Vinyl - Hip Hop

A TAV Essential Listening Album.

Midnight Marauders is the third album by hip hop group A Tribe Called Quest, originally released in 1993 on Jive Records. It was released two years after A Tribe Called Quest's second album, The Low End Theory.

Midnight Marauders is also seen by many fans and critics as a classic jazz rap album along with The Low End Theory.

“Though the abstract rappers finally betrayed a few commercial ambitions for Midnight Marauders, the happy result was a smart, hooky record that may not have furthered the jazz-rap fusions of The Low End Theory, but did merge Tribe-style intelligence and reflection with some of the most inviting grooves heard on any early-'90s rap record.

The productions, more funky than jazzy, were tighter overall -- but the big improvement, four years after their debut, came with Q-Tip's and Phife Dawg's raps. Focused yet funky, polished but raw, the duo was practically telepathic on "Steve Biko (Stir It Up)" and "The Chase, Pt. 2," though the mammoth track here was the pop hit "Award Tour." A worldwide call-out record with a killer riff and a great pair of individual raps from the pair, it assured that Midnight Marauders would become A Tribe Called Quest's biggest seller.  …

A Tribe Called Quest's Midnight Marauders was commercially successful, artistically adept, and lyrically inventive; the album cemented their status as alternative rap's prime sound merchants, authors of the most original style since the Bomb Squad first exploded on wax.” – AllMusic

Item description:

1997 was a tragic year for hip-hop. The loss of legend Biggie Smalls, only seven months after fellow legend Tupac Shakur in 1996, sent shockwaves throughout the nation, bringing the East Coast-West Coast rivalry to a head. But, as all this occurred, a three-man group made up of lyricists Sean "Slug" Daley and Derek "Spawn" Turner, along with producer Anthony "Ant" Davis formed in the frigid twin cities of Minnesota. They called themselves "Atmosphere"

The result of this formation would be one of the most important EP's in the underground hip-hop scene. It really helped spark Rhymesayers Entertainment, which would grow to be one of the biggest underground hip-hop labels of all time. Also, it helped launch Atmosphere to new heights. While Spawn would eventually leave the group, the duo of Slug and Ant became a pillar in the underground, and remain so today. – Sputnik Music

A TAV Curator’s Pick.

“BADBADNOTGOOD and Staten Island rap champ Ghostface Killah - inspired by 1960s and 70s music and taking inspiration from the recording techniques and production of that era, and eschewing sampling in favour of live instrumentation, BBNG with producer Frank Dukes have created a dramatic, cinematic musical staging for Ghostface’s vivid storytelling. Sour Soul also features guest spots from MF DOOM, Elzhi (Slum Village / J Dilla), Danny Brown and prodigal new rapper Tree (Project mayhem).

“As far as dream collabs go this one is hard to beat” Complex

“He might be the best, most colourful storyteller rap has ever seen” – Pitchfork on Ghostface

“How the group redefines the genre is through their unconventional influences, youthful vigor and musical experimentation” - Hypebeast

“As self-confessed hip hop heads as well as jazz academics, BADBADNOTGOOD have the audacity to mix the unexpected and pull it off with finesse.” – Dazed & Confused

“...even given the fairly proud lineage of wild musical juxtaposition, these kids are making waves.” - The Guardian “ – Lex Records

Item description:

Funky, groovy & packed with important lyrics! Fresh hip hop from Ghana!

Brooklyn-based, Ghanaian-born Blitz the Ambassador, aka Samuel Bazawule, takes listeners to school with his particular brand of pan-African hip hop, simultaneously directing attention to key political moments and injustices, and throwing a contagious sonic dance party. His latest release, Diasporadical, is a work of prolific collaboration with artists from several metropolitan areas of the African diaspora: Blitz has sought out the younger generation of jazz musicians in New York (Igmar Thomas, Asante Amin, Christian Mendoza), producers (Optiks), and MCs hailing from his native country (M.anifest), South Africa (Tumi), Germany (Patrice), Brazil (Kamau), and even New Haven, Connecticut (Akua Naru). The unique perspectives of each performer at once shine through and contribute to the complex whole, a singular vision of Black energy and excellence. - Rootz World

“In recent years, Los Angeles rapper Blu has become one of hip-hop’s most prolific artists, releasing more than a dozen acclaimed projects and building a worldwide fanbase. The gifted lyricist often joins forces with a single producer for an entire collection, leading to classic collaborative releases with Exile, Nottz, Madlib, and more. Now, Blu is back with The Blueprint, a new mixtape produced by Shafiq Husayn. Known as one third of visionary production team Sa-Ra Creative Partners, Shafiq has produced for the likes of Erykah Badu, Kanye West, Andre 3000, John Legend, Anderson .Paak, Thundercat, Bilal, Ty Dolla $ign, Ice T, and many more. Dedicated to the gang culture that permeates the city they both call home, The Blueprint reflects Blu’s eternal L.A. state of mind, with Shafiq’s eclectic soundscapes providing the perfect backdrop.” – Fat Beats

