Cratewise
Cratewise Editorial

Essential Hip-Hop on Vinyl

25 records that built the culture. Hip-hop on vinyl is a statement — these records were sampled from vinyl, designed around vinyl's physicality.

From Dexx

Hip-hop on vinyl is a statement. These records were sampled from vinyl. They were designed around vinyl's physicality — the 12-inch single, the double LP, the gatefold with lyrics. This is where the culture lives.

These aren't "greatest of all time" lists — those are arguments. These are starting points. 25 records that give you the vocabulary to go deeper. Every album is on vinyl, in print, and under $40. Most are under $30.

Pick a genre. Start digging.

— Dexx

25

Albums

24

Artists

2

Genres

1976–2017

Span

By Genre

By Decade

Top Labels

The List

1Nas — Illmatic
Nas—Illmatic
19942The Notorious B.I.G. — Ready to Die
The Notorious B.I.G.—Ready to Die
19943Wu-Tang Clan — Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)
Wu-Tang Clan—Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)
19934Kendrick Lamar — good kid, m.A.A.d city
Kendrick Lamar—good kid, m.A.A.d city
20125OutKast — Aquemini
OutKast—Aquemini
19986A Tribe Called Quest — The Low End Theory
A Tribe Called Quest—The Low End Theory
19917Public Enemy — It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
Public Enemy—It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
19888Lauryn Hill — The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
Lauryn Hill—The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
19989Dr. Dre — The Chronic
Dr. Dre—The Chronic
199210Madvillain — Madvillainy
Madvillain—Madvillainy
200411Kanye West — My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Kanye West—My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
201012Jay-Z — Reasonable Doubt
Jay-Z—Reasonable Doubt
199613Kendrick Lamar — To Pimp a Butterfly
Kendrick Lamar—To Pimp a Butterfly
201514De La Soul — 3 Feet High and Rising
De La Soul—3 Feet High and Rising
198915Snoop Dogg — Doggystyle
Snoop Dogg—Doggystyle
199316Run-DMC — Raising Hell
Run-DMC—Raising Hell
198617MF DOOM — MM..FOOD
MF DOOM—MM..FOOD
200418Eric B. & Rakim — Paid in Full
Eric B. & Rakim—Paid in Full
198719N.W.A — Straight Outta Compton
N.W.A—Straight Outta Compton
198820Fugees — The Score
Fugees—The Score
199621Tupac — All Eyez on Me
Tupac—All Eyez on Me
199622Tyler, The Creator — Flower Boy
Tyler, The Creator—Flower Boy
201723GZA — Liquid Swords
GZA—Liquid Swords
199524Missy Elliott — Supa Dupa Fly
Missy Elliott—Supa Dupa Fly
199725Augustus Pablo — King Tubbys Meets Rockers Uptown
Augustus Pablo—King Tubbys Meets Rockers Uptown
1976

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