Profile's two young founders were products of the disco boom. Cory Robbins and Steve Plotnicki, both Jewish New Yorkers in their 20s, first met in 1979 when Robbins released a Plotnicki-penned disco song, "Love Insurance," on Panorama, a small imprint that Robbins ran for MCA Music Publishing. The idea behind Profile Records which Robbins and Plotnicki launched in May 1981 with a $34,000 loan from their parents was to release 12-inch dance singles. In hindsight, it might not have been the best business plan for the post-disco apocalypse. Profile s first single, a disco record by British TV star Grace Kennedy, was an all-American flop. But over the course of the next twenty years, with signings like Run DMC, Dana Dane, Rob Base & D.J. EZ Rock, Poor Righteous Teachers, Profile Records would... Less

Profile's two young founders were products of the disco boom. Cory Robbins and Steve Plotnicki, both Jewish New Yorkers in their 20s, first met in 1979 when Robbins released a Plotnicki-penned disco song, "Love Insurance," on Panorama, a small imprint that Robbins ran for MCA Music Publishing. The idea behind Profile Records which Robbins and Plotnicki launched in May 1981 with a $34,000 loan from their parents was to release 12-inch dance singles. In hindsight, it might not have been the best business plan for the post-disco apocalypse. Profile s first single, a disco record by British TV star Grace Kennedy, was an all-American flop. But over the course of the next twenty years, with signings like Run DMC, Dana Dane, Rob Base & D.J. EZ Rock, Poor Righteous Teachers, Profile Records would... Less

Sometimes it seems that the art of the song has been lost. Between rap and heavy metal, songs have been reduced to little more than rhythm and words - noise without melody, sound and fury signifying nothing. But, there was a time when melody reigned supreme, when popular songs were memorable - no words required. Film composer Victor Young was one of the very best writers of that golden era, capable of creating utterly unique melodies at nearly the drop of a hat. And who, you ask, is Victor Young? True, he is not as widely remembered today as his peers such as Max Steiner, Elmer Bernstein, Alfred Newman, or Bernard Herrmann. But, if Mr. Young's name does not ring a bell, his songs will - "Stella by Starlight," "Love Letters," "Golden Earrings," "My Foolish Heart," "When I Fall in Love,"... Less

2010 street mix from the Rap superstar along with MC/beatmaker Insight. To make the challenge more appealing, Insight's revisited Nas work mixing up his love for Boom Bap and Reggae music. An experience he considers as a full art: "This is all about facing a song that has been created already. If you take it as a model there's nothing exciting and challenging left. You need to get away from the original track as much as you possibly can. The only restriction and constant is the accapella and you have to create a whole new world around this". Insight buckled down and got on with recycling Nas best songs and yet managed to make new classics from the original ones "I worked on those tracks as a whole, just like they were part of a same record so they can sound like a homogeneous album all... Less

Sometimes it seems that the art of the song has been lost. Between rap and heavy metal, songs have been reduced to little more than rhythm and words - noise without melody, sound and fury signifying nothing. But, there was a time when melody reigned supreme, when popular songs were memorable - no words required. Film composer Victor Young was one of the very best writers of that golden era, capable of creating utterly unique melodies at nearly the drop of a hat. And who, you ask, is Victor Young? True, he is not as widely remembered today as his peers such as Max Steiner, Elmer Bernstein, Alfred Newman, or Bernard Herrmann. But, if Mr. Young's name does not ring a bell, his songs will - "Stella by Starlight," "Love Letters," "Golden Earrings," "My Foolish Heart," "When I Fall in Love,"... Less

