These are the type of releases that give me a rush to get up and go to the record store and buy, heavily anticipating the listening experience on my way back home as I read over the album credits. I hope this is something you would like to treat yourself or someone else as a gift since the release of these is near the holidays, there is enough good music in each purchse to go around:


'Dillanthology Box Set: Dilla's Best' (3 CD Box Set) release date: 11/20/2009



It's unfortunate that Jay Dee couldn't be hear to bless us with his presence and music during this release of his best work, but this gift he has left us of his outstanding body of work in hip hop is a good way to remember him as an artist. In looking over the scope of his work, I appreciate how he bounced from straight underground, dark hip hop sound to more soulful collaborations like Erykah and Brand New Heavies, showing a diverse array of musical taste & appreciation.










Disc 1: 'Dillanthology 1: Dilla's Productions For Various Artists' purchase here at UGHH.com

2. The Pharcyde - 'Runnin' (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
3. Slum Village - 'Fall In Love' (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
4. Common - 'The Light' (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla); Soulquarians)
5. Erykah Badu - 'Didn't Cha Know' (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla); Erykah Badu)
6. De La Soul - 'Stakes Is High' (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla); De La Soul)
7. Busta Rhymes - 'Show Me What You Got' (Produced By: Busta Rhymes; Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
8. The Roots - 'Dynamite' (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla); Grand Wizards)
9. AG feat. Aloe Blacc - 'Hip Hop Quotable' (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
10. The Pharcyde - 'Drop' (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
11. Amp Fiddler - 'You Play Me' (Produced By: Amp Fiddler; Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
12. Steve Spacek - 'Dollar' (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
13. Chino XL - 'Don't Say A Word' (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
14. Frank-N-Dank - 'Okay' (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))

Disc 2: 'Dillanthology 2: Dilla's Remixes For Various Artists'

16. De La Soul feat. Mos Def - 'Stakes Is High (Jay Dee Remix)' (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
17. The Pharcyde - 'Y? (Be Like That) (Jay Dee Remix)' (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
18. Masta Ace Incorporated - 'Sitting On Chrome (Ummah Remix)' (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
19. Slum Village - 'Fall In Love (Remix)' (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
20. Four Tet feat. Guilty Simpson - 'As Serious As Your Life (Jay Dee Remix)' (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
21. Busta Rhymes feat. Rampage - 'Whoo Ha (Jay Dee Bounce Remix)' (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
22. Artifacts - 'The Ultimate (Unreleased Jay Dee Remix)' (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
23. Mood - 'Secrets Of The Sand (Remix)' (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
24. Spacek - 'Eve (Jay Dee Mix)' (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
25. DJ Cam feat. Cameo - 'Love Junkie (Jay Dee Remix)' (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
26. Brother Jack McDuff - 'Oblighetto (Jay Dee Remix)' (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
27. The Brand New Heavies feat. Q-Tip (of Tribe Called Quest) - 'Sometimes (Jay Dee Remix)' (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
28. Disc 3: 'Dillanthology 3: Dilla's Productions'
29. WorkinOnIt (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
30. Pause (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
31. Jaylib (Jay Dee aka J. Dilla + Madlib) - 'Raw Shit' (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
32. Nothing Like This (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
33. Anti-American Graffiti (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
34. Glamour Sho75 (09) (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
35. Won't Do (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
36. Baby feat. Madlib & Guilty Simpson (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
37. It's Like That (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
38. Off Ya Chest feat. Frank-N-Dank (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
39. Crushin' (Yeeeaah!) (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
40. Reality Check feat. Black Thought (of The Roots) (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
41. Me And My Man feat. Phat Kat (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))
42. So Far To Go feat. Common, D'Angelo (Produced By: Jay Dee (aka J. Dilla))




Natural Elements'1999: 10 Year Anniversary' Buy Here

I remember these guys from way back as a promising trio, one of the groups who defined "underground buzz" to me in the beginning of an era of many memorable independent hip hop releases in the vein of lyrically focused, creative underground acts such as Company Flow, Juggaknots and The Artifacts. Mr. Voodoo, A-Butta and L-Swift of the Natural Elements rose from near obscurity on the airwaves of NY to slowly build up an impressive body of work. They are one of those groups that unless you were a DJ, radio host or real critical shopper and listener of underground records you may have missed some of their releases, only to find out years later that they've got some overlooked gems. This compliation which marks their 10 year anniversary brings a lot of their material in perspective for you.


