- Continue Shopping
- Your Cart is Empty
Little Brother Reissues
Little Brother’s classic first album, The Listening, and major label debut/ sophomore LP, The Minstrel Show, come to limited edition vinyl this fall.
Available on gold and white LP vinyl this fall
14KT - Nowalataz
14KT's never-before-released 2006 beat-tape, recorded in the aftermath of his mentor
and favorite producer J Dilla’s passing comes to vinyl for the first time this August.
K-Dot's fourth studio album comes to vinyl this July.
Out July 14th on 180 gram 2LP vinyl
Nolan the Ninja - YEN
YEN picks where Nolan left off on his debut, he(art), solidifying his place as one of the sharpest
young talents in Detroit’s hip-hop landscape, featuring guest help and production from
Royce Da 5'9, Blu, Black Milk, Quelle Chris, Denmark Vessey and many more.
$31.99
The first pressing, limited to 300 copies, will be pressed onto 180gm purple and gold vinyl, a process known as colour on colour. Each copy will come individually hand numbered on the back cover in gold pen and housed in a high quality matte jacket with all original artwork. Originally released back in 1988 on Cold Chillin’ Records, Big Daddy Kane’s debut LP ‘Long Live The Kane’ dropped during the height of what is now regarded as the golden age of hip hop. Combining simplistic beats, drawing on elements of funk, and Kane’s sharp wordplay, the album cemented both Kane & the Juice Crew’s place in Hip Hop history; and with ‘Ain’t No Half Steppin’ it featured one of THE seminal singles of the genre. Without doubt one of the most influential East Coast rappers to ever do it, paving the way for the likes of Nas, Big L, AZ & Notorious B.I.G amongst others. Nas even ranks ‘Long Live the Kane’ as one of his top 25 albums ever. Omerta Inc. will be bringing the album to its intended format for the first time since 1988. Remastered specifically for vinyl release, this will be the best the record has ever sounded. The first pressing, limited to 300 copies, will be pressed onto 180gm purple and gold vinyl, a process known as colour on colour. Each copy will come individually hand numbered on the back cover in gold pen and housed in a high quality matte jacket with all original artwork. “Kane's debut album, Long Live the Kane, stands as a perfect example of what made the Juice Crew so highly revered. Simple, spare, mostly-James-Brown-based break beats that leave plenty of room for Kane rev up and deliver his lightning-tongued battle raps.” - Complex, #9 Best Old School Rap Records “This album can be credited as one of the most influential LPs of the golden age of Hip Hop. Nas, Pete Rock, AZ, Gang Starr, RZA, Biggie Smalls, and MF DOOM are among some of the acclaimed artists who have made directed references to either this album or Big Daddy Kane in general throughout their music. In 1998, The Source Magazine ranked this project as one of the 1000 Greatest Albums in Hip Hop. The album was certified gold in the year of its release and serves as one of the two projects from Big Daddy Kane that has sold over 500,000 copies.”- The Source “Considered one of the most significant cuts of the “Golden Era,” a time period spanning from the 1980s to 1990s where hip-hop was said to be at its best.” – XXL Magazine “I’m a big time fan of Big Daddy Kane. ‘Ain’t No Half Steppin’’ and ‘Raw’ are great songs.” - Nas
$24.99
Digital remaster of the classic debut album from Hip-Hop group Main Source. "One of the quintessential cult classics in hip-hop history" - Allmusic. "5 Mics, Top 100 Rap Album" - The Source
$22.99
Matte gloss board finish, packaging includes white paper inner sleeve and 1x12" LP on black 180 gram vinyl. 4 the sake of clarity... The last Hype Williams recordings were for One Nation (Hippos in Tanks, 2011). AFter this, Dean Blunt and Inga Copeland carried on recording through 2012 under their own names (while continuing to use the HW name to fulfill existing live commitments). They are both no longer involved, and any Hype Williams releases you've since heard are FAKE. Bare Paigons. Like Cappadonna making his own Wu. We been gone for a minute, but now we're back with the jump off. We can't get jiggy with no hundreds and thousands or nuthin like that, we gotta get back in that M game. Wanna own the block b4 the ball drops. 20 joints STRICTLY for the whip ...& ppl 2 fat for fedoras
$64.99
The 60th anniversary of the legendary soul label Stax Records commemorates its extraordinary rise as an international hit-making machine and its indispensable chapter in American musical history. Branded as Stax 60, the anniversary will include special releases to celebrate this historic achievement. It will highlight the hits from the Memphis label’s heyday of the 1960s and ‘70s.The Stax 60 releases will honor the music through definitive collections, rare performances and more.
$27.99
Storytelling has been a part of the hip-hop lexicon since the artform’s earliest days. And in all those decades, there has never been a tale-weaver like Slick Rick. Even masters who came along in Rick’s wake – ranging from Will Smith to Ghostface Killah and Eminem – know that even though they blazed their own paths, they never did it better than the Slick one. When it comes to Rick and his tales, 1988’s “Children’s Story” is perhaps his best, recited to this day by fans and MCs in training as a rite of passage. Just hearing the opening lines begins a sing-along that can quickly fill a room: “Once upon a time / Not long ago / When people wore pajamas / And lived life slow….” Get On Down, known for its unique approach to packaging hip-hop classics, has come up with another winner here, presenting the lyrics to this immortal rap tale in never-before-seen form. Rick’s lines from the song are re-created in visual form in a 16 page book with a puffy cover – presented like a legit children’s book, thick pages and all. From the little boy who was misled to the tense police chase, to the unsure children hearing the story from their “uncle Ricky,” this is the most unique way the story has ever been presented. Of course there is music to match – the package includes a CD of The Great Adventures of Slick Rick, the 1988 Def Jam album that made Rick a worldwide star. Whether you pick this up for yourself or to give to the hip-hop fan on your shopping list who will stare wide-eyed at the unique package, no one will walk away from this one disappointed.
