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viewing 1 To 25 of 259 items
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2LP
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GET 51311LP
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$31.00
PREORDER
RELEASE DATE: 1/31/2020
2020 repress. "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-AFella 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."
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LP
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GET 52737LP
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$27.00
PREORDER
RELEASE DATE: 1/24/2020
Housed in a deluxe gatefold jacket; OBI. "After years of Wrecking Crew-grade session musicianship around Los Angeles, Malcolm John Rebbenack carved his own niche by the late 1960s with a distinct blend of psychedelic rock, boogie-woogie, and rhythm & blues. Taking the stage name Dr. John, The Night Tripper (later shortened to Dr. John), he developed a cult following with his music, heavily influenced by his home of New Orleans, and fascination with the voodoo religion, which was reflected in his elaborate stage shows. In 1968 he released his debut record Gris-Gris, which was not a commercial hit, but fascinated critics, and set him on an artistic path that would eventually lead to major mainstream success in the 1970s, and cement his reputation as a prominent curator and performer of the New Orleans sound. After Gris-Gris' release, Dr. John found himself in a strange and awkward position. The US was deep into the Vietnam War, and the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Bobby Kennedy were fresh in the public memory. On top of that, Dr. John was being pursued by various Los Angeles authorities for a handful of criminal offenses. It was, in his own words: 'a heavy time for me.' Much like Sly & The Family Stone's There's A Riot Goin' On, Dr. John's sophomore album Babylon would be a reflection of the chaotic and tumultuous time that he was living in. He and the band dove deeper into the voodoo-inflected psychedelic rock and R&B of Gris-Gris, while touching upon elements of free jazz and Captain Beefheart-style avant garde. As with his debut record, production was handled by the legendary Harold Battiste, and much of the same session personnel who performed on it returned for Babylon, including Plas Johnson on saxophone, Alvin Robinson on guitar, and backing vocals from Jessie Hill, Shirley Goodman, and Tami Lynn. Babylon stands out as one of Dr. John's most overtly political albums, and is a singularly murky and darkly entrancing record in his discography. A psychedelic swamp of apocalyptic lyrical content, drunk, disorienting experimentation, and a fascinating entry into Dr. John's catalogue well-worthy of his expansive legacy."
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LP
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GET 52729LP
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"Sometimes a single is released that reaches such dizzying heights of success that it becomes a pinnacle of the decade they're indelibly tied to. 'Groove Is In The Heart' by dance-house trio Deee-Lite is one such single. The infectiously quirky, and eminently danceable track is prominently based around samples of 'Bring Down The Birds' by Herbie Hancock, and 'Get Up' by Vernon Burch, among many others, (Courtesy of dual producers DJs Dmitry and Towa Tei) paired with top-tier guest contributions from JB's veterans Maceo Parker and Fred Wesley, background vocals from Parliament-Funkadelic's own Bootsy Collins, and even a guest rap from Q-Tip, not to mention frontwoman Lady Miss Kier's own siren-like vocals. All disparate and disconnected elements, but ones that would come together to form dancehall greatness, and chart-topping success worldwide for Deee-Lite. 'Groove Is In The Heart' managed to reach #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, but excelled at its best on the Hot Dance Club Play chart, where it reached to the #1 spot. On top of its success in America it was a smash internationally, climbing the heights of the charts in the UK, Canada, Australia, and a variety of other countries. It remained in heavy rotation for much of 1990 on MTV as well. As the decades went on, 'Groove Is In The Heart' would be ranked among the greatest dance tracks of all time, as well as one of the greatest songs of the 1990s by VH1, Pitchfork, Buzzfeed, and many more. 'Groove Is In The Heart' was a potent single for Deee-Lite to lead with, but the album bearing it was nothing to slouch at either. The group's debut record, 1990's World Clique was released to major commercial and critical success, owing just as much to its addictive hybrid of seductive retro aesthetics, modern dancefloor flair, and esoteric, socially conscious messaging, on the back of celebratory club staples like 'Power Of Love', 'Good Beat', 'E.S.P.', and of course 'Groove Is In The Heart'. World Clique would reach top 20 charts in the US, UK, and Canada in sales, as well as earn rave reviews from NME, Chicago Sun-Times, Rolling Stone, and Slant Magazine, who called it an 'essential pop album'."
