Hip Hop 9536 Items

Limited edition of 750 copies on black vinyl with printed innersleeves and bonus 7" ("Dirty Cop Named Harry" b/w "Hands Of A Stranger").

Originally known as 3'Da Hard Way, the Hard Knocks dropped their only full-length release, "School Of Hard Knocks" in 1992. Comprised of MC Hardhead and DJ Stoneface, the duo's debut is a critical reflection of our society that stands the test of time.

Available in a limited run on black vinyl 2LP+7", CD in jewel case and cassette.

The incredible follow-up to an magnificent predecessor. Now on vinyl. This is the HHV exclusive limited to 500 copies worldwide.

Limited edition of 750 copies on black vinyl in gatefold sleeve incl. bonus 7" ("Out Ta Flip" b/w "Buggin'").

The Street Poets project consisted of several cats from the Boston, MA, area. The production was handled by Underground Productions and DIF Productions, who also appeared on the microphone along MC's Polecat and Punch Spiked W/ Poison. The one and only album dropped on their own imprint DBK Records in 1995. Next to three accompanying 12" singles, the full album was only available on CD and cassette so far - until now!

Available in a limited run on black vinyl 2LP+7", CD in jewel case and cassette.

Limited to 500 copies!

Imagine if you could put together a dream line-up of MCs and producers from all four corners of the rap world? That’s what artist and illustrator Gangster Doodles set out to do when he put together a stellar collection of tracks by the rappers and talent that inspire his work.

The all-star line-up features everyone from hotly-tipped emerging producers like Eets, Caleb Stone, Maze Mountain and LoVibe next to underground perennials like Onra, Mndsgn and Jon Wayne all the way up to top flight producer Kaytranada and established rap vets like Madlib, Oh No, Blu and Defari.

This second collaboration between All City Records and Gangster Doodles is a jam-packed sonic adventure featuring 27 killer tracks from some of the finest creators out there. Doodles had the idea for a comp two years ago. Hyped after partnering with All City for Knxwledge’s "Wraptaypes" project back in 2015, they initially set out to put together an EP but as the tracks kept coming in it exploded into the sprawling double LP of low-slung grooves and bangers from the best in the business.

With everyone on the record being a friend or friend of a friend, the comp just kept growing as GD went to work with the hustle he has learned from penning his post-it sketches day in day out for the last decade. Word spread fast and soon he was being sent beats from all over, even reaching behind the prison walls of Bergen County Jail, New Jersey and securing a track from former Dipset affiliate Max B.

The last few years have been busy for Marlon "Gangster Doodles" Sassy. He released his acclaimed Gangster Doodles (The Book) alongside an ever-expanding array of prints, original works, apparel and exhibitions across the globe. Topping that off with animation projects, a graphic novel in the works and now, with this LP titled " Gang$ter Music Vol 1", he is about to debut his first ever music compilation. He says himself: “Every time a new track came in it was like running down the stairs on Christmas morning to open a present. What started as a slow trickle of work coming in soon turned into a tsunami with some of my heroes like Onra, House Shoes, Blu, Jeremiah Jae joining up with young guns Kojaque, Kean Kavanagh, Dream Panther and others to beef up the record”

“When an email pinged through with a track from brothers Oh No and Madlib it felt like the final gift and Gang$ter Music Vol. 1 was complete.”

R.I.P. Trugoy the Dove

Bringing a sound and energy unlike any other, De La Soul quickly became one of the most revered, game-changing artists in hip-hop and forever cemented their legacy in the hearts and minds of fans around the world. Despite their rapid success and recognition, De La Soul continued to prove themselves as one of the most original, authentic and creative groups in hip-hop, following on May 14, 1991 with the release of their sophomore album, De La Soul is Dead. Featuring, once again, the production of visionary producer Prince Paul, their second album further fanned the flames; landing on charts around the world. “A Roller Skating Jam Named Saturdays,” “Ring, Ring, Ring (Ha Ha Hey)” and “Keepin’ the Faith” have become certified classics in the De La Soul catalog.

R.I.P. Trugoy the Dove

Finally back on vinyl. Now as a double vinyl LP, officially reissued. Must have! 3 Feet High and Rising is the debut studio album by hip hop trio De La Soul and was released on March 3, 1989 It marked the first of three full- length collaborations with producer Prince Paul, which would become the critical and commercial peak of both parties. Critically, as well as commercially, the album was a success. It contains the singles, "Me Myself and I", "The Magic Number", "Buddy", and "Eye Know". The album title came from the Johnny Cash song "Five Feet High and Rising". It is listed on Rolling Stone's 200 Essential Rock Records and The Source's 100 Best Rap Albums. When Village Voice held its annual Pazz & Jop Critics Poll for 1989, 3 Feet High and Rising was ranked #1. It was also listed on the Rolling Stone's The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. Released amid the 1989 boom in gangsta rap, which gravitated towards hardcore, confrontational, violent lyrics, De La Soul's uniquely positive style made them an oddity beginning with the first single, "Me, Myself and I". Their positivity meant many observers labeled them a 'hippie' group, based on their declaration of the 'D.A.I.S.Y. Age' (Da. Inner. Soul. Yall). Sampling artists as diverse as Hall & Oates, Steely Dan and The Turtles, 3 Feet High and Rising is often viewed as the stylistic beginning of 1990s alternative hip hop (and especially jazz rap).

Limited to 1000 copies, only available at HHV! Includes 60 x 60 cm poster of the album artwork! The poster is only available at HHV!

