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viewing 1 To 25 of 276 items
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GET 56050CD
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"Legendary artist MF DOOM (aka Zev Love X of KMD) opened up a lyrical wormhole with Vaudeville Villain, one of the most unique releases in a career packed with nothing but uniqueness. It is a concept album with plenty of high comedy, street technology, and hijinks, splashed artfully over next-school beats, which move freely in the spaces between electronica and hip hop, by King Honey, Heat Sensor, and Max Bill. Take a trip back to the origin of the Super Villain -- an unanticipated time travel-machine breakdown left him stuck in the early '90s where he has no choice but to battle sucka MCs and carry out side-hustles so he can repair the time machine and go back to the future. All tracks feature original lyrics by DOOM, and guest appearances include: M. Sayyid (Anti-Pop Consortium), Lord Sear, Apani B Fly MC, RJD2 and more."
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LP
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GET 51467LP
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"A pioneer of hardcore rap music, one can't talk about the West Coast hip-hop scene without mentioning Todd Anthony Shaw, better known by the stage name Too $hort. A veteran of the genre, Too $hort's discography is one filled with tracks about pimping, drug use, promiscuity, and unapologetically explicit language. (His 1985 record Don't Stop Rappin is notoriously one of the first to use the word bitch on a track.) He's released nearly 20 albums over the course of his 35-year career and collaborated with artists as varied as Jay-Z, UGK, 50 Cent, Lil Jon, he's even been one of the few musicians to work with both 2Pac and The Notorious B.I.G., in the middle of their infamous feud. Too $horts works were largely a cult phenomenon during the early years of his career, but 1988's Life Is... broke him into a mainstream audience, and gave him his most critically acclaimed release. (Not to mention his highest-selling to date.) The album stood out in its field, at a time when re-sampling old-school funk and R&B singles was the name of the game, Too $hort instead opted to take established riffs and hooks from those singles and re-create them with studio musicians and drum machines. The album cemented Too $horts status among MCs, and the title track itself would even be re-sampled in tracks by rappers UGK, hip-hop-influenced rock group Sublime, and even Too $hort himself on later singles."
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2LP
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GET 51339LP
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2021 repress. "Double LP housed in a gatefold jacket. Mingus Ah Um, the artist's 1959 debut for Columbia is one of the most consequential albums in jazz or any other genre. The release is part of the Library of Congress National Recording Registry and has been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. 'Goodbye Pork Pie Hat', 'Boogie Stomp Shuffle', 'Open Letter To The Duke'... the release is packed with classics and is a best-selling release to this day. Get On Down presents Ah Um Redux, the full Ah Um record as you know and love it with a second LP featuring alternate takes from the session previously unreleased on vinyl."
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2LP
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GET 51309LP
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2021 repress; clear vinyl. "Ridin' Dirty is the third studio album by dirty south legends Bun B and Pimp C -- together known as UGK. It is easily considered one of the greatest southern hip hop albums ever made, but let's drop all the labels this is just pure good rap music, for any region. It's all right there, everything that people have come to expect from Houston rap: candy-painted cars, wood-grained steering wheels, flashy jewelry, late-night odes to lean and weed, passing references to DJ Screw tapes, those warm funk synthesizers that sound like radio oldies. All of Ridin' Dirty feels iconic now -- among other reasons, because so many of its lyrics have since been cribbed by everyone from Slim Thug to Jay Z. There's the laid-back badassery of 'Diamonds and Wood,' the zoned-out celebration of '3 in the Morning,' the ridiculous boasting of 'Fuck My Car.' Everything here is essential. Ridin' Dirty was produced entirely by Pimp C and features start to finish bangers such as 'One Day', 'Murder,' 'Hi Lif,' and of course the title track 'Ridin' Dirty.' Pimp C makes use of perfectly chosen soul, funk, and gospel samples to create a perfect soundscape for he and Bun B to trade verse over. Despite there being no singles or videos released from the album, the set went on to be a pivotal moment in southern hip hop as well as UGK's best-selling and most critically acclaimed release."
