Hip Hop

Buying hip hop records: artists, editions and what collectors look for

In short: The Vinyl Room currently has 773 hip hop records. The stock runs from the classics of the eighties and nineties – Nas, Gang Starr, De La Soul, Dr. Dre – to current underground rap in small runs that sell out fast. Thomas sums it up in our Plattenparty stream: “In jazz it’s labels, in hip hop it’s artists.” ▶ Plattenparty video at 0:56:42

Why does hip hop belong on vinyl?

Because hip hop is built on records. It started at parties in the Bronx in the seventies, where DJs stretched the breaks of funk and soul records – two turntables, two copies. Later those very records were sampled. The 12-inch with instrumental and a cappella was the key tool for DJs and producers for years. Especially in the underground, many albums still come out in small, often numbered vinyl runs.

What do collectors look for in hip hop?

The artist first, then the edition: first pressing, coloured vinyl, numbered run or special sleeve. For nineties classics, US originals on labels like Def Jam (founded 1984) or Jive count. Current underground rappers such as Westside Gunn or Mach-Hommy often release only in small runs – here frequently via the London label Daupe!. And since Thomas is from Copenhagen, we also have plenty of Danish rap, such as Malk De Koijn and L.O.C.

Which styles are there?

• Boom bap – the nineties East Coast sound: hard drums, samples, focus on the rhymes.
• Conscious – hip hop with a point of view.
• Jazzy hip hop – built on jazz samples; the London label Mo’ Wax (from 1992) fits right in.
• Hardcore and gangsta – rougher, often West Coast, with Eazy-E, Dr. Dre and Ice-T.

From our stock

Boom bap & conscious

Hardcore & gangsta

Jazzy hip hop

Small runs: Daupe!

Browse by style: Boom bap · Conscious · Hardcore hip hop · Gangsta · Jazzy hip hop · Pop rap

FAQ

Why do some hip hop records sell out so fast? Because some current albums only come out in small, often numbered runs and are not repressed, or only later.

What is boom bap? The East Coast hip hop sound of the nineties – hard, dry drums, sampled loops and lots of weight on the lyrics.

Is a first pressing worth it in hip hop? It depends on the edition: for some nineties classics the US original is far more sought after than later reissues, for others not. How to recognise them is explained on our page “How to spot a first pressing”.

Do you have new, sealed hip hop records? Yes, some are still factory sealed. You’ll find them in the filter under “Mint / Sealed”.

→ Grading explained · How to spot a first pressing · The Collector’s Room · Plattenparty on YouTube