Hip Hop Recommendations on Bandcamp

spacecoyote

Have tried to create this thread a few times now, but the draft keeps getting wiped, so will keep the first post a bit shorter and add more in follow up posts.

I don't use streaming generally for my music, still buy albums and pick up mixtapes.

I've found one of the best sources to find new music (outside of the major releases) is Bandcamp.

It has the occasional benefit also of some artists putting up some of their releases as "Name Your Price" which means you can get some great stuff at as low (or high) a price as you're happy to pay.

Because there is a ton of material on there, sometimes it's hard to separate the wheat from the chaff.

So I thought this could be a good spot for people to drop some recommendations and names of people worth a look.

Follow up posts will list off some of my picks

spacecoyote

To start, a couple of labels that put out some great music:

Mello Music Group (these guys have people like Apollo Brown, Pete Rock, Kool Keith)

https://mellomusicgroup.bandcamp.com/

Old Soul Music (the like of Cunninlynguists are one of the artists on this label)

https://oldsoulmusicco.bandcamp.com/

Rhymesayers (MF Doom, Atmosphere, Aesop Rock, etc...)

https://rhymesayers.bandcamp.com/artists

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DJs

These guys create some amazing mash-ups, mixtapes, etc...

Tom Caruana (has some fantastic mash ups of big name Hip Hop artists and famous artists. Think Wu-Tang meets the Beatles or Jimmy Hendrix)

https://tomcaruanamashups.bandcamp.com/

J Period (great mixtapes, some "best of" style mixes for bigger artists like 2Pac, The Roots, Biggie

https://jperiod.bandcamp.com/music

David Begun (brings together hip-hop artists, some really good combinations. Think Beastie Boys meets Run The Jewels or Eminem vs Pete Rock)

https://dbegun.bandcamp.com/

DJ Bacon (more solid remixes of classic songs)

https://therealdjbacon.bandcamp.com/

DJ Nu-Mark (of Jurassic 5 fame, has a ton of mixtapes available with some great obscure sampling)

https://djnu-mark.bandcamp.com/music

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Artists:

Aesop Rock - most people will know him, but his back catalog and new stuff is all there, and lyrically he's one of the best out there

https://aesoprock.bandcamp.com/

Apollo Brown - phenomal Detroit producer with lots of superb collaborations with the likes of OC, Skyzoo, etc...

https://apollobrown360.bandcamp.com/

Awon & Phoniks - nice, boom-bap feel hip-hop

https://awonandphoniks.bandcamp.com/

Bobby J from Rockaway - Queens rapper, quality beats, nice samples, smart lyrics

https://bobbyjfromrockaway.bandcamp.com/

Cunninlynguists - if you don't know about these guys, you should. Amazing production, great beats, deep, meaningful lyrics. They also store all their solo back-catalogue stuff on there too and work they've done with other artists

https://cunninlynguists.bandcamp.com/

Dangermouse & Jemini - not much material here, but superb hip-hop. Great pair up.

https://dangermousejemini.bandcamp.com/music

EL-P - originally part of Company Flow and in recent times probably more famous as being part of Run The Jewels with Killer Mike, but his solo stuff is also amazing

https://el-p.bandcamp.com/music

Eyedea and Abilities - I think that Eyedea has passed away at this point so unfortunately there will be nothing new from these guys, but their small catalog is superb, great beats, excellent flow and lyricism

https://eyedeaandabilities.bandcamp.com/music

Homeboy Sandman - seems like a generous guy. Puts a lot of his experimental and test stuff up in the "Name Your Price" option alongside his full priced albums, so can be some cheap options to try out his stuff without breaking the bank. Has a distinctive voice and delivery

https://homeboysandman.bandcamp.com/

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More Artists

J-Live - maybe familiar to people as he's worked with a lot of big names over the years, but still feels underground.

https://realjlive.bandcamp.com/

Killer Mike - the other member of Run The Jewels alongside El-P. Released some good mixtapes and EPs. Hard delivery with some great messages. His album Michael got a lot of critical acclaim

https://killermike.bandcamp.com/music

L'Orange - producer who alongside rapper Solemn Brigham released a trilogy of albums as the group Marlowe, which are all worth a listen

https://lorange.bandcamp.com/

O.C. - linked up with Organised Konfusion and the DITC crew, a class rapper and storyteller. Word...Life is a classic album

https://omarcredle.bandcamp.com/music

Oddisee - another superb producer and rapper. Worth a listen

https://oddisee.bandcamp.com/

One Be Lo - part of the Binary Star group, one of the most influential underground groups in the early 2000s. His solo stuff and the binary star back catalog are on here.

