Features, Updates, & Chores
- Added a language selection banner for certain users
- Added media-type option to Release and Master Release notes in the API
- Updated API rate-limit to 240 requests per minute per IP
- Switched on HTTPS support for all pages (more on this soon)
- Added Wantlist and Collection filtering and sorting for the iOS Discogs App (which is still in Beta)
Bug Fixes
- Released several iOS bug fixes to our Discogs App beta testers
- Several updates for our Submission Form beta
- One-off data fixes for some discrepancies on a couple artist pages
As a reminder, if you have any questions or suggestions about development-related items please make a post in our development forum; thanks!
From February 5th to 7th, J Dilla’s mother, Maureen “Ma Dukes” Yancey will be presenting the second annual J Dilla Weekend festival in Miami, FL, celebrating the life and legacy of the legendary artist. In anticipation of the event, we present a mix in promotion of Dilla's latest posthumous release, Dillatronic, by one of the finest DJ's out there, J. Rocc.
One of the original turntablists, J. Rocc founded the Beat Junkies in 1992 with Melo-D and Rhettmatic, but has done just as much on his own as in a group setting. He began DJing in the mid-'80s with a California group named PSK. Soon after forming, the Beat Junkies became a seminal force in the rise of instrumental hip-hop, including core member Babu plus future stars Shortkut and D-Styles.
In addition to numerous mixtapes and his own production for various Stones Throw Records releases, J. Rocc has been the DJ for Madlib's live shows since the early 2000's, was the 3rd member of Jaylib (Madlib & J Dilla) during the group's live events, and collaborated with Madlib on Beat Konducta Vol. 5-6: A Tribute to J Dilla. J. Rocc's first album of his own original production, Some Cold Rock Stuf, was released in 2011. Since then, J. Rocc has continued to travel the world as an in demand DJ, and also hosts the Adventures In Stereo radio show on Los Angeles radio station KPFK.
Performers at the festival include Black Thought, Bun B, Jay Electronica, DJ Premier, Slum Village, 9th Wonder, D.I.T.C. luminaries Diamond D and A.G., Royce Da 5’9”, Blu & Exile, Rapsody, Kev Brown, DJ Craze, and many more.
In addition to performances from the above hip hop legends and leaders of the now-school, J Dilla Weekend will also feature producer panels, BBQs, photo/art exhibits, meet and greets, and other events celebrating Jay Dee's life and legacy. This year also includes an official Dilla Record Exchange, presented by Discogs, which will feature a special all-45s DJ set by Diamond D! You can order your tickets for the event online.
twitter.com/jrocc
www.mixcloud.com/jrocc
jdillaweekend.com
www.dillatronic.com
nature-sounds.net
twitter.com/naturesounds
Last week, our Support Team received the most Support Requests ever in a week: over 1800. Some of them were the result of site related issues, but in general, the number of requests has been growing steadily as more and more people are finding their way to Discogs. Of course we're happy to help, and we aim to do so within 24 hours, but to reduce your waiting time, here is the Top 5 of Most Asked Questions (and the answers as well!):
1. I have created an account, why haven't I received my activation code?
When you create an account, but do not receive an activation link in your personal email inbox within 24 hours, there are usually two options:
- The email got caught in your spam filter - in which case the issue can easily get resolved by checking your spam box and recovering the message from there.
- If you can't find the message in your spam, the system may be blocking your account due to an issue on another account you have created. For example, if you have forgotten about an overdue invoice on another account you own, then you will not be permitted to create a new account until that invoice is paid. If you believe that your account may be blocked due to issues on another one of your Discogs accounts, then it's a good idea to contact Support, so they can help!
2. Why did I receive an invoice for something I never sold?
When you are selling on Discogs, you will receive a fee invoice once a month. You can see your invoice date on your Billing page. Invoices only include orders that:
- are 15 days old or older (so your buyer has had enough time to make payment), and
- haven't been cancelled, merged or paid for on a prior invoice.
Please understand that all orders that have not been cancelled, are seen as successful: It is up to you to keep your order statuses up to date.
