Why We Picked This

Michael Penn II: So, how did we pick this one?

Andrew Winistorfer: I think you mentioned this when you were listening to write the OBI strip: this record feels very much of 2002. This was that weird period when nobody knew where rap was going next; after Biggie and 2Pac, and the Puff Daddy jiggy era had kinda dissipated, and nobody really knew what was gonna happen next. And there were all of these underground rappers that were suddenly getting signed to major labels. You listen to this record, and it sounds like it could have been a Rhymesayers record or something, but it was on a major label, and it’s a really great throwback rap record.

Since 2002, Blazing Arrow has reached cult status: if you know it, you love it. And if you don’t know it, you’re not aware of it. This album sells for a lot on Discogs, and it’s one of our most-requested RHH records in the sub’s history. Any time we ask which rap records our subscribers wanna see, people immediately bring this one up within the first couple of comments. There was an opportunity to do this: it’s a great record from 2002, everybody wants it, and it’s a good showcase of the old-school style of an MC and a DJ, working together to make music.

Package Details

AW: The package is a double-LP on a gatefold jacket. The album comes on blazing red and yellow galaxy vinyl, so it’s like the vinyl we did Tha Carter III on. This package comes with a Blazing Arrow stencil. The album features ?uestlove, Gil-Scott Heron, DJ Shadow, Ben Harper’s on this record (which is fucking crazy) Cut Chemist… a lot of that era of rap music is really present on here.