45 LIVE: CLASSIC RAP 45S BOX SET release date: November 06, 2009 Buy Here at Stones Throw

If you know Stones Throw Records, you see a group of people who appreciate the history of hip hop and love for it's founding classic elements. Besides that, the staff made of of DJs just have a good ear for all types of music and are willing to share their experience with others.



As a fan of digging for Golden Era hip hop vinyl, this set of classic hip hop 45s by DJ/producer Peanut Butter Wolf is one of the most enticing gift packages I've come across in my holiday shopping.

Contain ten 45s:
“Rockin' It” - Fearless Four, b/w
“Love Rap” - Spoonie G
“Tricky Tee Rap” - Tricky Tee Rap, b/w
“At The Place To Be” - Sweety G
“Dancin Heart” - Universal Two, b/w
“This is the Way You Do the Break Dance” - Super Coper & Clarence Breakers
“Sucka DJ” - Dimples D, b/w
“It's Yours” - T La Rock
“Cold Getting Dumb” - Just Ice, b/w
“It's My Turn” – Stezo
“Make The Music” - Biz Markie, b/w
“Just Rhymin With Biz” - Big Daddy Kane
“Marley Marl Scratch” - MC Shan, b/w
“Marley Mark Scratch (Demo)” - Marley Marl
“Strong Island” - JVC Force, b/w
“The Bridge Is Over” - BDP
“Jimbrowski” - Jungle Brothers, b/w
“Tuff Crew” - My Part Of Town
“Mighty Hard Rocker” - Cash Money & Marv, b/w
“Hardcore Hip Hop” - Mantronix





Daptone Gold Compilation - The Best of Daptones Records release date: 11/20/2009 Buy Here

I think while many people dig hard into the catalogs of deep funk and traditional soul, some people sleep on the contemporary soul and funk artists who are able to bring the great feel, sound and performance of those late 60's-70's classic records. The artists of this compilation capture the essence of the sound from that era in a way that is unmistakable and excellent, through the work of current musical talent. I admit, I'm one of those people who needs to get more caught up on artists like Menahan Street Band, Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings, Antibalas and others, I was turned on to them from the few people who sampled their music recently. Be sure to check this one out.


Here's a summary of this compliation:

"Daptone Gold is a collection of hits and obscurities, album favorites and unheard exclusives from the Daptone Records catalog. Since first rearing it's head in 2001, Daptone has upheld it's reputation as both a premier source of new raw soulful music and a model for the possibilities of independent music today. With a library of albums and 45's spanning from rhythm and blues to afrobeat, gospel, and funk, Daptone has established a sound that is consistently sincere, heavy and soulful."

1. Binky Griptite - Introduction
2. Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings - 'I'm Not Gonna Cry'
3. The Budos Band - 'Up From The South'
4. Naomi Shelton & The Gospel Queens - 'What Have You Done'
5. Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings - 'How Long Do I Have To Wait?'
6. Lee Fields - 'Could Have Been'
7. Antibalas feat. Mayra Vega - 'Che Cole Makossa'
8. The Budos Band - 'Budos Rising'
9. Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings - 'Got A Thing On My Mind'
10. Charles Bradley & The Menahan Street Band - 'The World (Is Going Up in Flames)'
11. Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings - 'Make It Good To Me'
12. Lee Fields, Sugarman & Co. - 'Stand Up'
13. Naomi Shelton & The Gospel Queens - 'What Is This'
14. Binky Griptite, Sugarman Three - 'A Lover Like Me'
15. Menahan Street Band - 'Make The Road By Walking'
16. Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings - 'Tell Me'
17. Sugarman & Co. - 'Down To It'
18. The Dap-Kings - 'Nervous Like Me'
19. Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings - 'Giving Up'
20. The Budos Band - 'Ghostwalk'
21. Cynthia Langston & The Gospel Queens - 'I Need You To Hold My Hand'
22. Binky Griptite & The Mellomatics - 'The Stroll Pt. 2'
23. Sharon Jones & Lee Fields - 'Stranded In Your Love'

a couple tracks from the set: