Early years

1990-96: Laying the foundation

Hip Hop Reconstruction From The Ground Up

1991 / USA
Self-released

Demo, Mixtape

Artwork: The 8th Wonder
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First ever Shadow release. About 20 copies were recorded and sent to various fanzine and underground magazines, the one that got him a column in the June edition of The Source Magazine in the US.

Hip Hop Reconstruction From The Ground Up

Hip Hop Reconstruction From The Ground Up Vol 1½

1991 / USA
Self-released

Demo, Mixtape

Artwork: The 8th Wonder

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Subtitled "Excerpts From The Movement", as his beats were evolving, it was more of a beat résumé according to Shadow.

1991 / USA
Self-released

Demo, Mixtape

Artwork: The 8th Wonder
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In the same period of time, 3 tapes were made and sent to the late Dave "Funken" Klein, back then head of Hollywood Records, the man who gave Shadow (the Raptor of Hip Hop) a chance to be revealed.

FunkenKlein's Tapes

Lifers Group / Shadow

The Real Deal (Shadow Remix) / Lesson 4

1991

Hollywood BASIC

Artwork: The 8th Wonder

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First official DJ Shadow releases, then under the Shadow moniker.

Zimbabwe Legit – The Zimbabwe Legit EP

1991

Hollywood BASIC

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Track:

Doin' Damage In My Native Language (Shadow's Legitimate Mix) [6:27]

Queen / Shadow

We Will Rock You / Basic Mega-Mix

1992 / USA
Hollywood BASIC / HB 6128PR

12", 33 RPM, Promo
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Issued in a generic sleeve.

Track: Basic Mega-Mix (12:35)

DJ Shadow & The Grooves Robbers / Asia Born - Entropy / Send Them

1993 Feb.

Solesides

Artwork: The 8th Wonder

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The Solesides label gathered a number of artists from the Bay Area, CA. Shadow co-created the label and this was the first issue featuring "Entropy", a legendary mix clocking at 17:38!

Blackalicious - Melodica EP

1993

Solesides

Artwork: The 8th Wonder

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Originally released on Solesides in the US, Shadow produced most of the track on this EP that was released on Mo Wax in the UK.

DJ Shadow & The Grooves Robbers

In/Flux / Hindsight

1993 Nov.

Mo Wax

Artwork: The 8th Wonder

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The 8th Wonder wanted to design the 1st ever 12" graffiti picture disc, James Lavelle made it happen. This is the first release of a long collaboration with Mo Wax.

Tracks And Beats (93-94)

1994 / USA
Self-released

Demo, Mixtape

Typography: The 8th Wonder
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About 60 of those tapes were handed by Shadow to prospective MCs as a kind of portfolio in the mid 90s, it contains unreleased tracks and alternate mixes.

What Does Your Soul Look Like

1994 Jun.

Mo Wax

Artwork: Req1

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To many, their first introduction to Shadow's music with this masterpiece in 4 parts clocking at 32:30.

DJ Shadow / DJ Krush

Lost And Found (S.F.L.) / Kemuri

1994 Sep. 12

Mo Wax

Artwork: Futura

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First release with Shadow and Krush from Japan on this split.

S.F.L stands for Song For "Lisa", now Shadow's wife.

Blackalicious - Swan Lake

1994 Oct.

Solesides

Artwork: The 8th Wonder

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For this Blackalicious single, Shadow produced 2 songs, side by side with Chief Xcel.

Mo Wax Headz Tour

The Cockpit, Leeds (10-11-94)

1994 Nov. 10 / UK

Mo Wax

Artwork: Swifty

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Part of a series of tapes created during the first leg of the Mo Wax Headz Tour in 1994, sold in venues after the shows.

The Solesides Crew – Radio Sole 1

1995

Solesides

Artwork: DJ Zen

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A Solesides mixtape with several productions an engineering by Shadow.

DJ Krush / DJ Shadow ‎–

A Whim / 89.9 Megamix + Bonus Beats

1995

Mo Wax

Artwork: Futura

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2nd collaboration between them, this time Shadow co-produces side B.

Lateef – The Wreckoning

1996 Mar.

Solesides

Artwork: Brent Rollins

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Working with his Solesides friend Lateef Daumont, Shadow produced 6 out of 7 tracks on this single.

DJ Shadow & The Groove Robbers / Chief Xcel – Hardcore (Instrumental) Hip Hop / Fully Charged On Planet X

1996 Apr.

Solesides

Artwork: Brent Rollins / Futura

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The Groove Robbers being Shadow's turntables, he produced side A entirely on this split, released at the same time by Mo Wax in the UK.

Lateef The Truth Speaker

The Quickening / The Wreckoning / Latyrx

1996 Jul.

Solesides

Photography: B+

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All tracks produced by Shadow minus "Latyrx", produced by Lyrics Born.