12. Im Illy
13. Bright Lights feat. The-Dream
14. Out in The Cold feat. Fall Out Boy
15. Bed, Bath & Beyond feat. Usher
16. Its All G
17. 56 Bars (Intro)
18. Whatever You Like
19. Slide Show feat. John Legend

1. Act I: T.I.P
2. Big S**T Poppin' (Do It)
3. Raw
4. You Know What It Is
5. Da Dopeman

Side B

6. Watch What You Say To Me Feat. Jay-Z
7. Hurt Feat. Alfa Mega
8. Act II: T.I.
9. Help Is Coming
10. My Swag Feat. Wyclef Jean

Side C

11. We Do This
12. Show It To Me
13. Don't You Wanna Be High
14. Touchdown Feat. Eminem

Side D

15. Act III: T.I. The Confrontation
16. Tell E'm I Said That
17. Respect This Hustle
18. My Type

1. Big Pookie Interview
2. Breaka Breaka
3. Straight Up - Trick Daddy, Young Buck
4. Commentator
5. Bet That - Chamillionaire, , Goldrush, Trick Daddy
6. 10-20-Life
7. Tuck Ya Ice - Baby, Trick Daddy
8. Booty Doo - International Jones, Trick Daddy, Weebie
9. Born a Thug - Trick Daddy
10. TDD
11. Lights Off - International Jones, Trick Daddy
12. Tonight - Jaheim, Trick Daddy, Trina
13. You Damn Right - Dunk Ryders, Skky, Trick Daddy
14. Chevy - Trick Daddy, Young Steff
15. So High - 8Ball, Trey Songz, Trick Daddy

Eminem's masterful second record has the chops and the credentials to go along with it. The Marshall Mathers LP won the 2001 Grammy Award for Best Rap Album, The Real Slim Shady won the Grammy for Best Rap Solo Performance and the record was also nominated for the Grammy for Album Of The Year. Expanding upon his debut, Eminem's follow-up is both funnier and darker than his debut and the production is nearly as evocative as the raps, with liquid basslines, stuttering rhythms, slight sound effects and spacious soundscapes. Reissued here on Double Vinyl LP by Universal Records.

Track Listing:
1. Public Service Announcement 2000
2. Kill You
3. Stan - (featuring Dido)
4. Paul - (skit)
5. Who Knew
6. Steve Berman - (with Steve Berman)
7. Way I Am, The
8. The Real Slim Shady
9. Remember Me? - (featuring RBX/Sticky Fingaz)
10. I'm Back
11. Marshall Mathers
12. Ken Kaniff - (skit)
13. Drug Ballad
14. Amityville - (featuring Bizarre)
15. Bitch Please II - (featuring Dr. Dre/Snoop
Dogg/Xzibit/Nate Dogg)
16. Kim
17. Under the Influence - (featuring D-12)
18. Criminal

1. She's Fresh
2. It's Nasty
3. Scorpio 4. It's A Shame

Side Two

1. Dreamin
2. You Are
3. The Message

Clock Strikes
15 After 'Da Hour
Man Undercover
Joy
Here We Come
Who Am I
John Blaze
3:30 In The Morning

LP2

Drop
All Ya'all
Party People
I Am Music
Cop That Sh*t
Shenanigans
N 2 Da Music
Hold On
Indian Flute

Cypress Hill's 1993 release Black Sunday helped to expand the group's audience with its deftly culled soul and Latin jazz samples and funky grooves. Tracks like I Wanna Get High, Insane in the Brain and I Ain't Goin' Out Like That have all gone on to become hip-hop classics, each featuring the signature rolling bass hooks that defined Cypress Hill's sound before the group began to experiment with heavy metal.

Track Listing:
1. I Wanna Get High
2. I Ain't Goin' Out Like That
3. Insane In The Brain
4. When The Ship Goes Down
5. Lick A Shot
6. Cock The Hammer
7. Interlude
8. Li'l Putos
9. Legalise It
10. Hits From The Bong
11. What Go Around Come Around Kid
12. A To The K
13. Hand On The Glock
14. Break 'em Off Some

Bilal has been featured on countless hit records with artists such as Jay Z, Common, The Roots, Erykah Badu, J-Dilla, Beyonce, Guru (Jazzmatazz), The Clipse, Musiq Soulchild, The Game, Scarface, Jadakiss, Reflection Eternal, Jill Scott, Mos Def, Solange Knowles, Robert Glasper and Lil Wayne

Full US tour dates to run from September through the end of the year

Radio: Co-Sign Collective will be servicing College Radio and Mix-shows

Video: A live video of Levels is up on the VTech site. Look for a full video for Think It Over and a 3-part video trailer directed by Kahlil Joseph (Aloe Blacc, Shafiq Husayn, Vans Shoes) in October

Grammy-nominated artist Bilal (Philadelphia, PA) returns with his third studio album, Airtights Revenge. A provocative genre-bending album that dissects love, politics and relationships, Airtights Revenge demonstrates the Philly-bred singers growth as an artist. Its a mix of Jazz, Hip Hop, Soul, Blues, and experimental free music, says Bilal. The differences in economical social classes inspired the track Robots, which scrutinizes societal and governmental effects on people. Bilal wrote Who Are You after watching the 2007 documentary, Zeitgeist: The Movie. Of all religions, I drive to be human, says Bilal. At the end of the day, we are all one. We need to connect with the spiritual side of ourselves; we dont need to inflict that on others. Its OK to have free thought. A smooth track with a soulful sound called Little Ones is dedicated to his sons. My youngest son has Sickle Cell and my oldest son has Autism. This song is for them, stated Bilal. Steve McKie (Jill Scott, Estelle, Kindred, Vivian Green) co-produced the album with Bilal, which was recorded in Philadelphia, Virginia and Los Angeles. The album also features production by Nottz (Kanye West, Snoop Dogg, Drake), 88 Keys (Mos Def, Macy Gray, Musiq Soulchild), Shafiq Husayn of Sa-Ra and Tone Whitefield.

