Hip Hop

Over the course of her lush, expansive, defiantly sprawling new album, Sometimes I Might Be Introvert, released on Age 101, the Ivor Novello award-winning, Mercury nominated Little Simz delivers an undeniable modern classic, effortlessly condensing any number of disparate styles and genres into music which thrillingly broaches the gap between urgent modern treatise and hip hop.

One of the best hip hop albums ever made. 'Donuts' is accessible without being typical or easily defined: it's hip hop without mcs; electronic music that at times sounds like a 70s soul mixtape; J Dilla doing what he does best - crafting hip hop, soul and electronic music into his own sound.

Madlib wanted to record with Doom. The label found the guy, brought him out to the house in the east Los Angeles hills where they were based at the time. Most of the tracks were written and recorded there, Madlib making beats in a former bomb shelter downstairs, Doom writing on the back porch and recording in a bedroom. 

Late Registration is the second album from Kanye West and is co-produced by Jon Brion - known principally as a soundtrack composer (magnolia, eternal sunshine of the spotless mind). 

Loyle Carner made the esteemed BBC Sound Music of 2016 long list; the annual industry poll tipping a selection of artists destined for big things.

Kendrick Lamar's good kid, m.A.A.d city is fearless and brilliant, an unvarnished and nuanced peek into the rapper's inner life that ties straightforward rap thrills directly to its narrative.

With collaborative side projects with Madlib (Madvillain) and most recently Dangerdoom with Danger Mouse, MM..Food was the super villain's long awaited follow up to Operation: Doomsday.

The dense and complex follow-up to good kid, m.A.A.d city is wry, theatrical, chaotic, ironic, and mournful, often all at once. Credit: Pitchfork

Kanye West’s modestly formed eighth record is a meditation on marriage, mental health, and addiction.

Tyler, the Creator’s sixth album is impressionistic and emotionally charged, the result of an auteur refining his style and baring more of his soul than ever before.

The idea for this album is centred around Cole's childhood. 2014 Forest Hills Drive is the address of his childhood home in Fayetteville, NC - which he bought back this year - coincidentally also in 2014. 

Circles is the sixth and final studio album by Mac Miller. Conceived as a sister album to 2018's full length Swimming, the album was completed with the assistance of Jon Brion, with whom Miller worked on Swimming and had been working together on Circles at the time of his passing.

For most artists who are discovered behind the mixing boards, making the transfer from producer to MC proves a daunting task. Fortunately for Kanye West, his verbal skills more than rise to the challenge of his consistently superior beats.

Following a year that saw the 50th entry in the long-running series released to wide acclaim, DJ-Kicks returns in 2016 another landmark edition. Iconic Detroit DJ and producer Moodymann is at the helm for his first ever multi-artist DJ mix compilation.

All time classic record. DJ Shadow, aka Josh Davis, could be credited with bringing newfound introspection to the gloating sounds of hip-hop.

J Dilla is widely regarded as one of the greatest hip-hop producers of all time, having supplied timeless soundbeds for the likes of A Tribe Called Quest, Slum Village, The Pharcyde, Busta Rhymes, Common, De La Soul, The Roots, D'Angelo, Erykah Babu, Madlib, and many more.

Dive into the deepness that makes Malibu a special time and place, and enjoy. If you're into Kendrick Lamar and Vince Staples, then you'll love this.

If 2021’s Sometimes I Might Be Introvert catapulted Simz into the big leagues, crashing into the top 5 of the albums charts, collecting Mercury Music Prize, Mobo, Ivor Novello and Brit Award wins and earning her the biggest live audiences yet in the UK and Europe yet, NO THANK YOU is yet another delicious left field turn for 29-year old Simbiatu Ajikawo.

The live recording of the 2018 performance from NPR Headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Quality Control is the second studio album from the alternative hip hop group Jurassic 5.

Kenny Beats releases his debut album LOUIE.

An album of Black Thought rhyming over El Michels Affair tracks.

With DJ Drama in tow, Tyler thrives in the realm of the rap mixtape, which allows him great freedom to explore every facet of his talent as a producer, writer, and vocalist. 

