US Hip Hop 239 Items

/ Point Blank Range

Sweet 7" EP from current Herring darlings Pseudo Intellectuals including a stunning remix by none other than founding member of the jazz group Soulive (Blue Note/Concord/Stax) Alan Evans (drums) and member of his trio, The Alan Evans Trio, Kris Yunker. Also included is a Sick previously unreleasedJazz Spastiks Remix of Zillion Airs from the Only Built For Food & Drinks LP. All in all a killer 7" EP for the heads!!!

Only 1 per customer!

/ american psycho feat. B-Real

Dope 1996 previously tape-only release outta Birmingham, Alabama, produced by previous-Herring release artist, Supreme The Rude Boy. Joint Effort consisted of Mike Akbar (The Lyrical Dee Lite), Big Steve The Griot and producer Supreme The Rude Boy. All three met while attending University of Montevallo, AL, in the 90s.

Oh yes – The Smoked Out Prod. EP on CD for the heads – ENJOY!!!

Strike #3! Cold Diggin’ with just another banger: “Hey, this ain’t no small time sh*t man!“ Strictly limited first pressing of 150, hand numbered copies, silk screen printed sleeves.

Born Jayceon Terrell Taylor, two-time GRAMMY® Award nominated multiplatinum Compton rapper, songwriter, producer, actor, and entrepreneur. The Game locked down a place in the pantheon alongside greats of both coasts by a combination of bar-for-bar bravado, provocative observation, hard-hitting hooks, and sharp introspection. And now the prolific rapper returns with his 9th album fittingly titled, Born 2 Rap.
The Game’s prior album 1992 debuted #1 on Billboard’s “Top Rap Albums Chart” and tied Drake for most #1 album debuts since the chart began in 2004. Also, the album gave The Game his eighth #1 on Billboard’s “Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Chart” tying him for third with 2Pac and Lil Wayne. He started this impressive legacy with doubleplatinum 2005 full-length debut, The Documentary. It not only bowed at #1 on the Billboard Top 200 and garnered GRAMMY® nods in the categories of “Best Rap Song” and “Best Rap Performance By a Duo or Group,” but it also emerged as a classic avowed by Pitchfork among the “Top 50 Albums of 2005”. The 2006 followup Doctor’s Advocate retained his spot at #1 on the Billboard Top 200 and went platinum. Maintaining positions in the Top 10, he ignited a prolific string of blockbuster releases—L.A.X. [2008], The R.E.D. Album [2011], Jesus Piece [2012], Blood Moon: Year of the Wolf [2014], The Documentary 2 [2015], The Documentary 2.5. [2015], and 1992 [2016].
2018 saw a trio of recent singles achieve RIAA certifications with “100” [feat. Drake] platinum and “El Chapo” with Skrillex and “All Eyez” [feat. Jeremih] both gold as his total stream tally exceeded 3 Billion across platforms. Television and film credits span everything from Jimmy Kimmel LIVE! to the upcoming All-Star Weekend directed by Academy® Award winner Jamie Foxx and co-starring Robert Downey Jr. and Benicio del Toro.

Limited edition vinyl!
Only one copy per customer!
Chopped Herring had to return to Bushwick on the L train to drop "God Bless The Child" & "Truth Hurts All Colours", two previously unreleased (prior to the recent Herring CD drop), mid-90's joints on wax for the very first time and included are two classic Dysfunkshunal jawns for those of you, who haven’t managed to pick up the original yet!!! Always a pleasure to have Da Dysfunkshunal Familee aboard the trawler yo...TIP!!

Box set incl. bonus cd, t-shirt (size L), poster & sticker!

/ gotta have ya

MC's Chem and Jah, from Washington Heights (ny) formed Trauma Squad when they were hooked up with a young producer named Om'Mas Keith by Raw Breed's business manager and co-producer Ariel Caban. Caban was in high school with the rappers and later went on to work in the A&R department of RCA Records at the same time as the 16 year old Keith was interning there. Caban told me "I introduced them to Om'Mas because both had unique styles. Trauma with their off the wall eclectic style and Om' Mas with his musical genius who can play every instrument. They hit it off well right from the jump and created the demo tape."



There was some interest prior to making their demo, from Profile and Sleeping Bag Records but nothing firm. Most of the demos weren't in great condition but 2 have been resurrected from the old demo tape for a little taster 7" of what this crew might've become. Recorded in 95, Herring presents 2 ill tracks from this unknown group's unknown catalogue. Enjoy yo!!

Two superb jazzy remixes of classic Hip Hop tunes by Japanese producer Shin-Ski. One-time pressing and strictly limited edition on recycled black and green wax. Don't sleep, they'll fly quick.