When Leon Michels and El Michels Affair released their first record, Sounding Out The City, in 2005, it was hard to guess what was next for Michels and his then-introduced, now-patented "cinematic soul" sound. Now, four EMA studio albums and scores of tribute and remix projects later - all while producing for some of the biggest names in the industry - Michels has trademarked his sound, with each project taking audiences somewhere new and pushing the boundaries of what he is known for. The man is a river, not a lake and this time he takes his golden touch into the realm of hip-hop laying down a musical bed for one of the greatest to ever rhyme into a microphone: Black Thought of The Roots crew. Releasing on Big Crown Records, the LP is called Glorious Game, and it is a remarkable debut partnership in more ways than one. Michels provides his bottom-heavy, soul-tinged production for Black Thought who gives us some of the more personal and transparent verses we've ever heard from him. Michels and Black Thought have been in each other's orbit for a while now. The two first met in the 2000s when Thought was first getting familiar with the contemporary soul scene. "Out of that whole world, Menahan Street Band was probably my favorite," recalling the funk and soul group Michels was a founding member of back in 2007. Fast forward a few years and musicians from that collective - Dave Guy on trumpet and Ian Hendrickson-Smith on sax - are now full time players with The Roots. This connection eventually led Leon and Thought to doing a few fundraising events around NYC and Philly together. "Before long, Black Thought was coming around the studio and would jam with us from time to time," Michels explains. "Then, fast forward to 2020 and Covid lockdowns, he just hit me up out of the blue, wanting me to send him stuff to write to. We both were looking to stay busy." Being that, Black Thought is the co-founder and emcee for, hands down, the best live-band group in hip-hop. Michels took a decidedly different approach to this project and instead of sending recorded tracks of live compositions, he pulled out the sampler and sampled himself and some records from his collection. "I'm a big fan of soul music," as if Michels has to remind us. "And part of hip-hop's appeal to me has always been the sample-based production" For Glorious Game, Michels would make wholly composed and recorded soul songs in his studio, sample himself, then chop and/or loop up his sounds and create instrumentals for Black Thought. On some tracks he took a more traditional hip-hop approach, starting from samples of other people's music but then adding live instrumentation on top. But for the most part, it's him reinterpreting his own compositions into something new. The result is an organic feel of loop-based tracks that breathe and uctuate enough for Black Thought to ex on. "What I write about is determined by the equation of the producer's energy and my energy," Black Thought says. "It's about where we meet." So, armed with Michels sampled and re-sampled soul cinematics, Black Thought rhymes through personal memories.

R.I.P. Trugoy the Dove

Finally, back on vinyl. Now as a double vinyl LP, officially reissued. This is the yellow indie exclusive vinyl edition. Must have!

3 Feet High and Rising is the debut studio album by hip hop trio De La Soul and was released on March 3, 1989. It marked the first of three full-length collaborations with producer Prince Paul, which would become the critical and commercial peak of both parties. Critically, as well as commercially, the album was a success. It contains the singles, "Me, Myself and I", "The Magic Number", "Buddy", and "Eye Know". The album title came from the Johnny Cash song "Five Feet High and Rising". It is listed on Rolling Stone's 200 Essential Rock Records and The Source's 100 Best Rap Albums. When Village Voice held its annual Pazz & Jop Critics Poll in 1989, 3 Feet High and Rising was ranked #1. It was also listed on the Rolling Stone's The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. Released amid the 1989 boom in gangsta rap, which gravitated towards hardcore, confrontational, violent lyrics, De La Soul's uniquely positive style made them an oddity beginning with the first single, "Me, Myself and I". Their positivity meant many observers labeled them a 'hippie' group, based on their declaration of the 'D.A.I.S.Y. Age' (Da. Inner. Soul. Yall). Sampling artists as diverse as Hall & Oates, Steely Dan and The Turtles, 3 Feet High and Rising is often viewed as the stylistic beginning of 1990s alternative hip hop (and especially jazz rap).

R.I.P. Trugoy the Dove

Finally back on vinyl. Now as a double vinyl LP, officially reissued. Must have! 3 Feet High and Rising is the debut studio album by hip hop trio De La Soul and was released on March 3, 1989 It marked the first of three full- length collaborations with producer Prince Paul, which would become the critical and commercial peak of both parties. Critically, as well as commercially, the album was a success. It contains the singles, "Me Myself and I", "The Magic Number", "Buddy", and "Eye Know". The album title came from the Johnny Cash song "Five Feet High and Rising". It is listed on Rolling Stone's 200 Essential Rock Records and The Source's 100 Best Rap Albums. When Village Voice held its annual Pazz & Jop Critics Poll for 1989, 3 Feet High and Rising was ranked #1. It was also listed on the Rolling Stone's The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. Released amid the 1989 boom in gangsta rap, which gravitated towards hardcore, confrontational, violent lyrics, De La Soul's uniquely positive style made them an oddity beginning with the first single, "Me, Myself and I". Their positivity meant many observers labeled them a 'hippie' group, based on their declaration of the 'D.A.I.S.Y. Age' (Da. Inner. Soul. Yall). Sampling artists as diverse as Hall & Oates, Steely Dan and The Turtles, 3 Feet High and Rising is often viewed as the stylistic beginning of 1990s alternative hip hop (and especially jazz rap).

Deichkind and HHV once again go into the next round and offer you this album in a special edition limited to 2000 pieces in müritz blue. Deichkind's new single "In Der Natur" is the first harbinger of the eighth album called "Neues vom Dauerzustand", which will be released in spring 2023.

The band around Sebastian Dürre aka Porky, Henning Besser aka La Perla as well as Philipp Grütering aka Kryptik Joe had started working on the new album during the pandemic and the general mood and atmosphere of that early pandemic phase has inscribed itself quite automatically into lyrics and music of the new songs. So Deichkind are back - at exactly the right time.

The first single release from the album, the ambiguous song "In Der Natur", combines cryptic yodeling art with abstract criticism of civilization and shows: Deichkind's social criticism works so well because it doesn't come from the bleachers and certainly not from the ivory tower. Deichkind always mean themselves, too, when they mock the impositions of the present - and in the process, as if in passing, dress up even the supposedly most unwieldy topics in potential hits that you want to sing along to right away.

Deichkind are getting better and better, more precise, more biting. So it's good that it's finally starting again. With the eighth Deichkind album and a tour in summer 2023.