Track Listing:
Side 1
1. Cake & Eat It Too
2. Restart
3. All Matter

Side 2
1. Flying
2. Levels
3. Little One

Side 3
1. Move On
2. Robots
3. The Dollar

Side 4
1. Who Are You
2. Think It Over

The band supports him with solid, take-no-prisoners guitar, heavy bass and a mouth watering drum break that will have producers funning to their samples. You Made A New Man Out Of Me gives drummer Olu Rocksteady Owudemi the chance to lay down a drum beat that would make Clyde Stubblefield proud. The rest of the band follows his lead with succinct stabs of guitar and horns, while Lee floats over the top, giving thanks to the woman who changed his evil ways. Rapping with Lee finds Mr. Fields delivering a heartfelt discourse on how to keep and love one lady in a humorous and heartfelt way that only he could do. The fills in around him, with sweet horns and Fender Rhodes chiming in over a tough funk groove.

Lee takes a break on Clap Your Hands, letting the band get down to business, with a heavy, happy party track that is a sure fire hit on dance floors worldwide. On Honey Lee pays tribute to his lifetime love over a slow, organ filled groove that hits hard and wont let up. Last but not least Near East is another instrumental track by the band. They expand their sound, capturing an eastern feel and groove while still creating that innate funk toughness that The Explorers are famous for. Long out of print and highly coveted, we are happy to release the LP in a heavy paste-on jacket.

Track Listing:
Side 1
1. Problems
2. The Right Thing
3. Rapping With Lee
4. Bad Trip
5. Get On The Good Foot

Side 2
6. I Don't Know Where I'm Going
7. Clap Your Hands
8. Honey Dove
9. I'm The Man
10. You Made A New Man Out Of Me

After his rediscovery in the mid 90s, his faithful have featured him on a slew on singles, a full-length on Desco Records entitled "Let's Get It On', a full-length on Soul Fire entitled "Problems", and on Sharon Jones's critically acclaimed album, "Naturally". Most recently, he has featured on a number of tracks by French house producer, Martin Solveig. Suprisingly, many of of those songs have become top ten hits for Solveig and have turned Lee Fields into a bonafide celebrity in France and other parts of Europe. Yet, outside of a rabid cult following, his story remained untold in America.

When Truth & Soul rose from Soul Fire's ashes in 2004, the first mission of label owners/producers Jeff Silverman and Leon Michels, was to record a sweet soul record that would be modeled after the near perfect formula that bands like The Moments, The Delfonics, and The Stylistics had created. In a nutshell - the duo wanted an album full of music that was both tough as nails and sweet as honey. They wanted ballads laced with lush strings and smooth vocal harmonies layered over a hard-hitting rhythm section. Michels and Silverman enlisted the service of a the group of New York studio musicians that have provided the back drop for records by The Dap Kings, Amy Winehouse, Bronx River Parkway, El Michels Affair and TV on The Radio. Those musicians include Leon Michels, Homer Steinweiss, Quincy Bright, Nick Movshon, Thomas Brenneck, Toby Pazner, Aaron Johnson, Dave Guy, Michael Leonhart, and members of legendary doo-wop group, The Del-Larks.

Four years later and Lee Fields & The Expressions have successfully created a unique and personal sound that can hold court with the bands they set out to emulate. However, what theyve created in the process goes beyond just a carbon copy of a sweet soul music from the 60's and early 70's. The formula has remained the same but the style has been adapted for the ears of youngsters whose experiences with soul began with Amy, not Al, Otis and Marvin. Thirty years of retrospection has colored this cross-generational melding of the minds. It sounds odd on paper, but the results are classic: hip hop-reared record collectors come full circle to produce an album of beautiful soul music with one of the progenitors who made it all possible.

Track Listing:
1. Do You Love Me
2. Love Comes And Goes
3. Honey Dove
4. Money I$ King
5. My World Is Empty
6. Expressions Theme
7. My World
8. Ladies
9. These Moments
10. The Only One Loving You
11. Last Ride

Custom limited and numbered double LP picture disc in full color printed jacket. Includes 8 page booklet with lyrics and liner notes and free digital download card.

Track Listing:
1. Five Years Ago
2. Go Hard or Go Home (Printni cence)
3. Automatic
4. Keep Bouncing
5. Wanna Be Like You
6. My Culture
7. Mind, Body & Soul f/ Angelica Lee
8. So Alive
9. Stole Our Yesterday
10. Radio-Inactive
11. Welcome Home
12. Fly Away
13. The Clouds
14. Rise & Fall
15. The Other Side