Pretty crazy this one!! My man Brian Kayser [Chopped Herring Interviews] hit up MC Chadio with a book idea. He happened to mention Herring and the rest is history. These are the demos that attracted Violator Ent impresario ‘Baby’ Chris Lighty [R.I.P.]. Lighty hooked up the deal with Def Jam through a second set of demos, but these beauties are what started the ball rolling on the career of three man outfit Cru previously known as Rhythm Blunt Cru. The name was shorted by Russell Simmons who I can only assume thought the word ‘blunt’ in the name of a group was a negative [when we all know that it’s a huge positive!!!]. There’s not much more to say here – just take a listen to the snippets and dig that lost early 90’s NY flava that we feen for. Massive Fish!!!!

Produced by the late great J Dilla!

Cold Diggin’ proudly present their very first release! 2 big tracks on a tiny 7inch single. Just right for some late summer cruising.

Record Store Day 2020 Release.

The Sly Stone sampling, scene smashing hip hop track 'Because I Got it Like That' that launched the Jungle Brother's to the world in 1988, housed on their groundbeaking debut album 'Straight Out The Jungle'. Original copies of the single now change hands for £50 if you’re lucky so a fully remastered, official reissue is exactly what the doctor ordered! Backed with the rare Ultimatum mix (aka The Stereo MC's).

Stretch and Bobbito’s debut album No Requests explores the legendary club DJs’ vast musical knowledge with covers of songs directly from their record crates! Featuring the M19s Band, a live band of elite hand-picked musicians, the gatekeepers of ‘90s Hip Hop step outside their foundational genre base to produce Latin, Afro-beat, Samba, Jazz, Reggae, and Soul reinterpretations of dance floor bangers—ranging from popular to rare and obscure—which loosely depart expected structure and create new nuances to familiar tunes. The group also offers original compositions along the sonic journey. All tracks have one goal in mind: GROOVE!

Double A side of iconic Ice Cube anthems that top and tailed the nineties… hip hop sampling at its best! Limited to 300 copies – first come, first served.

Incredible full album of rare and previously unreleased joints from QB’s illest, Killa Kidz.

Wolfgang or Odd Future or OFWGKTA or whateveryoumightcallem come up with their first proper release: Tyler, The Creator's Goblin on XL Recordings … includes the 4 million-youtube-surprise 'Yonkers'!

/ B-Boy The Real McCoy

Dwyck (DJ A-L Remix W/ Just 2 Get A Rep (DJ A-L Remix) + Bonus Beats

"I’m celebrating the 18th vinyl release from Retro-Respect by dropping a brand new 7” vinyl record entitled Rrr-18. The release is a mystery record that features two highly requested remixes of mine and a bonus beat."

Ain’t only a simple compilation of rare and unreleased tracks, it’s rather a musical documentation of a group that has been staying in its lane creating raw, uncut, and uncompromising Bronx flavor for more than two decades now. So this 20-track strong album includes the rare 12" single only "Freestyle Demolition" from 1994, rare old and unavailable on CD tracks, unreleased joints and instrumentals plus 3 brand new bangers ("For You", "Stereo", "Stereo [Remix]"), produced by The Legion, Buckwild, and Confidence.

The wait is finally over, Torae & Marco Polo return with their sophomore release Midnight Run, the follow up to their classic debut album Double Barrel. Midnight Run packs 11 tracks that will instantly satisfy fans of the elite lyricism and hard hitting production the duo is known for. The intro “Reloaded” sets the tone from the very beginning and stand outs such as “The Return”, “Makin’ Up” and “Oh No” maintain the momentum throughout. With no guest verses, no bars off and no filler Midnight Run gets directly to what you’ve been waiting for from the “Gray Sheep” Torae and Marco Polo.

New Jersey, Brick City hip-hop legend Beneficence and UK based producer duo Jazz Spastiks unearth a timeless treasure with the release of their collaboration album "Summer Night Sessions". With a completely jazzy street feel and slick written, soothing, intellectual lyrics the Ill Adrenaline co-founder releases his 8th full length album. Over 25 years of successfully releasing independent music, Beneficence set the bar high by using lo-fi, jazzy boom-bap sounds masterfully. Following his most successful "Stellar Mind" (2021) release accompanied with a memoir ("Concrete Soul - The Memoir & Making of Ill Adrenaline Records") of his life and music journey, the close Artifacts affiliate delivers a personal collage of authentic hip-hop music with a brilliant Jazz Spastiks backdrop. Well selected guest appearances in these "Summer Night Sessions" include Skyzoo, Saukrates, Doodlebug (of Digable Planets), Awon, El Da Sensei (of The Artifacts), J-Live, Rakaa Iriscience (of Dilated Peoples), Kid Abstrakt, Shabaam Sahdeeq, and grammy nominated R&B singer Anthony David on a CD/digital only bonus track. On the first single "Do This, Do That" feat. Awon, Beneficence flows smoothly over simple but captivating horns reminiscing about his come up on the music scene. "At the time I was seated behind Diddy and Biggie, '95 Source Awards keys to the city". "Mic Epps" displays lyricism in its finest form when Beneficence playfully pans between a reference to comedian Mike Epps and microphone episodes. "Civilize 'em with a mic check, I get funny on 'em, Mike Epps, you coming ugly imma swipe left, what we giving you is priceless, the nicest!". The musical marriage between the beautiful sounds of Jazz Spastiks and the sharp pen of Beneficence is tactfully done with rich and hypnotic bangers for hip-hop lovers with an ear for certified dopeness.

