THE KING


Ever wondered what boombox LL Cool J was talking about when he said that he couldn't live without his radio.  The famous boomer on the LP cover of "Radio" is considered by many (collectors and enthusiasts) as the undisputed King of all boomboxes.  The sleek black, silver & chrome box proves to be superior in sound, quality and craftsmanship.  When it comes to vintage portable stereos, it doesn't get any better than this.  For a small fortune, you could own one too.  You might have to sell your sneaker collection to get your hands on this.  Recent Ebay searches prove that the M90 fetches $800-1K depending on condition.  Shipping the beast can also be costly.



L.L. COOL J - RADIO

1981 was the year when JVC (one of the top radio brands) dropped the M90.  It quickly became the portable sound system for concrete school yards and cardboard floor sessions.  Blasting a boombox around the city became a bold statement for the rebellious youth.  Boomboxes were the vehicle for music.  Mixtapes were recorded, dubbed and circulated by hand way before the internet existed.  It served as a PA, sound system and recording studio all in one box.  Of all the radios, the M90 remains a cultural icon in the Hip Hop community and one of the holy grails of boombox collecting.  

BEASTIE BOYS AND RICK RUBIN WITH THE JVC M90

There's a ton of photos with the Beastie Boys rocking the M90 which also made the boombox popular.  It addition to other giant boomers like the Sharp GF-777 and the C100, their faces are highly recognizable from album covers, posters and press photos of some of your favorite Hip Hop artists.  


JVC-M90 FEATURES

Loaded with 10 "D" batteries, the M90 weighs in at a hefty 22 lbs. This was the one you had to pass to your man when your arm got tired.  In the Boom Box Project Book, J-Zone says that "The loudest boombox was the one that got the respect."  Fitted with 8" woofers, 3" tweeters, 8 bands of tuning, Super ANRS noise-reduction and a smart deck, the M90 was built to demand respect.



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