$31.99
2xLP Includes FREE Download Card of phenomenal Unreleased Prince Paul project "Redux". Exclusive Limited Edition Reissue to the long-out-of-print 2005 album "Itstrumental". Revised and updated from the original designer/visual artist Ray Johnson. For the first time Prince Paul's cult-classic 2005 album Itstrumental is seeing a proper commercial reissue on the original imprint of release Female Fun Records. This also marks Female Fun's first release in over a decade. (Original street-date May 10th, 2005).The sample-driven collage-project distinctive to only how Prince Paul can do - was met with both critical acclaim and retail success upon original release. In the vein of of Prince Paul's solo debut Psychoanalysis (What Is It ?) the follow-up Itstrumental melded an array of guest vocalists/appearances over the devastating Prince Paul's undeniably great instrumentals/beats. To refresh collectors memories, what made Itstrumental so unique is that it's songs were culled specifically by Paul from an assortment of analog samplers used throughout the course of his career. Dating back to the 1980's through the early 2000's - which means otherwise unused compositions and tracks from the days of Stetsasonic, De La Soul, Gravediggaz, Prince Upon Thieves, and more. It's a virtual catalog of beat-making techniques sewn together in classic concept album style.
$19.99
Limited to 500 copies. What happens when the best of the Bronx meets ATL's finest? Nothing less than a 'Black Tie Affair'. Having met back in 2008, Dillon & the legendary Diamond D have been friends and artistic associates from day one. Those paying attention would have noticed a Diamond produced track on Dillon's 2010 EP, 'Dillon Ain't Playin' + Dillon's mixing credits on Diamond's 2014 'The Diam Piece' and most recently Sadat X's 'The Sum of a Man' (produced entirely by D Squizzy). All the while, they've been cooking up classy joints together on the side, waiting for the right time to let the heads in on 'the next kept secret'. Black Tie Affair is not only a celebration of the finer things in life, but it's also a tribute to the B-Boys/Girls & Hip Hop heads worldwide who appreciate that Boom-Bap with a bow tie. It's sophisticated rap music strictly for the connoisseurs. As soon as the needle drops you'll be sure to say...'That's that shit!' Black Tie Affair is a 5 track, vinyl-only EP that features Paten Locke + additional help from Boog Brown, Alexa Lima on piano, Ben Hameen on guitar, Terminus Horns & DJ Harrison. The B-side of the record features all of the Diamond D produced instrumentals.
$29.99
The soundtrack to the legendary anime film AKIRA is now available! Set in the year 2019 in Neo-Tokyo, the world is still recovering from the ravages of World War III. One night, teen delinquent Kaneda has his biker gang hurtle through the busy city. Kaneda’s friend, Tetsuo, is seriously injured during an accident and is taken to an army hospital. There the military notice Tetsuo’s potential psychic power, so they transfer Tetsuo to a secret government laboratory to awakening his latent abilities. When Kaneda gets involved in an antigovernment guerrilla movement, he encounters Kei, a member of the revolutionaries, and learns that the goal of the fighters is to infiltrate a secret laboratory – the very one where Tetuso is being held. The experiments to awaken Tetsuo’s powers are a terrifying success as he begins to wield psychic energy he cannot control - reminiscent of the emergence of the legendary esper boy "Akira”, which triggered World War III. The stage set, a fierce battle begins between Kaneda, Kei, the army and Tetsuo with the destiny of Earth at stake. The symphonic music to AKIRA was composed by Dr. Shoji Yamashiro, head of the beloved Japanese musical collective Geinoh Yamashirogumi, and performed by the group. Rerecorded and remastered using the most advanced audio techniques available, this release of the unforgettable score of AKIRA is peerless in quality and audio fidelity. The vinyl release features audio so pristine that it invokes the “hypersonic effect”, a physiological change in the brain that occurs when listening to sounds above the audible human range (40kHz+). The result is a comfortable, relaxed feeling induced by the hi-frequency audio. Milan Records is proud to announce the long-awaited release of AKIRA on the vinyl format. Pressed on a pair of 180 gram black vinyl discs for an optimal listening experience, the discs are housed in a pair of high quality eurosleeves displaying artwork from the film which are in turn packaged in a gatefold jacket featuring the beautiful skyline of Neo-Tokyo. A download card including a lengthy commentary by composer Dr. Yamashiro on topics ranging from AKIRA to Geinoh Yamashirogumi to his work in advanced brain studies is also included.
$24.99
Housed in an old-school style tip-on jacket w/printed inner sleeve feat new liner notes. Commonly regarded as one of the first-ever concept records of the soul genre, this dark masterpiece combines the lush orchestral arrangements of Isaac Hayes collaborator Dale Warren with Blaxploitation-style funk grooves, resulting in a sound that would rocket it to cult-classic status among DJs and producers who have sampled it for tracks by Kendrick Lamar, Jay Z, Digable Planets, Dr. Dre, and many others.
$22.99
Touted as one of 2005's Top 10 Most Anticipated albums by XXL Magazine, Little Brother's latest masterpiece is reminiscent of the days when Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul and others carefully crafted complete experiences from beginning to end. The North Carolina outfit made up of MC's Phonte, Rapper Big Pooh, and super producer 9th Wonder have truly made an album that is both thought provoking and humorous. The Minstrel Show is truly one great piece of hip hip that will stand the test of time.
