Bomb Hip-Hop Records

Lore & Background

The Bomb Hip-Hop Magazine was created by Bay Area DJ David Paul in 1991. The black-and-white zine covered all four elements of hip-hop—DJing, MCing, graffiti, and breakin'—on local, national, and international levels. Forty-eight issues were published monthly for two dollars. Writers included Funken-Klein, Billy Jam, Spence Dookey, Cheo Coker, Joseph 'Jazzbo' Patel, Faisal Ahmed, Dave Tompkins, DJ Shadow, KutMasta Kurt, and many others. Filmmaker Joseph Patel, who produced Summer of Soul, noted that 'The Bomb is where I learned to write.' Hip-hop publications were limited at the time, and bigger companies only covered established groups, so Bomb became the voice of hip-hop culture worldwide.

In 1992, the magazine issued two flexidiscs by Dan the Automator, Charizma and Peanut Butter Wolf, and other artists. In 1994, Bomb Magazine released its first compilation album, Bomb Hip Hop Compilation, featuring Blackalicious, Charizma and Peanut Butter Wolf, Homeliss Derilex, Mystic Journeymen, Madchild (Swollen Members), Q-bert, and others whose demos the magazine had received and reviewed. This compilation was described as the start of something revolutionary.

The label's Return of the DJ series was credited with reviving the DJ as an artist in their own right and was featured in the movie Scratch. Bomb Worldwide, an international rap compilation released in 1997, featured MCs from the UK, Germany, Australia, Japan, Canada, and the USA, including Defari, Swollen Members, J-Live, Dilated Peoples, and Funky DL.

Reader's Guide

Bomb Hip-Hop Records holds a unique place in hip-hop history as a publication that successfully transitioned into a record label. Its magazine provided a platform for underground and international hip-hop when major publications ignored the culture. The label's Return of the DJ series is widely recognized for shifting focus back to the DJ as a central artistic figure, a move that influenced the turntablist movement. By spotlighting artists from around the world—such as those on Bomb Worldwide—the label helped globalize hip-hop beyond its US origins. Many writers from the magazine, including Joseph Patel, went on to prominent careers in music journalism and film. The label's 77 releases, including compilations featuring future stars like Blackalicious and Cut Chemist, document a crucial era of independent hip-hop. Bomb's legacy is that of a grassroots operation that amplified voices overlooked by the mainstream, both in print and on vinyl.

Did You Know?

• The magazine issued two flexidiscs in 1992 featuring Dan the Automator, Charizma, and Peanut Butter Wolf.
• Spin Magazine ranked Return of the DJ as #25 in their 'The 90 Greatest Albums of the 90's'.