sway in the morning Archives

Fabolous Punctuates a Freestyle with a Bill Cosby Line. Too Soon? (Video)

Fabolous swung by the Sway in the Morning show for an extended conversation. He discussed his relationship with Nas, his latest project, his Twitter game and more. He also named which rappers he thinks would give him a run for his money, lyrically (7:50). He gave Eminem, Nas, J. Cole... Read more

December 18, 2014 Video

Skillz Shuts Down The Competition With A Freestyle WHILE DJ’ing (Video)

Most Heads know that Skillz is a microphone monster. But did you know that the Virginia native is a sharp DJ too? After years of rolling with DJ Jazzy Jeff on the road, the onetime Rawkus Records artist returns to Sway In The Morning for a second straight day. After... Read more

December 2, 2014 Fresh, Video

Skillz Is A Supafriendz Alum & Freestyle Legend, So Sway Had To Put Him On The Spot (Video)

Back in those days when he was From Where???, (Mad) Skillz belonged to the Supafriendz, a Virginia massive including Danja Mowf, Lonnie B, and Kalonji The Immortal. This posse got some of its biggest exposure thanks to the aforementioned 1996 album, and a few compilations and singles. However, freestyle enthusiasts... Read more

December 1, 2014 Fresh, Video

Your Old Droog Manhandles Sway’s 5 Fingers Of Death + Gives Rare Interview (Video)

Your Old Droog is not just nice on records. The MC appeared this week on Sway In The Morning, and dazzled fans with charm, whether in a freestyle or simply telling his story. Sway Calloway, Heather B and team asked Droog about the Nas comparisons, his dues paid in the... Read more

November 26, 2014 Fresh, Video

Afrika Bambaataa Gives an Incredible Lesson on the Early History of Hip-Hop (Video)

Hip-Hop pioneer Afrika Bambaataa, stopped by Sway in the Morning to promote the 41st anniversary of his Zulu Nation. For 20+ minutes, Bam gave one of the most fascinating tutorials on the earliest days of Hip-Hop you will hear. He discussed the creation of Electro Funk, why Rap artists wore... Read more

November 9, 2014 Throwback

Ras Kass Flips A Classic Jay Z Lyric On Its Head In A Masterful Freestyle (Video)

Mello Music Group has been around for almost a decade. After acclaimed involving O.C., Oddisee, and Planet Asia, the just-released Blasphemy by Ras Kass & Apollo Brown seems to be reaching the furthest into the industry, just days in. After stopping through the "106 & Park" Backroom, Ras Kass appears... Read more

October 30, 2014 Fresh, Video

Logic Does an Off The Top Freestyle Over Seven Minutes of Funk (Video)

Logic hit the Sway in the Morning show to discuss his new album, Under Pressure (easily one of the best of the year). While the album had hit number 1 overall on iTunes that day, Logic said his concern was not with short term success but with creating an album... Read more

October 25, 2014 Video

Big K.R.I.T. Kicks A So-Sincere Verse From Cadillactica On Sway In The Morning (Video)

Big K.R.I.T. doesn't freestyle. He tells Sway Calloway as much during this week's stop on Sway In The Morning. However, when urged to take a minute to gather an upcoming collection of couplets, after a quick freestlye over "Mind Playing Tricks on Me," K.R.I.T. comes out of nowhere with a... Read more

October 15, 2014 Fresh, Video

Keith Murray Talks His Career, With Crooked I & Wale Joining Sway’s Party (Video)

Keith Murray can be a movie. Just like he is on his heralded Jive (and later, Def Jam) Records albums, the Central Islip MC is animated as ever. On a recent Sway In The Morning episode (also featuring Crooked I), the Def Squad MC opines on the greatest Rap record... Read more

October 6, 2014 Fresh, Video

Vince Staples Spits an Off the Top Freestyle Better Than Most Writtens (Video)

Vince Staples is making a name for himself. After dropping one of the hotter mixtapes last year with Mac Miller and sharing the stage with Common and Jay Electronica last week, the talented young MC from Long Beach, CA has delivered one of the better freestyles of the year on... Read more