$29.99 $33.98
Grab the latest LP drops from Street Corner Music, the House Shoes-approved debut LPs from two of Connecticut's very illest producers, at a discounted price. wowflower - balloons (LP)"While preparing for my radio show about a year ago, I put a kite out to the kids that I was looking for some heat to play. This kid sent me a 20 second clip of a work in progress. It was sublime. He kept sending beats per my request. It was exciting how consistently good the shit was. Blissful, downtempo escapism. His production took me somewhere else, in a time where a retreat from the increasingly stressful day to day is more than welcomed. That first track he sent, "Huey", starts off Balloons, Wowflower's debut LP on Street Corner Music, just as it started the dialogue between the two of us. The Street Corner faithfuls will not be disappointed. This shit is fantastic." -House Shoes Foisey - Byrds (LP)"Foisey's music got into my hands thru Mutant Academy. I became aware of these RVA kids last year and told them to send a pack. What initially stood out was the beats from Foisey, a young cat from Connecticut. He kept sending packs and I put together a dope collection of his instrumentals. Laid back vibes with a punch. You won't be disappointed. Beats."
$26.99
Soul On Ice is the critically acclaimed debut album by Ras Kass. It was released on October 1, 1996, by Priority Records and was produced by Ras Kass, as well as DJ Battlecat, Vooodu, Bird, Michael Barber, Michael Schlesinger, and Reno Delajuan. Fellow West Coast rapper Coolio makes the only guest appearance on the album on "Drama." The album’s title is a reference to Black Panther member Eldridge Cleaver’s 1968 book Soul on Ice.
$42.99
Limited edition LP version. Includes 7" and extensive 24-page liner notes; Japanese obi; Sleeve with silver gilt printing. We Release Whatever The Fuck We Want Records present the first ever official vinyl pressing of the soundtrack for Mamoru Oshii's critically acclaimed and all around legendary science fiction anime film Ghost In The Shell (1995), adapted from Masamune Shirow's groundbreaking manga series of the same name. The haunting score is composed by Kenji Kawai, one of Japan's most celebrated soundtrack composers alongside Joe Hisaishi and Ryuichi Sakamoto, whose work includes Hideo Nakata's Ring (1998) and Ring 2 (1999), Death Note (2006), Hong Kong films Seven Swords by Tsui Hark (2005) and Ip Man by Wilson Yip (2008), and countless others. Kawai's compositions see ancient harmonies and percussions uncannily mesh with synthesized sounds of the modern world to convey a sumptuous balance between folklore tradition and futuristic outlook. For its iconic main theme "Making Of Cyborg", Kawai had a choir chant a wedding song in ancient Japanese following Bulgarian folk harmonies, setting the standard for a timeless and unparalleled soundtrack that admirably echoes the film's musings on the nature of humanity in a technologically advanced world. Ghost In The Shell is widely considered one of the best anime films of all time and its influence has been felt in the work of numerous movie directors, including James Cameron's Avatar (2009), the Wachowskis's The Matrix (1999), and Steven Spielberg's AI: Artificial Intelligence (2001). For fans of anime, manga, movie soundtracks, science fiction, ambient, folklore, Japan, Akira (1988), artificial intelligence, Midori Takada. Cut from the original master reels at Emil Berliner Studios (formerly the in-house recording department of renowned classical record label Deutsche Grammophon), the album comes in two versions: a standard LP and a limited collector's edition which comes housed in a sleeve with silver gilt printing and includes the LP, a bonus 7", Japanese obi, and extensive 24-page liner notes.
$25.99
Although they have been tragically defunct for almost two decades, the influence of Gang Starr is still felt today, almost as heavily as it was back in the 1990s, when DJ Premier and Guru ruled atop boom-bap mountain. As fans know, beyond the duo’s direct output, one of their lasting legacies was bringing younger talent to the rap world at large – including Jeru The Damaja, M.O.P., Afu-Ra and Big Shug. One of the more unsung talents that came out of the Gang Starr Foundation was the Brooklyn-based duo Group Home, consisting of MCs Lil Dap and Melachi The Nutcracker. Dap was first showcased on the Gang Starr posse cut “I’m The Man,” on 1992’s Daily Operation; Melachi appeared on “Words From The Nutcracker” from 1993’s Hard To Earn. The early Group Home song “So Called Friends” was also featured on 1993’s now-legendary Gangstarr Foundation Sampler, which also gave the world Jeru’s “Come Clean.” By 1995, Dap and Melachi had paid their dues and finally got their own full-length: Livin’ Proof. And it was everything that Gang Starr and any true school hip-hop fans could have wanted, produced almost entirely by DJ Premier (with two exceptions: “Serious Rap Shit” helmed by Guru himself; and “4 Give My Sins,” produced by Jay-Z mentor Jaz-O (aka Big Jazz). Beyond the album’s still-jocked commercial singles – “Supa Star,” “Livin’ Proof” and “Suspended In Time” – there are Premier-overseen classics all over, including “The Realness,” “Inna Citi Life,” and “Sacrifice.” In fact, many Gang Starr scholars agree that the beats on Living Proof are in the Top 5 of all Premier-produced albums – no small boast, but certainly hard to disprove. More than two decades later, the album still sounds as strong as it did upon its release. So dust off your turntable and give it another ride, back to the days when boom-bap was real, and ruling.