Of course we wouldn't expect you to pay the fee for an unsuccessful order. You can cancel an order before your invoice date, or receive a fee credit if the order gets cancelled after you have paid the fee for it. If the applicable cancellation option is not available to you, please contact our support staff for assistance. Make sure to provide the order number, reason for cancellation and proof of refund (if issued) in your message.
3. Help, I received a damaged/the wrong/no item!
That sucks. We know. But before contacting the Support Team, and before leaving negative feedback for the seller, there are a few things you can do:
- Contact the seller to let them know what happened. Use the message option on the order page, so your message becomes part of the order history. Most sellers will be just as disappointed as you are, and will do their best to find a solution.
- If the seller doesn't respond to your message within 4 days, you can use the Seller Not Responding option to send them a reminder.
- If you can't come to an agreement, you can contact Support for advice. We do not handle payments, so our advice might be to contact your payment method at this stage, but that depends on the situation. You can find more information in our help doc for Disagreements in the Marketplace.
4. Why does Discogs not have an option to...? (fill in any feature you'd like to see on Discogs)
Well, we have been really busy. We have been rolling out features, and there are many more we'd like to develop. While our Support Team cannot action any feature requests, they can refer you to our forum to post your suggestions there (that way the Discogs Community and our developers can brainstorm about it). So you could also post it there directly, in:
5. I added a record, but it doesn't show up under the Master Release. How do I fix that?
That's a pretty easy fix, although the first time it can look a bit complicated (we're working on simplifying the process!). Check out this step-by-step explanation and you will be mastering it soon.
By the way, you can always check our help section for any other questions you may have, and if you can't find what you're looking for, be sure to contact us!
At nearly exactly 10 years after his passing, Maureen “Ma Dukes” Yancey will be presenting The Second Annual J Dilla Weekend festival in Miami, FL. From February 5th to 7th 2016, the festival celebrates the life and work of James Dewitt Yancey, more commonly known as Jay Dee, and more commonly that that, J Dilla. With only just over a week to go to J Dilla Weekend, we had the honor of speaking with Ma Dukes, J Dilla’s mother, about the festival and her son.
What would you like to share with Discogs’ readers about J Dilla Weekend?
I guess the first thing I'd like to share is how absolutely excited I am to return to Miami for one the most spectacular events ever in honor of my son James Dewitt Yancey aka J Dilla.
You have a background in music and so does Dilla’s father. Can you tell us about yours and Mr. Yancey’s experiences with creating or performing music? Do either of you appear on any recordings?
Wow, that's a new question. Well as some know, Mr. Yancey was a Doo Wop crooner from the 50's era. Also a Jazz artist that played upright bass as well as keys. He belonged to a group called The Ivies. They recorded on the Roulette and Brunswick labels.
I was a Detroit hometown girl that had very few friends due to my musical likes. I loved Opera and classics. I sang and studied religious chamber music and did enjoy time with family listening to and singing the Motown hits during gatherings.
Mr. Yancey and I did a couple collars on Pop music styles that were copywritten and recorded. I believe (Dilla’s younger brother) Illa J is going to redo a couple this coming year. Dilla always had us on standby to record background for a couple tracks. He wanted some Manhattan Transfer quality on a project and asked our quartet "The Larks" to prepare for it. Never quite had time to squeeze us into a session.
Can you tell us about any of your personal favorite records or artists? Also, are there any contemporary artists that you are currently enjoying?
My personal favorite artists are classic artists. Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Dinah Washington. My favorite operatic artist is Leontyne Price. My quiet alone time artists are Céline Dion and Barbra Steisand.
You’ve spoken in the past about how it was obvious from the beginning that for Dilla, music was “it”. Who were some of Dilla’s favorite artists when he was a child?
Yes, Dilla was a musical creature period. He came to bring the gift of music through a different channel as a fusion that tied and bound the unsuspecting soul. Music was his all in all. He enjoyed Jazz early on. James Brown was the force beneath his ever moving energy and creativity. James Brown ruled! There was a message in the music that he received and helped him rise to a greater level of understanding.