September 25, 2014 Video

Murda Mook Drops a Killer Verse on Sway in the Morning (Video)

Murda Mook is most famous for chopping heads on stage during his hard-scrabble battles. But, rest assured, when he steps out of the arena and behind the mic, he still gets busy. Mook paid a visit to the Sway in the Morning show and delivered a blistering freestyle, all while... Read more

September 20, 2014 Video

Travi$ Scott Kicks a True Off the Top Freestyle on Sway in the Morning (Video)

Many MCs claim to go "off the top" when they freestyle...few actually do it. It takes a different level of courage and skill to let the words flow without guarantee of what will come. Travi$ Scott did just that on Sway in the Morning and you can see the infectious... Read more

August 30, 2014 Video

Brianna Perry Has Got BARS with Knowledge. Check out this Verse (Video)

Brianna Perry has been on her Rap grind for a minute. So much so that she was the inaugural MC to do Sway's Five Fingers of Death. The talented MC continues to evolve her career which now includes starring in the reality show Sisterhood of Hip-Hop. She returned to Sway... Read more

August 30, 2014 Video

Troy Ave & Young Lito Take on the 5 Fingers of Death Freestyle While Counting Money (Video)

BSB's Troy Ave and Young Lito were the latest to take on Sway's 5 Fingers of Death MC challenge where they rhymed over 5 random beats. With no shortage of swagger, the two traded off beat for beat while Troy counted stacks of money. When asked why, he told Sway... Read more

August 30, 2014 Video

Stalley Goes Off The Top, Over Jazze Pha’s Rooted Instrumental (Video)

With a lot of content this week, Stalley hits Sway In The Morning. Before switching seats with The Notorious B.I.G & 2Pac's mutual producer, Easy Mo Bee, the Massillon, Ohio falls right into the pocket over the Nappy Roots' "Aw Naw" instrumental. There, Stalley says he comes truly off-the-top in... Read more

August 28, 2014 Fresh, Video

John Witherspoon Talks Black Jesus, The Boondocks and Memories With Robin Williams (Video)

John Witherspoon is a comedic O.G. The veteran entertainer has worked with the likes of Richard Pryor, Eddie Murphy, Chris Rock, Chris Tucker, Kevin Hart, Aaron McGruder and many, many more. Though he typically plays a supporting role, he often steals the show with his memorable one liners. He dropped... Read more

August 23, 2014 Video

Remy Ma Delves Into Details About Her Incarceration With Sway Calloway (Video)

Sway Calloway gives a powerfully heartfelt introduction for Remy Ma before their candid, insightful interview on Sway In The Morning. With husband Papoose in the building, Sway and his cohorts pry out the nitty-gritty from Remy in regards to her six and a half year incarceration which included a few... Read more

August 14, 2014 Fresh, Video

Dilated Peoples Perform Music From Their New Album on Sway in the Morning (Video)

Dilated Peoples held a mini concert on the Sway in the Morning show, performing "Show Me the Way" and the DJ Premier-produced "Good as Gone" from their new album Directors of Photography. Welcome back, fellas...Check it out. Related: Dilated Peoples Freestyle Off the Top on Toca Tuesdays (Video)... Read more

August 12, 2014 Video

Sway Tests Mistah FAB With The 5 Fingers Of Death Freestyle Challenge, How’s He Stand? (Video)

Mistah FAB is one of the meanest freestyle MCs in Hip-Hop. Appearing recently on "Sway In The Morning," it's abundantly clear that fellow Bay Area alum Sway is well aware of Fabby Davis' lyrical capability. Running through some of the stellar guests as of late on the Shade 45 program,... Read more

July 15, 2014 Fresh, Video

Joell Ortiz Raps About What He’s Been Up To In An Ill Sway In The Morning Freestyle (Video)

Heads never really got to hear Joell Ortiz on a Dr. Dre beat from that mid-2000s Aftermath Entertainment deal that never produced album fruit. Now working with Eminem and Shady Records—and in turn, Dre—Joell is gearing up for another solo LP. Stopping by Sway In The Morning, Ortiz was asked... Read more

