Hip-Hop

Start here to grow your Hip-Hop collection with some undisputed masterpieces. From early disco-tinged dancefloor hits and boom-bap to gangsta and trap there is something here for every listener to explore and add to their collection.

Hip-hop exploded from the Bronx in the 1970s, offering a platform for new musical expression and social commentary. The innovative DJing techniques and rhythmic rhymes created vibrant culture that quickly spread throughout New York City and beyond. This decade laid the groundwork for hip-hop’s future evolution, establishing its core sonic elements and solidifying its importance as a new music to be taken seriously.

The 1980s witnessed hip-hop’s rapid expansion into a musical phenomenon, with artists across the United States developing diverse styles and scenes. This decade saw the rise of of the genres first superstars, who brought innovative flows, socially conscious and politically pointed lyrics, and ever-expanding musical exploration and sampling heroics to the music. Hip-hop’s commercial success and increasing media attention solidified its position as a major musical and cultrual force, influencing fashion, language, and social discourse.

The 1990s marked what many believe to be a golden age for hip-hop. With the explosion of diverse regional styles and a surge in lyrical innovation the stars of the era pushed creative boundaries and achieved mainstream success while maintaining artistic integrity. Hip-hop’s growing influence on global culture solidified its position as a dominant force worldwide in music and fashion and an important starting point for dialogue around race, class, and identity.

The 2000s saw Hip-Hop continue to expand and diversify musically and culturally. The continued growth of hip-hop as an art form saw musical superstars made out of those refining the production and crafting ear-catching cadences, along side ever-growing groups of independent experimentalists expanding the sonic footprint and lyrical complexity of the genre. The decade saw Hip-hop’s global reach expanded significantly, continuing to solidify the music’s relevance across a continuously expanding and diversifying audience.

In the modern era Hip-Hop has further diversified, embracing a wider range of sonics and limitless lyrical approaches. Whether the music is embracing new production and lyrical techniques, developing novel takes on the sounds of Hip-Hop’s past, or more directly paying homage to genre’s rich history, Hip-Hop continues to have massive worldwide cultural impact and is one of the most commercially successful and celebrated art forms worldwide.

Shop our Discogs Selects collection of Hip-Hop must-haves for sale on vinyl. From legendary icons like Public Enemy, A Tribe Called Quest, and De La Soul to modern masters like Kendrick Lamar, Drake, and Tyler, the Creator; this collection aims to guide exploration for those just starting their collector’s journey as well as those already immersed in the music. Shop Discogs today to find the best Hip-Hop records to add to your collection.