$22.99
Amongst hip-hop fans, Boogie Down Productions’ first two albums – Criminal Minded (1987) and By All Means Necessary (1988) – both loom very large. And for good reason: they both captured one of the late 1980s’ most important and influential crews at their highest powers of lyricism and musical invention. That being said, too many people sleep on BDP’s third LP, Ghetto Music. Released in 1989, when the hip-hop world was truly beginning to explode and reach new heights of sales and exposure around the world, the album is arguably as powerful as the group’s first two. As on By All Means Necessary, in the wake of the tragic death of original founder, producer and DJ Scott LaRock, KRS-One pushed along mightily on the production side, with help from his extended crew. Musically the sound created on albums 2 & 3 was funky, catchy, and continually innovative, giving him the perfect backdrop to build his “Edutainment” syllabus. Lyrically there was never a question about KRS’ power, and on Ghetto Music he continues to impress, teach and ask important questions. Clear cases in point are two of the album’s singles, “You Must Learn” and “Why Is That?” but he gets even deeper on lesser-jocked tracks like the anti-police thought-piece “Who Protects Us From You” (still sadly relevant in 2017), “Ghetto Music” and “World Peace.” Still as strong and entertaining today as it was almost three decades ago, this new reissue is a perfect way for younger fans to embrace one of the most underrated hip-hop platters of the era.
$21.99
J Dilla’s brother Illa J takes us on a trip to his hometown Detroit with his third solo album Home. Following his self titled LP, Illa J sometimes known as “John Regal” (born October 13,1986 in Detroit, Michigan) is a singer, songwriter, rapper, producer and multi-instrumentalist. He takes us on a trip to his hometown Detroit with his third solo album Home. His last LP successfully took Illa J out of his brother and hip-hop legend J Dilla‘s shadow to show he is in his own lane. Yet, Yancey still felt as though he was in a box labeled rapper. Teaming up with producer Calvin Valentine, who entirely produced the album, Home is Illa J‘s first album to properly showcase the full extent of his vocal range to put him in the singer-songwriter conversation. The listener can feel the soulfulness of this LP through Illa J‘s singing and Valentines‘ smooth production. On “Sam Cook“ which is an ode to Illa J‘s father who ghostwrote for Motown, Yancey dives into his falsetto that is reminiscent of D‘Angelo, Bilal and Al Green. While keeping his focus on singing. Illa J sprinkles the album with rap verses. On “7 Mile“ his vocals smoothly float over the more raw/alternative cut laid by Valentine. The album title track “Home“ completes his album and solidifies Illa J‘s artistry as a well rounded singer who can rap. Illa J is a solo artists, former member of legendary group Slum Village. Active in the music industry since 2006 in L.A and Detroit, Illa J has released two solo albums; 2008’s Yancey Boys via Delicious Vinyl and 2015’s self titled LP Illa J via Bastard Jazz Records. In 2014, while refocusing on his solo career and stepping out of Slum Village, Illa J relocated to Montreal for a fresh new start. He has since entrenched himself in the Canadian music scene by collaborating with some of Canada’s finest emcees and producers including Moka Only, Potatohead People and Kaytranada. His recent collaborations have been with jazz legend, Robert Glasper in concert and on record for his Miles Davis tribute project Everything’s Beautiful. Illa J also had the privilege to collaborate with hip-hop legend Phife Dawg from ATCQ on his double LP nutshell. Other features include Slum Village’s critically acclaimed album Yes & famed UK producer Tom Misch Beat Tape 2.
$16.99
Hieroglyphics Imperium and Elevation Nation present “The Hierotrope Series”; A collection of 7” 45 singles with 2 sided onrecord phonotropic artwork that comes to life, animating when viewed in a camera/phone in direct light. The music for the series will be a variety of unreleased songs from the Hiero vault, and featured singles from upcoming projects released bi-monthly. All design/animation of the series is created by Unjust via Elevation Nation, long-time Hieroglyphics collaborator. Keeping in tradition with Hieroglyphics’ tradition of innovation, landmark creative quality, and independent ideology, this series gives its listeners/viewers a truly unique bonus value, adding an extra layer of visual stimuli to the beloved physical act of playing a record. Marrying art, music, and technology, The Hierotrope Series promises to be on-going treat for Hip-Hop heads, vinyl heads, and tech-heads alike. This single in the series is First Light (Opio + Pep Love), “Livin’ the Life” b/w “FU2”, 2 previously unreleased songs that were cut from The “Fallacy Fantasy” album, produced by Unjust.
$149.99
Inside a black box emblazoned with a dark image of a burned copy of OK COMPUTER are three heavyweight 180 gram black 12" vinyl records and a hardcover book containing more than 30 artworks, many of which have never been seen before except by us, and full lyrics to all the tracks except the ones that haven't really got any lyrics. Featuring Remastered OK COMPUTER, B-Sides and Three Never Before Released Tracks: “I Promise,” “Lift,” “Man Of War” Rescued from defunct formats, prized from dark cupboards and brought to light after two decades in cold storage... OKNOTOK will be issued June 23 on XL Recordings, coinciding (roughly) with the original 1997 release date(s) of Radiohead’s landmark third album OK COMPUTER. OKNOTOK features the original OK COMPUTER twelve track album, eight B-sides, and the Radiohead completist’s dream: “I Promise,” “Lift,” and “Man Of War.” The original studio recordings of these three previously unreleased and long sought after OK COMPUTER era tracks finally receive their first of official issue on OKNOTOK. All material on OKNOTOK is newly remastered from the original analog tapes. OK COMPUTER was originally released on various dates ranging from May to July 1997. Produced by the band and Nigel Godrich, the album is widely cited as one of the greatest works of Radiohead’s--or any artist’s—catalog and was the first Radiohead record to reach #1 in the UK and to be be nominated for the Album of the Year GRAMMY. The album features singles “Paranoid Android,” “Karma Police,” “Lucky” and “No Surprises.” In 2015, The National Recording Registry selected OK COMPUTER to be preserved in the Library of Congress as a recording that has proven “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”
Sold Out - $28.99
Limited to 300. The final album written and recorded by Alan Vega, front man of seminal electronic duo Suicide, before his passing in July 2016. 2-LP Gatefold with never-before-seen drawings, writings, and photos by Alan.
