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Vinyl has made a big comeback in the last decade. Anybody with a collection is likely to have the same old favourites that pop up in charity shops and car boots all over the place. There’s a copy of “Dark Side of the Moon” in almost every attic and for good reason. But the same old albums that you can get anywhere can be a bit dull after a while. Hip Hop fans will know that it’s a bit more difficult to get anything in that area. Hip Hop albums tend to be more expensive than other genres so if you are going to buy some, you’ll need to choose wisely. It’s better to have a select few good albums rather than wasting money on bad ones. Here are the best Hip Hop vinyl that every good collection should have.

“The Low End Theory” – A Tribe Called Quest

Any self-confessed Hip-Hop fan will surely have heard of this one. The second album by A Tribe Called Quest is probably their best-known. The Low End Theory, Released in 1991 and often referred to as the Sgt. Peppers of Hip-Hop has a stripped back sound that is packed with jazz influences. The band themselves cited N.W.A “Straight Outta Compton” as one of their major influences and the album is heralded for a sound that is unrestricted by commercial success.

“Illmatic” – Nas

Written about his experiences growing up in a poor district of New York, this excellent debut is celebrated for its raw look at the lives of the black community in the 90’s. It’s definitely worth listening to on vinyl to get the full effect. Make sure that you have a decent player from somewhere like Vinyl Vintage otherwise you’ll be disappointed. What makes this album even more impressive is the fact that Nas was only seventeen years old when he started writing and recording demos of the album. These days, it is often cited as one of the greatest Hip-Hop albums of all time.

 

“The Blueprint” – Jay-Z

This is the sixth studio album by Jay-Z, released in 2001, and is widely considered to be his best one. When it came out, Jay-Z was awaiting court dates for assault and gun possession so it was a time of unrest for him. He allegedly wrote the lyrics for the entire album in two days before he recorded it. Regardless of this, he achieved widespread critical acclaim for the lyrics on the album. It is also noted for the production, which Kanye West played a large part in.

 

“Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)” – The Wu-Tang Clan

Arguably the best Hip-Hop album ever recorded, Enter The Wu-Tang was the debut album of one of the architects of modern rap music. The album is often seen as being a blueprint for hardcore Hip Hop that many artists have taken inspiration from since. Having said that, it has such a unique sound because of the samples they use, mainly taken from martial arts movies. When they’re mixed with the sparse beats and great lyrics, you get something incredible.
Adding these four albums should give you a solid basis to start building a great Hip Hop collection.

Chiino
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