It’s been said that Pete Rock was his idol as far as Hip-Hop production goes. Are there any artists that we might be surprised to learn that Dilla dug?
Pete Rock was very much Dilla's idol. He was proud to tell anyone. He had mad respect for him.
His kindred spirit was Questlove. The sheer joy and excitement of collaborating and the vibe of working with the greatest drummer ever! There's much to be said for an artist that loves his God given talent and is staunch in his commitment to quality and standing alone in a quest for the best. I don't think he ever knew of the sheer enjoyment my son got out of the sessions. It meant the absolute world to him.
Surprise favorite artists: YZ and Digable Planets.
I’m sure that while he was here, an incredible amount of artists wanted a Dilla beat and that at some points he had to say “no.” What were some of the qualities that Dilla looked for in an artist that made him want to work with said artist?
The key to getting Dilla to find the time was your work ethic and dedication to the art. Money meant nothing on a scale being weighed on the other side by dedication and sweat. Quality and timeless music reigned.
Were there any artists in particular that Dilla especially enjoyed working with?
Dilla enjoyed working with all the artists he produced for. If he didn't think you had it, he'd turn you down no matter how much was on the table.
There have been many musical tributes to Dilla over the years. My favorite is Suite For Ma Dukes, which was incredible. What were your feelings when you heard Dilla’s creations reimagined by a 60-piece orchestra?
My feelings about the Suite For Ma Dukes can't be put into words. I still find it hard to swallow while listening. It's the highest honor that my son and I could have ever received. I'm eternally grateful for this body of work. It's a masterpiece!!
I know this is a tough question (I probably couldn’t come up with a definitive answer!), but what are a couple of your favorite Dilla creations?
My favorite Dilla creations are too many to name. I enjoy every single track. However, Stakes Is High, Vivrant Thing, and my good morning track: Eve Remix by Spacek
Please tell us about the J Dilla Foundation.
The J Dilla Foundation is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to raising funds to compliment urban area small groups geared towards the needs of today's youth that have talents that are hidden, or the awareness of the arts that are non-existent, in most public schools nationwide. The foundation is worldwide and is focused on raising awareness of the arts and creating well-rounded citizens, with a focus on higher education through the arts.
The J Dilla Foundation, my tribute to my son, has been recently renamed The James Dewitt Yancey Foundation in honor of my son and his father Dewitt. Due to his induction into the new Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, I felt it was time to recognize my son as a full grown genius of a man; his given name as he shall be remembered by the entire world, not just his hip hop community. My son also composed Jazz and Neo Soul.
Performers at the festival include Black Thought, Bun B, Jay Electronica, DJ Premier, Slum Village, 9th Wonder, D.I.T.C. luminaries Diamond D and A.G., Royce Da 5’9”, Blu & Exile, Rapsody, Kev Brown, DJ Craze, and many more.
In addition to performances from the above hip hop legends and leaders of the now-school, J Dilla Weekend will also feature producer panels, BBQs, photo/art exhibits, meet and greets, and other events celebrating Jay Dee's life and legacy. This year also includes an official Dilla Record Exchange, presented by Discogs, which will feature a special all-45s DJ set by Diamond D! You can order your tickets for the event online.
When thinking about the upcoming 2016 music releases, it’s hard to believe we are not even a month into 2016. David Bowie has really set the bar high, releasing his much anticipated Blackstar album and then sadly dying three days later.
Not only does Bowie’s latest release bring high anticipation for the music year to come, there is also the long list of artists that have so far announced new music for 2016. Some bands will be releasing their first full length album in a decade so many releases to watch out for this year!
A list of a few releases worth keeping an eye out for include:
Not only are they releasing a new album this year but they have recently been announced for some major European music festivals which will also hopefully mean a full tour. This 9th album to follow 2011’s "The King of Limbs" could drop any day now so keep your eyes peeled closely to the W.A.S.T.E. website.
It’s been nearly 5 years since PJ Harvey released "Let England Shake". "The Hope Six Demolition Project" will be released on April 15th on Island Records and will be followed with a run of summer festival dates.