Jay-Z made damn good albums before The Blueprint, as well as some afterwards. But The Blueprint remains the album where everything came together. He was able to satisfy his audience, the critics, and the skeptics, while making a timeless album. For this album, he was everything he was supposed to be. Credit: Albumism

Superhero? Supervillain? Super What? Czarface and MF Dooms's newest team-up record Super What? is, much like the Avengers' arch-enemy Thanos...inevitable (and all-powerful!).

Madlib's solo debut LP as Quasimoto, an alter ego of the acclaimed producer. The album was conceived and recorded by Madlib during a week-long psilocybin mushroom binge.

Delicious Vinyl presents this key material from Jay Dee’s output in a never before issued and not to be repeated random coloured vinyl assortment. Shortly after Jay Dee’s younger brother Illa J’s solo debut was issued on Delicious Vinyl, the label and the artist knew the next step in honouring Jay Dee’s legacy was to issue the complete instrumentals from Yancey Boys as a stand-alone release. This mother lode of previously untouched (at the time) beats dates as far back as Jay Dee’s time working on the Pharcyde’s sophomore album, 1995’s Labcabincalifornia. As Delicious Vinyl owner Michael Ross explains, “From ‘95 through ’98 Jay Dee was my go-to guy for hot beats and remixes. He was always making beats, always. So there was a select amount of tracks that he composed for me during that time, tracks as good as anything he’d done, only they never got used.” Once these beats were used for Illa J’s Yancey Boys they were presented to the public on Yancey Boys Instrumentals.

Production on Born Sinner began just a week after the release of Cole’s debut studio album, Cole World: The Sideline Story.

Madvillainy without the raps is still a classic. Double vinyl now with cover sleeve, Madlib taking his place on the cover with a photo of Doom's mask during the making of the album on back

Killer Mike gets recognized for many things - being an Outkast protege, a member of rap powerhouse Run The Jewels, one of Atlanta’s biggest advocates, a Bernie Sanders whisperer, and, perhaps most importantly, a voice of reason in an increasingly insane world. 

Resurrecting the MTV Unplugged program, she has gone before an audience with an acoustic guitar in her hands to sing a new group of songs. But that unadorned approach is only the beginning.

We Got It from Here... Thank You 4 Your Service is the sixth and final studio album by American hip hop group A Tribe Called Quest, released on November 11, 2016, by Epic Records.

Gil Evans to Miles Davis…. Holger Czukay to the ensemble known as Can….Jean Claude Vannier to Serge Gainsbourg on Histoire de Melody Nelson. That’s the only way to explain the specificity of Four Tet and Madlib’s collaboration, in this special album that showcases a two-decade long friendship that has resulted in an album that follows Madlib’s classics like Quasimoto’s The Unseen, Madvillainy and his Pinata and Bandana albums with Freddie Gibbs.

In music, timing is everything. When soon-to-be-renowned Boston hip-hop duo 7L and Esoteric collaborated with the Wu-Tang Clan's Inspectah Deck on the title track to 7LES’s debut EP Speaking Real Words in 1999, the timing was perfect.

Flower Boy highlights how incredibly talented Tyler really is. The beats are always on point, the rhymes are always on point and it's not too long (as we all know hip hop albums can be). Essential.

First time on vinyl, highly sought after by fans and frequently bootlegged.

One of the most original takes on the concept of an album on our shelves.

Stro Elliot (of The Roots) put his spin on 10 James Brown classics. 

Rising from the wreckage of a war torn planet, Czarface joins forces with MF Doom in the epic Czarface Meets Metal Face! Blending Doom's trademark abstractions and Czarface's in-your-face lyrical attack.

After dropping the Anderson .Paak-assisted 'Dang!' and 'We' featuring CeeLo Green, the Pittsburgh rapper releases his fourth album. 

The late, great J Dilla is widely regarded as one of the greatest hiphop producers of all time.

The third and fourth installments of Madlib's Beat Konducta series take listeners on a tour of Bollywood, circa 1975.

Following in the footsteps of his famed brother Madlib, Oh No has become one of the most celebrated independent hip-hop artists of the 21st century. 