Limited edition of 150 copies on CD in jewel case.

Hailing from Elgin, Illinois, the Rec Center is a collective composed of six MC’s with impeccable gifts of gab and a DJ blessed with the art of spinning. From the humbled beginnings of countless basement ciphers in the early 90’s a niche was crafted, a mission was charted and a journey to Reveal Eternal Creation was embarked upon. Originally consisting of nine MC’s, Rec Center released their first full-length album "Lonely People" on CD only in the fall of 1999 which made them a household name in the Chicago underground scene.

Available in a limited run on black vinyl 2LP in gatefold sleeve, CD in digipak as well as jewel case and cassette plus digitally on all major platforms.

Endlessly sampled, covered, quoted and requoted, this may well be one of the most influential hip-hop singles ever released. But, in many ways, its importance goes beyond its sheer classic status as a single in its own right. In retrospect, it shows the duo of Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith as pioneers in production, creating a funk-based sound that helped to provide a blueprint for artists on the other side of the country. In 1987/88, most West Coast rap still adhered to an East Coast audio blueprint. By 1989, they were leaning as heavily on Zapp and Roger Troutman samples as Epmd were on this single. The foundations of the track are interesting, with a snatch of Juice’s much-plundered ‘Catch a Groove’ (which has popped up everywhere from The Beastie Boys to Kings of Pressure) overlaid with big chunks of Kool & The Gang’s ‘Jungle Boogie’ and Zapp’s irrepressible ‘More Bounce to the Ounce’. Vocodered funk was a rarity in New York hip-hop until this song, but it’s the West Coast G-Funk artists who really ran with it. Its popularity spanned the country (and the globe, to be fair), with Epmd performing numerous shows in California on the basis of the sound, moving away from their James Brown-obsessed peers to display their own musical tastes. That said, the flipside – here presented on 7” and, indeed, on any single, for the first time – takes it back to that JB-era. ‘(It’s Not the Express), It’s the JB’s Monaurail by The JB’s is woven with Otis Redding and Beastie Boys to create a mid-tempo headnodder par excellence. It was always too good not to be a single.

Dope new album from Buffalo, NY crew Pseudo Intellectuals. Mad breaks and beats on a dare I say it, almost Prince Paul-esque tip. Dude’s hit me up with the demos and I was totally blown away. Loved the samples, the drums, the cuts, the vibe – the whole nine yards. It’s so Herring, it had to happen. Big up yourselves fellas – great work!!

Now on CD!

Straight out the gate, Nas dropped a classic. Since the release of the seminal ‘Illmatic’ album in 1994, critics and fans have been wondering if Nas peaked too early and if anything in his subsequent catalogue could be held up against this masterpiece. To be fair, it’s hard to follow up something this flawless, a project that allied his most insightful, pitch-perfect heartfelt rhymes with the work of the best hip-hop producers on the east coast.

DJ Premier, Q-Tip from A Tribe Called Quest and Large Professor all take their turns on the album, along with the unsung L.E.S., but it’s Pete Rock in his prime who provides the stunning backdrop for the cinematic ‘The World is Yours’. It’s a perfect nugget of a single, weaving in the brashness of Scarface, the repetition of a snatch of T La Rock’s early Def Jam gem ‘It’s Yours’ and piano courtesy of Ahmad Jamal’s ‘I Love Music’ from his own timeless ‘The Awakening’ album (1970).

Presented for the first time on 7”, the vocals of the album version and the instrumental on the flip provide the perfect opportunity to enjoy and compare the work of two masters at the top of their game. Pete Rock’s seamless weaving of disparate samples into a compelling whole, the then little-known Nas’ statement of intent. With a maturity beyond his tender years, Nas put himself straight at the top of the pile, this Queensbridge chronicle hinting at the ambition and greatness he harboured within himself.