Item description:        

“Iridescence (stylized in all lowercase) is the fourth studio album by American rap group Brockhampton, released on September 21, 2018 by Question Everything, Inc. and RCA Records, as their major-label debut and the first installment of their The Best Years of Our Lives trilogy. The self-produced album was recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London, as well as the group's own studio in Hawaii. It is their first album since rapper Ameer Vann's departure from the group following sexual misconduct allegations. It debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 albums chart, becoming the group's first chart-topping album.” – Wiki

Item description:        

Australian Hip Hop / Jazz Inspired/rhymes to flow with 

Since the debut of Chicken Wishbone in late 2016, the community of Melbourne has always supported the diversity of music we represent. Dee Dah Doo Dee Dah represents the outgoing nature of Hip-Hop in Melbourne, it shall never be contained.

Guitar - Flynn Sky-McCormick
Bass - Jack Eden
Synths/FX - James Latham
Piano/Rhodes - Spencer Hughes
Drumkit - Nick Thom
T. Sax - Ben Singh
A. Sax/Flute - Nikodimos N Millman
Trumpet - Marley Del Prete
Bagpipe - Bradley Guy
Singing - Brenna
Rapping - Patrice Lumumba
Rapping - Pascal

“Czarface is the eponymous debut studio album by American hip hop supergroup Czarface. The album was released on February 19, 2013, by Brick Records. The album features guest appearances from Roc Marciano, Oh No, Ghostface Killah, Action Bronson, Cappadonna and Vinnie Paz. The album's production comes from 7L, Spada4 and DJ Premier.” – Wiki

Item description:        

“Due to popular demand, Damu The Fudgemunk's "Supply For Demand" LP (2010) is back in stock. This time redef's go-to visual artist Joseph Buckingham, who recently contributed to De La Soul's mega successful Kickstarter campaign, decided to completely redesign the album packaging from the ground up. Besides the updated artwork, the music remains the same as heard on last year's remastered pressing, featuring a potent mix of instrumental and vocal tracks featuring Damu himself as well as a Y Society collabo in the form of "Don't Do It."

We here at Redefinition Records appreciate the simplicity of this arrangement and are certainly not of the mind to buck fundamental economics. We're also in the enviable position of having a loyal fan base that keep pushing us to put out quality product (that's the supply bit in case you weren't paying attention).

Supply For Demand is therefore what you've come to expect from Damu: Gimmick-free head nodders that wrap themselves around you like sheets of sonic velvet. Keep askin' and we'll keep givin'. The pleasure is all ours.” - UndergroundHipHop.com

About Damu The Fudgemunk:

“Damu the Fudgemunk (born Earl Davis on June 8, 1984, in Washington, DC) is an American hip hop music artist and producer from Washington, DC. In addition to his career as a solo artist, music producer, and DJ, he is a member of the groups Y Society and Panacea.

Damu released his official debut album as a member of Y Society, Travel at Your Own Pace, on October 10, 2007, to positive reviews. The album is reminiscent of true-school hip-hop with its liberal use of jazz and soul samples and scratching throughout. In 2008, Damu released two free albums primarily composed of instrumental music, titled Spare Time and Overtime. He built himself a respectable and loyal fan base through his unique YouTube videos and live street performances around Washington, DC, and New York City, which require him to use a portable electricity generator to power his sampler and speakers.

Damu the Fudgemunk releases the bulk of his music through Redefinition Records, a label that he co-owns and operates. The label focuses on releasing vinyl records and cassettes even if the records are also released on CDs.” - Wiki

Item description:

Welcome to the weird and wonderful world of library music. For avid aficionados of the beatmaking and sampling scene, it’s no news that library records have always been a reliable source of obscure sample fodder.

Over the years, there’ve been compilations of library labels such as KPM and Bruton, but no one ever took on the extensive catalogue of German library company, Sonoton. DJ, producer and record collector DJ Friction (Freundeskreis / Four Music) got in touch with Sonoton to discuss a possible collaboration. Once they agreed, he asked Dexter (Jazz Files, The Trip) – one of the most in-demand hip-hop producers and beatmakers working right now – to join him on this journey into sound. The idea was to not only compile a number of standout tracks from the Sonoton catalogue, but to sample these old recordings and transform them into a brand new collection of beats. Luckily, Sonoton was game and allowed Frico & Dexter to dive deep into the basement of the company's HQ in Munich. Out of those 200+ LP releases from the early 80s the two producers picked their favourites and went back to the drawing board. The iconic artwork of Sonoton’s 80s releases also inspired the cover sleeve of their new collabo LP.