One of Pitchfork's ''Top 100 Favorite Records Of The 90's'' is now available again on deluxe red & blue double vinyl! ''Bizarre Ride II'' is the debut album from The Pharcyde. Released in late 1992 by Delicious Vinyl, the album was hailed by critics and alternative rap fans and appeared in ''best albums'' lists in several publications. Produced entirely by J-Swift with easily some of the tightest and most inventive beats of the era, ''Bizarre Ride'' features only one guest appearance, provided by little known Los Angeles rapper Buckwheat (who would become known as Bucwheed from The Wascals). Released during the dominant Gangsta Rap era of the West Coast, the music was described as ''refreshing'' due to its playful, light-hearted humor and lush, jazzy production. Along with albums like... Less

2011 compilation from the British rapper. Bizzle has made a specialty of crossing over to the most unlikely audiences without compromising his street credentials, and this album showcases a diverse mix some of his best songs over the last decade, `I did this album for the fans,' Bizzle explains happily. Not bad for a kid from Walthamstow who used to trade raps with his schoolyard bredrins to impress the girls. 22 tracks.

This summer is gonna be especially hot as Masta Ace gets set to drop his 5th full length album ‘A Long Hot Summer’. After his critically acclaimed 2001 masterpiece ‘Disposable Arts’, Ace returns with the prequel. In an era of disjointed rap albums that are typically an uneven mixture of hits and filler, ‘A Long Hot Summer’ sets itself apart, by telling a compelling story through it’s incredible songs & interludes. Packed with warm, soulful beats from some of the games best producers; this conceptual album follows the life of an underground rapper trying to make his way through the mean streets of Brooklyn. With guest appearances by The Beatnuts, Big Noyd, Edo G., Jean Grae, Punch & Words and Rahzel, ‘A Long Hot Summer’ succeeds in maintaining it’s cohesiveness throughout the riveting... Less

Kids Rap Radio, the brainchild of Beyoncé's dad, may sound like a concept tailor-made to drive the big folks mad, but it has as much in common with the sometimes- criticized Kidz Bop series as Bow Wow does with Barry Manilow. Yes, the hip-hop hits are scrubbed clean, same as the pop and rock numbers on the better-known series. But no, the originals aren't mangled entirely. Instead of spiraling down the drain with the rinsed-off raunch, the spirit of these songs--from the "dirty south" slinkiness of Chingy's "Right Thur" to the urban 'tude of Busta Rhymes "Touch It"--remains. Case in point is "Lil' Bit," the R-rated 50 Cent original: "At dinnertime I try to get my eat on," spits one of the project's two hyper-talented 8-year-old emcees. "But I can't have dessert till my peas gone." It's... Less

Songs Include : The Show - Doug E. Fresh And The Get Fresh Crew / Children's Story - Slick Rick / The Roof Is On Fire - Rock Master Scott And The Dynamic Three / Brass Monkey - Beastie Boys / You Be Illin - Run DMC / Dream Team Is In The House - L.A. Dream Team / The Cabbage Patch - World Class Wrecking Cru / Gittin Funky - Kid N Play / 6 N The Mornin - Ice-T / Funky Beat - Whodini / Its Like That - Run DMC / Joy And Pain - Rob Base And DJ EZ Rock / Rockberry Jam - L.A. Dream Team / Basketball - Kurtis Blow

As rap-metal hybrids continue to sell millions, Cypress Hill fills the "Bones Disc" of this two-CD set with a half-dozen hard rockers that keep things loose-limbed enough to incite the dance floor to something other than moshing. The best music the group has released in years, it shows that this decade-old act is still capable of surprise. The accompanying "Skull Disc" hardly delivers the same jolt, but should satisfy hardcore fans of the Hill. While Cypress Hill sound convincing and forceful over the 64 minutes of Skull & Bones, the record's lyrics have little new to say: most of these songs warn off would-be competitors, praise ganja, or complain about the hardships presented by the rappers' celebrity status. Still, the crunching "Bones" tracks and the occasional Spanglish verses show... Less