It’s only been 3 years since The Strokes last release, however most members have been busy with their own solo or side projects the last few years, so it is nice to see them together in the studio again. Announced to play at the The Governors Ball Music Festival and hopefully more festivals and side shows in the summer.
"Hopelessness" with be the title of the first release from Anohni (formerly Antony Hegarty) and should be released in spring this year. Co-produced by Hudson Mohawke and Oneohtrix Point Never and surrounding Anohini’s transgender transformation from Antony to Anohni, I am curious to see what this experimental record has in store for us.
Other artists that will be releasing music this year:
Animal Collective - "Painting With" will be released next month (Feb).
Underworld - "Barbara Barbara, We Face A Shining Future" - release date March 18th.
Chromatics - "Dear Tommy"
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Gorillaz
Swans
Violent Femmes - "We Can Do Anything" - to be released March 4th. The bands first new album in 15 years.
Guns N' Roses
Sigur Rós
Spiritualized - this new album will be produced by Youth from Killing Joke.
The Jesus And Mary Chain
Grandaddy - first new album in 11 years.
De La Soul - release date April 2016.
And finally a few releases that snuck into January that are definitely worth a listen: Savages (2) – "Adore Life", Ty Segall – "Emotional Mugger" and Hinds – "Leave Me Alone".
Missing anything on this list? We're curious to hear what releases you are looking forward to this year!
My interest in portable turntables was cultivated whilst working the Discogs stall at the Utrecht Record Fair. Occasionally, I'd see a collector walk past with some kind of device I hadn't seen before. When someone who had one stopped at our booth for a chat, I got them to show me it. It was a battery powered record player / tape deck!
Is your Turntable in Gearogs? Add it here.
After seeing this, of course I got home and started researching portable turntables. I found a reasonable number of them, from the 1960's onwards. The older ones were much less 'portable', more like suit cases, and were usually mains powered. I needed something truly portable, so these wouldn't do.
So I started looking at modern turntables I could buy new. The Vestax Handytrax seems to come out top here, and certainly seemed interesting. However, there was something about it's design that didn't quite gel with me... and it seemed a bit bulky for what I wanted.
That's why I started looking for something in the middle (this tale is starting to sound like Goldilocks and the three bears!). There were some portable turntables made in the 80s that looked interesting. Sony did some called the 'Flamingo' (PS-F5 and PS-F9) that played the records standing upright. These look amazing, with their retro 80s Walkman styling. There are some downsides however. First of all, the record has to be lowered into the slot, the machine doesn't open up. I thought it would be hard to do that with an expensive vinyl without scratching / marking it! Second, it is linear tracking, and so jumping between tracks would be slow and not very precise, not great for checking out a record. Third, they seem to be really collectable and go for a fair bit in the secondhand market!
That meant the Sony was ruled out. What else? Well, in the 80s, Audio-technica had made their own take on this concept. Called the 'Sound Burger', the shape is similar to the Sony, and it is battery powered, but there the similarities end. The Sound Burger is designed to be played flat, like a normal turntable. The arm is also a normal manual turntable arm, so skipping between tracks is fast. Finally, by all accounts it is actually a reasonable quality device, taking a good needle and with light tracking.
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My choice was made, I wanted an Audio-technica Sound Burger AT727! I looked on the usual auction site for some months, but they didn't come up very often, and when they did, they were in another country, or expensive, or broken. As luck would have it though, I happened to come across not one, not two, but THREE of them up for auction at another auction site for electronic musical instruments that holds an auction every 6 months. The stage was set, these turntables were atypical for this auction, who's bread and butter are vintage synthesisers. There were no bids on any of the Sound Burgers, and the starting prices were very low. I bid on one. Then I thought, maybe I should bid on another one, just in case I lose the first bid. Then I thought, well, I have two under bid, and the cost of all three, if I get them at the low bid price, is about the same as I'd pay for one usually. They were also all different colours. Ok so I bid on all three. And won!