Dexter and DJ Friction each produced one half of Diggin’ Sonoton. The result is an eclectic, exciting, and well-rounded instrumental album that clearly displays their respective individual styles, while at the same time transferring the distinctive vibe of the original recordings into 2020. All these tracks are digitally distributed via Sonoton as well, making this ambitious beat album a new addition to the rich history of library music. - Bandcamp

After the success of their collaborations on Bentley Bass Music and Trad Vibe compilations, as well as several DJ gigs in Europe, longtime friends DJ Cam and Moar team up for Beats. It's a special instrumental album, influenced by the great J Dilla, Pete Rock, New York in the '90s . . . and looking also into the future of beats in 2016. Limited blue vinyl. Includes download code. – Forced Exposure

“Legendary DJ and GRAMMY award-winning producer releases the long-awaited final installment of his “Magnificent” series…

…DJ Jazzy Jeff brings extraordinary artists together to present a multigenerational perspective on life, love, the current state of society, and the music industry. The Trinity, comprised of Grammy and Oscar award-winning MC Rhymefest, Philadelphia MC Dayne Jordan and multitalented artist Uhmeer, serves as M3’s primary storytellers. With three distinct styles, the trio is a recipe for an unprecedented flow and a magical delivery. The Trinity lays the foundation of real hip-hop with tracks including The Beginning, Scars, and Where You At. Things lighten up with feel good tune Skater’s Paradise, and a tribute to the ladies, Stronger Than Me. And M3 wouldn’t be complete without a few soulful voices. Singer/Songwriter Aaron Camper provides his sultry sound to Midnight Escapade and The Way We Cool. Maimouna Youssef lends her soulful harmony to Child of God, and Masego adds his signature trap-jazz flair to 2Step.” – Bandcamp

Item description:        

Widely hailed as the Japanese incarnation of Pete Rock, DJ Premier and J-Dilla,  DJ Mitsu the Beats has earned a notorious reputation amongst the underground Hip-Hip community as a masterful turntablist and serial beatmaker with a career spanning over 20 years.

Check out this stylish and emotional LP from the man himself. Limited edition Jazzy Sport release on 180g vinyl. 

Item description:

DJ Shadow's groundbreaking debut album, Endtroducing....., is turning 25.  In celebration, Shadow and Island Records and releasing a special remastered vinyl edition:  Endtroducing 25, The Abbey Road Half-Speed Master.  The double 12" vinyl features totally remastered audio taken from the original studio tape and cut at half-speed; a technical, specialized process that results in significantly more detailed and nuanced sound.  – DJ Shadow

Over the course of nine albums in the 2000s for their producer-led Beat Generation series, BBE adopted an unusual stance. “Do what you want,” their artists were told for probably the first time in their careers. The label’s enormously liberal approach was the antithesis of stiff major record label A&R practices, their forward thinking rewarded handsomely by a truly diverse set of albums from some of the world’s most capable hip-hop architects. Among those picked to contribute were Golden Era greats (Marley Marl; Jazzy Jeff); acclaimed DJ/producers whose work habitually blurred genre lines (King Britt; DJ Spinna; Madlib); and those whose regular gigs didn’t afford them the creative freedom they craved (Will.i.am).

No-one made better use of the brief than Jay Dee, whose inspired Welcome 2 Detroit showed that despite all the techno and soul that seeped into and out of the Motor City there was still room to be influenced by the Carpenters and Sergio Mendes. Pete Rock, the hip-hop producer’s producer, filled his rapturously received PeteStrumentals disc with classic sample-led tracks packed with drama and finesse. DJ Jazzy Jeff’s The Magnificent celebrated the slew of Philly talent at his A Touch Of Jazz studios, Jill Scott guesting on an exalted Roy Ayers cover in finale. Then there was veteran cellist and arranger Larry Gold, on hiatus from adding strings to hits like Brandy and Monica’s ‘The Boy Is Mine’, who called upon fellow seasoned pros McFadden and Whitehead and Bunny Sigler for his piece of the puzzle. - Bandcamp

At a time when more Hip Hop artists than ever before can be heard on the radio and seen on television, and everyday new artists spring to life in the bedroom of their parents house, huddled next to their brand new laptop and Mp3 components, DRUMAT!C and LLINGO APT - the duo affectionately called DRUMZ & LLINGO - provide a sound remarkably distinct, immediately separating them from the most recent of both underground and commercial Hip Hop album releases.

'BlakMarket', the duo's first full length LP, mixes the gritty sounds of the North East corridor (ala DITC) with the melodic, heavy bass laden sound reminiscent of the Dirty South's Organized Noize, all while supplied by their "weapon of choice" the E-MU SP1200.