It's not quite the first rap record, or the best, but Rapper's Delight--15 glorious minutes of the bass line from Chic's "Good Times," with a New Jersey crew spieling goofy routines about Superman and bad food on top--is one king hell of a party-starter. After that, they could have filled the rest of the disc with crowd noise and gotten away with it, but the Sugarhill Gang had a bunch of other party-jam hits, notably the almost-as-indelibl e "Apache" and "8th Wonder." Those songs show up here too, along with some entertaining non-hits and "Showdown," their rap-off with the Furious Five. What they're saying isn't really the point; the point is to move the crowd, and they're still hip-hop's greatest entertainers. --Douglas Wolk

Kids Rap Radio, the brainchild of Beyoncé's dad, may sound like a concept tailor-made to drive the big folks mad, but it has as much in common with the sometimes- criticized Kidz Bop series as Bow Wow does with Barry Manilow. Yes, the hip-hop hits are scrubbed clean, same as the pop and rock numbers on the better-known series. But no, the originals aren't mangled entirely. Instead of spiraling down the drain with the rinsed-off raunch, the spirit of these songs--from the "dirty south" slinkiness of Chingy's "Right Thur" to the urban 'tude of Busta Rhymes "Touch It"--remains. Case in point is "Lil' Bit," the R-rated 50 Cent original: "At dinnertime I try to get my eat on," spits one of the project's two hyper-talented 8-year-old emcees. "But I can't have dessert till my peas gone." It's... Less

This Collector's Edition contains 18 tracks plus a 90 minute DVD narrated by Samuel Jackson. Nearly three years in the making, rap superstar and CTE/Def Jam recording artist Young Jeezy's new album, TM:103 `HUSTLERZ AMBITION' will finally arrive in stores December 20th, the long-awaited follow-up to 2008's The Recession. To call TM:103 the most anticipated street album of the year would be an understate¬ment - it is the album that Jeezy's millions of fans have been awaiting far too long. In conjunction with the release of TM:103, the biographical film, Hustlerz Ambition, a raw chronicle of Jeezy's rise from the mean streets of Atlanta to international stardom, is set to air (airdates to be announced in the weeks ahead). The two-disc CD+DVD deluxe edition of TM:103 will contain the uncut... Less

No other rapper from the '80s has had LL's longevity. That said, everyone--LL included--knows that the brash Queens teen of Radio is long gone. Since the mid-90s, LL's been best with crossover, R&B/rap songs hardcore types supposedly hate (but their girlfriends love). Todd Smith overflows with that. Despite half-hearted attempts at unleashing his "Jack the Ripper" skills on songs like "LL and Santana" (that'd be Juelz, not Carlos) and "What You Want," Cool James sounds more convincing when he's not trying so hard to be hard. Skip past the overly syrupy "Down the Aisle" and "Ooh Wee" and check out the old-school funkiness of "Control Myself" or "Favorite Flavor," with a throwback sound reminiscent of "Around the Way Girl." Toward the end, LL offers up "We're Gonna Make It," a rousing,... Less

Australian pressing of this import-only collection. Underground legend DJ Krush celebrates his 12 year recording career with a two disc self-remixed compilation of selected songs from his previous 20 albums. Disc One contains tracks that feature raps and vocals from such artists as The Roots, DJ Shadow, Mos Def, Zap Mama, CL Smooth, Company Flow, Esthero, Rino & Twiggy, Aesop Rock and a newly recorded track featuring Kan. Disc Two is a compilation of remixed instrumental tracks including the hit track 'Kemuri'. 26 tracks total including 'Only The Strong Survive', 'Vision Of Art', 'Kill Switch', 'Song For John Walker', 'Zen Approach' and more.. Sony 2006

No other rapper from the '80s has had LL's longevity. That said, everyone--LL included--knows that the brash Queens teen of Radio is long gone. Since the mid-90s, LL's been best with crossover, R&B/rap songs hardcore types supposedly hate (but their girlfriends love). Todd Smith overflows with that. Despite half-hearted attempts at unleashing his "Jack the Ripper" skills on songs like "LL and Santana" (that'd be Juelz, not Carlos) and "What You Want," Cool James sounds more convincing when he's not trying so hard to be hard. Skip past the overly syrupy "Down the Aisle" and "Ooh Wee" and check out the old-school funkiness of "Control Myself" or "Favorite Flavor," with a throwback sound reminiscent of "Around the Way Girl." Toward the end, LL offers up "We're Gonna Make It," a rousing,... Less

