Hip-hop
has always been the dirty little mistress of the music industry.
Record execs bankroll MCs and reap all of carnal benefits, but labels
have historically treated rap like a disposable commodity that would
soon be forgotten. As a result, even iconic hip-hop albums have
lacked the slick photography and packaging that accompanied memorable
rock and pop projects. It's an utter shame, but one that the
innovative throwback specialists at the Malden-based Get On Down aim
to correct.
“There's
always been a stigma associated with hip-hop – even though it's
the number one marketing force in the world,” says Get On Down
co-founder Matt Welch. “Everyone from Microsoft to people selling
organic food use hip-hop. But when it first started, people thought
it was just a fad, and it wasn't taken seriously enough for records
to get the proper treatment. Then it was just seen a hit-driven
industry, and the thought was that people didn't care about rap
albums like they did Dark Side of the Moon.'
On the
clever hunch that rap nerds are some of the geekiest kitsch
collectors out there, since last year Get On Down has dropped
re-issues of classics from acts ranging from Biz Markie to Wu-Tang
Clan. The boutique label also traffics in hard-to-find funk and soul
– their extensive catalogue features rare gems, on vinyl and CD,
from the likes of Muddy Waters and Bernie Worrell – but their
blowout deluxe editions have mostly been homages to rap wonders that
warrant canonization.
“When
the music industry went through a gigantic sea change, and when
file-sharing became really rampant, a lot of companies saw physical
releases as a way of the past,” says Welch. “We felt the opposite
– that people really want to connect with music more than just
through a thumbnail on their desktop, and that they want something
they can read, and hold in their hands. We've gotten great feedback
so far – people feel like these projects are finally getting the
justice they deserved the first time around.”
Raekwon
| Only Built 4 Cuban Linx (10”
Purple Vinyl)
Price:
$29.95
Get On
Down's best-selling item so far, the limited edition reissue of the
Raekwon's purple debut cassette – complete with a lacquer display
box and 36-page hardcover book – sold out in just a day. The good
news, however, is that there's still time to cop the equally purple
10” vinyl version. If that doesn't scratch your Wu-Tang itch, then
check for their essential collectible editions of GZA's Liquid
Swords, Ol' Dirty Bastard's Return to the 36 Chambers,
and, coming soon, Ghostface Killah's Ironman (and I'm not just
saying that because I wrote the liner notes for all three).
Fat
Boys | Fat Boys (10”
Pizza Vinyl)
Price: $29.98
Considering the lyrical and culinary tomfoolery throughout this first
Fat Boys album – and in all of their music, really – it's not so
ridiculous that Get On Down delivered this meal in a pizza box. With
custom pepperoni vinyl that looks real enough to eat, the set also
comes with a download card so you don't have to scratch this
shelf-worthy specimen. There's also a 20-page booklet to chew on,
plus digital access to rare interviews with the original crew.
DJ
Nu Mark | Broken Sunlight (needle
USB)
Price:
$24.98
The
glory of a USB release is the sheer amount of material that an artist
can jam onto a thumb drive. Former Jurassic 5 DJ and traveling
turntable showman Nu Mark takes advantage of the malleable medium,
loading much more than just his debut studio project onto this disc
disguised as a headshell. In addition to original tracks with the
likes of Freddie Foxxx and Large Professor, this special run Broken
Sunlight features a capellas, clean versions, pics, instrumentals,
and even bonus beats. And for hardcore DJ heads, there's a download
link to an hour-long peek at the making of Broken Sunlight, and
live show footage including clips from Nu's widely heralded Playing
With Toys shenanigans.
Nas
| Illmatic (Gold
Disc)
Price:
CD $34.94
Arguably
the greatest rap album ever crafted, Illmatic resurfaces
through Get On Down in an even iller incarnation, if that's even
possible. The gold CD is worth the bragging rights on its own merit;
in addition to the glisten, the gilded pressing makes for the highest
possible quality transmission. Also, unlike prior Illmatic
reissues, this time Nas fans get a 48-page tome with lyrics, photos,
and liner notes to set the mood for this trip down memory lane.
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