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LP
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GET 52736C-LP
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Deluxe green and orange splatter-colored vinyl "Possessing lyrics heavily focused on political and social justice, inspired heavily by West Coast gang culture and Islam, Da Lench Mob made waves throughout the hip-hop scene when they first appeared on the track 'Rolling With Da Lench Mob', off Ice Cube's famed 1990 solo record AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted. Initially, the titular 'Lench Mob' of the track namesake referred to Ice Cube as well as the other participating rappers, but J-Dee, Shorty, and T-Bone would adopt the name for their own in time. Their standout appearance on the Ice Cube track would earn the trio critical interest, (as well as shout-outs on Ice Cube's 1991 follow-up Death Certificate) and generate palpable anticipation for a studio album of their own. Guerillas In Tha Mist, their 1992 debut record, was recorded in the wake of the Rodney King riots, taking its name from infamous comments made during the riots. The record was uncompromising and confrontational in its depictions of urban decay and an unjust system wreaking havoc on an economically disadvantaged Black population. It was starkly realistic (bordering on abrasive) in the content of tracks like the armed revolution-advocating 'Freedom Got An A.K.', the kill-your-idols style of 'You And Your Heroes', and the anti-pusher anthem 'All On My Nut Sac'. These harsh manifestos were made all the more smooth via Ice Cube's jazzy G-funk and Bomb Squad-influenced production, which sampled heavily from classic songs by Parliament, Kool & The Gang, The Incredible Bongo Band, and even Vangelis. Cube himself would make guest appearances throughout the record, as well as an appearance by B-Real of Cypress Hill on the track 'Ain't Got No Class'. Guerillas In Tha Mist was a Billboard success upon its release, reaching #24 on the Billboard 200, and rendering rap radio hits out of its title track and 'Freedom Got An A.K.', but Da Lench Mob would fall into obscurity over the years, eventually going their separate ways after creative differences, financial rifts, and the life conviction of rapper J-Dee for suspected murder in 1993. Despite their loss of commercial fortunes, Guerillas In Tha Mist would develop a strong reputation as an unheralded gem among hip-hop heads, and would be considered one of the great lesser-known releases of the era among critics (in 2018 Complex would declare the title track as one of the 100 Best L.A. Rap Songs). Decades after its initial release, and in tribute to the memory of Da Lench Mob member Shorty, who passed in 2019, Get On Down now presents an exclusive LP reissue of Guerillas In Tha Mist, which previously was only released officially on wax in Europe. Remastered audio and a painstakingly recreated full color jacket."
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2LP
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GET 51451LP
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$31.00
PREORDER
RELEASE DATE: 1/17/2020
"Few hip-hop artists have achieved the same level of critical acclaim and praise that 90s veteran and Queens native Nasir 'Nas' Jones has. Across his over 25-year career he has been ranked as one of the greatest rap performers and lyricists by MTV, The Source, and Complex, among other publications, all while selling over 30 million records worldwide, and releasing eight consecutive platinum albums. In particular, his 1994 debut Illmatic is hailed as a paragon of underground hip-hop, a turning point in East Coast rap's development, and one of the all-time greatest debut albums in general. Though Nas' artistic legacy is without question, it was not always the case; if Nas had flourished during the mid-90s, he had stumbled clumsily while transitioning into the 00's. After achieving universal praise via Illmatic and commercial success with its' follow-up It Was Written, Nas' next few releases were considered inconsistent and lackluster compared to the critical one-two punch they followed. During this time period he had abandoned the socially-conscious and philosophical topics that made him a critical darling in favor of more commercially viable gangsta rap. Though he maintained a chart presence for much of the late-90s, review scores began to dwindle, and his status among the hip-hop community was thrown into question. This would change in 2001 with the release of Nas' fifth studio full-length, which made the effort to re-establish him as a legitimate artist. Eschewing the pop-friendliness he'd found success with, Nas instead opted to return to the underground style he came up in, with tracks about American politics, ghetto life, and social upheaval. Perhaps sensing this need to return to his roots, he titled the album Stillmatic, a clear and present reference (and sequel of sorts) to Illmatic. The ploy worked perfectly; Stillmatic was hailed by critics as a stunning comeback, and a brilliant return to form, earning rave reviews from rap outlets such as The Source and HipHopDX as well as from more mainstream publications as The Rolling Stone and The Village Voice. Praise was heaped upon the complexity and introspective nature of Nas' lyrical content, the top-tier production from veterans like Large Professor, DJ Premier, L.E.S., and Trackmasters, and hard-hitting guest appearances from AZ, Mary J. Blige, and Amerie. Stillmatic would see release on December 18th of 2001, right as Nas was caught in the middle of a highly publicized feud with fellow New York rapper Jay-Z. As such, the record features one of the feud's most intense apexes in the form of its second track 'Ether', a ruthless Ron Browz-produced diss track. A response to Jay-Z's own diss 'Takeover', 'Ether' savaged the Brooklyn-native, accusing him of brown-nosing to get ahead, of plagiarizing earlier rappers such as Notorious B.I.G. and KRS-One, and dismissing his street cred. To this day 'Ether' is considered one of the best and most potent diss tracks ever recorded, a major turning point in the Nas/Jay-Z feud, a standout among the already critically acclaimed Stillmatic, and is even credited with boosting Jay-Z's career by proxy. "
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2LP
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GET 51306LP
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2020 repress. "Big Pun remains on the best rappers ever list to this day. Reasons for this weigh largely on his debut Capital Punishment. His commanding voice and rapid fire delivery make it clear there will never be another Big Pun. Pun was New York. His confidence on the mic made him stand out among his contemporaries. Similarly, the production -- by a cast of many -- remains ever so New York loyal. The close cousins 'I'm Not a Player' and 'Still Not a Player,' may have been the hits off this album but it is packed with so many more that show Pun's true abilities. 'Beware' and 'Dream Shatterer' are great examples of Big Pun at his best, dark cinematic production with just enough room to let him breathe fire. On 'Twinz (Deep Cover)' Big Pun is trading bars with his mentor Fat Joe over a remake of Dr. Dre's classic beat. Here Pun delivers one of his most quoted verses that contains among others 'Dead in the middle of Little Italy little did we know that we riddled some middlemen who didn't do diddly.' There are numerous guest appearances, the best of which include afore mentioned Fat Joe (on several tracks), the Roots' Black Thought on the MC showcase 'Super Lyrical,' Prodigy and Inspectah Deck on 'Tres Leches (Triboro Trilogy),' and an extra-insane Busta Rhymes on 'Parental Discretion.'"