So, I was in possession of the three Soundburgers after a couple of weeks. They needed the belts changed, which I got from a guy in Portugal, and a couple of them needed some basic electrical work (new trim pots). I got them all working, cleaned up, photographed, and entered into Gearogs!
I took one over to the Utrecht record fair soon after, it was for sure useful being able to listen to record right there at the stalls! On my last visit to Portland, I also took one with me, plus a JBL Flip 3 portable speaker. It was great being able to listen to my USA vinyl purchases in my hotel room after a hard day at Discogs. I didn't manage to use one in the airplane however, maybe next time!
J Dilla is celebrated as one of the greatest hip-hop producers of all time. This February, almost exactly a decade after he passed away in 2006, the 2nd annual J Dilla Weekend festival celebrates his life and legacy. The event will be held from February 5th - 7th in the Wynwood section of Miami, FL. and Discogs is honored to be part of the event! Our Community Manager Liz explains how that collaboration came about:
"A rep from Nature Sounds reached out to me about the possible collaboration. We share a common interest in preserving the legacy of J Dilla and other artists that have contributed so much to the music industry. Hip Hop has deep roots that go back 45+ years. Personally, I see hip hop as a movement and a lifestyle that resonates with DJs, labels, break dancers, graffiti artists and turntablists. It's a living, breathing genre that's consistently evolving."
What will the weekend look like?
"The weekend is jammed packed! In addition to performances from high-profile artists and DJs, Slum Village, Bun B, Black Thought, Jay Electronica, Diamond D, A.G, DJ Premier, Royce 5'9", 9th Wonder, Rapsody, Chuck Strangers, A-F-R-O, Kev Brown and many more, J Dilla Weekend also features producer panels, BBQs, photo/art exhibits, meet and greets, and other events celebrating Jay Dee's life and legacy. This year also features an official Dilla Record Exchange."
How is Discogs involved in the J Dilla Weekend?
"Discogs & Vinylhub's primary sponsorship is the J Dilla Record Exchange. The exchange will provide the opportunity for enthusiasts to buy, sell and trade records. DJs will be on the scene spinning all day which provides a nice backdrop to dig by. We will be on site to hand out swag, answer questions and connect with our users. The Record Exchange takes place from 12-6 PM on Saturday the 6th of Feb, so be sure to drop by!"
Can we expect to see Discogs at more events in the future?
Definitely. We'll be expanding other Discogs events again this year, visiting multiple cities and countries. Keep an eye out our for our 2016 Crate Diggers series... announcements coming soon!
Our last Staff Picks reflecting on our favorites from 2015: Our Favorite Discoveries in 2015. Artists, releases, old, new: it could be anything, and that's what it turned out to be - a mixed record bag. Enjoy!
"Chamber Music" by Ballaké Sissoko & Vincent Ségal and "Racine Carrée"by Stromae. I was in a grad school so it was a weird year for music for me - most of the time I could only bear to listen to music with lyrics in unknown languages, so that I could still read and write in English and concentrate. I listened to a lot of amazing music from Western Africa which mostly relaxed me, and I had to listen to the Belgian superstar for energy.
– Grace, Community Support
After hearing a few fellow Discog-ers were looking for The Kiasmos Looped EP on RSD, I figured I would check out their LP. I don’t know how to describe it other than Symphonic Techno™. Whenever I’m listening to this one I feel like I’m walking in a time-lapse video and that’s a good thing.
– Ron, Marketing Program Manager
I think I stumbled on him from "14 Tracks: Mid East Recon" comp after going through a modern Middle Eastern music kick. I would love to see this guy play live.
– Wes, Director of Engineering
I hadn't really discovered/liked her until this year. It all started one dance party with the album "Hounds Of Love". After that night, I couldn't get enough of her. "The Dreaming" is beautiful if you haven't checked it out.
"
– Susan, Developer
I was already somewhat familiar with Ezra Furman, but none of his records really stuck until this one. "Perpetual Motion People" is one of the most fun powerpop/punk records of the year and I can't wait to get a chance to see him live (again).
– Yoram, Community Support
Ack, I can't narrow it down! But recently I've been listening to Amatorski, Cate Le Bon and Typhoon.