Stakes is High is the 4th studio album by De La Soul, released on July 2, 1996. Stakes is High was critically lauded for its music, lyricism, and its overall message concerning the artistic decline rap music began to face in the mid-90s. The title track and first single was produced by J Dilla and the album's second single, "Itzsoweezee (HOT)", with only Dave on vocals, was accompanied by a creative music video. The album spawned a third single "4 More", featuring Zhane. The album did provide a launching pad for future star rapper and actor Mos Def, who appeared on the track "Big Brother Beat" and Common who is featured on "The Bizness".

Limited to 500 copies!

Imagine if you could put together a dream line-up of MCs and producers from all four corners of the rap world? That’s what artist and illustrator Gangster Doodles set out to do with the first Gangster Music comp back in 2018. This second volume follows the first with an all-star line-up which features everyone from hotly-tipped emerging Producers and MCs like Ovrkast, Shungu, Woodie Smalls, Big Baby Scumbag next to underground perennials like Teebs, Ohbliv and Knxwlege all the way up to top flight producer Dam Funk and established vets like M.E.D, Black Milk, Lil B and Open Mike Eagle.

Limited to 1500 copies. A one-time pressing with this cover. In celebration of the 20th anniversary of Non Phixion’s seminal LP, The Future Is Now, Uncle Howie Records is pleased to announce the release of a special anniversary edition reissue.

Comprised of group members ILL Bill, Lord Goat (f/k/a Goretex), Sabac Red and DJ Eclipse, The Future Is Now remains the group’s sole full length effort, garnering much acclaim among both critics and fans alike. Considered by many as an underground classic, Tfin boasts a production dream team that includes DJ Premier, Pete Rock and Large Professor, who had yet to appear credited together on the same album since the release of Nas’ Illmatic. Additional producers tapped include JuJu of The Beatnuts, Dave 1 of Chromeo, T-Ray and Necro. The album features guest appearances from MF Doom, Necro, The Beatnuts, Al Tariq, Marly Metal, Moonshine, Stephen Carpenter of Deftones, and Christian Olde Wolbers and Raymond Herrera of Fear Factory. The album's cover art was created by Mear One, and the logo is a tribute to Canadian metal band Voivod, and was created by Voivod’s own, Away.

The album includes the singles "Black Helicopters,” "Drug Music" b/w "If You Got Love" and "Rock Stars" b/w "The C.I.A. is Trying to Kill Me.”

The 20th anniversary edition of The Future Is Now is set for release on March 24th via Uncle Howie Records in partnership with Fat Beats Distribution.

The album boasts a never before revealed, updated version of the album cover designed by revered illustrator, Mear One.

The 2xlp is pressed on orchid colored discs and are contained within full color sleeves abound with liner notes.

Benny The Butcher blazed a trail as an elite voice in rap’s underground to become a top artist in all of music. The prolific Buffalo, New Yorker has established two legendary (and concurrent) album series, broken bread with industry leaders, and twice reached the Billboard Top 40 albums chart as an independent. Now Benny sets the table for a definitive 2022. Soon, he will unveil his highly-anticipated Tana Talk 4. By 2004, Benny combined these experiences to launch the Tana Talk series while on house arrest. As TT3 promised, Benny delivered two volumes of The Plugs I Met, in 2019 and 2021, on his Black Soprano Family imprint. In between, Benny inked with Roc Nation management and made songs with Drake, Lil Wayne, Black Thought, and Freddie Gibbs. He also partnered with Grammy-winning producer Hit-Boy to flaunt his range on 2020’s acclaimed Burden Of Proof. If the third installment of Tana Talk made Benny a formidable presence in Rap, Volume 4 propels him to stardom. Debut single “Johnny P’s Caddy” partners The Butcher with J. Cole over The Alchemist production. Al’ and Daringer handle the album’s music, just as they seamlessly did on TT3. Conway, Westside Gunn, 38 Spesh and more guest on TT4, as does Stove God Cooks. Benny’s skills and authenticity have cemented his place in the game. However, in a career defined by will and perseverance, The Butcher’s blade keeps getting sharper.

Despite an excellent debut album, "Naughty By Nature" was pegged as a one-hit wonder by some, after all, they'd never duplicate the inescapably catchy "O.P.P.". But when 19 Naughty III was released on February 23, 1993 with the lead single "Hip Hop Hooray, " the group proved that they could recreate that magic. Celebrating it's 30th Anniversary this year, the album has been certified platinum and "Hip Hop Hooray" has become a hip hop anthem. The single was #1 on the charts, earning the band their second Top 10 hit, with the video directed by Spike Lee, featuring appearances from Tupac Shakur, Run-DMC and more. The album also contains the hits "Written on Ya Kitten" and "It's On" and has guest appearances from Heavy D and Queen Latifah. Production was handled entirely by group member KayGee, who has one foot in the clubs and the other one on the street corner, and that's true of the group as a whole.

Limited to 500 copies on orange vinyl.

After releasing his first beat & instrumental album “Alltimers” in 2020, Berlin based multi-talent V.Raeter is back and kicking off the champagne for his upcoming sophomore LP “Sunday on a Monday” – this time released via Kabul Fire Records, also known as the nourishing home of high class instrumental releases in proud HipHop fashion. Sunday on a Monday is a sample based instrumental gem that pays tribute to the laid-back atmosphere of late summer days.

It might blow up, but it won't go pop!

De La Soul’s third studio release, Buhloone Mindstate, released on September 21, 1993, saw the group evolve into a new sound as they continued to grow stylistically and musically. There were several moments on the album which proved the band had matured. "I Be Blowin'" was a departure as the track was an instrumental featuring saxophone playing by Maceo Parker. The introspective "I Am I Be" showed De La Soul at their most self-referential to date. "Long Island Wildin'" was a collaboration with Japanese hip hop artists Kan Takagi (Major Force) and trio Scha Dara Parr (sdp). The album's first single, "Breakadawn", used a sample of Michael Jackson's "I Can't Help It" and Smokey Robinson's "Quiet Storm". De La Soul collaborated for the first time with Gang Starr's Guru on "Patti Dooke", and female MC Shortie No Mas who was prominent on many tracks on the album and showcased particularly on "In The Woods". The album ended with an old school Biz Markie collaboration called "Stone Age".