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12"
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GET 51314EP
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New lower pricing; previously a Black Friday RSD release. "30 years ago, a booming sound was heard rumbling out of Philadelphia, PA. Starting with a trebled-out but thunderous TR-909 drum pattern and galloping forward with little more than a young man's nasal, arrogant flow, that blast was Schoolly-D's 'P.S.K. What Does It Mean'? Released on his own Schoolly-D Records label in 1985, the song was -- and still is -- too powerful and unique to ignore. It took the rap world by storm that year, presenting a counterpoint to Melle Mel's more socially-conscious 'The Message'; literally inventing 'Gangsta Rap.' Schoolly was a musician, drum-programming wizard and force of nature, and he would go on to shock the world with his in-your-face approach to making music -- as bombastic lyrically as he was musically. He simply gave no f*cks, and listeners were drawn into his street-influenced vortex of 'b-boy rhyme and riddle.' As noted in the liner notes to this special release: 'The demand [for "P.S.K."] was so large that nationwide bootlegging was a major distribution avenue, albeit an unpaid one. "Those bootleggers made me big because, when it came down to it, I didn't have the money to get the records out there," Schoolly says. "The person who helped me figure that sh*t out was Luke [Luther Campbell of 2 Live Crew and Luke Skyywalker Records]. He took me all over Miami and showed me all the different bootlegged versions of my own records. It was crazy."' On the flipside of 'P.S.K.,' Schoolly gave the world another classic: 'Gucci Time.' Flexing brutal brag muscles, it was another gangsta masterpiece, furthering his legend and bringing even more 909 boom to the still expanding rap world. The opening lines are still quoted by scholars of the game today: 'Lookin' at my Gucci / It's about that time.' Get On Down presents this classic for the first time in deluxe form, which is also fully Schoolly-approved: a custom 12-inch sleeve adorned with Schoolly-D's famed artwork; unique split clear & yellow vinyl; a liner notes insert featuring Schoolly's own look back on the year 1985 as told to author Brian Coleman; and a unique sticker sheet with 8 images taken from the artwork on this 12-inch cover (which was first seen on his early 12-inches, as well as his 1985 Schoolly-D EP and 1986's Saturday Night: The Album)."
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LP
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GET 51304LP
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2019 repress; white vinyl. "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. Get On Down now proudly issues this Neptunes produced favorite on LP for the first timel."
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LP
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GET 51279LP
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RSD Black Friday 2019 release. "Miles Davis was on the verge of forming one of his most acclaimed ensembles in 1964. It was this year that he travelled to perform in Japan for the first time, bringing with him 3/4ths of the musicians that would form his famed 'second great quartet'; Herbie Hancock on piano, Ron Carter on double bass, and Tony Williams on drums. In addition the jazz legend brought along saxophonist Sam Rivers to replace the recently exited George Coleman, who was primarily a free jazz musician, but had a long and extensive background in bebop. Davis and Rivers never developed any major chemistry between each other during the trip, and frequently found their distinct styles (Davis' cool and subdued traditional bop style contrasting with Rivers' wild but controlled avant-garde wandering) frequently clashing (or perhaps duelling) in their performances. But for all Davis and Rivers might not have meshed together, the crowd at Tokyo's Kohseinenkin Hall enjoyed it immensely. Davis himself reserved a special kind of respect and admiration for his Japanese audience as well, temporarily dropping his habit of exiting the stage during his fellow musicians' solos. Rivers would ultimately be dismissed from the group at the end of their trip, leading to the arrival of Wayne Shorter, and the inception of the 'second great quartet.' The partnership of Miles Davis and Sam Rivers may have been short-lived, but it did produce the live album Miles In Tokyo nearly five years later. The record is a rare jewel in Miles Davis' discography, featuring high-energy live versions of songs by Rodgers & Hart, Cole Porter, and Richard Carpenter, as well as a restlessly fast-paced take on the Davis staple 'So What'. This collection has previously only been available in Japan, but is now presented on vinyl for the first time in America by Get On Down, just in time for Black Friday Record Store Day. Miles In Tokyo is a must-have for completionists of free jazz, bop, and avant-garde alike."