LLINGO APT - the duo's emcee and front man - provides a style quite versatile and unique as he paints the brains of listeners with images from topics as complex as imperialism and colonialization of the mind, to stories detailing after school "Friday Night" escapades; all the way to a step-by-step instructional about "making a beat." Flow as well as production is woven seamlessly as LLINGO spins from topic to topic, keeping your brain as well as your feet moving.

The supporting cast of exquisite emcees hailing from New York, Rhode Island and Philadelphia peppered throughout the album, act as palate cleansers, preparing the listener for each new dish cooked and served by the beat smith duo - sure to be feeding fans ear holes with organic analog meals for years to come. – KicDrumProducts Bandcamp

 Limited edition of 300 copies worldwide.

Tracklist

A1        Never Separate 

A2        Mc1two           

A3        Tipitback / Featuring – Need Not Worry

B1        Dfacen Property / Featuring – Dface DXA

B2        Thats Not My Style       

B3        Bamboozled     

B4        Checkit Out Yawl Act 1

C1        Another Calamity / Featuring – Calamity Chris

C2        Friday Night Light        

C3        Doampeasin    

C4        Checkit Out Yawl Act 2

D1       That Og Sound

D2       Well Done       

D3       Blakmarket / Featuring – Lord Dio

Item description:

L.A-based Emanon (aka Exile and Aloe Blacc) began experimenting with Hip Hop when Aloe was only 16 and Exile 17, with no more than a four-track tape recorder, turntable and a microphone. They built a fan base pre-internet by selling tapes on the streets all over the CA southland, eventually reaching the world. The duo have released many underground tapes and vinyl throughout the years and to the ears of many.

Both artists also saw plenty of success in their solo careers. Blacc launched his career as a solo artist in 2003, releasing two EPs, and signing to Stones Throw Records in 2006, after label head Chris Manak (known as Peanut Butter Wolf) heard Blacc and immediately offered him a contract for the 2006 full-length album Shine Through. He is best known for his singles "I Need a Dollar", "The Man", which topped the charts in the United Kingdom, and for writing and performing vocals on Avicii's "Wake Me Up", which topped the charts in 22 countries, including Australia and the United Kingdom.

Meanwhile, Exile laid the foundation for new West Coast classics with Dirty Science crew-mates: collaborating with rapper Blu on 2007 studio album Below the Heavens, producing rapper Fashawn's debut solo album Boy Meets World, as well as racking up countless production credits with Snoop Dogg, Whiz Khalifa and Big Sean.

Blacc and Exile have remained friends and continued to collaborate over the years, but it wasn’t until 2017 that the combination bore fruit—dipping into Blacc’s poetic, lyrical mind, with Exile at the production helm, to bring fans a modern classic Dystopia. – Wiki & Dirty Science

“The pounding, marching rhythm of “Death Is Fair” and the heavy groove of “Night Stalker” are two standouts that underscore the pair’s wealth of experience. Impressively, the whole album sounds fresh and free of the standard, clichéd hip-hop staples…

Free of any posing or posturing, this is an intelligent hip-hop album that shines a light on the times in which we live. It offers a resilient but often bleak outlook for African-Americans residing in the U.S. today. However, like the best political rap albums there are plenty of memorable melodies and hooks—these are songs not diatribes. At times it can be a dark and uncomfortable listen but the skilful backing and Blacc’s lean, fat-free flow make this a powerful statement. In a year of political hip-hop albums from the likes of Common and A Tribe Called Quest, this is up there with the best.” – PopMatters

Item description:        

This single LP edit of Piñata has been lacquered at half speed master by Metropolis Mastering in London for the highest fidelity and is housed in a Blaxploitation-themed cover exclusively for Record Store Day 2020.

This single LP version of Piñata, the acclaimed rap album from 2014 that debuted at Number 39 on Billboard’s Top 200, is presented in a unique cover for RSD 2020. The cover is a collaboration between Jeff Jank and Pathetic Pixels with inspiration found in the unique graphics and content of 1970s Blaxploitation films. Piñata is “a gangster Blaxploitation film on wax,” says Gibbs, who came up on the streets of Gary, Indiana, the disregarded city previously best known for producing Michael Jackson. Here he is joined by Mac Miller, Earl Sweatshirt, Raekwon, Scarface, Domo Genesis, Ab-Soul and a host of others in setting his soliloquies of the streets alongside film snippets and dusted funk, soul and prog musical tapestries.

This version of Piñata comes on the heels of the 2019 release of the duo’s acclaimed album.

Bandana, named Album of the Year by Hypebeast, Rap Caviar, and many others, and is a welcome reminder of the undeniable musical chemistry that first catalyzed six years ago, elevating Freddie Gibbs and Madlib to the upper echelon of the genre’s teams, and placing a classic album alongside the others Madlib issued over the years, from Madvillain’s Madvillainy to Quasimoto’s The Unseen.

