Hip-Hop/Rap music you will love

Editor's Picks (see more)

  • JAV AKA RAPMONONOV: Sun of a Gun

    JAV AKA RAPMONONOV: Sun of a Gun

    It's been too long since I've seen an MC rocking a fresh pair of Cazals on the cover of an album. While the look might be an unabashed nod to the old school, the music from this New York producer/lyricist isn't the least bit concerned with looking back. His self-described "progressive street sound" is "the deconstruction of 'street life' the mainstream has falsely glorified." If you think this sounds like a perspective modern hip hop is in desperate need of, you won't have a problem embracing the thick beats and intelligent flows that make up the 15 tracks on this one. Producing the majority of the beats himself, he does a great job of giving the music an overall sense of cohesiveness, without repeating structures or falling back on similar sounds from track to track. His lyrics and vocal style keep it up, adjusting to the feel and subject matter of each cut. "Watch Out" is thick and slightly bouncing, with a dense street vibe that is executed flawlessly. "Kidz" is filled with compassion and confessions of uncertainly, a pause for pondering that comes across as sincere and thoughtful. Another high point is "Fame," a narrative tale that takes on a "what if?" point of view and really explores the actualities of this goal so many people strive for. The song, along with the rest of the record, is conscious and pragmatic, without sacrificing any of the authenticity you'd expect from an East Coast MC who knows his craft so well. And it makes for some great music.

    CD price: $11.97 / MP3 price: $10.97

  • EARTHWORMS: "Bottle Full of Bourbon"

    EARTHWORMS: "Bottle Full of Bourbon"

    Hip hop with no filler. It's a concept that's been pushed to the wayside in the last decade, completely arresting the ability of many an album to rock a party from front to back. This St. Louis crew has the remedy: an hour-plus CD that grooves deep in the pocket of true school hip hop, keeping things fun while intelligent, party-ready but not hook-obsessed. Forgoing an intro, they jump right into it on "The Great Escape," a razor sharp cut that gets thick with the kick drum and heavy with the horns, exploding in a chorus that injects a bit of soul between the lyrically potent verses. Employing a variety of producers, the tracks mix it up a bit from song to song, but thematically, it's all cohesive. Throwing in well-placed scratches and group vocals that increase the urgency on selected refrains, they're intent on finding a way to make you move without resorting to the ham-fisted goading that dominates so much generic party rap. Their mission is never futile: cuts like "Dang" and "Get Up!" bounce with a fervor that's guaranteed to spread quickly. It's what you've been looking for: no wastes of space, just good-time hip hop delivered courtesy of a wit and candor that's a pleasure to get with.

    CD price: $10.00

  • N.Y.C. AKA NEVER YET CONTESTED: ... In Retrospect

    N.Y.C. AKA NEVER YET CONTESTED: ... In Retrospect

    In hip hop, you can always take it back to the essence. All you need is a thick beat laced with some potent lyrics, and the sound is bound to resonate with true fans. No matter what you've heard, those fans are still out there, and this Brooklyn-bred MC knows it. Wisely skipping the oft-obligatory intro, he jumps knee-deep into the rhyme pool on "Who I Be," an 808-driven track that thumps, rings some bells, and allows ample room for the man to let us know what he's about, and what he came to do. Don't worry, he's not here to sermonize ("I'm not a preacher, but a brother who knows...," he says on "Probable Cause"), but if you want to listen, he's got some ideas. "Wake Up" gets deeper into the conscious aspects of his style, urging folks to take a hard look around. The rest of the disc is the follow-through of these opening statements, getting specific on the downside of television ("Boob Tube"), the blurring effects of drinking ("Intoxication"), and the harsh realities of the streets ("21"). It's serious business, but he balances things out with "Clap for Me," a golden-era style party anthem that keeps it partially old school, but completely relevant. It makes for a great balance, a great track, and one more reason why this is such a great album.