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GET 51332LP
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RSD Black Friday 2019 release. "Throughout the mid-to-late 1970s, legendary jazz pianist and composer Herbie Hancock engaged in a prolonged period of experimentation across sounds and recording formats, over the course of several CBS/Sony albums, made only available in Japan. 1979's Directstep was one such album, one that made use of a new form of recording technology called 'Direct-To-Disc.' This method recorded masters in real time to acetate discs, rendering incredibly high fidelity LP pressings, but sacrificing the ability to edit or overdub. A distinct challenge, but one that Hancock accepted, entering Tokyo's CBS/Sony Studios in mid-October of 1978 with a stacked backing band including session veterans Bennie Maupin on saxophone, Ray Obiedo on guitar, Webster Lewis on keys and synths, Paul Jackson on bass, Alphonse Mouzon on drums, and Bill Summers on percussion. This group of seasoned pros were intent on having a record in one take. Directstep marked a lot of firsts for Hancock, chief among them was that it was one of his earliest recordings to feature a second synthesizer player (Webster Lewis), which was necessary to produce the electronic textures he'd been previously experimenting with on albums like 1974's Dedication. It was also the first one in Hancock's catalogue to make extensive use of the Sennheiser Vocoder, which would become a key part of his arsenal during his electro-funk period during the 1980s. The album also stands out as one of the earliest analog recordings to be converted into digital format and released on compact disc. Beyond all the technological achievements on Directstep though, is simply an incredibly solid collection of Herbie Hancock material, mid-transition between his success with jazz-funk fusion into his electronic-focused period. It features stirring remakes of Hancock staples 'Butterfly' and 'I Thought It Was You', as well as brand new track 'Shiftless Shuffle', incorporating brand new electronic instrument technology such as the electronic wind instrument the Lyricon, the freshly released Propet-5 synthesizer, and of course the aforementioned Sennheiser Vocoder. Get On Down is proud to present this reissue of Directstep, a gem of jazz-fusion, available on vinyl for Black Friday Record Store Day for the first time in 30 years!"
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2LP
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GET 51313LP
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2019 repress; clear vinyl. "Super Tight... is the second album from hip hop legends UGK, originally released in 1994. The title of the album is taken from its stand out single 'Front, Back & Side To Side'. Bun B and Pimp C (R.I.P.) were already on fire from their debut album a few years prior but they perfected the southern playa sound with this record. At the time of its release Super Tight... was only issued on cassette and CD, so it's a must for fans and collectors to grab the vinyl now that it's available for the very first time. The album kicks off with 'Return', which after a few snare hits and the bluster of Pimp C's voice it is clear to the world - the underground kings are back. Countless tracks like 'Three Sixteens' (featuring DJ DMD), 'Stoned Junkee', 'It's Supposed To Bubble', 'I Left It Wet For You' and the previously mentioned 'Front, Back, & Side To Side' all perfectly showcase the chemistry between Bun B & Pimp C, over deep southern funk grooves. The production on this album is stellar, all bass heavy and features Meters lead guitarist Leo Nocentelli. Like their debut album Too Hard To Swallow, Bun B and Pimp C were ahead of the game, and with Super Tight... they perfected it."