A Side

1. Supplier 2. Scarface 3. Deeper 4. High (ft. Danny Brown) 5. Harold’s 6. Bomb (ft. Raekwon) 7. Shitsville 8. Thuggin’ 9. Real 10. Uno

B Side

1. Robes (ft. Domo Genesis & Earl Sweatshirt) 2. Broken (ft. Scarface) 3. Lakers (ft. Ab-Soul & Polyester the Saint) 4. Knicks 5. Shame (ft. BJ The Chicago Kid) 6. Watts (ft. Big Time Watts) 7. Piñata (ft. Domo Genesis, G-Wiz, Casey Veggies, Sulaiman, Meechy Darko, & Mac Miller)

- Record Store Day

“Acclaimed west coast singer, songwriter, and producer Georgia Anne Muldrow releases a collection of astral instrumentals. VWETO, which means gravity in Ki-Kongo, has just that: a significance that rings true on a deep and profound level, a mixture of dreamscape and fOnk. Each instrumental journeys through sonic realms that wash over the listener with ease, taking them out of their body and into the spirit plane. The vibrations knock hard enough for any Hiphop head, yet bend and curve through the recesses of mind in a much more esoteric way, bringing a fOnk unique to Georgia that hits hard enough to turn Dre's head. Distinctly west coast, yet like nothing released before, Georgia Anne Muldrow's VWETO is a layered album that explores the instrumental depths of fOnkrock, Hiphop, PianoSpace, and Soul.” – Wiki

<iframe src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/album/5hwAZUOEnCCK2iBLQgmgi5" width="300" height="380" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe>

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OQ-N7L4IKZM" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NAtmrxAn9tU" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Item description:        

Everybody Looking is the ninth studio album by American rapper Gucci Mane. It was released on July 22, 2016, by 1017 Records and Atlantic Records,[1] serving as Gucci's first studio release since The Return of Mr. Zone 6 (2011). Recording sessions on the album took place in under six days. The album features three guest appearances from Drake, Kanye West and Young Thug, while the majority of production was provided by Gucci Mane's longtime collaborators such as Mike Will Made It and Zaytoven, among others.

Everybody Looking was met with positive reviews from critics, with the album peaking at number 2 on the US Billboard 200 and becoming Gucci Mane's highest-charting album. – Wiki

“Executive produced by Mike WiLL Made-It, Everybody Looking features a spacey, brooding backdrop that’s custom built to help Guwop find his footing once again. As an integral part of his original sound, Zaytoven also does a majority of the heavy-lifting, providing an occasionally lively contrast to Mike WiLL’s typically murky aesthetics. Their collaboration on “Waybach” perfectly matches Gucci’s air of nostalgia, while their work on the sunny instrumentation for “At Least a M” makes it an instant contender for summer anthem. Despite only making brief appearances, Murda Beatz (“Back on Road” w/ Drake) and Drumma Boy (“All My Children”) also fit comfortably into Zay and Mike Will’s newfound dynamic. Everything is methodical, from the thunderous “No Sleep” intro to the way the “Waybach” hook comes back around for an encore towards the end of “Richest Nigga In The Room.”” – HipHopDX

Item description:

Guilty Simpson's third full length album, produced entirely by Quakers producer Katalyst.

2/LP gatefold with metallic copper/silver sleeve, includes 1 bonus track ("Liquor") and digital download card.



Item description:        

A TAV Curator’s Pick.

“Kindness For Weakness is Homeboy Sandman's third full-length album on Stones Throw Records. The album's title comes from Sandman's internal insight saying “mistaking kindness for weakness is a weakness I need to have more kindness for.” One of Sandman's most poignantly lyrical releases to date, the album centers on the MCs discomfort in his comfort zone and addresses themes such as his personal insecurities, rapper stereotypes and morality.

Since signing with Stones Throw Records in 2011, Homeboy Sandman has made himself at home releasing 3 full-lengths – First of a Living Breed, Hallways, and now Kindness for Weakness – along with a series of 5 short records and most recently, releasing a free EP with collaborator Aesop Rock named Lice. Sandman has once again established himself as one of the most productive and creative lyricists of this generation.” – Stones Throw Records

“Homeboy Sandman tapped into a unique energy, and parlayed the vibe into a rap career. The Stones Throw MC, with his penchant for haphazard deliveries and a strong command of rhythm, continues making headway in the indie and underground circles with his latest effort, Kindness for Weakness. Running just over 36 minutes, it’s a quick, concise listen, with everything the Alternative Hip Hop-listening crowd could ask for. …

Kindness for Weakness is a strong album with a permeating message. The whole vibe is original, and exquisite minimalist production tips the scales, in tow with strong lyricism. Homeboy Sandman’s abilities as a MC, paired with a strong supporting cast of guest MCs and producers, execute accordingly without being repetitive. Best of all, he offers up a valuable life lesson: be kind always. The album’s biggest strength is the number of wells from which it draws inspiration. Kindness is more than just good manners; it’s a modus operandi.” – HipHopDX

Item description:        

Hallways is the fifth studio album by Queens, New York rapper Homeboy Sandman. It was released in 2014 by Stones Throw Records.

