U.K. Hip-Hop & The Record Collector Price Guide

I've had this post saved in my drafts for the last few weeks and gradually been updating it as I trawl through the 1408 pages of the latest Record Collector 'Rare Record Price Guide' - the 2010 edition. I usually put this book, which is published every other year, on my Christmas list but was lucky enough to get a copy at trade price slightly early so bought it myself.

For those of you unfamiliar with 'Record Collector', it's a monthly magazine published in the U.K. covering just about every genre of collectable vinyl. Bi-yearly they publish this book which is considered to be a price guide to some of these records (the U.S. equivalent being 'Goldmine'). It only includes U.K. pressing (with a few exceptions) so you won't see any Ron B or Phase 'N' Rhythm 12"s in here, and up until the 2008 edition the only Hip-Hop listed was standard releases by groups like The Beastie Boys and Public Enemy - the type of stuff that's not really worth a great deal anyway. Over the last year though there's been some interesting articles written in the magazine that are far more in-tune with the real Hip-Hop marketplace and as a reflection a good number of additions to the 2010 edition have been made. The previous 2008 guide featured a slight appreciation of how collectible certain Hip-Hop vinyl has now become and this year's publication takes it a step further with a wealth of additions that might surprise even the most hardcore Hip-Hop enthusiast.

Of course, the term 'guide' should be used liberally as trends within record collecting constantly change and so a piece that is very desirable one year might not be the next. There's many factors to take into account when assessing some of the prices listed in the book but I can't be bothered to go into them here - if you're reading this then there's a good chance you already know the in's and out's of buying vinyl anyway.

I've got a sort of 'love-hate' relationship with this book. A lot of your 'old-school' record dealers, the type who mainly trade in the old Rock 'N' Roll, 60's Pop, etc, take the prices as gospel and so to now see more Hip-Hop being listed is in one way very annoying. The days of these dealers overlooking it and either leaving it alone or pricing very cheaply could soon be over. At the same time it's nice to see Hip-Hop finally being acknowledged as a serious genre within the vast world of record collecting.

So, listed below is some of the Hip-Hop vinyl which 'Record Collector' consider to be desirable - I've only included records that are valued at £15+ but there's probably about the same amount listed which fall below this price bracket. These are the more 'staple' pieces which most collectors will already have or are still fairly easy to pick up. I've highlighted the £50+ records in bold and although I was a little surprised at a few of these (some are ridiculous), a lot of them seem about right for a MINT condition copy in today's market. There's a few records which are not listed in the guide which I also found surprising - most notably, Hijack's 'Original Horns Of Jericho' album which consistently sells for more than the regular Warner Bros release.

I always thought my U.K. game was pretty solid as I was buying quite a lot of it at the time of release - especially during the late '80s early '90s - but thanks to the exposure by Aroe & The Soundmakers on their superb 'Crown Jewels' mix CD's (buy them here), a whole heap of obscurities and slept-on gems have now come to my attention. Shame a good deal of these are now listed in the 'Record Collector Price Guide' as well...