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GET 56047LP
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"On their ambitious collaboration, New York rap heavyweights Rasheed Chappell & Buckwild have perfectly captured the stress and tension, but also faint sense of the hope, of what it means to be a sinner or a saint. In just 11 tracks, Sinners & Saints plays like an audio documentary series filled with expertly crafted beats and rhymes. When the two sat down to work together, Rasheed says that they only knew that they 'wanted to address the now, the past, and the potential future.' And upon receiving the first batch of beats from Buck -- the D.I.T.C. producer with decades of acclaimed work to his name -- the NY emcee used a majority of them and knew immediately what they were doing. 'My goal was simple: don't try to recreate anything they have done, just create something that no one else can do, which is to be me,' Rasheed says. Buck echoed that sentiment when he talked about the record in a documentary, in which he expressed his excitement to work with not just a talented rapper, but a skilled artist. 'Being an artist is just as important as putting two words together to rhyme,' Buck explained. That high level of artistry, from everyone involved, is what makes Sinners & Saints so impactful. Not just anyone could pull off a track as stirring as 'The Blue Hood,' in which Rasheed plays the role of a racist, corrupt police officer over Buck's harrowing production. The same goes for 'Rock Bottom' where he and Ransom sound off about life's low points, and 'Bredren,' a speaker-knocking middle-finger in musical form featuring Planet Asia. There's just so much to love about what these two have created with Sinners & Saints, a project that sounds like if 2020 was a hip-hop album. And if things do truly get better as we move into 2021, there's no better anthem than 'Black Owned,' a powerful anthem for Rasheed, Buck, and everyone listening."
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LP
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GET 51342LP
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2021 repress. "Vinyl previously issued only in Japan. For Black Friday, Get On Down offers a complete replica of the Japanese release including a full color insert and deluxe obi strip. This 1977 studio recording finds Herbie Hancock embracing his jazz roots. The straight forward trio setting puts Hancock's piano front and center. Backed by Ron Carter on bass and Tony Williams behind the drums, the recording features Hancock originals as well as the Trio's take on Miles Davis' Milestones. Though recorded at fabled San Francisco studio The Automatt, the recording was only immediately issued in Japan. To this day, Japan is the only country to see a vinyl release of the session. That changes on Black Friday as Get On Down presents The Herbie Hancock Trio."
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CD
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GET 56047CD
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"On their ambitious collaboration, New York rap heavyweights Rasheed Chappell & Buckwild have perfectly captured the stress and tension, but also faint sense of the hope, of what it means to be a sinner or a saint. In just 11 tracks, Sinners & Saints plays like an audio documentary series filled with expertly crafted beats and rhymes. When the two sat down to work together, Rasheed says that they only knew that they 'wanted to address the now, the past, and the potential future.' And upon receiving the first batch of beats from Buck -- the D.I.T.C. producer with decades of acclaimed work to his name -- the NY emcee used a majority of them and knew immediately what they were doing. 'My goal was simple: don't try to recreate anything they have done, just create something that no one else can do, which is to be me,' Rasheed says. Buck echoed that sentiment when he talked about the record in a documentary, in which he expressed his excitement to work with not just a talented rapper, but a skilled artist. 'Being an artist is just as important as putting two words together to rhyme,' Buck explained. That high level of artistry, from everyone involved, is what makes Sinners & Saints so impactful. Not just anyone could pull off a track as stirring as 'The Blue Hood,' in which Rasheed plays the role of a racist, corrupt police officer over Buck's harrowing production. The same goes for 'Rock Bottom' where he and Ransom sound off about life's low points, and 'Bredren,' a speaker-knocking middle-finger in musical form featuring Planet Asia. There's just so much to love about what these two have created with Sinners & Saints, a project that sounds like if 2020 was a hip-hop album. And if things do truly get better as we move into 2021, there's no better anthem than 'Black Owned,' a powerful anthem for Rasheed, Buck, and everyone listening."
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2LP
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GET 51338LP
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2021 repress. "In the late 90s in Hip Hop, all eyes were on the South -- and the Down South sound reigned supreme. Few groups were as hot as Memphis' Three 6 Mafia. CrazyNDaLazDayz was a regional scorcher when it dropped in 1999, released under the group name Tear Da Club Up Thugs, but essentially a Three 6 Mafia full-length as core Three 6 members DJ Paul, Juicy J and Lord Infamous all contribute to the project. The record went on to be certified Gold and Three 6 Mafia went on to win an Academy Award for their contribution to Hustle & Flow. CrazyNDaLazDayz continues to have an impact to this day. A cut Juicy J first pulled together while still in high school, 'Slob On My Knob', was utilized in A$AP Ferg's hit 'Plain Jane.' In addition, the cut is interpolated into G-Eazy's most successful cut to date, 'No Limit.' CrazyNDaLazDayz has never seen a commercial vinyl release (when originally released, only promo vinyl was issued). For Record Store Day, Get On Down brings you this oft overlooked and definitely in need of being revisited portion of Three 6 Mafia's legacy."