UGLY is slowthai pulling himself apart and exposing his anxieties of the last couple of years, an acronym for U Gotta Love Yourself.

This new album may show a side that people haven’t heard before but he sees it as the fullest picture yet. Recorded in producer Dan Carey’s studio alongside ​​frequent collaborator Kwes Darko,

UGLY is a combination of musicians including Jockstrap’s Taylor Skye, Beabadoobee guitarist Jacob Bugden, and on the woozy title track, his friends Fontaines D.C.

The second (and final) album from Fugees, originally released in February 1996. A 13 song double album, reissued on limited gold/orange mix vinyl.

R.I.P. MF DOOM

2022 Repress! Packaged In A Wrapped Tip-On Gatefold Jacket With Green & Pink Colored Double Vinyl. Includes A Free Digital Download Card. Re-Pressed With Masters Previously Used For Mm..Food.In 1998 Zev Love X Of The Seminal Rap Group Kmd Re-Emerged As A Masked Super Villain Known As Mf Doom. The Following Year He Released The Ground Breaking Independent Classic Operation: Doomsday. Doom Only Added To The Mystery By Creating Multiple Aliases (King Geedorah, Viktor Vaughn, Etc.) And Took A No Holds Barred Approach To His Musical Career. With Collaborative Side Projects With Madlib (Madvillain) And Dangerdoom With Danger Mouse, Mm..Food Marked The Super Villain's Long Awaited Follow Up To Operation: Doomsday.

DOOM's most recent solo album, featuring guests including Ghostface, Raekwon, Bumpy Knuckles and Charles Bukowski with beats from J Dilla, Jake One, Madlib and the supervillain himself.

The limited edition vinyl repress is a deluxe double LP with embossed / debossed, spot-glossed, foil-blocked sleeve.

Limited edition of 300 copies on CD in jewel case.

The Street Poets project consisted of several cats from the Boston, MA, area. The production was handled by Underground Productions and DIF Productions, who also appeared on the microphone along MC's Polecat and Punch Spiked W/ Poison. The one and only album dropped on their own imprint DBK Records in 1995. Next to three accompanying 12" singles, the full album was only available on CD and cassette so far - until now!

Available in a limited run on black vinyl 2LP+7", CD in jewel case and cassette.

Anxiously awaited, cinematic album.. The follow-up to his 2018 full-length debut, NOT ALL HEROES WEAR CAPES, it includes features from John Legend, Future, Chris Brown, Don Toliver, Travis Scott, 21 Savage, Young Thug, A$AP Rocky, Gunna, and the late Takeoff.

HHV is thrilled to offer you this yellow vinyl edition limited to 500 copies exclusively worldwide. In addition to the LP you will get a 7"-felxi disc.

The Grammy-nominated US American began rapping in 2004 and released free mixtapes on the Internet. His musical role models and inspirations include rap greats such as Tupac Shakur and Scarface. On September 30, 2022, the gangsta rapper then released his major label debut album "$oul $old $eparately", followed on 10/28 by the bonus edition of the record. Two weeks after its release, the album already counted more than 40 million global streams and reached No. 11 on the Billboard 200 and entered the Top 3 of the U.S. rap charts.

This version of this all-time classic album is clear with yellow and purple splatters. For the countries Germany, Austria and Switzerland this album is distributed by Universal to HHV exclusively.

The incredible follow-up to an magnificent predecessor. Now on vinyl. This is the indie exclusive variant.

RESSED 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 2020. This deluxe pacakge was remastered from its original audio and pressed on colored vinyl!

It's all over the news right now, Dr. Dre finally got all the rights back and now we can all relax and get The Chronic on vinyl, CD and even on streaming platforms if there is no turntable nearby.

Now coming via Interscope who bought the physical distribution rights we are happy to get fresh copies of CDs and vinyl for you. Pressed on double vinyl, black and 180g.

The blueprint of early 90s Westcoast Gangsta Rap. If you say you like Gangsta Rap and you don't own a copy, there is no excuse for that.

Limited edition of 500 copies on black vinyl incl. bonus 7" ("Hip Hop Drunkies Feat. Ol' Dirty Bastad" b/w "Feel The Real").

The third album "Likwidation" of Tha Liks originally dropped in 1997. Similar to the classic 1995 release "Coast II Coast", the album showcased a heavy line-up of guests behind the mic and boards such as Madlib & Lootpack, Ol' Dirty Bastard, King Tee, Keith Murray, Easy Mo Bee, Nas, LL Cool J and more. The classic westcoast style fused with eastcoast sounds made the crew darlings on all coasts and between.

Just over 25 years ago Common released his third studio album, One Day It'll All Make Sense, with production handled mostly by fellow Chicago native and previous collbaorator No I.D. Out of print on vinyl for the past 15 years, Get On Down is proud to present this ressiue pressed on double caramel swirl colored vinyl with a commemorative 25 Year Anniversary Numbered OBI.

The incredible follow-up to an magnificent predecessor. Now on vinyl. This is the regular white edition.

The vinyl edition is limited to 300 copies and comes in a cardboard sleeve.

Give it up for Cologne's talented producer Midan who is dropping his "Lost & Found" project, a sweet collection of tracks deeply rooted in Jazz in all its variations. 15 tracks in total, incl. a guest feature by Flitz&Suppe.

Available on vinyl and all digital platforms.

HHV exclusive vinyl edition on clear with smoke vinyl - limited to 200 copies

Limited to 500 copies.