Cypress Hill is one of the most successful and influential hip-hop/rock groups in music history. They've headlined Lollapalooza, been named "Best Rap Group" by Rolling Stone, collaborated with the likes of Pearl Jam and Sonic Youth, hit No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart and have had their music licensed for a plethora of TV shows, commercials and films. RISE UP includes "Armada Latina" featuring Marc Anthony & Pitbull and the incendiary title track, "Rise Up", which features Rage Against The Machine/ Street Sweeper Social Club's Tom Morello. The famed guitarist co-wrote and co-produced the song "Rise Up" and appears on a second track titled "Shut `Em Down." Ingeniously crafted, the collaboration on "Armada Latina" brings forth the strength and presence always commanded by... Less

Cypress Hill is one of the most successful and influential hip-hop/rock groups in music history. They've headlined Lollapalooza, been named "Best Rap Group" by Rolling Stone, collaborated with the likes of Pearl Jam and Sonic Youth, hit No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart and have had their music licensed for a plethora of TV shows, commercials and films. RISE UP includes "Armada Latina" featuring Marc Anthony & Pitbull and the incendiary title track, "Rise Up", which features Rage Against The Machine/ Street Sweeper Social Club's Tom Morello. The famed guitarist co-wrote and co-produced the song "Rise Up" and appears on a second track titled "Shut `Em Down." Ingeniously crafted, the collaboration on "Armada Latina" brings forth the strength and presence always commanded by... Less

GO! COMMON CLASSICS, FIRST RETROSPECTIVE OF RAP STAR COMMON'S MOST POPULAR TRACKS, FEATURES MARY J. BLIGE, KANYE WEST, ERYKAH BADU'S "LOVE OF MY LIFE (AN ODE TO HIP HOP)" AND NEW TRACK "NEXT TIME" WITH QUEEN LATIFAH FROM FILM JUST WRIGHT There is nothing ordinary about acclaimed rapper Common, as the first retrospective of the most successful span of his career to date proves. Compiled with Common's participation, Go! Common Classics (Geffen/UMe), to be released May 25, 2010, gathers 11 of his most popular tracks from the past decade on MCA/Geffen plus the rare 1996 battle record "The B**** In Yoo" and a new song, "Next Time (Just Right Version)" featuring Queen Latifah, from the film Just Wright, starring Common and Latifah, and scheduled to hit screens May 14. Since his acting debut... Less

A rapper's rapper. It s a phrase that has been used to describe the best of them. This respect that Ryan Montgomery, aka Royce Da 5 9, has earned amongst his peers has been ten years in the making. Though he began his career at a time when these qualities were still abundant in the rap game, Royce is the last of a dying breed in 2009. He is one of the few artists today to put the quality of his music above everything else, choosing to opt for perfection over conforming to an overcrowded genre of mediocrity. Now, in an age where hip-hop s drought has forced the audience to weed out the nonsense and search for the answer to a dull and uneventful art form, Royce returns with Street Hop, his full-length rescue mission to show MCs how it is supposed to be done. Executive produced by DJ... Less

Australian pressing of this import-only collection. Underground legend DJ Krush celebrates his 12 year recording career with a two disc self-remixed compilation of selected songs from his previous 20 albums. Disc One contains tracks that feature raps and vocals from such artists as The Roots, DJ Shadow, Mos Def, Zap Mama, CL Smooth, Company Flow, Esthero, Rino & Twiggy, Aesop Rock and a newly recorded track featuring Kan. Disc Two is a compilation of remixed instrumental tracks including the hit track 'Kemuri'. 26 tracks total including 'Only The Strong Survive', 'Vision Of Art', 'Kill Switch', 'Song For John Walker', 'Zen Approach' and more.. Sony 2006