– Kirsten, Community Project Manager
Picked up a couple of Chris Forsyth's albums "Solar Motel" and "Intensity Ghost" on a whim after reading some positive articles about his stuff. Is it rock? Is it jazz? Is it experimental? Is it all of the above? Is it none of the above? That I cannot tell you. However, I can confirm that Forsyth and company bring plenty of instrumental intensity, and a nice honest six-string meltdown every now and then is a treat for the soul.
– Tom, Community Support
I happened to visit the Music On Vinyl office where this record was playing. I hadn't heard it ever before so I asked them about it and put it on my wantlist immediately. Only a few weeks later I came across an original copy at a record store in Haarlem. "People Get Ready", "What The World Needs Now" and then the psychedelic (over 11 minutes) version of "Time Has Come". Happy days!
– Lilian, Content Marketing Specialist
Discovered at the office while randomly playing music. I thought it was an old release and that she was not a new artist, because it sounds very... postpunk style. That's definitely a compliment, I love early postpunk!
– Luca, Community Support
Definitely not well-versed in Classical / Electronic music as much as I'd like to be. I also wouldn't say I am a Philip Glass fan or hater but my friend Jeff turned me onto such things and this soundtrack is stunning and beautiful.
– Jon F., Product Owner
This album is part dark ambient blackhole, part retro synth album and part hippie-fied funk odyssey. There are some serious grooves hidden throughout the album, especially the bass line on "Heal Yourself".
– Andy, Developer
Another tough category - I came across a lot of great new music this year, particularly in drone / ambient music. Among others, I've been listening a lot to "No. 3". Christina Vantzou makes some absolutely amazing music, creating soundscapes that sound sparse and haunting at a first listen, but which reveal intricate details and aural microcosms upon repeat listening.
– Josh, Community Support Manager
Neue Deutsche Welle! I've been a huge 70s/80s Post-Punk fan for years, mainly fixated on the UK and US scenes. NDW is a breath of fresh air, similar in tone and style to the Post-Punk movements, but with that German motorik and mechanical attitude. D.A.F.'s "Alles Ist Gut", Palais Schaumburg's S/T, Grauzone's S/T, and Hans-a-Plast's "2" are some standouts. I love learning about scenes like this that get very little coverage in English-speaking media (especially US-based media, we seem to be obsessed with ourselves and the UK).
– Mark, Front-End Developer
Pretty much anything by Nils Frahm. I'm pretty sure I discovered his music in 2015. I don't own any wax yet, but I have my eyes on a few pieces. For the uninitiated, check out Spaces or The Bells.
– Rodney, Developer
Missed out on seeing them in 2015 when they did a European tour and regretting it ever since! Need to get my hands on their self titled release when I head to their home town Barcelona this year.
– Claire, Managing Director of Operations
One of the voices that impressed me the most this year is from a Dutch singer named Bernard Hering. I heard him sing Bruce Springsteen's "Factory" at a "Bruce & I" book release event in Paradiso, Amsterdam. The depth and warmth in his voice truly touched me. I am looking forward to discover more of his tunes, but he hasn't released much and there is no Discogs page for him yet unfortunately. He released a video only last week, and an EP is to follow, so as soon as that happens I will add it!
– Swati, Community Support
Working at Discogs, you get to hear a lot of really good electronic music. "Forse 3" was a release I definitely enjoyed working to this year- especially on cold rainy days. I am so happy to find that he has several more albums that I still need to check out.
– Tasha, Community Support Lead
I stumbled upon the band Salem's Pot this year, and I'm so glad I did. The earth is a little light on viking, stoner, sludge-rock with themes of death, graveyards, horror films, and scantily-clad women on their album covers who still manage to sound great -- these guys fit the bill nicely.
– Matt F., Community Support
I really enjoyed discovering Shabazz Palaces, particularly "Lese Majesty." Thanks for the recommendation, Jon!