Benny The Butcher blazed a trail as an elite voice in rap’s underground to become a top artist in all of music. The prolific Buffalo, New Yorker has established two legendary (and concurrent) album series, broken bread with industry leaders, and twice reached the Billboard Top 40 albums chart as an independent. Now Benny sets the table for a definitive 2022. Soon, he will unveil his highly-anticipated Tana Talk 4. By 2004, Benny combined these experiences to launch the Tana Talk series while on house arrest. As TT3 promised, Benny delivered two volumes of The Plugs I Met, in 2019 and 2021, on his Black Soprano Family imprint. In between, Benny inked with Roc Nation management and made songs with Drake, Lil Wayne, Black Thought, and Freddie Gibbs. He also partnered with Grammy-winning producer Hit-Boy to flaunt his range on 2020’s acclaimed Burden Of Proof. If the third installment of Tana Talk made Benny a formidable presence in Rap, Volume 4 propels him to stardom. Debut single “Johnny P’s Caddy” partners The Butcher with J. Cole over The Alchemist production. Al’ and Daringer handle the album’s music, just as they seamlessly did on TT3. Conway, Westside Gunn, 38 Spesh and more guest on TT4, as does Stove God Cooks. Benny’s skills and authenticity have cemented his place in the game. However, in a career defined by will and perseverance, The Butcher’s blade keeps getting sharper.

HHV Exclusive, limited to 500 copies.

Masta Ace joins forces with the metal faced MF Doom for Son of Yvonne, a highly personal concept album that celebrates the life and legacy of Ace’s recently departed Mother. Like his 2004 landmark Disposable Arts, Son of Yvonne is meticulously constructed with stories, settings, and characters that resonate with flesh and bone humanity. Interstitial vignettes provide a thematic backbone to the experience, and each track complements and completes the previous to form a narrative whole: a sometimes visceral, sometimes nostalgic slice of Ace’s young life in Brownsville, Brooklyn.

Entirely underscored by MF Doom’s iconic Special Herbs instrumentals, Son of Yvonne features the Juice Crew general Big Daddy Kane, newcomers Pav Bundy (The Bundies), Reggie B and even MF Doom on the mic. It’s Masta Ace’s no frills flow, however, that looms largest above the dusty samples and digger loops that define Doom’s production. Ace’s photo-realistic rhymes about stick-up kids, spraycan artists and wack emcees add extra gravity to his already celebrated reputation as “truly an under-appreciated rap veteran and underground luminary” (Allmusic Guide). Like Eminem recalls in his 2008 autobiography The Way I Am, “Masta Ace had amazing storytelling skills. His thoughts were so vivid.”

Limited to 3000 silver colored copies for Germany, Switzerland and Austria. In this region only available at HHV.

20th Anniversary reissue of El-Ps debut he released to critical acclaim after Company Flow split up. Now famous for his work with Killer Mike for Run The Jewels. This HHV exclusive edition is limited to 500 copies.

Debuted #198 on Billboard Top 200 in its original release
8.9 review on Pitchfork
Ranked #11 top album of 2002
#21 hip-hop album of all time by Fact Magazine

Fantastic Damage marked the beginning of El-P’s career as a solo artist, following a groundbreaking career as frontman and producer of legendary NYC underground hip hop crew, Company Flow. Fan Dam was a foundational release for his fledgling record label. Definitive Jux, which would soon establish itself as an iconic juggernaut of independent rap in the wake of trailblazing solo records by El-P and label mates Aesop Rock, Cannibal Ox, RJD2, Murs, and more. The template El-P established on Fantastic Damage - a singular aesthetic pairing futuristic, post B-Boy production style with insightful, provocative & often prescient subject matter - was met with accolades across the media landscape, including Rolling Stone, Entertainment Weekly, Pitchfork, NME, VIBE, and SPIN among many others. The impact and influence of Fantastic Damage established it as one of the most important independent releases of its era, and charted a course to be followed by generations of artists in its wake. The album has been widely unavailable since El-P put Def Jux on hiatus in 2010, making it ripe for rediscovery in the new music ecosystem due to El-P’s monumental success with Run The Jewels.

Limited edition of 500 copies on black vinyl incl. bonus 7" ("The Next Level" b/w "The Next Level Remix").

The sophomore album "Coast II Coast" of Tha Liks originally dropped in 1995 with a massive line-up of guests behind the mic and boards such as Q-Tip (A Tribe Called Quest), Madlib & The Lootpack, Declaime, Diamond D (D.I.T.C.), Xzibit, King Tee and more. The classic westcoast style fused with eastcoast sounds made the crew darlings on all coasts and between.

For the first time on vinyl, this 2009 Wu-Tang compilation features mainly RZA tracks.

Critically acclaimed debut album, originally released by Loud Records in November 1993. A 12 track reissue on single yellow Colored Vinyl!

For the first time on vinyl. This compilation has been released on CD in 2011 and features tracks from Ghostface, Raekwon, Method Man, U-God and others.

Limited edition of 100 copies on cassette.

The Street Poets project consisted of several cats from the Boston, MA, area. The production was handled by Underground Productions and DIF Productions, who also appeared on the microphone along MC's Polecat and Punch Spiked W/ Poison. The one and only album dropped on their own imprint DBK Records in 1995. Next to three accompanying 12" singles, the full album was only available on CD and cassette so far - until now!

Available in a limited run on black vinyl 2LP+7", CD in jewel case and cassette.

HHV is happy to be able to offer you this National Album Day UK 2022 eelease of a all-time favorite. 'Illmatic' is the debut studio album by American rapper Nas. Originally released in April 1994. Often cited as one of the best hip hop albums of the 90 s,s,' is the undisputed classic upon which Nas' reputation rests. It helped spearhead the artistic renaissance of New York hip hop in the post Chronic era, leading a return to street aesthetics Hip hop fans accustomed to 73 minute opuses sometimes complain about Illmatic''s brevity, but even if it leaves you wanting more, it's also one of the few 90 s rap albums with absolutely no wasted space ..' reveals a great lyricist in top form meeting great production, and it remains a perennial favourite among serious hip hop fans. Pressed on Transparent Red Marbled LP Vinyl for NAD '22.