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2LP
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GET 51445LP
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Restocked. RSD 2020 release. "Pressed on blue & white swirl vinyl! Housed in a high gloss jacket with each lp tucked into a printed inner sleeve. Nasir 'Nas' Jones' 2001 record Stillmatic was considered a major comeback for the 90s rap icon. It signaled a return to the gritty, urban chaos of his acclaimed debut album, after releasing record after record of gradually more mainstream material, and Nas' return to prominence in the highest echelons of hip-hop. In spite of this newfound critical clout, Stillmatic's release did nothing to squash his then ongoing feud with fellow New Yorker Jay-Z, who had gone so far as to challenge Nas to a pay-per-view rap battle. A challenge Nas rejected, stating 'If Jay-Z wants to battle, he should drop his album the same day I do and let the people decide.' Nas fans never would get the no-holds barred lyrical battle with Jay-Z many had speculated. What they got instead was one of Nas' most personal and introspective releases to date in 2002. Not long after Stillmatic's release, Nas spent much of his time away from the limelight to tend to his ill mother, who would pass on from breast cancer in 2002. His experiences with his mother's mortality as well as the fallout of his feud with Jay-Z, who continued to produce diss tracks as Nas tended to his mother, would inspire much of the lyrical material on his next record. God's Son was released in December of 2002, and like Stillmatic before it, was subject to major critical acclaim. On God's Son, Nas effectively took the battle-hardened demeanor he had cultivated and tore it down across 14 tracks that were emotionally insular, though still dusted in urban grit, and still finding time to shoot back at Jay-Z's potshots on tracks like 'Last Real Nigga Alive' and 'Mastermind.' Assisting Nas was a slew of top-tier producers like The Alchemist, Eminem, Ron Browz, and Salaam Remi, over samples of James Brown, the Incredible Bongo Band, Fela Kuti, and Beethoven, and guest vocals from Alicia Keys, Kelis, Claudette Ortiz of City High, and even a posthumous 2Pac. God's Son has been out of print on vinyl since its initial 2002 release, but Get On Down is excited to bring you this deluxe LP package for Record Store Day 2020, remastered from its original audio and pressed on exclusive colored vinyl!"
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GET 52745LP
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2021 restock. "Pressed on splatter-colored vinyl housed in a recreation of the triple gatefold jacket from the original 1973 pressing. When Malcolm John Rebbenack Jr., best known by his stage name Dr. John, first hit the scene in the late 1960s after many years as a Wrecking Crew session musician, he developed his craft the back of an eccentric presentation. His swampy, and frequently psychedelic blend of New Orleans-inspired boogie-woogie rock paired with a macabre character heavily inspired by voodoo priests and Mardi Gras, and a highly theatrical stage show to match. Across four studio albums Dr. John cultivated this stage presence and developed a strong cult following. As Dr. John entered the 1970s however, this stage presence would undergo a major change. In 1972, Dr. John abruptly switched gears from muddy psychedelia with the release of Dr. John's Gumbo, which saw the performer covering a selection of New Orleans rhythm & blues standards. The backing band remained the same, but the sound was a slicker and more traditional fare that undoubtedly disappointed the cult following that fell in love with Dr. John's voodoo antics, but was a hit with critics and commercial audiences. Dr. John's Gumbo was Dr. John's second Billboard chart success (reaching #112) and would be named one of the '500 Greatest Albums of All Time' by Rolling Stone. Building on this success, the next year Dr. John continued upon this path, releasing In The Right Place in 1973. Produced by the legendary producer Allen Toussaint, In The Right Place took the more polished sounds developed on Gumbo, and traded psychedelia for New Orleans funk, for a sound that still pulsated with the spirit of Louisiana, but was imminently danceable as well. In The Right Place was not only a critical hit, but marked Dr. John's greatest commercial success, reaching #24 on the album charts, and rendering a Top 10 hit out of the title track."
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2LP
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GET 51446LP
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Red vinyl. "This double live outing from Herbie Hancock was recorded in Tokyo in July of 1975. Backed up by The Headhunters, Hancock runs through selections from his albums Head Hunters, Thrust and Man-Child -- that last project still being months away from release at the time of this recording. Get On Down's reissue of the vinyl will be the first US release for the double LP, ever."