When most fans think of Mac Miller, the first thing that comes to mind is his seminal work Best Day Ever, its recognizable artwork, or its most popular track: Donald Trump

Inspired by 1960's and 70's music and taking inspiration from the recording techniques and production of that era, they embrace live instrumentation and zero sampling. 

Filled with jazz solos and politically-charged lyrics, it appers to be a companion piece to Butterfly, rather than a standalone record. All of the tracks are untitled, save for the date they were recorded.

Anchored by the laid-back G-funk anthem 'Regulate,' Warren G's appropriately titled Regulate...G Funk Era embodies the mid-'90s era of Cali sunshine, endless blunts, and switch-hittin' lowriders with a welcome and somewhat surprising sense of kind-heartedness.

The Odd Future gang are back to their old tricks, and this time it's Earl Sweatshirt standing in front of the spotlight.

Butcher Brown Presents Triple Trey Featuring Tennishu and R4ND4ZZO BIGB4ND, deconstructs big band jazz and reshapes it in the band’s eclectic image.

The second collaborative studio album by rapper Freddie Gibbs and record producer Madlib. Entirely produced by Madlib, it is the follow up to their critically acclaimed 2014 album Piñata, and their sixth project as MadGibbs overall.

For 16 years, the third Dr. Dre album was supposed to be The Detox, but that once-mythical, canceled LP was replaced by Compton: A Soundtrack by Dr. Dre, a supposedly final effort that was "inspired" by the N.W.A. biopic Straight Outta Compton

When Ruff Draft saw its initial release in 2003, J Dilla possessed production skills on par with anyone in hip-hop - technically and creatively.

Undisputed UK music icon Dizzee Rascal returns with the electrifying new album Don’t Take It Personal, via Big Dirte3 Records Ltd.

Czarface - Wu-Tang founding MC Inspectah Deck and veteran duo 7L and Esoteric are back with their sophomore album Every Hero Needs A Villain.

Madlib remixed the entire Madvillainy album some four years after its release, just for his own private listening.

The In Sound from Way Out! was originally released in 1996 and the title and cover art concept were borrowed from the Perrey and Kingsley album of the same name. 

The Locket is the coming together of two masters of their craft to create something hopeful in a time of unrest.

The Off-Season is the sixth studio album by American rapper J. Cole. It charted at number 2 in the UK when it was released on May 14, 2021 by Dreamville Records, Roc Nation and Interscope Records. 

Before he started experimenting with left-field hip-hop beats and electronic samples, Steven Ellison, aka Flying Lotus, experienced a moment of enlightenment.

MF Doom's Big Dada project Take Me to Your Leader (as King Geedorah) is a monster-movie concept record, featuring a parade of tracks and samples that conform to the age of Godzilla, Rodan, Mothra, and of course, the mighty King Ghidorah -- a three-headed monster from outer space. 

This is the fourth mixtape by American rapper Mac Miller.

For fans of The Streets, Kano, Ghostpoet, Mos Def, MF DOOM, Aesop Rock, Talib Kweli, Run The Jewels.

The latest full length album from Detroit mainstays Slum Village, F.U.N., has now made its way to vinyl. The 12-track project is their first album in nearly ten years and includes fresh collaborations with Larry June, Cordae, Eric Roberson, Robert Glasper , Karriem Riggins, Abstract Orchestra, Sango, Phat Kat, Daru Jones, Earlly Mac, The Dramatics and more

Denzel Curry's forthcoming King Of The Mischievous South Volume 2 finds him presenting a sequel to the project, and bringing back the sound, that helped launch his career.

Often recognized as one of the most consistent and prolific duos in independent hip-hop, Atmosphere hit a stride of extraordinary output from July 2007 to April 2008, even by their own standards.

The album debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart.

Nas presents his new album King's Disease II via Mass Appeal. 

The follow up to 2014 Forest Hills Drive comes with Cole's signature no features and contains tracks such as Immortal, Neighbors, and She's Mine Pt. 2 to name a few.

MED, Blu and Madlib are pleased to present the special edition instrumental release of their acclaimed Bad Neighbors LP.