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GET 51318LP
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2020 repress; clear transparent vinyl. "Future archaeologists will discuss two periods in 1980s: before Run-D.M.C. and after Run-D.M.C. It's no exaggeration to say that the group changed the course of music in the '80s, bringing the old-school of rap into the new with one simple piece of flat, black plastic. Coming up in the rap world of the early 1980s under the wing of Kurtis Blow (group manager Russell Simmons managed Blow, and Run was, at one time, a DJ known as 'Son of Kurtis Blow') and Blow's bassist and burgeoning super-producer Larry Smith, the trio -- Joseph 'Run' Simmons, Darryl 'DMC' McDaniels and Jason 'Jam Master Jay' Mizell -- learned from the best, but created their own path. 1983 was the year that they first broke out. With only an Oberheim DMX drum program and some cuts by Jay, 'Sucker M.C.s (Krush-Groove 1)' was a shot across the bow to the slick, post-disco pocket rap had settled into. It was raw, pure swagger and it took both New Yorkers and music aficionados around the world by storm. The song's lyrics are a mandatory memorization assignment to this day by MCs learning their craft. 'Two years ago, a friend of mine...' The group's sound, which was laid out muscularly on Run-D.M.C. (1984), had a harder approach than their peers, thanks to producer Larry Smith's use of live musicians who laid down grooves but didn't soften the edges. Lyrically the group wasn't just about brags either, with songs like 'Hard Times,' 'It's Like That' and 'Wake Up' (the first two were singles). Run's and DMC's overlapping tag-team approach to lyricism was powerful and immensely influential. 'Rock Box,' another single and arguably the centerpiece of the album, was a nod to their hard edge, and a foreshadowing of their first worldwide smash, 1985's 'King Of Rock.' Jam Master Jay's DJ work was stellar, knowing exactly when to jump in and put listeners' ears in a headlock. The album was the first rap full-length to achieve Gold status, and as fans know, the group was just getting started -- their next two LPs would take them to even higher status in the music world, critically and sales-wise. But this is where it all started, and it's a classic that still sounds fresh today as it did more than 30 years ago."
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2LP
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GET 51310LP
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'Illmatic, the 1994 studio debut of Nasir 'Nas' Jones, was more than just a critical success for the Queensbridge-based rapper. At a time when East Coast hip-hop was increasingly being taken less seriously than their West Coast counterparts, Illmatic's raw jazz and soul-based production, dire atmosphere and lyrics, coupled with Nas' uncompromising flow was integral in restoring interest in the East Coast as a hotbed of hip-hop artistry. Along with key releases from Wu-Tang Clan and Notorious B.I.G., it shifted attention away from the funky, dayglo synth-based G-funk coming out of California and back to the grimy streets of New York. After such an unprecedented debut record, expectations were understandably high for Nas' follow-up. What came next threw critics and fans for a loop, but was no less influential than Illmatic, and would become the most commercially successful album in the entirety of Nas' discography. The 1996 sophomore follow-up was titled It Was Written, and in contrast to the urban bleakness of his debut, had Nas dipping his toes into the world of mafioso rap. Amidst production from heavy hitters like Trackmasters, Dr. Dre, L.E.S., Havoc of Mobb Deep, and Illmatic-collaborator DJ Premier, among others, Nas weaves evocative narratives of gang warfare, downtrodden neighborhoods, drug deals gone awry, and gangsta triumph, against a backdrop of samples from Sam Cooke, Etta James, the Isley Brothers, and even Chuck Mangione. It Was Written was not hard up for top-tier guests either, featuring major guest turns from Lauryn Hill and Joel 'JoJo' Hailey of K-Ci & JoJo. It also introduced the world to The Firm, the brief Nas-led supergroup featuring rappers AZ, Foxy Brown, and Cormega. It even managed to cause some minor controversy in the hip-hop community for its collaboration with West Coast producer Dr. Dre, at a time when the East Coast/West Coast rap feud was reaching a fever pitch, briefly attracting the ire of one Tupac Shakur. Not only was It Was Written received warmly by critics, but became a major commercial success, reaching the top of the Billboard 200 charts, reaching platinum sales status four times, and alongside albums like Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, helped usher in the era of mafioso rap in the mainstream. It rendered chart hits out of singles like the Eurhythmics-mimicking 'Street Dreams', and the Grammy-nominated 'If I Ruled The World (Imagine That)', and proved to be a major influence on artists like Kendrick Lamar, Lupe Fiasco, and many more."
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2LP
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GET 52716LP
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2019 repress. "It's safe to say that hip-hop has never seen an album like Ol' Dirty Bastard's 1995 solo debut Return to the 36 Chambers. The brief glimpses of ODB's unhinged genius provided by Wu-Tang Clan's landmark Enter the Wu-Tang album two years earlier were begging to be expanded on to a larger canvas, and, with RZA guiding production, the album promised to give Dirty the creative license to make one of the most bizarre, entertaining and original LPs in hip-hop history. With his raspy, drunken flow and dark sense of humor, Dirty fearlessly attacks from all angles, throwing himself fearlessly into punchy rhyme attacks ('Damage,' with GZA), drugged-out party jams (the monster singles 'Brooklyn Zoo' and 'Shimmy Shimmy Ya') and bizarre, grimly hilarious fantasies of sex and violence ('Don't U Know' and the R&B-tinged 'Sweet Sugar Pie'). Backed by RZA's appropriately gritty, dissonant beats and appearances from the Clan, Return became an instant hit, selling over 1 million copies and earning a Grammy Award nomination for Best Rap Album in 1996. The album stands as a high water mark in the Wu Tang Clan's collective creative output and was selected as one of the Best 100 Rap Albums by The Source magazine in 1998. In honoring the legacy of one of hip-hop's most innovative releases, Get On Down is proud to present this incredible and unique special edition of Ol' Dirty Bastard's Return to the 36 Chambers as a double LP which contains the complete original album, remastered for optimal sound quality." Includes 18"x24" poster.
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LP
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GET 51293LP
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2019 repress. "Cypress Hill's self-titled debut album was hard as nails, with very few pop concessions. There was humor, but it was laced by cackling, homicidal sneering. Not well known outside of the hardcore hip-hop scene at first, faces of the three group members weren't usually shown clearly in press photos; they preferred the shadows. As their first singles began hitting the airwaves and record racks, the press and music fans started to take notice. From the opening notes of the group's first single, 'The Phuncky Feel One,' to deeper album cuts like 'Stoned Is The Way Of The Walk' and 'Tres Equis,' it was clear that Cypress Hill was something different. And very, very dope. The world Cypress Hill espoused was gang-ridden and far from cheery, but they managed to laugh through the pain. Lead rapper B-Real took each fuzzed-out, rock-hard DJ Muggs beat as a challenge, jumping around it like a spark off a joint as it makes its way to the concrete. MC Sen Dog always had B-Real's back, to bring intensity and a no-bullshit gruffness that made the group both menacing and unpredictable. When they introduced percussionist Eric Bobo to the mix in the early 90s, it brought new dimension to the band, making their live performances one of the most unique and accomplished shows in hip-hop. Journalist and author Chris Faraone highlights the group's relationship in the reissue's liner notes (which is included only in limited edition Skull) saying, '[By the late '80s] the undisputed Cypress unit finally formed. B and Sen realized that their diametric styles - the latter's deep wrangle, the former's inimitable high notes - complemented one another righteously. By then Muggs had bangers in the bag, as well as industry experience from a jaunt with the New York duo 7A3. B and Sen waited while Muggs messed with 7A3, and in that time began to build the blueprint for their raucous and weeded no-holds-barred style. Besides getting schooled on industry pitfalls, Muggs had also grown into hip-hop's most formidable young producer, while straddling the bi-coastal gap.' Cypress Hill's debut went gold by the end of 1991 and has since pushed past double platinum status, making it the first album for a Latino-American hip hop group to do so. The album received raves from the likes of Rolling Stone and the Los Angeles Times, saw a #1 Hot Rap Single with the release of 'The Phuncky One' and helped the band win Artist Of The Year at the 1992 Source Awards. After 25 years, it should come as no surprise that Cypress Hill is a cornerstone of the group's live set to this day."
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LP
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GET 51321LP
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2019 repress on translucent red vinyl. "Run-DMC's self-titled 1984 debut pushed the doors of pop music open, showing that hip-hop was not the fad that haters had prophesized. As they proved decisively on Run-DMC, rap was a legit art form, fully capable of producing long-players full of no-fast-forward cuts. By 1985, any doubters were running on fumes, as the group's King Of Rock blew the aforementioned pop doors off their hinges. Emboldened by their success (including the first rap album to ever go Gold); energized by worldwide touring and accolades; and given all the support they could want by a genius producer (Larry Smith), an open-minded label (Profile) and a charismatic manager (Russell Simmons, who also lent a hand on production), they ruled the charts and hinted at even greater things to come. The album's most fondly-remembered single set the album's tone perfectly: 'King Of Rock' was hard, full of charisma and tag-team vocal finesse, and had enough guitars to bring the suburbs into the rap fold. The song's video was equally popular and powerful, and the pioneering MTV exposure drove the group into a new stratosphere. But there was much more to King Of Rock than the title track, including more rock / rap hybrids -- 'Can You Rock It Like This' and 'You're Blind' -- as well as the additional singles 'Jam-Master Jammin'' and 'You Talk Too Much.' (The latter, incidentally, charted as high as 'King Of Rock' on both the Pop and R&B charts). Throw in the forward-thinking reggae/rap collab 'Roots, Rap, Reggae' (featuring the legendary Yellowman) and the live-throwdown-simulation 'Darryl and Joe (Krush-Groove 3)' and the album -- which went on to pass Platinum status -- is a winner from A1 to B4."
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GET 51320LP
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2019 repress on translucent blue vinyl. "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!"
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7"
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GET 907EP
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"These 'Big Hole' 7 inches from Lord Willin' are presented on white vinyl in mini Star Trak die-cut jackets -- replicas of the label's original 12" sleeves. The first hip-hop group signed to The Neptunes' newly formed Star Trak label in the early 2000s was a Virginia based duo known as Clipse. The group's first single 'Grindin',' impacted young people with its bare-boned but infectious drum beat in the same way that Run-DMC's 'Sucker MCs' did almost two decades earlier. MCs Pusha T and Malice, combined with The Neptunes' groundbreaking production, sent a clear message to the rap world -- 'we are not the same.' Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo were able to combine their electro-punk production with just the right group to create a street masterpiece. Following in the footsteps of such rap criminologists as Kool G Rap, Nas, Jay-Z and Mobb Deep, the Clipse offer a hustler's viewpoint, with clever, hard-hitting lyrics that are consistent throughout the album. Select singles from Lord Willin' will now be available from Get On Down on white vinyl in 7" size diecut jackets that reproduce the look of the original 12" releases on the Neptune's Star Trak imprint."
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7"
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GET 906EP
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"These 'Big Hole' 7 inches from Lord Willin' are presented on white vinyl in mini Star Trak die-cut jackets -- replicas of the label's original 12" sleeves. The first hip-hop group signed to The Neptunes' newly formed Star Trak label in the early 2000s was a Virginia based duo known as Clipse. The group's first single 'Grindin',' impacted young people with its bare-boned but infectious drum beat in the same way that Run-DMC's 'Sucker MCs' did almost two decades earlier. MCs Pusha T and Malice, combined with The Neptunes' groundbreaking production, sent a clear message to the rap world -- 'we are not the same.' Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo were able to combine their electro-punk production with just the right group to create a street masterpiece. Following in the footsteps of such rap criminologists as Kool G Rap, Nas, Jay-Z and Mobb Deep, the Clipse offer a hustler's viewpoint, with clever, hard-hitting lyrics that are consistent throughout the album. Select singles from Lord Willin' will now be available from Get On Down on white vinyl in 7" size diecut jackets that reproduce the look of the original 12" releases on the Neptune's Star Trak imprint."
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7"
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GET 905EP
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"These 'big hole' 7's from Lord Willin' are presented on white vinyl in mini star trak die-cut jackets -- replicas of the label's original 12' sleeves. The first hip-hop group signed to The Neptunes' newly formed Star Trak label in the early 2000s was a Virginia based duo known as The Clipse. The group's first single 'Grindin',' impacted young people with its bare-boned but infectious drum beat in the same way that Run-DMC's 'Sucker MCs' did almost two decades earlier. MCs Pusha T and Malice, combined with The Neptunes' groundbreaking production, sent a clear message to the rap world ? 'we are not the same.' Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo were able to combine their electro-punk production with just the right group to create a street masterpiece. Following in the footsteps of such rap criminologists as Kool G Rap, Nas, Jay-Z, and Mobb Deep, the Clipse offer a hustler's viewpoint, with clever, hard-hitting lyrics that are consistent throughout the album. Select singles from Lord Willin' will now be available from Get On Down on white vinyl in 7' die-cut jackets that reproduce the look of the original 12' releases on the Neptune's Star Trak imprint."
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7"
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GET 901EP
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"These 'big hole' 7's from Lord Willin' are presented on white vinyl in mini star trak die-cut jackets -- replicas of the label's original 12' sleeves. The first hip-hop group signed to The Neptunes' newly formed Star Trak label in the early 2000s was a Virginia based duo known as The Clipse. The group's first single 'Grindin',' impacted young people with its bare-boned but infectious drum beat in the same way that Run-DMC's 'Sucker MCs' did almost two decades earlier. MCs Pusha T and Malice, combined with The Neptunes' groundbreaking production, sent a clear message to the rap world ? 'we are not the same.' Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo were able to combine their electro-punk production with just the right group to create a street masterpiece. Following in the footsteps of such rap criminologists as Kool G Rap, Nas, Jay-Z, and Mobb Deep, the Clipse offer a hustler's viewpoint, with clever, hard-hitting lyrics that are consistent throughout the album. Select singles from Lord Willin' will now be available from Get On Down on white vinyl in 7' die-cut jackets that reproduce the look of the original 12' releases on the Neptune's Star Trak imprint."
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2LP
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GET 51295LP
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2019 repress. "The cultural phenomenon that is the Wu-Tang cannot accurately be described without referencing one of the pillars in the Clan's discography. Chef Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx remains firmly planted as one of the defining triumphs in their artistic legacy. The oft referred 'Purple Tape' has been cited and debated by many as the greatest Wu-Tang solo project to date and remains a bullet point in any discussion involving the greatest 'cocaine rap' or 'street hop' albums of all time. In continuing with its proud tradition of honoring historically significant hip hop albums, Get On Down is honored to present Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx for the first time ever on double translucent purple vinyl housed in a high density re-sealable poly bag. This edition features, for the first time ever on vinyl, the formerly CD-only bonus track, 'North Star (Jewels).' And if that wasn't enough, the entire album also features completely enhanced and painstakingly remastered audio. This is the definitive must-own vinyl edition of Raekwon's masterpiece."
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7"
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GET 903EP
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"These 'big hole' 7's from Lord Willin' are presented on white vinyl in mini star trak die-cut jackets -- replicas of the label's original 12' sleeves. The first hip-hop group signed to The Neptunes' newly formed Star Trak label in the early 2000s was a Virginia based duo known as The Clipse. The group's first single 'Grindin',' impacted young people with its bare-boned but infectious drum beat in the same way that Run-DMC's 'Sucker MCs' did almost two decades earlier. MCs Pusha T and Malice, combined with The Neptunes' groundbreaking production, sent a clear message to the rap world ? 'we are not the same.' Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo were able to combine their electro-punk production with just the right group to create a street masterpiece. Following in the footsteps of such rap criminologists as Kool G Rap, Nas, Jay-Z, and Mobb Deep, the Clipse offer a hustler's viewpoint, with clever, hard-hitting lyrics that are consistent throughout the album. Select singles from Lord Willin' will now be available from Get On Down on white vinyl in 7' die-cut jackets that reproduce the look of the original 12' releases on the Neptune's Star Trak imprint."
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GET 54100LP
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"The rediscovery of the music of David Axelrod in the 1990s was a revelation to the scores of hip-hop and breakbeat DJs that sampled him, but his composition genius was on display as early as the 1960s. After producing and arranging major critical and commercial hits for Lou Rawls, The Electric Prunes, David McCallum, and Julian 'Cannonball' Adderley, he was encouraged by Capitol Records to record and produce solo material. Coming right on the heels of The Beatles' revolutionary 1967 album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band, Axelrod would produce a slew of instrumental baroque pop records, which were intricately orchestrated, fused elements of jazz, psychedelic rock, chamber music, and neo-classical, and tackled issues of mental enlightenment, environmental impact, and would be hailed by critics as highly ambitious pieces of conceptual art. The albums Song Of Innocence (1968), Songs Of Experience (1969), and Earth Rot (1970) are most often hailed as David Axelrod's finest moments, but little is mentioned of the producer's 1970s material. Among these records is Seriously Deep, his lone album recorded for Polydor, and an unheralded gem of jazz-rock fusion. On Seriously Deep, Axelrod dispenses with the heavily orchestrated measures of previous works to conduct a powerhouse crew of session musicians, including Leon Ndugu Chancler of Santana on drums, Mailto Correa on percussion, Jim Hughart on bass, Joe Sample on electric keys, and many others, with production from frequent Axelrod collaborators Cannonball Adderley and Jimmy Bowen. Seriously Deep is an obscure release, but also one of David Axlerod's tightest, and most exploratory ones. Across six tracks, Axelrod and his collective of players dip in and out of bounding jazz-funk, Afro-Latin grooves, cinematic flourishes, psychedelic synth washes, and blaring big band horns. It's a singularly insular curiosity of musical impressionism that's equal parts brooding and joyous, a definitive part of Axelrod's discography, and a well of sample material for tracks by Mobb Deep, Large Professor, The Black Eyed Peas, and Beanie Siegel, among others."
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2LP
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GET 51331LP
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"The neo-soul movement of the late 1990s, which fused classic soul sounds with contemporary elements, heralded the arrival of some of the greatest R&B recordings of the decade. Albums like Lauryn Hill's The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill, D'Angelo's Brown Sugar, and Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite were all born of this trend, while artists such as Mos Def, The Roots, and Common whole-heartedly embraced the sound, creating some of their most timeless material in the process. These are some of neo-soul's great successes, but a slew of underground acts were what set the initial blueprint for their more pop-friendly acquaintances to follow. Acts such as R&B duo Groove Theory. The New York pair, consisting of singer/songwriter Amel Larrieux, and producer Bryce Wilson, (A veteran of the legendary 80s electronic group Mantronix) helped set the tone for neo-soul via their lone studio release, the self-titled Groove Theory. The nearly hour-long record features 14 tracks of Wilson's smooth soul arrangements and atmospherics merged with golden era boom-bap beats, and Larrieux's siren-quality vocals, inspired equally by a combination of Native Tongues, peak Marvin Gaye, Joan Armatrading, Soul II Soul, as well as elements of breakbeat, jazz fusion, and even trip hop. It's a definitive, but often overlooked classic of the 1990s, which helped expand contemporary R&B's sound, render Billboard hits out the tracks 'Tell Me', 'Keep Tryin'', and 'Baby Luv', and even found the time for a Todd Rundgren cover. On the cusp of Groove Theory's 25th anniversary, Get On Down is proud to bring you this vinyl reissue of an underrated 90s gem. The original record has never been re-released on wax since its 1995 debut, but is now presented here with fully remastered audio, and bundled in a full-color insert sleeve with complete lyrics and liner notes."
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