$21.99
Featuring Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails), Dam-Funk, Daryl Hall, Robyn and more. Veteran producer, pioneering performer and legendary songwriter Todd Rundgren returns with a 2017 album featuring a stellar line-up of all-star guest performers! White Knight showcases Rundgren's incredibly diverse range of styles from soulful art rock to ambient synth pop and includes performances from Rundgren's equally diverse musical companions such as Trent Reznor, Donald Fagen (of Steely Dan), Joe Walsh (of The Eagles), Daryl Hall, Dam Funk, Joe Satriani, Robyn and others. Includes the tracks "I Got Your Back," "Chance for Us," "Tin Foil Hat," "Sleep," "That Could Have Been Me," "Deaf Ears," "This Is Not a Drill" and others.
$10.99
FUNK YEAH! The Professor’s back with another double dose of boom bap re-works from the Crescent City. Jean Knight’s “Do Me” gets treated to added breaks and vocal samples to achieve maximum funkyness! On the flip, The Meters “Find Yourself” will have your head nodding along with the heavy drums and clean cuts (we see you, Naughty By Nature). This sureshot 45rpm is pressed up on orange colored vinyl.
$15.99
Moby is a true electronic music pioneer. He redefined rave on singles like 1990s “Go,” then slowed down to explore its aftermath on the multiplatinum Play LP. Decades later, the man is still firing off pointed, personal salvos and dance music curveballs from his LA studio—and, in a most fitting partnership, he’s enlisted Fool’s Gold to remix his iconic catalog on the diverse new Black Lacquer EP. Treasure Fingers, Madeaux, High Klassified, and FG co-founder Nick Catchdubs each put their own spin on Moby hits like “Natural Blues” and “Porcelain,” bouncing from industrial experiments and futuristic techno workouts to late-night house and zooted club bass. Black Lacquer isn’t the Moby you’ve heard before, but a surprising collection that keeps his trailblazing spirit alive. Sleeve by Wax Studios.
$18.99
Single sleeve jacket on uncoated stock with silver foil details. Includes download coupon and double-sided 12" x 24" poster insert with a portrait of Katie Crutchfield on one side and full lyrics on the reverse. Out in the Storm is the blazing result of a woman reawakened. Her most autobiographical and honest album to date, Out in the Storm is a self-reflective anchor in the story of both Katie Crutchfield's songwriting and her life. The album tells the story of taking control of a volatile situation, embracing flaws, and exploring a new sonic freedom. The album was tracked at Miner Street Recordings in Philadelphia with John Agnello, known for working with some of the most iconic musicians of the last 25 years, including Dinosaur Jr. and Sonic Youth. For Agnello, it was Crutchfield's voice that drew him in. ''The first demo song I heard was 'Fade'. The melodies, the way she sings it, the way she turns the melody, and the way she goes note to note is literally beautiful. Singers - you either have it or you don't. She has it.'' Agnello and Crutchfield worked together for most of December 2016, along with the band: sister Allison Crutchfield on keyboards and percussion, Katherine Simonetti on bass, and Ashley Arnwine on drums; Katie Harkin, touring guitarist with Sleater-Kinney, also contributed lead guitar. At Agnello's suggestion, the group recorded most of the music live to enhance their unity in a way that gives the album a fuller sound compared to past releases, resulting in one of Waxahatchee's most guitar-driven releases to date. ''My experience working with John was genuinely life-changing,'' says Crutchfield. ''We had such a great connection right off the bat, and I really feel like he was always looking out for me. He pushed me when I needed it, and gave me space when I needed it.'' Crutchfield's voice oscillates between effortless grace and commanding righteousness, taking the listener with her on an explicitly personal journey. Songs like ''Hear You'' and ''No Question'' are lyrically unapologetic and musically resolute, while the softer acoustic songs like ''A Little More'' and ''Fade'' let fear and melancholy seep through. But it is on the atmospheric ''Sparks Fly'' where we feel an essential redemption. ''Sparks Fly'' acts as an inner dialogue and marks the first time since the inception of Waxahatchee that any semblance of self-love has shone through. This moment is a perspective we've yet to see from Crutchfield: it is a rediscovery of herself, and the realization of a full life she is completely worthy of. ''It's about self-preservation, selfcare, and reclaiming your autonomy,'' says Crutchfield. ''When you find the things that make you happy, sometimes it's easier to see things that make you unhappy.''
$29.99
Limited to 500 copies and comes with download code and 12'' x 12'' 16-page photobook. In a unique and new partnership between Awful Records and Blackhouse Records, Who's Gonna Get Fucked First? from Atlanta powerhouse rapper and Awful Records CEO Father, is the second of a series of upcoming Awful Records physical releases seeing a limited edition vinyl release, exclusively manufactured and distributed via Blackhouse Records. Released in tandem with his debut full length album, Young Hot Ebony, WGGFF is dark, depraved, confrontational, perverted, and dripping with sexual tension. Arguably his finest work, WGGFF features appearances from ABRA, Slug Christ, and many more. Deeply rooted in Atlanta, Georgia's art scene and crossing over into the hip-hop and trap scenes, Who's Gonna Get Fucked First is the record that put Father on the map, and is an absolutely perfect sophomore release.
$20.99
Lost dark soul/funk masterpiece from Hampton, Virginia high school champions of Pepsi’s “New Sounds Of 1972” challenge. The stories of great high school funk bands are, thanks to an abundance of reissues, commonplace. The tales of great high school soul-bands are still rare. A ballad or two on the random Douglass High School Stage Band album or Timeless Legend’s mesmerizing entry on Columbus’s 1972 1st Annual Inner City Talent Expo notwithstanding, high school bands rarely struck into the realm of “grown folks” music. Enter The Equatics and their brooding masterpiece Doin’ It!!!! If this is categorized as a “funk” album – and it was for the last ten years, by those few lucky enough to own an original copy – it holds its own. But it was as a soul band, one as inspired by the melancholic musings of Bill Withers as the psychedelic-pop of the self-proclaimed “Black Moses,” Issac Hayes – that the Equatics shone. These young souls offered world-weary, beat-heavy ballads that stand on par with any of the great independent organizations of the early 1970s. That a group of teenagers could offer such an angst-ridden plea as that of Leo Davis’s “Merry Go Round” not only transcends the limitations that came from the band’s average age (seventeen, at the time of the album’s recording), but also the barriers the stood in front of this group of small-city hopefuls.
$15.99
Flower Boy, is the new and long awaited album from Tyler, The Creator. The album follows up 2015’s Cherry Bomb, and is available digitally and on CD. The first track and self-directed video to be released from Flower Boy was “Who Dat Boy” featuring A$AP Rocky, along with a second track “911/Mr. Lonely,” which feature Steve Lacy and Frank Ocean, respectively. *Both "Image Only Cover" and "Explicit Text Cover" have the exact same content, just different covers.
$16.99
Jay-Z's 13th studio album featuring Frank Ocean, Damian Marley and Gloria Carter.
$16.99
Vince Staples has announced his new album, Big Fish Theory. It features the new song “Big Fish” as well as the previously shared track “BagBak.” Speaking about the follow up to 2015's Summertime '06, Staples told Complex: "It encompasses things: Being larger than life in a smaller world, so to say. How rappers are perceived and perceive themselves." Asked what he learned while making the record, Staples suggested that wasn't the journey he took this time. "I don't think this album was a learning process itself as far as the creation of it," he said. "I just think it was a culmination of things I had been learning over the past few years, and coming to an understanding. Often times, music becomes a coping mechanism for people." On the subject of what he's coping with, Staples offered the following: "I think everybody’s coping with the same shit. It’s just life. You live a long life, and then you die." Earlier this year, Staples collaborated with Gorillaz on their track “Ascension” from their LP Humanz, and released the single “562” with Joey Fatts. Last year, he released an EP called Prima Donna.
Sold Out - $21.99
Soul Jazz Records’ new Boombox 2 is a new selection of early rap music from the period 1979-83, with barely a household name in sight. Featured here are some the earliest hip-hop records that came out of New York City following the enormous commercial success of the first ever rap record, ‘Rapper’s Delight’ by the Sugarhill Gang, in September 1979. Artists and producers alike tried to jump aboard the new commercial possibilities of hip-hop. By the end of the year there were 30 hip-hop singles, all released by independent New York labels. The following year there were over 100 more, and so on. Boombox 2 tells the story of how hip-hop went from its evolutionary roots in the Bronx through DJs Kool Herc, Grandmaster Flash and Afrika Bambaataa through to its second phase where veteran music producers – Paul Winley, Peter Brown, Joe Robinson and others – all based in Harlem, began to put rap on vinyl for the first time. Harlem is also where the separate worlds of disco and hip-hop met through the styles and influence of earlier ‘uptown’ DJs - DJ Hollywood and Eddie Cheba. In similar fashion these veteran Harlem-based producers instinctively tapped into a long lineage of AfricanAmerican rhythm and blues, soul and disco. Boombox 2 is a triple-vinyl set (+ download code) LP and double CD pack that features extensive text, exclusive interviews and stunning photography by Jamel Shabazz, Martha Cooper and others.
$11.99
The fifth studio album from The Doppelgangaz. A statement piece solidifying their unique sound and brand through the lens of the Black Cloak Lifestyle. Raw and rugged, yet refined.
$12.99
Its been five years since Show & A.G. dropped Mugshot Music and the D.I.T.C. duo are back once again with, Take It Back. This album is the sophomore release on the new DITC Studios label, featuring additional production and guest features by the likes of Lord Finesse, Diamond D, O.C., DJ Premier, A-Bless, Roc Marciano and more. The CD also comes with two bonus tracks, so don’t sleep!
$12.99
In 1999, the duo of DJ T-Rock & Squashy Nice formed in Atlanta. Squashy Nice is an accomplished beats producer, and DJ T-Rock is a scratch-master responsible for battle records on the likes of Bomb Hip-Hop Records, Stereo-Type, and Replicant Music Trading Corp. Together they released three party-ready instrumental hip hop albums for New Zealand’s Why Records label. Now based from coast-to-coast (Squashy Nice in New York and DJ T-Rock in Los Angeles), the duo has joined the Cold Busted family for their fourth album, the satisfying seventeen track Back To The Essence. Showcasing the variety and breadth that Squashy Nice’s beats and samples and DJ T-Rock’s scratches can provide, the tracks on Back To The Essence swerve from party rockers to soulful, thoughtful numbers featuring vocals from New Zealand vocalist Miss Glue. Among the standouts are the opening “Hit The Breaks”, combining harmonica, ’60s style fuzz guitar, heavy beats, and some crucial vocal scratches; “Let Them Be”, with Miss Glue’s lovely vocals providing a counterpoint to acoustic guitar cut-ups; and “Watch The Clouds”, featuring gentle piano, a loungey string section breakdown, and wistful vocals from Squashy Nice. Back To The Essence should be ingested whole, as its plentiful tracks radiate fun, funk, and good vibes. It’s like a virtual block party dropping down wherever its cuts are playing.
$7.99
…speaking of air and darkness, Born on a Gangster Star came into the world in a big damn hurry, like nightfall on an island. You can see it happening, but then again it’s so gradual that the next thing you know—it’s dark. Imbued with the energy and ideas from all the creative embers floating in the atmosphere like fireflies, Shabazz Palaces recorded this entire album over the course of two weeks with Blood in Seattle. New gear and new equipment disintegrated comfort zones into dust and a new path appeared in the rubble. Herein the Palaceer continues the tale of Quazar, a sentient being from somewhere else, an observer sent here to Amurderca to chronicle and explore as a musical emissary. What he finds in our world is a cutthroat place, a landscape where someone like him could never quite feel comfortable amidst all the brutality and alternative facts and death masquerading as connectivity. Inspired by days on end spent in the waves—water and light, both—of Southern California, the work came to the Palaceer in a flash, like being picked up by something and carried. Always dribbling with his head up, he can see what’s going on around him and react to it, rather than starting in a certain direction and hoping to achieve something upon arrival. What’s good?—the kids ask. What does it even mean, and what does it even matter? Who is behind these choices? We are all of us sitting under a waterfall of all. this. shit. But it’s the excess that is casting us into ruts. The Palaceer stays away from the fleeting and the superficial nonessential. Stay away from your device—your phantom limb—and stay away from your image—your phantom self; that is his decree. Considering the motions behind the things you like to consume artistically, rather than just the way something looks or sounds, and thinking in layers, and trying to be more considerate and not so self-oriented—this is his medicine for combat. Born on a Gangster Star flirts with a pop sensibility, but through the prism of Shabazz Palaces’s fire and fury. For the Palaceer, that sense is all about how the groove is moving, and the supernatural telepathy that occurs amongst his cohort. Appearing here, in body or in spirit, are Julian Casablancas, Thundercat, Darrius Willrich, Gamble and Huff, Loud Eyes Lou, Thaddillac, Ahmir, Jon Kirby, Sunny Levine, and Blood. The story belongs to Quazarz, but the air and darkness belong to us. And so we shine a light on the fake.
$9.99
Debut release on Street Corner Music from the CT based producer. "Foisey's music got into my hands thru Mutant Academy. I became aware of these RVA kids last year and told them to send a pack. What initially stood out was the beats from Foisey, a young cat from Connecticut. He kept sending packs and I put together a dope collection of his instrumentals. Laid back vibes with a punch. You won't be disappointed. Beats."
$9.99
The 2nd album by Budabrose (Budamunk and Fitz Ambrose) is a collaboration by two beatmakers who draw attention worldwide. Budamunk’s releases feature many prominent artists and are heralded as culminations in the Japanese hip-hop scene. In parallel with many domestic activities, Budamunk also undertakes many projects overseas. Fitz Ambrose, the Canadian / Cape Bretton Island born, now Tokyo based beat maker draws from 80s & 90s sounds while maintaining the sensation that injected the same magic the originals did. 5lack who is featured on the album continues to gather more attention by offering songs to Japan’s greatest upcomers.
$9.99
Sounds by ΔKTR Except: 02 with Tajima Hal 13 with AKEEDRO 18 with OZARK Illustration by Wakana Yamazaki Photography by Samehada Allah Design by Jared Pittack
$7.99
Quazarz came to the Earth from somewhere else, a musical ambassador from his place to ours. Somehow, through fire or through fury, the Palaceer of Shabazz Palaces caught wind of the tale, and it is through his prism that we hear the story. The beach was there, and Atlaantiis, and chemical alterations and cell memories and Andre Norton, Richard K. Morgan, and always Octavia Butler. There were killings and there were votes, and brutality in both. There was sound and there were other worlds, and there was a vastness so participation sometimes came only at the edges. And the Palaceer coasted down with the alien notion, like Quazarz, and so became. On Quazarz when they look at this place they see the inhabitants, the humans, but they don’t assess as we do. And so Quazarz was sent to meet a cat with vibration, a creative and courageous, caring, compassionate dude that stood out. The dude was a drug dealer, but that was neither here nor there, until his dealings squashed the rendezvous, leaving our alien alone to figure out what this place is really all about. Coming from a simpler, more essential, innocent place, the hero could not make heads nor tails of most advancements. From an aerial view, he saw that a good percentage of earthly vibrations were on very small squares and it became his belief that this world was very disposable and the spans short. His opinion was not of anything good nor bad but simply the truth. The machines—he noted—though at the behest of their master’s voice, are scorned, and jealous as all hell. And so the tale is told while surfing on the board of Shabazz Palaces, with its sturdy base angled for takeoff on a new trajectory. There is new blood and space and room to be different and have different assets and different art and different ways to talk and also open up some space inside to do something new. There are pages and there are drawings, and color and faces and inked dialogues written in ancient futuristic hieroglyph. There are scales and there is melody and there are Sunny days and there is Darkness, but that—it should be noted—to the Palaceer is not a lack of illumination or brightness. Maybe it is dark, but in it is always optimism and joy, a bright darkness and a full, hopeful one as well. It comes in gold, and it comes for the night. And so Quazarz sang the Jealous Machines. And so too did the Jealous Machines sing the Gangster Star.
$9.99
Debut LP on Street Corner Music from the CT based producer. "While preparing for my radio show about a year ago, I put a kite out to the kids that I was looking for some heat to play. This kid sent me a 20 second clip of a work in progress. It was sublime. He kept sending beats per my request. It was exciting how consistently good the shit was. Blissful, downtempo escapism. His production took me somewhere else, in a time where a retreat from the increasingly stressful day to day is more than welcomed. That first track he sent, "Huey", starts off Balloons, Wowflower's debut LP on Street Corner Music, just as it started the dialogue between the two of us. The Street Corner faithfuls will not be disappointed. This shit is fantastic." -House Shoes
$12.99
“I made ‘Severed’ at a time when my relationship with my wife — my high school sweetheart and the mother of my three children — was coming to an end,” Nocando explained in a press release. “This was right around the time the rap crew side of my record label Hellfyre Club began to disband and when I split from my business partners at Low End Theory of more than a decade. Plus, I was broke as fuck. The songs on ‘Severed’ are more personal, more vulnerable than anything I’d made before. The battle rap braggadocio that I held dear for so many years melted away. Every piece of my personal life was ripped apart and rearranged. I had no choice but to rebuild from the ground up.” -Nocando Overall, Severed is a record about one man losing hope in everything and everyone, including himself, and also serves as one of Nocando’s most powerful albums to date.