“Introvert” is an expansive piece of music that begins with a mighty orchestral fanfare and doesn’t let up as Simz peels off bars that grapple with fear, frustration, and possibility on both a personal and more universal level. “My speech ain’t involuntary,” Simz raps, “Project with intention straight from my lungs/I’m a black woman and I’m proud one/We walk in blind faith not knowing the outcome/But as long as we unified then we’ve already won.”

Sometimes I Might Be Introvert follows Little Simz’s 2019 album, Grey Area. Simz produced the album with her regular collaborator Inflo, and it will feature guest appearances from Cleo Sol, Obongjayar, and even The Crown star Emma Corrin.

Hip Hop 50, Vol 1 (5 x 45 Vinyl Set)

Produced by DJ Premier

Includes vocal & instrumental versions of all tracks on 5 different color 7" singles in custom jackets packaged together in a slipcase.

Apart from the overall trend in the contemporary music industry, the second collection album on the Hydeout Productions label, a rare independent label that has gained a large following among listeners by releasing purely sound=works without any advertising activities, the 2nd Collection is the second 2LP album on the label. It was released on. It is another world of Hydeout, parallel to the Nujabes' albums Metaphorical Music and Modal Soul, with a wider range of works and people. The album is a label collection album, including 'Another Reflection', which is another chapter of 'Reflection Eternal' from the last album 'Modal soul', but also shows the label's direction after Nujabes' second album 'Modal Soul'. This work shows the direction of the label after Nujabes' second album 'Modal Soul'.

Limited edition of 200 copies!

Battle Ave returns with the 5th installment of their battle break record series,"At The Ave Breaks". In partnership with Glowtronics, Mega DJ Center, and HHV.De, ATA 5 features production from the 2019 Cut2Cut Worlds Champions, DJ Jose Rodriguez and DJ Delightfull.

Side A - 15 Skipless battles breaks arranged by Jose Rodriguez
Side B - A full length EP produced by DJ Delightfull, Starteras, Chrisfader, Duzz Down San,
Testa, and X-Team.

Mastered by DJ FlipFlop + Swiftstyle
Cut by Tom Haunstein (Studio //T.E.S.S.) Leipzig, Germany
Executive Produced by Battle Ave Records

Limited edition of 100 copies on cassette.

Originally known as 3'Da Hard Way, the Hard Knocks dropped their only full-length release "School Of Hard Knocks" in 1992. Comprised of MC Hardhead and DJ Stoneface, the duo's debut is a critical reflection of our society that stands the test of time.

Available in a limited run on black vinyl 2LP+7", CD in jewel case and cassette.

Limited edition of 300 copies on CD in jewel case.

Originally known as 3'Da Hard Way, the Hard Knocks dropped their only full-length release "School Of Hard Knocks" in 1992. Comprised of MC Hardhead and DJ Stoneface, the duo's debut is a critical reflection of our society that stands the test of time.

Available in a limited run on black vinyl 2LP+7", CD in jewel case and cassette.

2022 repress

Official reissue of the Souls' masterpiece! Essential pick!

Includes 60 x 60 cm poster of the album artwork! The poster is only available at HHV!

When Leon Michels and El Michels Affair released their rst record, Sounding Out The City, in 2005, it was hard to guess what was next for Michels and his then-introduced, now-patented "cinematic soul" sound. Now, four EMA studio albums and scores of tribute and remix projects later - all while producing for some of the biggest names in the industry - Michels has trademarked his sound, with each project taking audiences somewhere new and pushing the boundaries of what he is known for. The man is a river, not a lake and this time he takes his golden touch into the realm of hip-hop laying down a musical bed for one of the greatest to ever rhyme into a microphone: Black Thought of The Roots crew. Releasing on Big Crown Records, the LP is called Glorious Game and it is a remarkable debut partnership in more ways than one. Michels provides his bottom-heavy, soul-tinged production for Black Thought who gives us some of the more personal and transparent verses we've ever heard from him. Michels and Black Thought have been in each other's orbit for a while now. The two first met in the 2000s when Thought was first getting familiar with the contemporary soul scene. "Out of that whole world, Menahan Street Band was probably my favorite," recalling the funk and soul group Michels was a founding member of back in 2007. Fast forward a few years and musicians from that collective - Dave Guy on trumpet and Ian Hendrickson-Smith on sax - are now full time players with The Roots. This connection eventually led Leon and Thought to doing a few fundraising events around NYC and Philly together. "Before long, Black Thought was coming around the studio and would jam with us from time to time," Michels explains. "Then, fast forward to 2020 and Covid lockdowns, he just hit me up out of the blue, wanting me to send him stuff to write to. We both were looking to stay busy." Being that Black Thought is the co-founder and emcee for, hands down, the best live-band group in hip-hop. Michels took a decidedly different approach to this project and instead of sending recorded tracks of live compositions, he pulled out the sampler and sampled himself and some records from his collection. "I'm a big fan of soul music," as if Michels has to remind us. "And part of hip-hop's appeal to me has always been the sample-based production" For Glorious Game, Michels would make wholly composed and recorded soul songs in his studio, sample himself, then chop and/or loop up his sounds and create instrumentals for Black Thought. On some tracks he took a more traditional hip-hop approach, starting from samples of other people's music but then adding live instrumentation on top. But for the most part, it's him reinterpreting his own compositions into something new. The result is an organic feel of loop-based tracks that breathe and uctuate enough for Black Thought to ex on. "What I write about is determined by the equation of the producer's energy and my energy," Black Thought says. "It's about where we meet." So armed with Michels sampled and re-sampled soul cinematics, Black Thought rhymes through personal memories.

UGLY is slowthai pulling himself apart and exposing his anxieties of the last couple of years, an acronym for U Gotta Love Yourself.

