Miami is known for its warm weather and colorful culture. A city drenched with the rich history of so many people from different walks of life calling it home, Finding a hub for a city with such a dense art scene is always exciting. Welcome Lucky Records, one of Miami’s most dedicated record shops. With a constantly rotating selection, the small shop has slowly become a museum for the rich history of music from Miami along with a passionate focus on all things hip-hop, funk, soul, and reggae. Along with a plethora of bins filled with genre-spanning selections, Lucky Records stands out as a testament to the diversity of Miami and the beauty that can be made when different cultures clash in harmony.
Glide spoke with Lucky Records’ owner DJ YNOT to discuss how the shop came to be, the story behind its eye-grabbing logo, and everything in between. Check out Lucky Records and our full conversation below:
You guys have a beautifully done mural dedicated to some iconic hip-hop acts, Who painted the mural? What inspired you to dedicate it to the likes of J Dilla and MF DOOM?
The Mural was done by our muralist friend from Chicago Jake @lookatart. Originally when he was in town he drafted another mural but when he heard DOOM’s untimely passing he went through an audible last minute. We’re big fans of both artists, in fact, my former partner Devin runs the Nature Sounds Label. He had a working history with both artists having released DOOM and Dilla projects through the years. Last time I checked someone had added the mural on Dilla’s Wikipedia page.
You guys seem to have a focus on hip-hop overall, Is that the genre you feel represents Lucky Records the most? What are some of your favorite hip-hop vinyl packaging over the past few years?
Yes, I’m a lifelong DJ with hip-hop being my entry point into vinyl. We try to keep a well-rounded inventory but my personal taste does bleed over. We do lean towards hip-hop, soul, funk, reggae, Disco, Salsa, and Jazz. When it comes to Hip-hop packaging, our favorite there are 2 that come to mind. Freeway and Jake One’s The Stimulus Package is a gatefold that folds out to a Dollar bill with the artist’s face. Also, People Under the Stairs Highlighter came with a nice foil stamp and the inner sleeves and record label have aspects highlighted tying together with Yellow Highlighter color vinyl.
Lucky Records has a fantastic logo that looks great on your merch, can you tell us the story behind your famous cat mascot? Who designed the logo and why do you think it represents Lucky Records so well?
Thanks, so our logo ties into a bigger theme. Our shop is actually tucked into a small space in the front of an Asian-themed food hall called 1-800-Lucky. The Lucky Cat from Japan is meant to welcome and greet you. It is considered good luck to have in your home or business. So when we worked with the designer Masha to create it we used this symbolism. Remember the only change we made after the initial iteration was adding the 45 adapter to the collar. Keeping with the theme we have a Giant Lucky Cat by our door sitting on top of a cooler stocked with Japanese soda “Ramune”.
It seems like you guys have established yourselves as a powerhouse in the Miami scene, can you give us a brief history of Lucky Records and how you guys ended up opening in Miami?
Miami at one point only had a couple of record stores. When an old DJ buddy of mine Sven approached me with the space, I had to jump on it. He and his partners were opening the 1-800 Lucky food hall and had a small retail space in the front. The initial iteration was a Bodega with records and I had partnered with Devin from the label Nature Sounds. Post-pandemic he has since left to focus on the label and personally, I’ve (semi) retired from being a full-time DJ to focus on the store. It has been a great pivot for me as it allows me to continue to share music without being in a club till 5 a.m.
We’re in the Wynwood arts neighborhood of Miami which has grown leaps and bounds in the last decade. In the last 7 years, we’ve managed to grow a nice following of locals and international collectors. Although our store is smaller than most, we try to curate it well. Given the small space, we cycle through records pretty frequently so every time you come there will be something new.
I see you guys buy records, What was the biggest collection you guys had to dig through and what sort of gems did you find? What is your process like when deciding to purchase a collection?
Records and record stores for me are about musical discovery. In the last few years, I’ve bought all sorts of collections. I think the largest is 10,000 records. It keeps me busy digging through boxes and unearthing gems. Miami is a really diverse city with folks from all walks of life, records I may have passed on as a collector back in the day I take a closer look at. Always looking for old Miami records from Independent labels of all kinds of music: Gospel, Haitian Jazz, 80s Boogie, etc. In terms of gems, there are too many to name. Purchasing a collection can be a bit of a gamble. Obvs cleaner records are preferred and someone who has a passion for music is what I look for. You never know until you look.
What is the rarest/most expensive record to come through Lucky Records’ doors? Are there any hidden gems you’re still hoping to come across?
We’ve had some Heavy pieces come through the shop. Found a nice Jazz collection some years back and in it was a stack of minty OG Blue Note Jazz. Sold Duke Person’s Flight to Jordan for four figures. There are still some indie local records we’re hoping will fly under the radar.
What is your curation process like in general? How do your bins represent your personal taste while also catering to your customers?
Curation is tricky with used records and often is determined by the collections I find. The bins definitely have some nice selections of records I would want to take home. However, ultimately our focus is a wider scope and the mission is to get good records into the hands of folks who will enjoy them.
You guys have a love for cassettes more than any other shop we’ve come across, what draws you to that particular format? What are some of your favorite old/rare cassettes you guys have in stock currently?
Cassettes socially aren’t the best format but it lets the full album format shine. Sure, you have to fast forward and rewind but it is more complicated to skip to the next song. Nostalgia is what draws me to the format, as a kid this was my primary source of music in that small window post-vinyl and pre-CD era. We just got a nice OG 90s rap collection of tapes in. It included an original copy of Nas’s Illmatic, a grail for 90s rap aficionados.
I see you guys recently had the great Yussef Dayes in for a signing, do you guys host events like this often? What are some of your favorite memories from these in-store events?
Hey yes, we had Yusseff in-store when he was in town to do a show. He and his band hung and signed records. We don’t get a chance to do these as often as I’d like but it makes them more special. My personal favorite was having Adrian Younge play some records. He bought out a box of rare 45s to play on our turntables.
With the second half of 2023 closing in quickly, what does Lucky Records have planned for the rest of the year? Any exciting happenings you can let longtime fans and newcomers in on?
Time flies when you’re having fun. Currently crossing our fingers hoping to get through hurricane season unscathed lol. We plan on dropping some new merch collaborating with Miami artists before the end of the year. We have been working on a reissue label as well breathing new life into some unearthed gems. Be sure to follow us on social media to see what happenings are going on and records are going out into the bins @luckyrecorsmaimi
