Press Archive

Okay Player Review 2018

The Delicious Vinyl Story

Founded in 1987 by DJs Matt Dike and Michael Ross in Los Angeles, California, Delicious Vinyl stands as one of the longest-running and most influential independent record labels in hip-hop history.

What started as a scrappy, arts-and-crafts-style startup in a Santa Monica Boulevard apartment quickly transformed the sonic landscape of mainstream music, marrying rare funk, rock riffs, and heavy basslines with unforgettable lyricism.

Chronological Highlights & Milestones

1987 (The Genesis): Having met at a West Coast record pool, Dike and Ross fused their deep knowledge of crate-digging, live D.C. Go-Go, and 70s rock to establish the label.
Late 1980s (The Pop Explosion): The label exploded into the mainstream almost overnight. Tone Lōc’s iconic hits “Wild Thing” and “Funky Cold Medina” (sampling artists like Foreigner and Kiss) alongside Young MC’s Grammy-winning “Bust a Move” cemented Delicious Vinyl as a chart-topping powerhouse.
Early-to-Mid 1990s (The Golden Era): Moving past standard pop-rap, the label signed seminal acts that redefined alternative and golden-era hip-hop. They released The Pharcyde’s brilliant debut Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde (featuring the timeless classic “Passing Me By”) and hosted two critically acclaimed albums from Masta Ace Incorporated (Slaughterhouse and Sittin’ on Chrome).
Genre-Blending & Innovation: Not strictly bound to hip-hop, the label also brought London’s rare-groove outfit The Brand New Heavies to American audiences and even served as an early platform for legendary producer J Dilla.

The Roster

The Delicious Vinyl legacy is shaped by an eclectic and legendary group of artists:

Artist / Group	Notable Hits & Albums
Tone Lōc	“Wild Thing”, “Funky Cold Medina”
Young MC	“Bust a Move”, Stone Cold Rhymin’
The Pharcyde	“Passing Me By”, Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde
Masta Ace Inc.	Slaughterhouse, Sittin’ on Chrome
The Brand New Heavies	“Never Stop”
Mellow Man Ace	Pioneered early bilingual (Spanish/English) hip-hop

Delicious Vinyl Today: Food, Community, and Culture

Following Matt Dike’s departure from daily operations in 1992 (and his passing in 2018), Michael Ross, alongside his brother Rick Ross, retained ownership and continued to evolve the brand.

Today, Delicious Vinyl operates as a multifaceted cultural hub. They successfully bridged the gap between music and food by opening Delicious Pizza locations on Sunset Boulevard and in West Adams, Los Angeles. These spots double as hip-hop museums and community spaces, hosting block parties and music events that keep the golden-era spirit alive for the next generation.

Looking into 2026: The label’s rich history continues to be celebrated. June 2026 marks the release of the highly anticipated book Bust a Move: Matt Dike, Delicious Vinyl, and the Hip Hop Hits by Peter Relic, honoring the definitive history of the label that changed the culture forever.