Smithsonian’s Folkway Records as announced the coming release of The Smithsonian Anthology of Hip-Hip and Rap.
The nine-disc box set features 129 tracks spanning the history of the genres — from early pioneers like Sugarhill Gang and Grandmaster Flash through the golden age of Tupac Shakur, The Notorious B.I.G. and A Tribe Called Quest to contemporary superstars like Drake, Nicki Minaj and Kanye West.
This latest release marks the Smithsonian label’s third in its series of anthologies set to define particular eras of music “of, by, and for the people,” after similar compendiums dedicated to the history of American folk music and jazz.
Released in collaboration with the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture, The Smithsonian Anthology of Hip-Hip and Rap box set will also come with a 300-page book featuring essays by leading hip-hop luminaries, writers and critics, as well as liner notes and hundreds of photographs documenting decades of hip-hop history.
Check out a trailer for the anthology below, as well as its official cover art and complete 129-song tracklist.
The Smithsonian Anthology of Hip-Hip and Rap was curated by a committee including Chuck D and MC Lyte, Questlove, former Def Jam executives Bill Adler and Bill Stephney, writers Jeff Chang and Mark Anthony Neal, and producer 9th Wonder, and will be released August 20th. Pre-orders for the compendium are in full swing now.
The Smithsonian Anthology of Hip-Hop and Rap Artwork:
The Smithsonian Anthology of Hip-Hop and Rap Tracklist:
Disc 1
01. Fatback – King Tim III
02. Sugarhill Gang – Rapper’s Delight
03. The Sequence – Funk You Up
04. Kurtis Blow – The Breaks
05. Funky Four +1 – That’s the Joint
06. Spoonie Gee feat. The Sequence – Monster Jam
07. Treacherous Three – The Body Rock
08. Blondie – Rapture
09. Grandmaster Flash – The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash on the Wheels of Steel
10. Afrika Bambaataa & The Soulsonic Force – Planet Rock
Disc 2
01. Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five – The Message
02. The Fearless Four – Rockin It
03. Cold Crush Brothers – Punk Rock Rap
04. Herbie Hancock – Rockit
05. Afrika Bambaataa & The Soulsonic Force – Looking for the Perfect Beat
06. Run-DMC – It’s Like That
07. Whodini – Friends
08. Cold Crush Brothers – Fresh, Fly, Wild & Bold
09. T. La Rock – It’s Yours
10. The World’s Famous Supreme Team – Hey! DJ
11. Newcleus – Jam On It
12. UTFO – Roxanne, Roxanne
Disc 3
01. Roxanne Shanté – Roxanne’s Revenge
02. Fat Boys – Fat Boys
03. Doug E. Fresh & MC Ricky D – La Di Da Di
04. LL Cool J – I Can’t Live without my Radio
05. Schoolly D – P.S.K. ‘What Does It Mean?’
06. Run-DMC feat. Aerosmith – Walk This Way
07. Beastie Boys – Paul Revere
08. Ultramagnetic MC’s – Ego Tripping
09. Ice-T – 6 ‘N The Mornin’
10. Kool Moe Dee – How Ya Like Me Now
11. LL Cool J – I Need Love
12. Eric B feat. Rakim – Eric B is President
13. Mantronix – King of The Beats
Disc 4
01. Stetsasonic feat. the Rev. Jesse Jackson & Olatunji – A.F.R.I.C.A.
02. Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince – Parents Just Don’t Understand
03. Audio Two – Top Billin’
04. MC Lyte – Lyte As A Rock
05. Big Daddy Kane – Raw
06. Marley Marl feat. Master Ace, Craig G, Kool G Rap, & Big Daddy Kane – The Symphony
07. MC Lyte – I Cram to Understand U (Sam)
08. Tone Lōc – Wild Thing
09. Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock – It Takes Two
10. Jungle Brothers – I’ll House You
11. N.W.A. – Fuck Tha Police
12. Public Enemy – Fight the Power
13. The Stop the Violence Movement – Self Destruction
14. Too Short – Life Is…Too Short
15. Slick Rick – Children’s Story
16. 3rd Bass – The Gas Face
Disc 5
01. Queen Latifah feat. Monie Love – Ladies First
02. Public Enemy – Bring the Noise
03. De La Soul – Me Myself and I
04. Biz Markie – Just a Friend
05. The D.O.C. – It’s Funky Enough
06. 2 Live Crew – Me So Horny
07. Digital Underground – The Humpty Dance
08. MC Hammer – U Can’t Touch This
09. Vanilla Ice – Ice Ice Baby
10. Brand Nubian – All for One
11. Geto Boys – Mind Playing Tricks on Me
12. A Tribe Called Quest – Scenario
13. Black Sheep – The Choice is Yours
14. Salt-N-Pepa – Let’s Talk About Sex
15. Yo-Yo feat. Ice-Cube – Can’t Play with My Yo-Yo
16. Naughty By Nature – O.P.P.
Disc 6
01. Dr. Dre feat. Snoop Doggy Dogg – Nuthin’ But a ‘G’ Thang
02. Ice Cube – It Was a Good Day
03. Sir Mix-A-Lot – Baby Got Back
04. Arrested Development – Tennessee
05. Digable Planets – Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)
06. House of Pain – Jump Around
07. Positive K – I Got a Man
08. Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth – They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)
09. UGK – Pocket Full of Stones
10. Wu-Tang Clan – C.R.E.A.M.
11. Cypress Hill – Insane In The Brain
12. The Pharcyde – Passin’ Me By
13. Eightball & MJG – Comin Out Hard
14. Common Sense – I Used to Love H.E.R.
15. Da Brat – Funkdafied
16. Nas – N.Y. State of Mind
17. Craig Mack feat. The Notorious B.I.G., Rampage, LL Cool J, Busta Rhymes – Flava In Your Ear
Disc 7
01. Beastie Boys – Sabotage
02. The Notorious B.I.G. – Juicy
03. Gang Starr feat. Nice & Smooth – DWYCK
04. Warren G feat. Nate Dogg – Regulate
05. Snoop Doggy Dogg – Murder Was The Case
06. E-40 feat. Suga T – Sprinkle Me
07. Goodie Mob – Cell Therapy
08. Coolio feat. L.V. – Gangsta’s Paradise
09. 2Pac – Dear Mama
10. Mobb Deep – Shook Ones, Part 2
11. Method Man feat. Mary J. Blige – I’ll Be There For You / You’re All I Need To Get By
12. Foxy Brown feat. Jay-Z – I’ll Be
13. Lil Kim feat. Puff Daddy – No Time
14. Bone Thugs-N-Harmony – Tha Crossroads
15. Wu-Tang Clan feat. Cappadonna – Triumph
16. Busta Rhymes – Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See
17. Master P feat. Silkk The Shocker, Mia X, Fiend – Make ‘Em Say Uhh!
Disc 8
01. Missy Elliot – The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)
02. Lauryn Hill – Doo Wop (That Thing)
03. DMX – Ruff Ryders’ Anthem
04. The Roots – The Next Movement
05. Mos Def – Mathematics
06. BG – Bling Bling
07. dead prez – Hip Hop
08. Eminem feat. Dido – Stan
09. OutKast – Ms. Jackson
10. Nelly – Country Grammar (Hot Shit)
11. Ludacris feat. Pharrell – Southern Hospitality
12. Nas – One Mic
13. 50 Cent – In Da Club
14. Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz feat. Ying Yang Twins – Get Low
Disc 9
01. Talib Kweli – Black Girl Pain
02. Kanye West – Jesus Walks
03. Three 6 Mafia feat. Young Buck, Eightball & MJG – Stay Fly
04. Rick Ross – Hustlin’
05. Lupe Fiasco feat. Nikki Jean – Hip-Hop Saved My Life
06. Young Jezzy feat. Nas – My President
07. David Banner feat. Chris Brown & Yung Joc – Get Like Me
08. Lil Wayne feat. Robin Thicke – Tie My Hands
09. Jay Electronica – Exhibit C
10. Nicki Minaj – Super Bass
11. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis feat. Wanz – Thrift Shop
12. J Cole feat. TLC – Crooked Smile
13. Kanye West – Blood On The Leaves
14. Drake – Started From the Bottom
