Smithsonian Anthology of Hip-Hop & Rap / Various Artists

2021 release

The Smithsonian Anthology of Hip-Hop and Rap is a first-of-it's-kind multimedia collection chronicling the growth of the music and culture from the parks of the Bronx to solidifying a reach that spans the globe. The set includes 130 tracks on 9 CDs and a 300-page book with original design by Cey Adams, artist and founding creative director of Def Jam Recordings, as well as essays by some of hip-hop's leading writers and critics and never-before-seen photographs. Through the music, writing, and extensive liner notes, the Anthology reveals the many trends within this multifaceted genre, it's social and political implications, and it's influence on popular culture.

The Anthology is the third major compendium produced by Smithsonian Folkways Recordings that tells the story of a defining era of music "of, by, and for the people," following the Anthology of American Folk Music and Jazz: The Smithsonian Anthology. It frequently highlights the objects and stories of hip-hop displayed in the National Museum of African American History and Culture galleries, offering perspective on the African American experience and it's impact on American culture.

Curation of the Anthology was headed by a committee including rappers Chuck D and MC Lyte; writers and scholars Jeff Chang and Mark Anthony Neal; early Def Jam senior executives-turned-cultural-advisors Bill Adler and Bill Stephney; and producers Questlove and 9th Wonder. This release is a collaboration between the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture and Smithsonian Folkways Recordings.

    - Disc 1 -
    1 Fatback - King Tim III
    2 Sugarhill Gang - Rapper's Delight
    3 The Sequence - Funk You Up
    4 Kurtis Blow - the Breaks
    5 Funky Four +1 - That's the Joint
    6 Spoonie Gee Feat. the Sequence - Monster Jam
    7 Treacherous Three - the Body Rock
    8 Blondie - Rapture
    9 Grandmaster Flash - the Adventures of Grandmaster Flash on the Wheels of Steel
    10 Afrika Bambaataa & the Soulsonic Force - Planet Rock
    - Disc 2 -
    1 Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five - the Message
    2 The Fearless Four - Rockin It
    3 Cold Crush Brothers - Punk Rock Rap
    4 Herbie Hancock - Rockit
    5 Afrika Bambaataa & the Soulsonic Force - Looking for the Perfect Beat
    6 Run-Dmc - It's Like That
    7 Whodini - Friends
    8 Cold Crush Brothers - Fresh, Fly, Wild & Bold
    9 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 -
    1 Roxanne Shanté - Roxanne's Revenge
    2 Fat Boys - Fat Boys
    3 Doug E. Fresh & MC Ricky D - la Di Da Di
    4 LL Cool J - I Can't Live Without My Radio
    5 Schoolly D - P.S.K. 'What Does It Mean?'
    6 Run-Dmc Feat. Aerosmith - Walk This Way
    7 Beastie Boys - Paul Revere
    8 Ultramagnetic MC's - Ego Tripping
    9 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 -
    1 Stetsasonic Feat. the Rev. Jesse Jackson & Olatunji - A.F.R.I.C.A
    2 Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince - Parents Just Don't Understand
    3 Audio Two - Top Billin'
    4 MC Lyte - Lyte As a Rock
    5 Big Daddy Kane - Raw
    6 Marley Marl Feat. Master Ace, Craig G, Kool G Rap, & Big Daddy Kane - the Symphony
    7 MC Lyte - I Cram to Understand U (Sam)
    8 Tone LŌC - Wild Thing
    9 Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock - It Takes Two
    10 Jungle Brothers - I'll House You
    11 N.W.A. - F*** 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 -
    1 Queen Latifah Feat. Monie Love - Ladies First
    2 Public Enemy - Bring the Noise
    3 De la Soul - Me Myself and I
    4 Biz Markie - Just a Friend
    5 The D.O.C. - It's Funky Enough
    6 2 Live Crew - Me So Horny
    7 Digital Underground - the Humpty Dance
    8 MC Hammer - U Can't Touch This
    9 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 -
    1 Dr. Dre Feat. Snoop Doggy Dogg - Nuthin' But a 'G' Thang
    2 Ice Cube - It Was a Good Day
    3 Sir Mix-A-Lot - Baby Got Back
    4 Arrested Development - Tennessee
    5 Digable Planets - Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat)
    6 House of Pain - Jump Around
    7 Positive K - I Got a Man
    8 Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth - They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)
    9 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 -
    1 Beastie Boys - Sabotage
    2 The Notorious BIG - Juicy
    3 Gang Starr Feat. Nice & Smooth - Dwyck
    4 Warren G Feat. Nate Dogg - Regulate
    5 Snoop Doggy Dogg - Murder Was the Case
    6 E-40 Feat. Suga T - Sprinkle Me
    7 Goodie Mob - Cell Therapy
    8 Coolio Feat. L.V. - Gangsta's Paradise
    9 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 -
    1 Missy Elliot - the Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)
    2 Lauryn Hill - Doo Wop (That Thing)
    3 DMX - Ruff Ryders' Anthem
    4 The Roots - the Next Movement
    5 Mos Def - Mathematics
    6 BG - Bling Bling
    7 Dead Prez - Hip Hop
    8 Eminem Feat. Dido - Stan
    9 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 -
    1 Talib Kweli - Black Girl Pain
    2 Kanye West - Jesus Walks
    3 Three 6 Mafia Feat. Young Buck, Eightball & MJG - Stay Fly
    4 Rick Ross - Hustlin'
    5 Lupe Fiasco Feat. Nikki Jean - Hip-Hop Saved My Life
    6 Young Jezzy Feat. Nas - My President
    7 David Banner Feat. Chris Brown & Yung Joc - Get Like Me
    8 Lil Wayne Feat. Robin Thicke - Tie My Hands
    9 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