Aspects - '2012' E.P. (1998 Hombre) £40
Aspects - 'Revenge Of The Nerds' E.P. (1999 Hombre) £25
Atorie - 'It's My Time'' 12" (1989 Conscious) £45
Black Radical / Sir Nova - 'B Boys Be Wise' 12" (1988 Bass Inc) £40
Black Radical MK II - 'Monsoon' 12" (1989 2 The Bone) £18
Black Radical MK II - 'Sign Of The Beast' 12" (1991 Mango - Promo) £15
Black Twang - 'Whats Going On?'' 12" (1995 Sound Of Money) £30
Black Twang - 'Queens Heads' 12" (1995 Sound Of Money) £20
Black Twang - 'Real Estate' 12" (1996 Sound Of Money) £15
Black Twang - 'Detwork Southeast' 12" (1996 Sound Of Money) £20
Blade - 'Lyrical Maniac' 12" (1989 Raw Bass) £25
Blade - 'Lyrical Maniac' 12" (1989 691 Influential) £15
Blade - 'Mind Of An Ordinary Citizen' 12" (1989 691 Influential) £25
Blade - 'Rough It Up' 12" (1991 691 Influential) £20
Blade - 'Clear The Way' 12" (1993 691 Influential) £50
Blade - 'Survival Of The Hardest Working' LP (1992 691 Influential) £25
Blade - 'The Lion Goes From Strength To Strength' LP (1993 691 Influential) £35
Blade - 'Survival Of The Hardest Working' 12" (1996 691 Influential) £20
Body Snatchers - 'Genocide' EP (1997 Backbone) £100
Braintax - 'Fat Head' EP (1992 Low Life) £60
Braintax - 'Future Years' EP (1997 Low Life) £45
Braintax - 'The Travel Show' EP (1999 Low Life) £18
Braintax - 'D90 Rules' 7" (2006 Low Life) £15
Breaking The Illusion - 'Where Will It End?' EP (1992 Low Life) £35
Breaking The Illusion - 'Lose Your Illusion' EP (1993 Low Life) £15
Bushkiller - '92 Salute' 12" (1992 Danger) £30
Bushkiller - 'Troublemakers' EP (1994 Danger) £45
Champions Of Nature - 'The F*ck Off Song' 12" (2000 white label) £45
Champions Of Nature - 'Finalisation' 12" (2000 white label) £45
Champions Of Nature - 'Salsa Smurf' 12" (2001 white label) £20
Construction - 'Sudden Impact' 12" (1990 white label) £40
Construction - 'Transmission' 12" (1990 white label) £100
Construction - 'Change Your Attitude' 12" (1991 white label) £75
Criminal Minds - 'Guilty As Charged' EP (1990 TCM) £150
Criminal Minds - 'Tales From The Wasteland' EP (1991 TCM) £100
Def Tex - 'Tutorial Sessions' EP (1992 Sound Clash) £30
Def Tex - 'Master Blaster' EP (1992 Sound Clash) £60
Def Tex - 'Poetic Speech Techniques' 12" (1999 Son) £15
Def Tex - 'Sing Sad Songs' 7" (2001 Monkey Face) £15
Deighton Task Force - 'Neighbourhood' 12" (1990 white label) £45
Deliverance - 'Serious Public Disorder' 12" (1992 European Rhyme) £25
Deliverance - 'Dead Funny' 12" (1994 Nut Cracker) £35
Deliverance - 'Inject Intellect' EP (1995 Nut Cracker) £15
Deliverance - 'Ywisted Mystics' 12" (1995 Nut Cracker) £15
Demon Boyz - 'Northside' 12" (1988 Music Of Life) £20
Demon Boyz - 'Recognition' 12" (1989 Music Of Life) £15
Demon Boyz - 'Recognition' LP (1989 Music Of Life) £18
Demon Boyz - 'Glimity Glamity' 12" (1992 Tribal Bass) £20
Demon Boyz - 'Original Guidance' LP (1992 Tribal Bass) £15
DJ Mink - 'Hey Hey Can U Relate' 12" (1989 FON) £25
DJ Mink - 'Hey Hey Can U Relate' 12" (1989 Warp) £15
Dominant Force - 'Criminals' EP (1991 Gangster) £25
D To The K - 'Hard But Live' 12" (1988 BPM) £40
First Down - 'Jaw Warfare' 12" (1990 Cobden Capers) £50
First Down - 'Let The Battle Begin' EP (1993 Ill Gotten Gains) £25
First Down - 'Mad Dogs & Englishman' EP (1994 Blitz Vinyl) £25
First Down - 'World Service' LP (1994 Blitz Vinyl) £30
Fresh Ski & Mo Rock - 'Talking Pays' 12" (1989 Tuff Groove) £90
Fresh Ski & Mo Rock - 'The Long Awaited Paroxysm' EP (1991 Conscious) £35
Gunshot - 'Battle Creek Brawl' 12" (1990 Vinyl Solution) £18