With the original UK 7” of this release now as rare as hen’s teeth, and with the group having recently ‘reformed’ for one last album together, the Mr Bongo replica re-release of this 1990 masterpiece by Gang Starr couldn’t be more timely.
The now-legendary duo of DJ Premier and Guru dropped this at the height of hip-hop’s sampling of jazz, which had led to a creative leap forward for the genre. Yet while others plundered in the dark, this instant classic wore its influences on its sleeve and paid verbal homage to the musicians they were sampling. The “melodious funk” of “Thelonious Monk” gets namechecked, while the track samples two of his records, including 1958’s Bop gem ‘Light Blue’.
While both versions presented here have common elements, the ‘Movie Mix’ – so-named for the song’s appearance on the soundtrack to Spike Lee’s mythic jazz biopic ‘Mo’ Better Blues’ – goes in a few different directions to the ‘Video Mix’. Rather than just drop in an instrumental for the B-side, DJ Premier instead shows his versatility by switching up the base track (Kool & The Gang’s 1971 ‘Dujii’) and layering in other samples. In more ways than one, his virtuosity here echoes the improvisation of a jazz musician, akin to Denzel Washington’s Bleak in the movie.
Of course, he’s not the only show in town. The late Guru’s voice is as mellifluous as an instrument itself here, his potted history of the genre and the artists of jazz delivered with his own unmistakable cadence. Without this record, would he have gone on to make his ‘Jazzmatazz’ projects.

Extremely rare 90s Florida action now on CD. Chopped Herring did the EP in 2014 and now added an extra joint for the CD version.

Official Mr Bongo reissue /// All-time classic hip-hop of the highest possible grade from A Tribe Called Quest, featuring that verse from Busta Rhymes. Replica reissue of the prized, Germany-only 7” from 1992, cut loud.

The Mandela Effect II is DJ Obsolete's 2nd LP to drop with us, the album features an array of US MC's, including Jake GHNM, Brian Burns, Hahyeem, Finsta, Rellik & C.O.X, E.T.E.L and MC Gels as well as a string of DJ Obsolete signature style heavy hitting instrumentals

Available on vinyl (300 units)

Originally released in 1990, Ron B's 'Stitch By Stitch' has been a mainstay of every hip-hop collector's 'wants list' ever since featuring on DJ Ivory's 'Hear No Evil Vol. 2' mix back in
2003. The original is arguably the most sought after hip-hop 12" in existence and has maintained its high price over the years, featuring in Discogs’ monthly ‘most expensive records sold' list no less than NINE times, something surely no other hip-hop record can match?

Produced by Patchworks aKa Mr President aKa Uptown Funk Empire and more…

/ I Want To Make Love

Prop Dylan's fifth studio album Bushido Code is an ode to the alternative lifestyle. It's also a roadmap taking us from Prop Dylan's home town streets of Borlänge, through Southern Europe and all the way to Detroit City. Showcasing the heart and soul of this hard working independent artist.

The majority of beats on Bushido Code have been supplied by Detroit's producer extraordinaire Apollo Brown known for his soulful and distinct beats. Apollo Brown has undoubtedly set the tone for the album with 10 out of 14 tracks whilst Gravy Sparks and DJ Connect producing the remaining songs.

The former Slum Village member Elzhi from Detroit appear as a featuring guest. Also the American rap-heavyweights Termanology and Fashawn feature on two different tracks. Cosmic from Looptroop Rockers and the soul singer Erik Runeson adding the final pieces to the album

"I’m celebrating the 18th vinyl release from Retro-Respect by dropping a brand new 7” vinyl record entitled Rrr-18. The release is a mystery record that features two highly requested remixes of mine and a bonus beat."

Dwyck (DJ A-L Remix W/ Just 2 Get A Rep (DJ A-L Remix) + Bonus Beats

Inspired by the music of one of the most iconic pop culture licenses of all time, main composition was assigned to Tee Lopes, the talent behind the music of Sonic Mania and Streets of Rage 4: Mr X’s Nightmare. His musical vision echoes the spirit of the turtles and this specific game specificities: tributes to classic Tmnt tunes with a good dose of fun and switching fluidly between 80s/90s electro, funk, rock, and jazzy tunes with chiptune vibes.

On top of that, prestigious guests were added to the line-up. Kid Katana Records are proud to host legends such as Raekwon The Chef and Ghostface Killah from the legendary rap band Wu-Tang Clan, and Mike Patton, frontman of Faith No More and Mr Bungle. They all performed exclusive tracks recorded specifically for the game and the OST.

Limited edition of 100 copies on cassette.

The Oakland duo The B.U.M.S. dropped their debut album "Lyfe'N'Tyme" in 1995 with the help of Bay Area legends Sway and King Tech. The production was mostly handled by Joe Quixx plus one track each produced by Fred Wreck and the Baka Boyz.

To quote Billboard magazine from early January 1995, the Brothas Unda Madness »build verbal puzzles stacked with crafty metaphors and allusions to pop culture. Over spare, jazzy grooves that swing and spring, they endeavor to expose their souls. Using plain-spoken poetics, the duo takes listeners on a ghettocentric ride from their innocence into sense.«

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