The second collaborative studio album by rapper Freddie Gibbs and record producer Madlib. Entirely produced by Madlib, it is the follow up to their critically acclaimed 2014 album Piñata, and their sixth project as MadGibbs overall.

Enigmatic Society is the next offering from the multi-faceted, Grammy-nominated supergroup Dinner Party. 

Standouts include Hercules and Her Love featuring Daniel Caesar, special guest Dwele, and an unreleased beat from J Dilla.

Fly Anakin's debut studio album Frank draws influence from the classic R&B and Soul his dad played him as a child, showcasing a gift for songwriting alongside the breathless raps he’s become known for. 

J Coles surprise release new album KOD. The title has three meanings, “Kids On Drugs,” “King Overdosed,” and “Killing Our Demons,” and Cole’s artwork seems to reflect that with themes around royalty, children, substance abuse, and death. 

Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath of God marks Rhymes' return with his star-studded follow up to the seminal 1998 three-time Grammy nominated, RIAA Certified Platinum album E.L.E. (Extinction Level Event): The Final World Front.

Dinner Party is the super-group of Terrace Martin, Robert Glasper, 9th Wonder, and Kamasi Washington, a collection of some of Hip-Hop’s finest current producers and contributors. 

After releasing several 12-inches and EP’s on his own Riddim & Culture label since 2010 and having his tracks featured on Big Dada and Ministry of Sound compilations, Dutch bass-music artist Gumnaam returns this year with his nine track debut album.

"Through Time and Space", as the title implies, reveals an awareness and knowledge of hip-hop history, and is another chapter ahead in this ever-changing and captivating continuum.

Multi-GRAMMY award winning virtuoso bassist & singer Thundercat releases a very special deluxe edition of his album “Apocalypse” on March 1st celebrating ten years since its original release in 2013.

Collective from the south of France, the Chinese Man trio (composed of High Ku, Matteo & Sly) has been performing independently since their debut under their own label Chinese Man Records.

Los Angeles artist Open Mike Eagle's "A Special Episode Of" takes on social pressures and emotional expectations in creative, entertaining, and relatable way

2024 is the 30th Anniversary of Various Artists "Murder Was The Case".

With her debut album, All Hail The Queen, Queen Latifah asserted that women would not be hip-hop novelties and established herself as one of the genres most influential artists.

The turntables-drums extravaganza trio is back with something that might be their first proper album! 

Packaged in a gatefold jacket with printed fold out lyrics sheet. Originally released in the fall of 1993 Return of the Boom Bap is KRS-One's first official solo album.

Vinyl release of Mac Miller's 2012 mixtape Macadelic on double black vinyl featuring an embossed cover and colour insert.

Tha God Fahim has earned his spot at the forefront of hip-hop’s modern underground movement, crafting immersive musical experiences rooted in raw instrumentation and elevated by razor-sharp lyricism.

Ghost Pop Tape is a 23-song mixtape from the Baltimore-based renowned artist JPEGMAFIA. 

The release teams up Mike Patton, the legendary frontman for Faith No More, Mr. Bungle, Tomahawk and countless others, with one of the most respected DJ crews in all of hip-hop, The X-Ecutioners.

Shades of Yesterday is a brand new covers record from 2 x Grammy Award-nominated producer, musician and songwriter, DJ Harrison.

The splendor of Seoul's nightlife is vividly evoked on Bounce. But this is, thankfully, not the Seoul that some Western listeners might expect to find. 

Pete Rock is widely recognised as one of the greatest hip hop producers of all time. His name is oft included in the pantheon of the greatest, alongside DJ Premier, RZA and J Dilla.

Cali rap heavyweights LMNO, MED, and Declaime have joined forces to spit blunted tales, make wack emcees tremble, and showcase their lyrical gifts as the group LMD.

After more than 30 albums composed and produced, 150 collaborations and remixes, 5,000 clubs and festivals and 5 million records sold, DJ Cam is finally releasing his first ‘best of’.

Before The Verdict, an action-adventure psycho-thriller in the form of a full-length rap album. 

 Madlib Invazion with a vinyl reissue of the long out of print 11th issue on the Madlib Medicine Show series - Low Budget High-Fi Music. 

