1. 3-2-1 Records - www.321records.com. This small label has one of the biggest and most powerful lineups in hip-hop music: Blackalicious, Rubberroom, and Skeme Team among others. They are selling the "Connected" compilation online for only $9 on compact disc and you can check out audio clips before you buy. This label was reputed to have some financial and distribution difficulties but judging by their site I'd say they are still going strong. Be on the lookout for more releases from 3-2-1!
2. Atomik Recordings - www.atomikrecordings.com. Chiefly featuring Walkmen and Equilibrium, this small but up and coming label will be a force to be reckoned with in '99 and 2000. Be sure to check out their HIGHLY appropriately timed release of "Fortruss" by the Walkmen, a song which features the Imperial Death March from Star Wars. This site and it's roster will only continue to improve in the months ahead - consider this the "most active potential" award of all five sites listed today.
3. Fondle 'Em Records - www.sandbox.pair.com/fondle. Hosted by the internet hip-hop music superstore "The Sandbox", this website features the entire label's discography, updates on new releases, and audio clips from their artists. It's quick and easy to order any of their releases through Sandbox's site, so if you hear something you like don't be afraid to check it out. This site is the epitome of "simple but good" - it's not wild or fancy, but it doesn't need to be: the artists themselves say what the site doesn't.
4. Rawkus Entertainment - www.rawkus.com. The most popular of all sites listed, this one is also from the label with the most explosive lineup. Be sure to check out their new compilation album 'Soundbombing II' - the official mixtape for 1999. Downloadable MP3's are available, and you can also sign up for a mailing list to get exclusive tracks not immediately available online through the site. You can even order shirts and gear online, as well as their vinyl twelve inches and CD's, so don't sleep on Rawkus!
5. Tommy Boy Records - www.tommyboy.com. In a word, this website is SLICK. Sleek rugged design, a wide variety of artists, and links to all of their affiliated labels. This one could keep you busy for hours upon hours on end, as your editor quickly discovered. Warning, this website will take a while to load, and pages can be hard to scroll through. It's worth the effort to see more about artists like De La Soul, Defari, and Prince Paul, it's worth the wait!
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