Gunshot - 'Crime Story' 12" (1991 Vinyl Solution) £15
Gunshot - 'To Those Who Deserve It' 12" (1993 Vinyl Solution) £20
Guttersnypes - 'Trials Of Life' EP (1994 Liberty Grooves - green vinyl) £15
Guttersnypes - 'Trials Of Life' EP (1994 Liberty Grooves - white vinyl) £20
Guttersnypes - 'Trials Of Life' EP (1994 Liberty Grooves - blue/red vinyl) £10
Guttersnypes - 'Trials Of Life (Instrumentals)' EP (1994 Liberty Grooves) £40
Hardnoise - 'Untitled' 12" (1989 white label) £150
Hardnoise - 'Untitled' 12" (1990 Music Of Life) £18
Hardnoise - 'Serve Tea, Then Murder' 12" (1991 Music Of Life) £18
Hijack - 'Style Wars' 12" (1988 Music Of Life) £20
Hijack - 'The Badman Is Robin' 12" (1988 Rhyme Syndicate) £15
Hijack - 'Hold No Hostage' 12" (1988 Music Of Life) £20
Hijack - 'Style Warriors Revenge' 12" (1989 Music Of Life) £20
Hijack - 'Daddy Rich' 12" (1991 Rhyme Syndicate) £15
Hijack - 'The Horns Of Jericho' LP (1991 Rhyme Syndicate) £30
H.Q. Squad - 'Burial Proceedings...'' 12" (1989 Music Of Life) £20
Icepick - 'Phenominal Criminal' 12" (1997 Backbone) £25
Icepick - 'The Icepick' EP (1998 Backbone) £20
IQ Procedure - 'Run Tings' 12" (1994 Bluntly Speaking) £25
Jehst - 'Premonitions' EP (1999 YNR) £40
Jehst - 'High Plains Drifter' EP (2001 Low Life) £25
Jehst - 'The Trilogy Remix' 12" (2001 Low Life) £60
Jehst - 'Alcoholic Author' 12" (2002 Low Life) £20
Jehst - 'Stand Up' 12" (2004 white label) £25
Jus Badd - 'Freestyle' 12" (1987 Tuff Groove) £75
Killa Instinct - 'Whispers Of Hatred' EP (1993 European Rhyme) £30
Killa Instinct - 'Escapism' EP (1994 Move) £15
Kinetic Effect - 'Borderin Insanity' 12" (1993 Insane - green vinyl) £30
Kinetic Effect - 'Borderin Insanity' 12" (1993 Insane ) £18
Kobalt 60 - 'Chaos From Order' 12" (1991 Music Of Life) £20
London Posse - 'London Posse' 12" (1987 Big Life) £20
London Posse - 'Money Mad' 12" (1988 Justice) £30
London Posse - 'Gangster Chronicle' LP (1990 Mango) £15
London Posse - 'Hows Life In London?' 12" (1993 Bullet) £15
M.C. Mell 'O' - 'Bizzie Rhymin' EP (1989 Republic) £20
M.C. Mello - 'Mello Gone Crazy' EP (1992 Funki Dred) £40
Mighty Ethnicz - 'Freestyle' 12" (1988 Good Times) £30
Mighty Ethnicz - 'Can I Get A Deal?' 12" (1993 Lowdown) £15
Mr.Pink / Mr.Blonde - 'Payin The Price' 12" (1996 Resevoir) £20
Mr.Pink / Mr.Blonde - 'Jamaica Crimewave' 12" (1997 Resevoir) £15
Lewis Parker - 'B Boy Antics' EP (1995 white label) £75
Lewis Parker - 'B Boy Antics' EP (1996 Bite It!) £25
Lewis Parker - 'Rise' 12" (1996 Bite It!) £35
Lewis Parker - 'Wonderwall' 7" (1997 white label) £40
Lewis Parker - 'Shadows Of Autumn' 12" (1997 Melankolic) £25
Lewis Parker - 'Masquerades & Silhouettes' LP (1998 Melankolic) £30
Lewis Parker - 'The Options' EP (2000 Melankolic - promo) £25
Lewis Parker - 'Its All Happening Now (Remixes)' EP (2001 white label) £50
Lewis Parker - 'Its All Happening Now' LP (2002 Melankolic) £18
Lewis Parker - 'Mr Parkers Siesta' 12" (2003 Dusty Vinyl) £18
Lewis Parker - 'Masquerades & Silhouettes (Insts)' LP (2006 Dusty Vinyl) £20
P Brothers - 'Heavy Bronx Experience Vol.1' EP (2001 white label) £40
Rodney P - 'Tings In Time' EP (1997 Pussyfoot) £15
Rodney P - 'The Future' LP (2004 Riddim Killah - white vinyl) £20
Roots Manuva - 'Next Typa Motion' 12" (1995 Sound Of Money) £50
Roots Manuva - 'Juggle Tings Proper' 12" (1999 Big Dada) £18
Roots Manuva - 'Witness (1 Hope)' 12" (2001 Big Dada) £20
Roots Manuva - 'Yellow Submarine' 12" (2002 Ultimate Dilema) £20