“It's here: Homeboy Sandman's Hallways, his second full-length album on Stones Throw Records. Producers on Hallways include Blu, DJ Spinna, Oh No and Jonwayne, who produced the first single, "America, The Beautiful," and Knxwledge, who produced "Problems."

Since signing with Stones Throw Records in 2011, Homeboy Sandman has made himself at home releasing a full length, First of a Living Breed, along with a series of five short records, establishing himself as one of the most productive and creative lyricists of this generation.

"Hallways is simply the sound of a master rap writer at work" – Village Voice's #1 NYC rap album of 2014.” – Stones Throw Records

“Hallways is an accomplished addition to Homeboy Sandman’s ever consistent output. He notes in the album’s first few bars that he’s stuck between street and scholarly aesthetics, but Hallways reinterprets both ends of the spectrum. The material belonging to the former glorifies the smallest details of working class culture, while the material belonging to the latter raises heavy questions without claiming to know the answers.” - HipHopDX

“Hallways represents the latest unfurling from the Ivy League-educated Queens native, whose wry angst and self-reflection have filled up two full-length albums and five EPs since signing to Stones Throw in 2012. Over restless slaps and cartilage-cracking beats from Oh No, Jonwayne and Knxwledge, Sandman unleashes a therapist's office worth of anxiety fit for a lost rap soundtrack to Deconstructing Harry. He frets over infidelities, hypocrisies and loneliness; the smell of tobacco smoke and what his proximity to hipsters says about him. Obsessed with the noise in his head and the rapidly changing neighborhoods surrounding him, Homeboy re-works rap forms and functions into something truly personal.” - Rolling Stone

Item description:

Produced by Mndsgn! 

Great signature Mndsgn beats with Ivan Ave's lyrical flow guiding you through this laid back Beats album.

Tracklist:

A TAV Curator's Pick.

“Initially intended for release in 2002, The Diary is the final batch of unissued material that Dilla had assembled for release during his lifetime, lending crucial insight into the producer’s prowess and thought process in the period leading up to his break with the major label system and the extremely fertile period that followed (which encompassed the making of the canonical classics Ruff Draft, Jaylib, and Donuts). The Diary features vocal performances by J Dilla, Snoop Dogg, Bilal, Kokane, Frank and Dank, Nottz and Boogie, over production by Dilla, Madlib, Pete Rock, Hi-tek, Nottz, House Shoes, Supa Dave West, Bink! and Karriem Riggins. The album was announced in an interview with Nas on Zane Lowe’s show on Beats1 with the never-before-heard song “The Introduction.”

The Diary was Dilla’s attempt to take advantage of the attention afforded him after his brightest period as a behind-the-scenes hit-maker and influencer. However, the project stalled and the album was literally shelved, the reels languishing in storage in Detroit as a relocated Dilla began a creative renaissance in Los Angeles. The Diary in this, its final form, was painstakingly assembled over a ten year period from two-track mixdowns and multi-track masters found in J Dilla’s archives after his death in 2006. The completion of The Diary was overseen by The Estate of James Yancey’s Creative Director Eothen Alapatt, long term general manager of Stones Throw Records and A&R for Donuts and Jaylib, whose previous archival Dilla work includes the expanded Ruff Draft issue from 2008. The Estate of James Yancey is overseen by California’s Probate Court on behalf of Yancey’s four heirs – his mother, Maureen “Madukes” Yancey, his brother John “Illa J” Yancey and his two daughters, Ja’Mya Yancey and Ty-monae Whitlow.

The musical landscape has shifted mightily in the wake of J Dilla’s final album. Donuts’ release and Dilla’s subsequent death forced a critical and fan-level reexamination of his work and importance on the global stage. J Dilla was marginalized in the years leading up to his death, as he, battling the rare blood disorder that would eventually take his life, eschewed the major label-led music industry where he created or aided some of the music industry’s brightest – D’angelo, Erykah Badu, Common – in the late 90s and early 00s, moved to California from his native Detroit and dug deep into the deepest recesses of his creative spirit to offer a new take on hip hop’s decades old art form of sampling. After Donuts, the likes of Kanye West and Pharrel Williams could be heard echoing words read on a fan’s shirt from one of J Dilla’s last European tours in 2005: J Dilla Changed My Life. They were not the only ones: Justin Timberlake opines openly that the world needs more Dilla. J Dilla became a critical signpost for these stars, and others: the archetype figure that birthed everything they loved and cared for in hip-hop.” – J Dilla.com