    CD price: $9.99 / MP3 price: $9.99

  • XPERIENCE: Soultree

    XPERIENCE: Soultree

    After "Intro (Prayer)," the pensive and calculated preamble that kicks off this dark but ear-grabbing blend of thick beats and dense raps, the focus that drives this affair becomes clear: "Let my words be the vessel to the threshold of your mind," Xperience urges on "Wrekon," offering both insight into his game plan and the route he needs to take to get there. Fusing a laid back style with subject matter that is anything but, these are songs that demand an investment from your ears and your mind. The beats make it easy; the words pose a challenge. A spiritual undertone rides through the 15 tracks, like you're watching the journey of a man who's fed up with contradictions searching for answers that might not even be there. But he's trying, and it's the struggle that's so intriguing. This is serious business, but his valiant wordplay and knack for diction and timing keep it from ever getting bogged down. Plus, he's not afraid to let loose. On "Two to Tango," the beat bounces a bit, echoing the uplifting vibe of the cut, and "The People's Anthem" works a bit of soul into the mix, making a smooth chaser for the ambitious lyrics that are laid on top. Strong-willed and potent with the words, this is hip hop that strives to open up your mind.

    CD price: $11.00 / MP3 price: $11.00

  • SENZ OF DEPTH: Boundary Waters

    SENZ OF DEPTH: Boundary Waters

    Crafting an album full of hip hop instrumentals is a challenge: without lyrics to crash in and dominate the sound, the producer is left with plenty of space to fill, a feat made even harder given that he's flexing skills in a genre of music that often relies on repetition for it's immediate appeal. Where many have failed, California producer Senz of Depth succeeds, packing a completely unexpected arsenal of instruments and sounds into a collection of songs that can be taken one by one, or just as easily swallowed whole in its smooth-flowing entirety. The key here is variety. Leaving out the loops and refrains, each song undulates and moves, while still finding ways to sink into grooves and not lose track of the underlying progression. Mixing live instruments with synths, it's often hard to tell exactly where some of these sounds originate, and that's precisely what makes it so much fun to listen to. These are tracks that thrive on intricacy, as Senz takes the basics of hip hop, shatters any presupposed definition of what he should be doing, and just runs with what feels right. It'll keep you guessing, and it's guaranteed to keep you coming back to make sure you caught it all. Give yourself some time, it'll take a while.

    CD price: $7.00 / MP3 price: $5.00

Top Sellers (see more)

  • MASKERADE: Luv Iz Crazi

    MASKERADE: Luv Iz Crazi

    The perfect mix of R&B and Hip-Hop blended together with great songwriting. This album features the smash hit "Amazing" and also "Get to Know Ya". LUV IZ CRAZI is a must have for any R&B collection.

    CD price: $12.98 / MP3 price: $12.98

  • 4TH25: Live From Iraq

    4TH25: Live From Iraq

    Produced, written, and recorded in Baghdad Iraq. The reality of a country at war - this is what nobody wanted you to hear. MP3 is

    MP3 price: $14.00

  • SING 2 SCHOOL: Multiplication Hip Hop

    SING 2 SCHOOL: Multiplication Hip Hop

    Sing 2 School's MULTIPLICATION HIP HOP was awarded by DR. Toy and Parents Choice Foundation. It was also recommended by Parenting Magazine and featured on Barbara Walter's television show, The View. The CD teaches the multiplication facts using positive

    MP3 price: $9.99

  • ZACHARIAH AND THE LOBOS RIDERS: Dead and Breakfast Soundtrack

    ZACHARIAH AND THE LOBOS RIDERS: Dead and Breakfast Soundtrack

    A rap-country hybrid from the cult classic film "Dead and Breakfast."

    CD price: $8.97 / MP3 price: $8.97

  • MOSS: Strictly A Class

    MOSS: Strictly A Class

    A new style of urban hip hop with a smooth flow, and inspiring lyrics over rhythmically charged beats all brought together by intensely catchy hooks."JUST AN AMAZING ALBUM".

    CD price: $10.00 / MP3 price: $5.00

  • GOD-DES: Reality

    GOD-DES: Reality

    Controversial hip-hop

    CD price: $12.97 / MP3 price: $12.97

  • THE STRANGE FRUIT PROJECT: Soul Travelin'

    THE STRANGE FRUIT PROJECT: Soul Travelin'

    Hip Hop/Soul music with a edge....

    CD price: $13.00

  • OPTIMUS RHYME: Optimus Rhyme

    OPTIMUS RHYME: Optimus Rhyme

    Alternative hip-hop blending interstellar rhymes with live instrumentation.

    MP3 price: $12.00

  • WAYNA: Moments of Clarity - Book I

    WAYNA: Moments of Clarity - Book I

    A fusion of classic soul, jazz, hiphop and R&B.

    CD price: $12.00

  • TOOMBSTONE: Take A Fat Ass Hit

    TOOMBSTONE: Take A Fat Ass Hit

    Rap with an R&B Flavor

    CD price: $12.97 / MP3 price: $12.97