Kofi Flexxx is the latest addition to Native Rebel's vibrant roster, proudly joining Chelsea Carmichael, The Brother Moves On, CoN and KwAkE and the recently reissued 10th anniversary edition of Sons Of Kemet Burn.

Talk of Liberation first began to circulate after Talib Kweli posted a short but significant blog on myspace in September 2006 along with the track 'Funny Money'. 

Tyler, the Creator, is a founding member of Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All (ofwgkta), a 10-person hip hop collective.

Kakusei (覚醒) is the fifth solo studio album by Japanese hip hop producer DJ Krush, originally released in 1998.

Odd Holiday are purveyors of a rare breed of hip hop, both anchored in golden-era lyrical dexterousness and aligned to the contemporary movement of minimal soulful production.

Cole World: The Sideline Story is the debut studio album by rapper J. Cole.

The album showcases the trademark instrumental prowess of the duo and their ease with the loose but hard-hitting drum style brought to the fore by Jay Dee's influential productions, but goes well beyond basic boom bap bread and butter, with singer-centered R&B and uptempo bumps sharing the stage

GO:OD AM is the third studio album from Pittsburgh native Mac Miller.

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. and 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.

Thirty years after its original release, Main Source's debut album Breaking Atoms has lost none of its capacity to surprise or delight.

Carefully weaving Bey's tangled raps and Gaye's soulful vocals over his new arrangements, the producer delivers a quality much closer to an authentic collaboration than a lukewarm "mashup" album.

From the first notes of King Comfy, Tim Carman Trio play jazz like it was supposed to be played: hot, sweaty, and a damn good time. 

Daniel Denton, better known by his stage name Moka Only, is a rapper, producer, and singer, based in Vancouver, British Columbia. 

Breakbeat Paradise Recordings has teamed up with hip-hop legend Paul Sitter who has gather some of dopest MCs on the planet to feature on the epic LP: Hip-Hip Delivery.

U Wasn’t There the long-fabled collaborative project between superstar DJ / producer / Fool’s Gold founder A-Trak and New York trendsetter / lyricist / cultural icon Cam’ron—drops via Empire.

What It Means To Be King is the first posthumous album from late Chicago legend, King Von. 

Before Madvillain, before Yesterday’s New Quintet and before Quasimoto or any other of his several alter egos, Madlib perfected his craft as an MC/producer in the Lootpack.

In 1991, with the help of Ice Cube (also as executive producer) , Del released his debut solo album, I Wish My Brother George Was Here, at the age of 18. The album was a commercial success largely due to the popularity of the hit single, "Mistadobalina". The title I Wish My Brother George Was Here is a reference to George Clinton, whose music was an influence on Del, as well as to the late pianist Liberace who would on occasion openly pine for his brother George to appear on Liberace's television program in the mid-50s.

This genre-bending album takes the listener on a sonic journey through moments of gritty hip hop as well as lush soul/R&B soundscapes, also providing a glimpse into modern jazz.

Born and raised in South London, Hector Plimmer is a multi-faceted producer, composer and DJ whose sound is drenched in tribal rhythms and beautifully crafted bass. Influenced by beat-makers like Flying Lotus and Theo Parrish, but with the subtleties of the classic Metalheadz era drum and bass, his second album 'Next To Nothing' is released on 25th October 2019. The album features guests Ego Ella May, Emma-Jean Thackray, Pie Eye Collective, Alexa Harley; and Andrew Ashong who guests on new single ‘Somebody Else’.

Madlib’s All New Jazz Project. The Jahari Massamba Unit features Madlib on all instrumentation with the exception of drums, which are laid down by Karriem Riggins.

For 26-year-old Steve Ellison's deservedly hyped third album, Flying Lotus loosened the reins and set out to make Cosmogramma, which his label, Warp, promoted as a space opera of sorts.

In the Noughties, the label was approached with some incredible music by the super talented Mixmonster and Schoolmaster, founding members of the Israeli jazz funk band 'The Apples'. Produced under their 'Radio Trip' moniker, the album was a glorious cut & paste journey into sound, with overtones of musique concrete, brought to life by their fascination with vinyl culture, turntablism and sampling.