“PayJay Productions, Inc. was the company James Dewitt “J Dilla” Yancey founded in 2001 to house his production company and his publishing company. The Estate of James Yancey has revived PayJay as a functioning imprint, and announced the release of J Dilla’s long lost vocal album, The Diary. The tracks come straight from multi-track masters found on 2-inch tape shortly after Dilla’s passing in 2006. Many were mixed by Dilla himself. Those that weren't have been mixed by engineer Dave Cooley, who worked extensively with Dilla during his years in Los Angeles. Using Dilla’s original demo mixes as his guide, Cooley attempted to finalize Dilla’s vision for these tracks, while keeping all of the elements that Dilla had in place in his original demos present.

The Diary is an album of vocal performances recorded between in the early 2000s over production by the likes of Madlib, Pete Rock, Nottz, House Shoes, Karriem Riggins and others. The Record Store Day vinyl issue of The Diary includes a special 7” pressing of "The Ex" that will only be found on the RSD issue of the LP.” – Record Store Day

Tracklist

A1        The Introduction          

A2        The Anthem    

A3        Fight Club        

A4        The Shining Pt. 1 (Diamonds)   

A5        The Shining Pt. 2 (Ice)   

A6        Trucks 

A7        Gangsta Boogie

B1        Drive Me Wild 

B2        Give Them What They Want     

B3        The Creep (The O)       

B4        The Ex

B5        So Far  

B6        Fuck The Police

B7        The Diary        

C          The Ex

D         The Ex (R&B Version)

Note:

• Record Store Day 2016 release. Limited to 4000 copies.
• Includes download card, bonus 7" and a 12-page book detailing the story behind this legendary album.

Item description:        

“Donuts began simply enough as an idea to turn a particularly good demo beat tape into a full-length release, and has since became a classic hip-hop album, one of the defining works of the artist’s life.

Completed during a year in which J Dilla spent mostly in a hospital bed at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, Donuts would gain particular poignancy when, only three days after it’s release, February 10, 2006, the artist passed away, losing his battle with a rare blood disease.

Announced in Fall 2005, the concept of a “rap album without rappers” struck some critics as either a novelty, or a minor break beat album - but Donuts would prove to transcend the rigid definitions of what a hip-hop album could be.  It plays part like a DJ mix, and part like a hip-hop beat-maker at work, sounding like a producer turning the dial on an imaginary radio station. But it's an unmistakably modern album, and one which perfectly encapsulated the J Dilla's reputation among his peers and fans as the definitive architect of soulful hip-hop. ” ” – Stones Throw Records

Item description:

Madlib's remix of Champion Sound with a previously unreleased track – “Da Rawkus” – recorded in the original Jaylib sessions. This is the first time these remixes have been released on vinyl, and the first time “Da Rawkus” has been released anywhere. – Stones Throw

We are happy to announce the first KO-OP album. "KO-OP 1" highlights the talent of two of our favourite new producers from Sevilla, Spain and Stuttgart, Germany. Juan RIOS's dreamy, sun-drenched grooves make a perfect fit with the slightly darker, jazz-induced sound of Smoke Trees. Juan RIOS and Smoke Trees represent the new wave of European beatmakers and reach 200.000 monthly listeners on Spotify. The album artwork has been designed by Berlin-based illustrator Rahel Süsskind (best known for her work with Money $ex Records).

KO-OP is a new community for beatmakers and beatlovers brought to you by Melting Pot Music. KO-OP is open to all styles, flavors, camps and colors. KO-OP is neither a label nor a compilation, but we are releasing music digitally and on vinyl. Every Tuesday a new KO-OP beat hits the interweb. An integral part of KO-OP is the curation of two dynamic playlists on Spotify and Soundcloud - where we spotlight the freshest beats from all around the way. – Bandcamp

Seattle-raised, Brooklyn-residing Kassa Overall is a jazz musician, emcee, singer, producer, and drummer. His second, full-length album, I THINK I’M GOOD, is the work of an artist whose voice has ripened to its own hard-earned, provocative conclusions, erasing the need to talk about dissolving barriers between hip hop and jazz because he has begun a new conversation.