GO! COMMON CLASSICS, FIRST RETROSPECTIVE OF RAP STAR COMMON'S MOST POPULAR TRACKS, FEATURES MARY J. BLIGE, KANYE WEST, ERYKAH BADU'S "LOVE OF MY LIFE (AN ODE TO HIP HOP)" AND NEW TRACK "NEXT TIME" WITH QUEEN LATIFAH FROM FILM JUST WRIGHT There is nothing ordinary about acclaimed rapper Common, as the first retrospective of the most successful span of his career to date proves. Compiled with Common's participation, Go! Common Classics (Geffen/UMe), to be released May 25, 2010, gathers 11 of his most popular tracks from the past decade on MCA/Geffen plus the rare 1996 battle record "The B**** In Yoo" and a new song, "Next Time (Just Right Version)" featuring Queen Latifah, from the film Just Wright, starring Common and Latifah, and scheduled to hit screens May 14. Since his acting debut... Less

Release Date: 2005-06-07, Audio CD, Prism Platinum

A rapper's rapper. It s a phrase that has been used to describe the best of them. This respect that Ryan Montgomery, aka Royce Da 5 9, has earned amongst his peers has been ten years in the making. Though he began his career at a time when these qualities were still abundant in the rap game, Royce is the last of a dying breed in 2009. He is one of the few artists today to put the quality of his music above everything else, choosing to opt for perfection over conforming to an overcrowded genre of mediocrity. Now, in an age where hip-hop s drought has forced the audience to weed out the nonsense and search for the answer to a dull and uneventful art form, Royce returns with Street Hop, his full-length rescue mission to show MCs how it is supposed to be done. Executive produced by DJ... Less

Cypress Hill is one of the most successful and influential hip-hop/rock groups in music history, They've headlined Lollapalooza, been named "Best Rap Group" by Rolling Stone, collaborated with the likes of Pearl Jam and Sonic Youth. RISE UP includes "Armada Latina" featuring Marc Anthony & Pitbull and the incendiary title track, "Rise Up", which features Rage Against The Machine/Street Sweeper Social Club's Tom Morello. The famed guitarist co-wrote and co-produced the song "Rise Up" and appears on a second track titled "Shut `Em Down." Ingeniously crafted, the collaboration on "Armada Latina" brings forth the strength and presence always commanded by Cypress Hill. The track breathes life into the album in a musically diverse way. "It was great to work with my longtime friends and... Less

More than a mere rap album, Mos Def's long-awaited The New Danger combines hip-hop, blues, soul, and rock in an 18-track package that seeks to transcend convention. In that sense, it shares a similar spirit with Andre 3000's The Love Below or Common's Electric Circus, with mixed results. Mos's reputation has been built on the strength of his lyrical charisma, and songs like "Close Edge," "Grown Man Business," and "Sunshine" show that his skills haven't faded just because he's Emmy-nominated. He's already proven that he can cut more than just street heat--best evinced on the soulful, poetic "Umi Says," a surprise hit from his previous release, 1999's Black on Both Sides. Yet, the rock- and blues-inspired songs here, while by no means poor, are acquired tastes, given their tendency to... Less

More than a mere rap album, Mos Def's long-awaited The New Danger combines hip-hop, blues, soul, and rock in an 18-track package that seeks to transcend convention. In that sense, it shares a similar spirit with Andre 3000's The Love Below or Common's Electric Circus, with mixed results. Mos's reputation has been built on the strength of his lyrical charisma, and songs like "Close Edge," "Grown Man Business," and "Sunshine" show that his skills haven't faded just because he's Emmy-nominated. He's already proven that he can cut more than just street heat--best evinced on the soulful, poetic "Umi Says," a surprise hit from his previous release, 1999's Black on Both Sides. Yet, the rock- and blues-inspired songs here, while by no means poor, are acquired tastes, given their tendency to... Less