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GET 54049LP
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2021 repress. Limited edition black and white vinyl. "There are many reasons why Wu-Tang Clan rapper GZA's second solo album Liquid Swords is considered one of the greatest hip-hop records of all time. Critics and historians point to GZA's raw, and starkly poetic lyrics which featured references to chess, crime and philosophy, as well as superb guest performances from his Wu-Tang Clan contemporaries. One can't comment on Liquid Swords' brilliance however without touching upon the production, courtesy of Wu-Tang's own mastermind RZA. Behind a hazy and murky backdrop of rare samples and classic boom-bap beats, RZA crafted a bleak atmosphere of urban dystopia for GZA's esoteric rhymes to flourish in, cribbing from a wide panoply of sources ranging from the dusty soul of The Bar-Kays and Ohio Players, the nostalgic jazz of Cannonball Adderley and Willie Mitchell, and even the experimental weirdness of Mothers Of Invention. In a retrospective 5-star AllMusic.com review of Liquid Swords, writer Steve Huey said of RZA's production: ''The Genius' eerie calm is a great match for RZA's atmospheric production, which is tremendously effective in this context; the kung fu dialogue here is among the creepiest he's put on record, and he experiments quite a bit with stranger sounds and more layered tracks.' These instrumentals, peppered with frequent interludes of dialogue from the classic samurai flick Shogun Assassin, became the core of the GZA's acclaimed sophomore LP. The full Liquid Swords instrumentals are now available in a white and black vinyl pressing, a nod to the chessboard art synonymous with the album's cover art. All tracks have been restored, with re-mastered audio from the original source tapes. Available on 2-LP, with the look of a silk-screened jacket we are excited to bring to you these Liquid Swords Instrumentals."
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7"
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GET 756EP
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"Storytelling has been a part of the hip-hop lexicon since the artform's earliest days. And in all those decades, there has never been a taleweaver like Slick Rick. Even masters who came along in Rick's wake -- ranging from Will Smith to Ghostface Killah and Eminem -- know that even though they blazed their own paths, they never did it better than the Slick one. When it comes to Rick and his tales, 1988's 'Children's Story' is perhaps his best, recited to this day by fans and MCs in training as a rite of passage. Just hearing the opening lines begins a sing-along that can quickly fill a room: 'Once upon a time / Not long ago / When people wore pajamas / And lived life slow...' In recognition of such top-tier hip-hop storytelling, Get On Down now presents this 45 single reissue of the Slick Rick classic, featuring 'The Moment I Feared' on the B-side. This 7" re-release, previously only available as part of Get On Down's 2017 Record Store Day offerings, comes packaged in a re-creation of the original 12" cover art, and is the perfect addition to your old school vinyl collection."
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2LP
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GET 52734LP
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"After the smash success of Deee-Lite's debut record World Clique, and their now-iconic dance club hit 'Groove Is In The Heart', anticipation was high for a follow-up from the New York-based dance music trio of vocalist Miss Lady Kier, and producers DJ Towa Tei and Super DJ Dmitri. For their sophomore record Infinity Within, Deee-Lite opted to venture in a different direction of sorts. The club-embracing disco-funk sounds and groovy vibes of World Clique were ever-present, but while that record contained themes of global togetherness, Infinity Within took a more socially aware route, with politically charged themes of environmentalism, (to show their bona fide-se, Infinity Within was one of the first titles to be issued in an ecologically friendly eco-pak) sexual liberation, voting rights, and critique of the judicial system. Taking major inspiration from the ancient Chinese divination text I Ching, Miss Lady Kier would later explain that Infinity Within was a natural progression for the group, not a departure. Elaborating in an interview with Reflex Magazine, she remarked: 'The reason why we titled this new album Infinity Within -- to balance out World Clique's idea of looking outward and thinking about unity -- is if you look outward, you should look inward to see what you're doing as an individual. Because people seem to be so passive -- I'd like to see people turn their TV sets off and start protesting.' Infinity Within was not the overwhelming commercial success that World Clique was, but its tracks shined on the Billboard Dance Club charts, with its lead single 'Runaway' reaching #1 on the chart, bolstered by a Gus Van Sant-directed music video. The record also featured a slew of top-tier collaborators, including Parliament veterans Bernie Worrell, Maceo Parker and Bootsy Collins (Returning from their appearances on World Clique) as well as Bootsy's brother Catfish Collins, legendary house DJ Statoshi Tomiie, and rap verses from Michael Franti, Jamal-Ski, and a pre-'Tennessee' Arrested Development. Even though critical reaction at the time was cooler than their debut, over the years Infinity Within has been considered an underrated gem of '90s dance, a classic of early club and house music, and a remarkable follow-up for Deee-Lite."