I THINK I’M GOOD is a window into the real life of Overall, a Bushwick-based artist wrestling with the abhorrent American prison system, the ebbs and flows of romantic relationships, and perils of trust, all seen through the kaleidoscopic lens of a brilliant 21st century composer. The backdrop to these varied themes is Overall confronting his experience with mental illness, which included a manic episode and subsequent hospitalisation when he was a student. Themes of incarceration and claustrophobia weave through the record, but never drown out the feeling of a fragile but vital hope. - Bandcamp

1988 is the follow up to Knxwledge’s official debut album Hud Dreems (Stones Throw, 2015). The same year Hud Dreems was released Knx worked with Kendrick Lamar on To Pimp a Butterfly, earning the producer his first Grammy. A duo with Anderson .Paak called NxWorries was formed around the same time. Their single “Suede” became a viral hit, vaulting the singer to R&B stardom, and their album Yes Lawd! followed through on that song’s immense promise. Knx and Paak have quietly continued collaborating, and some of the new work is heard on 1988. A prolific artist in the extreme sense of the word, Knxwledge continues to redefine instrumental hip-hop almost in real-time with a stream of beat tapes numbering in the hundreds on Bandcamp, and video remixes on Instagram.

This prolific output began early. 1988 takes its name from the fact that much of the new record was created that very year, when Knx was an infant. As the story is told, little baby Knx was left alone by his mother for just a few moments and crawled to a family member’s vintage SP–12 sampler. When his mother returned he had already produced his first beats and nearly mastered the machine. These tracks, all produced before nap time while rocking a Nike diaper, were stored over the years on floppy discs, then brought to his studio in recent months where they were finished up, mixed, and mastered. – Stones Throw

Yasmin was always meant to be the birth of a new sound for Kumail. After spending his formative years delving into textural lo-fi electronica and textural ambient music, he went searching for a new sound more in-tune with his older, more mature, and more thoughtful self. What began as a study of modern soul music – drawing heavily from R&B, jazz and hip-hop – eventually sprawled to include flavours from across the world and time. 80’s Japanese funk, crackling gospel, shiny disco, cutting-edge LA beat music and the omnipresence of Dilla, all leave their faint but indelible mark.

-

But deep within, Yasmin is a gritty world in which not much is going right. That world borders on real-life struggles with sleeplessness and anxiety, and being cooped up in a room in Bombay, India, which is where (and how) most of this album came to life. Countless nights spent making music to distract from a lack of inner calm and rest.

-

Despite deliberately steering clear from sampling for his career thus far, a day spent digging in Istanbul ended up inspiring much of the album – not only did that day yield a discovery of Pierre Akendengue’s ‘Olatano, w'intye so du s' Afrika' (a sample of which appears on ‘Obota’) but also a range of 80’s soul records that transformed Kumail into a student for the next two years. With a renewed focus on musicality, practising playing the piano, learning new songs and improving production skills, Yasmin evolved into a 30 minute mood-board of lush voicings and explorations beyond just beat-making. The ensuing recording sessions featured a line-up of both all-star local session musicians as well as invited collaborators - Sid Vashi and Pink Siifu both deliver memorable features. Despite vocal performances eventually making their way onto nearly all songs on the record, Yasmin was never meant to feature Kumail’s singing. With or without vocals, Yasmin’s triumph is that it is nevertheless unmistakably the sound of Kumail finding his voice."  – Bandcamp

“Always known for tackling controversial topic matter, the group’s new album, To Thine Own Self Be True, finds them once again in torch bearing mode, addressing subjects that most artists shy away from. “This album was created during a time of unique and individual transformation for each member of the group” ILL Bill stated. “Speaking for myself, it’s been a heavy last couple of years. It’s definitely the most personal record we’ve made under the La Coka banner and while we’re still making music that’s hard as fuck, there’s a maturity to this latest batch of songs that makes it different from a lot of the older stuff. I notice the biggest reactions come from the songs our listeners can personally relate to and we needed to make a record like this right now, not only for the fans, but for ourselves. I got a lot off my chest on this one. Making music can be extremely therapeutic and making To Thine Own Self Be True was a rebirth and a re-ignition for me.” Slaine had a similar take on the projects therapeutic manifestation “You don’t put as many years in the game as we have without having ups and downs. We all have gone through struggle and adversity—personally and professionally” Slaine lamented. “This album was recorded as I walked out of a very dark time toward a place of truth and understanding. Music has been how I feed my family, my plane ticket around the world and a place I’ve built real friendships; but at the very core it’s a tool I use to get through life. This album is a moment in time. It is visceral and real.”– Bandcamp

Item description:        

Hip-hop is meant to inspire dance. Since its earliest days from the South Bronx down to Brooklyn the genre was an inclusive space for verbal as well as rhythmic expression. New York City’s own Le1f, who went to Wesleyan University to study ballet and modern dance, approached rap throughout his career this decade as a space where self-expression can take many moods. In November, Le1f released his debut album Riot Boi on Terrible/XL, which retained the dance roots of his previous music, but lyrically approaches the more explicit in communal and personal politics...  - Guardian 

Second single from MF DOOM & Madlib's album Madvillainy. This includes two non-album tracks which are both instrumentals. Side A: The Illest Villains (Remix), All Caps (Vocal, Instrumental), Side B: Scene Three, Curls (Vocal, Instrumental).