Diggin’ In My Own Collection – Short Run Indie Hip-Hop Gems

Diggin’ In My Own Collection is a nine-part series where I’m taking a look at some of the rare, and incredibly unique, albums in my CD collection. 

At one point in my music journalism career my indie hip-hop cred was pretty dang high. I was one of the only writers covering the scene in the LES, and I had become known as the guy who was willing to give an emcee who’d never been written about their first interview.

Because of my time in the scene, I have a lot of short-run indie hip-hop releases from that era. Some are by artists who have gone on to national, and international fame.

I have to admit, I feel a bit awkward about the continually rising prices of their older releases on the secondary market, as I know how hard it was for them to sell those albums when they were working their way up.

For this edition of Diggin’ In My Own Collection I’m going to power through that emotion, as I’m taking a look at five short-run indie hip-hop albums that have become highly sought after, including a few from artists I consider close friends.

 

 

Homeboy Sandman – Actual Factual Pterodactyl 

I have been friends with Homeboy Sandman since before he released his first album (more on that album in a future edition of this column). Actual Factual Pterodactyl, which was released in 2008, was his second full length effort, and it could be argued it’s the album that truly started his ascent in the indie hip-hop world. It’s also one of my favorite hip-hop albums of all-time.

Apparently a lot of folks share my feeling, as Homeboy Sandman reissued the album in 2017, and while that version is readily available, the original version is something that will make a collector’s eyes go wide.

In the Discogs marketplace it will run you anywhere from $40 to $125, but if you think my copy is ever leaving my collection you’re out of your mind.

 

 

Esoteric vs. Gary Numan – Pterodactyl Tubeway 

Indie hip-hop and ‘80s icons go together like … well, in the case of Esoteric’s Pterodactyl Tubeway project, they go together really damned well!

Obviously, with the use of Gary Numan’s music this album couldn’t be sold, so it’s technically considered a promo, and was given away, although I can’t remember what had to be purchased in order to get it.

The album has sold in the Discogs marketplace for anywhere from $25 to $75, with one currently being available, as of the writing of this column, for just under $120.

Incidentally, between Homeboy Sandman’s Actual Factual Pterodactyl, and Esoteric’s Pterodactyl Tubeway, I feel like picking up albums with Pterodactyl in the name might be a pretty solid investment strategy.

 

 

Welcome to Grimmyville Part 2 

While I was going through my CDs looking for rarities Welcome to Grimmyville Part 2 came to mind. There was something about the combination of a once highly buzzed about artist – Bump J – and the album basically being a mixtape, that made me want to look it up.

Very few people using Discogs own the album – a grand total of 10 as of the writing of this column – and there’s only one CD available in the site’s marketplace, for the fairly reasonable price of $20. Over on Amazon, however, wooooo boy, there are two copies available priced at $902.81, and $970.43. When I told a friend about this she joked that I should put my copy up there for $850, just to see if someone will buy it seeing it at a “discount.”

In all honesty, I have no idea how rare, or valuable this album is, but I just loved Amazon’s prices too much not to include it.

 

   

Substantial – Substantial Evidence and Sacrificial Lambs 

Substantial is an artist I’ve known, and called a friend, for over 15 years. He’s not just a great artist, he’s a great person.

Obviously, I have a plethora of his albums in my collection. With all of them having been released independently, they’ve all been limited pressings. Since Substantial has become a well known artist, both in America and abroad, many of those albums have become in demand.

Two of his albums that are especially hot commodities are Substantial Evidence and Sacrificial Lambs. Both albums have gone for as much as $35 in the Discogs marketplace, but what I find most interesting is that the latter hasn’t been offered for sale in FIVE YEARS, and while 14 people say they have it, 30 say they want it. That’s quite the ratio!

 

Substantial has a huge following overseas, especially in Japan, and with that in mind, the next installment of this column will feature three CDs from overseas that have found their way into my collection.

Until then, keep digging!