This new album may show a side that people haven’t heard before but he sees it as the fullest picture yet. Recorded in producer Dan Carey’s studio alongside ​​frequent collaborator Kwes Darko,

UGLY is a combination of musicians including Jockstrap’s Taylor Skye, Beabadoobee guitarist Jacob Bugden, and on the woozy title track, his friends Fontaines D.C.

Underground rap stalwart, Vinnie Paz returns with his seventh studio LP, Tortured in the Name of God’s Unconditional Love. The 18 track LP falls on the heels of Jedi Mind Trick’s 10th album, The Funeral and the Raven, which dropped in November of ’21, and succeed’s the April 21 release of Vinnie’s sixth studio LP, Burn Everything That Bears Your Name.

Weighing in at nearly one hour of all new music, the hard-hitting LP ranks among Vinnie’s most decorated line-up of guest appearances to date, with features from the likes of Method Man, M.O.P., Kurupt, Geechi Suede (Camp Lo), Ras Kass, ILL Bill, Lord Goat, Big Twins, Thirstin Howl the 3rd and more. To boot, Pazienza calls upon the production talents of DJ Muggs, C-Lance, Stu Bangas, Oh No and more to lay the foundation with their neck-snapping soundscapes.

Over the past two decades, Pack Pistol Pazzy has ranked amont the most commercially successful indie hip-hop artists in the underground, and with his latest solo effort his legacy is only further reinforced.

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 msupergroup featuring rappers AZ, Foxy Brown, and Cormega. mIt even managed to cause some minor controversy in the hip-hop mcommunity 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 malbums 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 mFiasco, and many more.

Includes 60 x 60 cm poster of the album artwork! The poster is only available at HHV!

When Leon Michels and El Michels Affair released their rst record, Sounding Out The City, in 2005, it was hard to guess what was next for Michels and his then-introduced, now-patented "cinematic soul" sound. Now, four EMA studio albums and scores of tribute and remix projects later - all while producing for some of the biggest names in the industry - Michels has trademarked his sound, with each project taking audiences somewhere new and pushing the boundaries of what he is known for. The man is a river, not a lake and this time he takes his golden touch into the realm of hip-hop laying down a musical bed for one of the greatest to ever rhyme into a microphone: Black Thought of The Roots crew. Releasing on Big Crown Records, the LP is called Glorious Game and it is a remarkable debut partnership in more ways than one. Michels provides his bottom-heavy, soul-tinged production for Black Thought who gives us some of the more personal and transparent verses we've ever heard from him. Michels and Black Thought have been in each other's orbit for a while now. The two first met in the 2000s when Thought was first getting familiar with the contemporary soul scene. "Out of that whole world, Menahan Street Band was probably my favorite," recalling the funk and soul group Michels was a founding member of back in 2007. Fast forward a few years and musicians from that collective - Dave Guy on trumpet and Ian Hendrickson-Smith on sax - are now full time players with The Roots. This connection eventually led Leon and Thought to doing a few fundraising events around NYC and Philly together. "Before long, Black Thought was coming around the studio and would jam with us from time to time," Michels explains. "Then, fast forward to 2020 and Covid lockdowns, he just hit me up out of the blue, wanting me to send him stuff to write to. We both were looking to stay busy." Being that Black Thought is the co-founder and emcee for, hands down, the best live-band group in hip-hop. Michels took a decidedly different approach to this project and instead of sending recorded tracks of live compositions, he pulled out the sampler and sampled himself and some records from his collection. "I'm a big fan of soul music," as if Michels has to remind us. "And part of hip-hop's appeal to me has always been the sample-based production" For Glorious Game, Michels would make wholly composed and recorded soul songs in his studio, sample himself, then chop and/or loop up his sounds and create instrumentals for Black Thought. On some tracks he took a more traditional hip-hop approach, starting from samples of other people's music but then adding live instrumentation on top. But for the most part, it's him reinterpreting his own compositions into something new. The result is an organic feel of loop-based tracks that breathe and uctuate enough for Black Thought to ex on. "What I write about is determined by the equation of the producer's energy and my energy," Black Thought says. "It's about where we meet." So armed with Michels sampled and re-sampled soul cinematics, Black Thought rhymes through personal memories.

In Europe, only available at HHV.

Now here comes the vinyl edition. Already released on CD and digitally, vinyl fans will only have to wait until late April. West Coast Hip-Hop Legends Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, E-40 and Too $hort have teamed up to form Mount Westmore! The debut album Snoop Cube 40 $hort is available on all DSPs on 12/9 and features the anthem Big Subwoofer and the new single Free Game.

instant classic folks, a must have for all hip hop connaisseurs! Absoluteclassicalistic!

One of last year’s Anthems R&B Queen Beyonce’s Break My Soul from her current LP Renaissance with Accapella & Bonus Beats on the B-side – one for the 45 heads! Don’t sleep – more to come from this fresh promo only label.

Strictly limited edition of 300 copies on purple colored vinyl of Lord Folter's instrumental alter ego Djidl. 10 tracks full of atmospheric vibes show another creative side of the Lord. Tip!

Grammy Award winner 2020 in the category "Best Rap Album"! Also his first ever No.1 album

The cover is a placeholder as we don't know yet which one got picked for the vinyl pressing.

Another milestone of Hip Hop's Golden Era gets an all official vinyl re-release through HHV. Smif-N-Wessun's debut album "Dah' Shinin" is an early Boot Camp Clikk release with features by Black Moon, Heltah Skeltah and the Originoo Gunn Clappaz and entirely produced by Da Beatminerz. Essential pick!

Limited edition of 750 copies on black vinyl in gatefold sleeve plus printed inner sleeves.

In 1997, Example (consisting of DJ Cipher & Kay) dropped the debut EP "Impulses" in a very limited run on their own Beat Farm imprint. It was an instant classic amongst diggers and is still be seen as one of the finest underground releases out of Houston, TX. Now here we have the 25th anniversary edition with full cover artwork and for the very first time all instrumentals included.