Roots Manuva - 'Too Cold' 12" (2005 Big Dada - yellow vinyl) £15
Roots Manuva & Skitz - 'Where My Mind Is At' 12" (1996 Ronin) £18
Roots Manuva & MC Skeme - 'Fever' 12" (1996 Wayward) £50
Ruthless Rap Assasins - 'We Dont Care' 12" (1987 Murdertone) £20
School Of Culture - 'Detonate To Activate' 12" (1991 white label) £70
Silent Eclipse - 'How Many Miles Back To London' 12" (1992 Mendoza) £40
Silent Eclipse - 'The Damned' EP (1993 Monroe) £20
Sindecut - 'Sindecuts Kickin It' EP (1987 Baad) £20
Sir Beanz OBE - 'Mars Attacks' EP (1999 Mapache Chet) £15
Skeleton - 'Bangers N Mash' 12" (1994 Viceroy) £18
Skinnyman & DJ Flip - 'Forever Rangers' 7" (2005 Netgroove) £20
Skitz - 'Fingerprints Of The Gods' 12" (1998 Ronin) £15
S.L.R. Crew - 'Bass Drum' 12" (1988 SLR) £45
S.L. Troopers - 'Debut (Unarmed, Yet Dangerous)' 12" (1988 Global Rhythm) £30
S.L. Troopers - 'Movement' 12" (1989 Music Of Life) £15
Solid N Mind - 'An Original Break' 12" (1990 Liberty Grooves) £20
Solid N Mind - 'Centre Stage' 12" (1991 Liberty Grooves - promo cassette) £25
Son Of Noise - 'Son Of Noise' 12" (1991 Music Of Life) £20
Son Of Noise - 'Master Of Menace' 12" (1991 Kold Sweat) £15
Son Of Noise - 'The Mighty Son Of Noise' LP (1992 Kold Sweat) £18
Sworn Lord - 'The Vengeance Is Mine' 12" (1990 Davy G) £30
S.W.S. - 'Boys From The Bec' 12" (1988 DTI) £25
S.W.S. - 'Overture' EP (1990 Cue) £18
Taskforce - 'New Mic Order' LP (1999 K'Boro) £60
Taskforce - 'Graf Da Bus Up' 12" (2000 Low Life - 1 sided promo) £50
Taskforce - 'Wha Blow' 12" (2000 Low Life - 1 sided promo) £50
Taskforce - 'Voice Of The Great Outdoors' EP (2000 Lowlife) £18
Taskforce - 'Life Without Instructions' EP (2001 Rehab) £18
Taskforce - 'Music From The Corner Vol.2' LP (2003 MFTC) £20
Taskforce - 'The Bitches' 12" (2006 white label) £15
3PM - 'Better Late Than Never' 12" (1992 Busted Loop) £25
Total Fiasco - 'See How They Run' 12" (1989 white label) £120
Trouble - 'I Get Hype' 12" (1988 Justice) £75
2 The Top - 'The Rhythm I Give Em' 12" (1989 Rhyme & Reason) £35
2 The Top - 'Score To Settle' 12" (1990 President) £20
Two Times Def - 'First And Last' 12" (1992 Mendoza) £150
Two Tone Commitee - 'Beings From A Word Stuck Surface' 12" (1991 Precinct) £40
Unanimous Decision - 'Rap Sings The Blues' EP (1992 Kold Sweat) £15
Upfront Rudies - 'Real Skills' EP (1993 Krazy Fly) £18
Various Artists - 'Easter Island' EP (1999 Low Life) £25
Various Artists - 'Hardcore One' LP (1988 BPM) £30
Various Artists - 'Sons Of Nubia' EP (1990 white label) £150*
Various Artists - 'Underground With Style' EP (1992 UAR) £35
Various Artists - '98 Series Vol.1' EP (1998 Low Life) £30
Various Artists - '98 Series Vol.2' EP (1998 Low Life) £25
W.B.I. Red Ninja - 'Danger Zone' 12" (1990 Red Ninja) £25

*according to the Record Collector price guide only 10-20 copies exist due to a pressing fault.


Here's a small selection of favourites from my own collection that made it into the book...





2 The Top - 'The Rhythm I Give Em' (1989 Rhyme N Reason)






Blade - 'The Coming Is Near' (1989 Raw Bass)






Demon Boyz - 'Glimity Glamity' (1992 Tribal Bass)






Dominant Force - 'Criminals' (1991 Gangster)






D To The K - 'Ease Up Your Mind' (1988 BPM)






Hardnoise - 'Untitled' (1990 Music Of Life)






H.Q. Squad - 'The Burial Proceedings...' (1989 Music Of Life)






London Posse - 'London Posse' (1987 Big Life)






M.C. Mell 'O' - 'Wize' (1989 Republic)






Unanimous Decision 'Bomb Diffusal' (1992 Kold sweat)