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GET 51336LP
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"Pressed on money colored vinyl. After the release of UGK's third studio album, the wildly influential, and critically acclaimed Southern hip-hop classic Ridin' Dirty, the duo of rapper Bun B and rapper/producer Pimp C took a five-year hiatus from releasing albums. This is not to say that the pair didn't keep busy during their time away from putting out records; if anything, some of their highest profile appearances occurred during this period. Through guest slots on now iconic tracks like Three Six Mafia's 'Sippin' On Some Syrup', and Jay-Z's Billboard smash 'Big Pimpin'' UGK managed to greatly increase their profile, and build even greater anticipation for a fourth studio album. This album, titled Dirty Money, would arrive in November of 2001, after having been shelved by their label Jive Records since 1998. Across 14 tracks of syrup-soaked, drawling Southern hip-hop tracks, UGK stretched their creative chops and showed that in the five years since Ridin' Dirty they hadn't lost their step in the slightest. Bun B's and Pimp C's rhymes were free-wheeling, clever, and irreverent as they had ever been, while the production was classic Texas rap, courtesy of Pimp C and Southern hip-hop legend N.O. Joe, who shared production duties. Guest contributions from Juicy J & DJ Paul of Three Six Mafia, Big Gipp of Goodie Mob, Too $hort, Devin The Dude, and more helped bolster the duo's codeine-drenched witticisms, over samples from the likes of BB King, Barry White, and The Staple Singers among others. Riding on UGK's newfound mainstream fortunes, Dirty Money managed a remarkable #19 debut on the Billboard 200 chart, as well as reaching #2 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. In spite of this, Jive failed to capitalize on the attention the duo was receiving; with a lack of promotion and marketing behind it the record left just as quickly as it had arrived. We at Get On Down haven't forgotten this album's greatness though; we now present to you this color vinyl reissue of Dirty Money, an under-appreciated and oft-forgotten relic of Southern hip-hop, one that has never before been committed to wax."
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GET 51452LP
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"Pressed on translucent red vinyl. 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. Miles In Tokyo is a must-have for completionists of free jazz, bop, and avant-garde alike."
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GET 54101LP
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"Raphael Saadiq did not rest on his laurels after bringing his famed R&B group Tony! Toni! Toné! to a close in 1997. In the coming years he was a highly sought-after producer and session musician, leaving his mark on tracks by D'Angelo, The Roots, and Erykah Badu, and briefly formed the supergroup Lucy Pearl with Ali Shaheed Muhammad of A Tribe Called Quest, and Dawn Robinson of En Vogue. After nearly a decade of working in the realm of New Jack Swing, Saadiq's interests gradually gravitated towards the burgeoning musical subgenre of neo-soul. 2002 marked Saadiq's debut as a solo act with the release of Instant Vintage, a record so titled to joke on the fleeting nature of pop culture. It proved to be an album many years ahead of the curve, with its singular focus on organic, instrumentation-driven soul. (With guest appearances from D'Angelo, T-Boz of TLC, Angie Stone, Calvin Richardson, Hi-Tek, and the South Central Chamber Orchestra, among others.) A record that foresaw the arrival of the neo-soul revival, and the mainstream success of nostalgia-mining artists like Amy Winehouse, John Legend, Mark Ronson, and many more. Instant Vintage underperformed commercially upon its release, having the misfortune of being released at a time when pop audiences were more inured with the electro-infused sounds of The Neptunes and Timbaland. In spite of this the record was an absolute marvel to critics, who praised Raphael Saadiq's shimmering sounds, and effortlessly warm reproduction of the classic 70s soul of acts like Curtis Mayfield, merged with a then modern neo-soul sensibility. Heavy praise from the likes of Chicago Sun-Times, The Village Voice, USA Today, and many more. Instant Vintage would also go on to earn a Grammy nomination for Best R&B Album in 2003, and would be ranked as one of the Best R&B Albums of the 00s by Rhapsody. In the nearly two decades since the album's release in 2002, Instant Vintage has never been reissued on vinyl. Get On Down aims to change all that in 2020 with this sterling LP reissue, featuring remastered audio and an intricately re-created sleeve of the original, enigmatic cover art."
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GET 51311LP
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2021 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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GET 52737LP
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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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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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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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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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2LP
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GET 51451LP
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"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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12"
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GET 51314EP
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Limited restock, last copies. "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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2021 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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