https://onebelo.bandcamp.com/

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People Under The Stairs - another group whose fame probably peaked early 2000s. Have a decent back catalog, and they do a good deal on an album bundle too

https://peopleunderthestairs.bandcamp.com/

R.A. The Rugged Man - very distinctive voice and tone. Some funny and smart lyrics. Would have appeared on a lot of features on Rawkus Records stuff years ago.

https://ratheruggedman.bandcamp.com/music

Skyzoo - Really love this guys style, flow and delivery. Worked with some quality producers too like Pete Rock and Apollo Brown, so you get tight beats to go along with his rapping.

https://mmg-skyzoo.bandcamp.com/

Strong Arm Steady - started out as a 4 man group with Xzibit at the front, but he went solo and the remaining band kept going. West Coast hip-hop that have worked with some big names like Talib Kweli and Madlib

https://strongarmsteady.bandcamp.com/

Ugly Duckling - have been going for a long time. First stumbled across them on a DJ Yoda mix with their song "Eye on the Gold Chain" which made me like them immediately. Really old school feel to their music, very self-deprecating, smart lyrics. Plus they list their own stuff as well as rapper Andy Coopers solo stuff here.

https://uglyduckling.bandcamp.com/

Wrekonize - only stumbled across this guy because of a random Reddit post and he's a really solid artist, good tight, quick delivery

https://wrekonize.bandcamp.com/

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Some random extras

These are more random albums that I've found that people might enjoy, rather than a deep dive into an artist

3MB - this is for the geeky hip-hop type who is also maybe a fan of old wrestling references

https://megaranmusic.com/album/3mb-2

Straight Classics Volume 1 - Does what it says on the tin. Commercial hip hop from the 90s-00s. It's not ground breaking stuff, but a nice mix of older stuff

https://djuntouchable.bandcamp.com/album/straight-classics-vol-1

Bushido - A great sampler from the Mello Music Group label I mentioned above. If you're looking for a feel for their style of hip-hop this has a bit of everyone on there

https://mellomusicgroup360.bandcamp.com/album/bushido

Escape from Sweet Auburn - production by an in form RJD2 and nice rhyming by STS. Really enjoy this one

https://officialrjd2.bandcamp.com/album/sts-x-rjd2-escape-from-sweet-auburn

Sh1tty Wizards - Another one for the more nerdy rap fans. Nice production, smart lyrics

https://pen-pals.bandcamp.com/album/****-wizards

Tuxedo - funk rather than hip-hop. Think more Cameo style stuff. Gets you in the dancing mood!

https://fuxwiththetux.bandcamp.com/album/tuxedo

iamstop

I thought I had all the Tuxedo records, now I see there is a 4th one…

spacecoyote

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122917956#Comment_122917956

Yup, these guys were new to me, stumbled across them by accident really.

Really good quality stuff

iamstop

Kool Keith Bandcamp:

https://koolkeith.bandcamp.com/

spacecoyote

https://fakefour.bandcamp.com/album/lunar-prelude-sailor-overture

This is up for free (or name your price at least) today, had a listen and its pretty decent stuff.

Comes from another label with some good quality hip-hop to be found, Fake Four Inc who are worth a look

https://fakefour.bandcamp.com/

spacecoyote

Just an FYI dot the Vinyl heads, Mello Music Group are doing a deal at the moment.

5for100 is the discount code

https://www.mellomusicgroup.com/collections/vinyl-1

Seems a good price for vinyl these days and they've got an amazing catalog of artists

Oddisee, Apollo Brown, Quelle Chris, Jabee, Open Mike Eagle, Marv Won, Kool Keith, Skyzoo, Joell Ortiz, Jordan Hamilton, Fr1th, Elaquent, Che Noir, Paradime, Planet Asia, Philmore Greene, Stalley, Homeboy Sandman, Pete Rock, Guilty Simpson and more!