Staff Picks: Mukhtar Ali's Top 5 at R&G Records

October 2, 2025

R&G Daily is our space for all things vinyl and culture. From staff picks and fresh arrivals to deeper editorial pieces on records we love, this is where we share stories, recommendations, and the sounds that inspire us. Whether you’re here to discover your next favorite album or dive into the history behind a classic, R&G Daily brings you closer to the world of R&G Records. Today’s Staff Picks feature Mukhtar Ali’s five records currently in the bins at R&G Records.

1. A Love Supreme by John Coltrane

John Coltrane - A Love Supreme (Jazz)

Mukhtar: I was introduced to this album while interning at a jazz station in Syracuse, New York, when I was 12 years old and in junior high school, working for the Urban League. I’ve always been a calm person, so jazz stayed with me. The instruments carried the music without lyrics, allowing me to think deeply without interruptions from words.

2. Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... by Raekwon

Raekwon - Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... (Hip Hop)

Mukhtar: This is my favorite artist. He’s a mix of street, sophistication, and education. I even directed one of his videos for his second Cuban Linx installment.

3. Seven Steps To Heaven by Miles Davis

Miles Davis - Seven Steps To Heaven (Jazz)

Mukhtar: I was introduced to this album while interning at a jazz station in Syracuse, New York, when I was 12 years old and in junior high school, working for the Urban League. I’ve always loved the title—it speaks to me. I’m very big on words, so it makes me curious and intrigued about why the album was given that name.

4. Illmatic by Nas

Nas - Illmatic (Hip Hop)

Mukhtar: I remember hearing Nas say, “and now in Elmira,” which caught my attention because that’s where I was born, a place known for housing a major prison where many people from New York are sent. He’s another rapper I admire, combining street, sophistication, and education.

5. It Takes A Nation of Millions To Hold Us Back by Public Enemy

Public Enemy - It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back (Hip Hop)

Mukhtar: This might have been the first music from the ’80s that I truly connected with as a kid. It was revolutionary, educated, and entertaining. Public Enemy may have been my first introduction to Malcolm X, who had a huge impact on my life.