$7.99
Black Up is the new sonic move from Shabazz Palaces. Luxury as understood by the modest. Shabazz Palaces. If Bedouins herded beats instead of goats and settled in Seattle instead of the Atlas Mountains, this would be their album. Hip hop. Black light uses electromagnetic radiation to eradicate microorganisms, but shabazz didn't come to kill a sound, just to shine their own incandescent lamp on this. Hear. Hard and clear. Fifty thousand years in the making. Honorable. Produced by Knife Knights at Gunbeat Serenade Studio in Outplace Palacelands. It was recorded and mixed in Lixx-alog by Blood.
If you have questions regarding your order please visit our Order Status page before contacting us.
If it's urgent don't hesitate to give us a ring.
Business hours are Monday - Friday 9AM-5PM PST.
Call Us Toll Free: (888) 377-3175
To reach us by email use the form below:
Joseph Abajian (DJ Jab) founded Fat Beats in 1994 with nothing more than a shoestring budget and an earnest obsession with the music, the culture, and the brotherhood of New York’s burgeoning rap scene. What began as a simple vinyl shop in Manhattan’s Lower East Side quickly became an integral hub for artists, both aspiring and established, to convene and collaborate on new projects. Joseph’s timing couldn’t have been more impeccable. When the 90’s cultural zeitgeist – and, in turn, the music industry establishment – chose hip-hop as its new arbiter of cool.
International tourists and touring artists alike flocked to Fat Beats for rare vinyl, kindred spirits, and exclusive in-store performances from Jay Z, Eminem, Gang Starr, Outkast, Slum Village, Mos Def, and more. One thing was clear: the Fat Beats phenomenon could no longer be contained in a single basement shop.
In the late nineties, Abajian proceeded to open new stores in Amsterdam, Tokyo, Los Angeles, and Atlanta. He further expanded the company’s profile to include global distribution and record label branches. Distribution has since proven to be the company’s strongest and most enduring enterprise. Today Fat Beats Distribution stands poised as one of the country’s pre-eminent distributors of vinyl & specialty item records: a proud survivor in an industry now famous for its mortality rate. Despite market fluctuations, technology innovations, and stylistic revolutions, Fat Beats has remained steadfast in its commitment to the timeless vinyl format and to the loyal community who keeps it spinning.
Important information when ordering with Fatbeats.com...
• Online orders are processed within 1-2 business days.
• If you are confused or need to know about an order placed on the site you can contact us
• Order processing time is separate from shipping time requested.
• International orders and orders that require additional credit verification can take longer to process. Please be available at the provided number or email submitted to speed up verification time.
•We try and offer as many upcoming projects available for pre-order when the releases have moved into production. However, due to the nature of manufacturing and production, pre-order dates may change. If your pre-ordered items are holding your package from arriving please email us with a request to ship the in-stock items and pre-orders when they become available.
•If your order contains pre-order items we will hold the package until all titles are available to ship. Please specify in the comments section of the checkout if you would like to: a) hold your entire order until it can be entirely fulfilled or, b) have the in-stock items shipped immediately and the pre-ordered items ship when available. Please note that option B may require additional shipping charges as multiple packages will be shipped.
• Our stock rapidly changes and we try and set in place a system that avoids purchasing items that become out of stock. However, if a product ordered is out of stock, we will reach out and give you the chance to change or cancel your order. If you choose to cancel, you will be refunded in full.
• IMPORTANT: If the address or phone number supplied conflicts with other information provided, i.e. billing information versus shipping information, we may need to contact you to verify your purchase. Please be available to verify or write an explanation in the notes section during checkout explaining the conflicting information.
•Please make sure you give us your correct billing address and your correct billing phone number. Again, it is highly important that you are available at the provided number or email submitted to speed up verification time enabling us to avoid fraudulent purchases.
• All sales are final. However, if the item ordered is different from the item you receive, please contact us and we can arrange to get you the desired product.
• We are committed to protecting your privacy. There is an opt-in policy to receive marketing and other e-blasts about future products available as well as deals and coupons. If you do not wish to receive these emails you can opt out by simply removing the check from the marketing box below upon check out. We will never sell your email or personal information.
• Your payment and personal information is always safe. Our SSL (secure server software) is the industry standard and among the best software available today for secure commerce transactions. It encrypts all of your personal information, including credit card number, name, and address, so that it cannot be read over the internet.
Fat Beats offers internship opportunities. You must be enrolled in college and reside in the Los Angeles area to be eligible for our programs. If you meet these requirements, please paste your cover letter below and we will contact you if there are open positions available.
We are currently offering an internship program that offers an educational experience in all facets of our distribution operation. The intern would have the ability to assist in each of the following departments:
Online Retail / Marketing
Shipping & Receiving
Sales
A&R
Requirements:
- Enrollment in an accredited college/university that offers an internship program for academic credit
- Knowledge and passion in independent music and culture; with a specific interest in the artists/releases that Fat Beats supports
- Familiarity with Microsoft Office applications
- Positive attitude - no task should be considered too small
- Must be located in the greater Los Angeles area
Resumes/Cover Letters should be emailed to fatbeatsjobs@gmail.com