– Matt L., Front-End Developer
This year I went back and revisited Townes Van Zandt. I'd heard him before, but never really dug deep. As an eternal fan of sad bastard music, I can say he's incredible. The 2009 / 2014 Fat Possum reissues of Live at the Old Quarter are good quality, and worthy of your hard earned cash.
– Jason, Lead Developer
Intro
In this installment of Diggin' Into Discogs Data, we dive into Hip Hop, which, despite being only the 7th most represented genre on Discogs, stands as the 2nd most common genre represented on the Top 100 Most Wanted Releases. Hip Hop is an under-represented genre on Discogs—mostly due to its strong ties to the United States (US Hip Hop Releases have almost 4x the representation of the 2nd most Hip Hop heavy country, the UK, at 188k to 48k, respectively). Let's take a look at Hip Hop's history through the scope of Discogs.
As the youngest Genre on Discogs, it's interesting to see how Hip Hop has grown and been combined with other genres since its most credited inception in 1979.
We can see that nearly all genres shared with Hip Hop have grown over the years with more Jazz, Electronic, Pop, and Rock being added into Hip Hop Releases. Funk/Soul—a huge influence of early Hip Hop—has dwindled in representation over the decades as Hip Hop has grown into its own genre.
(Feat. ___)
Following in the footsteps of Jazz, Hip Hop relies heavily on collaboration. Collaboration brings a conversation and edge to the music that makes it unique and dynamic. In many cases, collaboration between multiple Hip Hop Artists or Genres works and creates something amazing, and sometimes, well, it does not. Anyway, let's take a look at the biggest collaborators in Hip Hop shown as most credited Hip Hop Artists:
Unsurprisingly, the most credited Hip Hop Artists are those who have been steadily making music for years, from rapping/singing to production. All of these Artists were prominent in the 1990s, an important time for Hip Hop, as shown by the amount of Hip Hop Releases per year on the Discogs Top 250 Most Wanted:
J Dilla
J Dilla is widely recognized as one of the most influential Hip Hop artists of all time. He has collaborated with many Artists and changed the direction of Hip Hop despite his unfortunate, untimely death at a young age. Here are a few of the Artists that have collaborated the most with J Dilla as listed on Discogs:
I should note that this discography is a much smaller sample size than what I usually pull from, so the numbers represented might be due to some Releases simply having more of the credits filled out than others. If all was perfect, I wouldn't be surprised to see Slum Village somewhere in this top 5! It's no surprise to see Madlib, Peanut Butter Wolf, and Oh No—all from Stones Throw—on this list.
A Lil' Bit About Names
In a previous Diggin' Into Discogs Data post, I went over the popularity of the prefix name "Lil". I'd like to add to that some of the best hand-curated Artist names in Discogs that start with Lil after spending some time digging in our MySQL database.
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Don't be so hard on yourself, kid.
One day he'll be Big Money. You just watch.
Unabashed, straight to the point, and not your mother's Lil Artist.
No comment other than I really need to hear Lil Baby Jesus' music.
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Free mixtape included in every Adobe Reader update.
Freestyle
The world of Hip Hop is huge. The genre has influenced many styles of music and has grown into a term nearly as all-encompassing as "Rock". Let's take a look at the popular Styles of Hip Hop and how they have changed over the years.
At first glance, you might see how prominent Pop Rap was in the late 70s and early 80s. That struck me with confusion, so I took a look at the Explore page and filter down to see some popular Hip Hop Releases from the 80s. It turns out quite a few of the "big name classics" were on that list: Afrika Bambaataa, Vanilla Ice, The 2 Live Crew, Salt 'N' Pepa.
Other notable changes include the rise and fall of Gangsta throughout the 1990s. Thug Rap rises in the early 2000s and begins to decline after. More recently, Trap and Conscious Hip Hop (two rather polarized forms of Hip Hop) begin to gain popularity in the later 2000s and early 2010s.
Outro
There were a ton of pieces of data to look at for Hip Hop. It's such a vibrant and wide-ranged genre that's constantly evolving—I might have to do another Hip Hop post some time! Anyway, let me know if there are any interesting pieces of Discogs data you'd like to see me explore in a future post!
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