Available in a limited run on black vinyl 2LP, cassette and jewel case CD.

Zum 10. Jubiläum erscheint am 21. Oktober das Album „good kid, m.A.A.d city“ von Kendrick Lamar erneut.

Das Album enthält Gastauftritte von Drake, Dr. Dre, Jay Rock, Anna Wise und MC Echt und erzählt die Geschichte von Lamars Erfahrungen als Teenager in den drogenverseuchten Straßen und dem Bandenleben seiner Heimatstadt Compton.

Das Album wurde 2014 für vier Grammys nominiert, darunter für das Album des Jahres. Zudem enthält „good kid, m.A.A.d city“ die erfolgreichen Singles "The Recipe", "Swimming Pools (Drank)", "Backseat Freestyle", "Poetic Justice" und "Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe".

Das Album ist als 1CD und 2LP auf 180g gepresst erhältlich und als 2LP in rot

Original artwork edition pressed on 2x140g black vinyl.

One of the greatest albums in HipHop ever with one of the most iconic album covers of all time - right next to Nas' Illmatic and Wu-Tangs "Enter The Wu". How to describe this album with words that have not been used over and over again? Without superlatives? Not possible. It's simply one of the best albums ever, one that every rap fan can talk about with lyrics everyone can quote - or should be able to quote from. From the recording process to the label situation, the legal hustle provoked by the samples, it is not just one story, it's multiple stories surrounding this album.

So so classic album by The Fugees' first lady!

The Infamous is the second studio album by the American Hip Hop duo Mobb Deep, released in 1995. The album features guest apperances from Nas, Wu-Tang Clan members, Reakwon and Ghostface Killah. The Infamous is Mobb Deep's masterpiece, a relentlessly bleak song cycle that's been hailed by hardcore Rap fans as one of the most realistic gangsta albums ever recorded.

180g vinyl edition.

On January 28, 2022, Lady Wray released her Piece Of Me album. A deeply personal record that takes on the good and the bad in life from deception and abuse to the joys of motherhood and triumph. The accolades the album has received in the year it has been out speak volumes. Performing on The Stephen Colbert Show, selling out multiple US tours, cleaning up in the best of 2022 lists, and then crushing an NPR Tiny Desk on the 1 year anniversary of the album. Piece Of Me continues to find its way to new ears and has already proved itself a timeless classic. So where do you go from here? When Ghostface Killah reaches out and says he wants to do a remix of the title track you do that. The A side, "Piece Of Me" (Remix) features Ironman himself who puts down a verse about a relationship that ran its course but no one is sure they did the right thing in. Ghostface sounds right at home over the gully Leon Michels produced track and takes the already rock solid tune to another level. Then what do you do for a B side.... You call The Chocolate Boy Wonder, Pete Rock and get him to remix "Joy & Pain". Pete takes one of the stand out tunes on the album and gives it an entirely different energy with thundering drums and a bassline that shake the windows in the car.

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-A-Fella 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."

Maybe the illest hip-hop record of the 21st century (so far). Vintage Madlib beats meet The Villain on top of his lyrical power. If you don't like this one you don't like hip hop. Period!

Anxiously awaited, cinematic album.. The follow-up to his 2018 full-length debut, NOT ALL HEROES WEAR CAPES, it includes features from John Legend, Future, Chris Brown, Don Toliver, Travis Scott, 21 Savage, Young Thug, A$AP Rocky, Gunna, and the late Takeoff.

AOI: Bionix is De La Soul's sixth full-length album, released on December 4, 2001. The first single, "Baby Phat" featuring Yummy Bingham and Devin the Dude, was an ode to larger sized women. Elsewhere, "Held Down", featuring Cee-Lo, found Posdnuos in an introspective mood as he mused on fatherhood, religion, and fame. Slick Rick also made an appearance on "What We Do (For Love)"; a humorous song about puberty and sexual discovery. The album featured skits with a character by the name of Reverend Do Good, which worked as social commentary as well as the intros and outros of the songs. The final Reverend Do Good skit acts as one final advertisement for Ghost Weed as heard on De La Soul's previous album, Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump. A mischievous teenager takes a hit of the substance, then morphs into Slum Village frontman J Dilla, who provides the intro and outro to the marijuana-themed song "Peer Pressure" (which he also produced).

R.I.P. MF DOOM

Underneath his mysterious metal mask, MF DOOM hides the cachet underground legends are made of. After his first group KMD's sophomore album Black Bastards was shelved by Elektra in 1994, and his blood brother Subroc _ one half of the sibling rap duo _ passed away, surviving frontman Zev Love X slowly mutated into the supervillain MC known as MF DOOM, and the rap world is better for it. The 1999 release of Operation: Doomsday marked MF DOOM's official debut, reintroducing a mysterious figure who would soon become one of underground rap's greatest voices. Within its 19 tracks, Operation: Doomsday reveals the confluence of DOOM's tragic past, personal interests and daring creativity. His clever rhymes and remarkable schemes stood out against the landscape, and every sound he touched _ from cartoon theme songs, to `80s soul, to rap classics and more _ got reinterpreted into something brand new and surreal. Decades later, MF DOOM is still celebrated for all facets of his work and influence. In the face of tragedy, DOOM re-infiltrated the rap game on his own terms, and crafted an instant cult classic. Operation: Doomsday stands as a testament to the power of betting on yourself against all odds.

“GREY Area” continues to cement herself as a prominent artist not only in the UK, but across the globe, with her genre-bending sound and the undeniable honesty of her lyrics. “GREY Area” is a glorious melting pot of neo-soul, deep funk and experimental pop, without neglecting her roots of hip-hop and grime, providing a deeply personal commentary on her own life experiences alongside wider observations in society. Little Simz comes across experienced, free and at times ferocious - navigating through this world with political awareness, intelligence and integrity.