June 30, 2014 Fresh, Video

Torae & Skyzoo Are The Next To Light Up Sway In The Morning Freestyles (Video)

With their first collaborative LP, Barrel Brothers, now in stores, Skyzoo and Torae stopped by Sway In The Morning. Insisting that true freestyles are all that they know, Sky' and Tor' (who is no stranger to satellite radio) kick cypher-style, back-and-forth bars very much in step with their styles and... Read more

June 20, 2014 Fresh, Video

Futuristic Stamps One Out For Arizona In His Sway In The Morning Freestyle (Video)

Sway In The Morning has become a destination for artists to make severe noise with amazing freestyles. This should come as no surprise to anybody who ever listed to Sway & King Tech's The Wake Up Show, or heard Crooked I, Tech N9ne, and Eminem on an early gold-certified album... Read more

June 16, 2014 Fresh, Video

HS87 Hits You With Freestyles Over Unreleased Hit-Boy Beats On Sway In The Morning (Video)

It's a family affair when Hit-Boy and HS87 hit the Shade 45 studio. Hit-Boy discusses his love for music, introduces his father, and takes some phone calls with fans on Sway In The Morning. Hit-Boy was the first producer to ever bring his own beats to play for Sway, and... Read more

June 9, 2014 Fresh, Video

Lupe Fiasco Rocks A True Off The Dome Freestyle That Sway Says Makes His Top 10, Ever (Video)

Following his Sway In The Morning appearance this a.m. (June 4), Lupe Fiasco honored The Wake Up Show-tested tradition of kickin' a freestyle. Oh, and after that, Lupe reveals when his next album is coming too. Asking for a smooth beat, Lu' insisted he's off the dome, as he falls... Read more

June 4, 2014 Fresh, Video

Fat Joe Calls Himself A “KRS-One Groupie,” Performs Flow Joe On The Spot + Freestyles (Video)

Fat Joe's history can be deceiving. A household name, globally-recognized icon, Joe Crack is also a founding member of D.I.T.C., and has at least two albums that are hardcore Hip-Hop gems. If anybody knows this, it's Sway Calloway, who's has Joe on his shows for over 21 years and counting.... Read more

May 14, 2014 Fresh, Throwback

Smoke DZA Flows Over Music from Dr. Dre, Aaliyah & 112 on The 5 Fingers of Death (Video)

Smoke DZA stopped by The Sway in the Morning show to tackle the 5 Fingers of Death freestyle challenge and passed with flying colors. The Harlem MC went off the top over 5 beats, including music from Dr. Dre, Aaliyah and 112. Riiiight...Check it out. Related: Did You Know Smoke... Read more

April 10, 2014 Video

Audio Push Do an Off the Top Freestyle and Loaded Lux Drops Bars (Video)

Audio Push and Loaded Lux visited the Sway in the Morning show at SXSW and dropped several verses. Audio Push did off the top freestyles back and forth effortlessly, Run-D.M.C. style, and Lux contributed his own ill flow. The sound quality is not great but it's worth it. Check out... Read more

March 18, 2014 Video

Here’s a Look at Slaughterhouse’s Bars with No Beats Freestyle (Video)

Last week, Slaughterhouse visited the Sway in the Morning show at SXSW for an extended interview and 8+ minute a capella freestyle. Here's a look at the video of their bars with no beats freestyle. Related: Eminem & Slaughterhouse Revive Rap City With A Backroom Freestyle + Interview (Video)... Read more

March 18, 2014 Video

CyHi The Prynce is a STAR. Here’s an Amazing Interview, Performance & Co-Sign From Rev. Run (Video)

CyHi The Prynce has been 1 of the most talented MCs in the game for years. He burst onto the scene in 2011 when he joined Kanye West's G.O.O.D. Music and he's experienced a renaissance this year with his Black Hystori Project mixtape. This week, he did an extended interview... Read more

March 1, 2014 Video

Magic Johnson Gives the Ultimate Assist by Speaking on HIV Treatment & Prevention (Video)

It's been more than 22 years since Magic Johnson publicly announced that he was HIV positive and instantly changed the discussion around the medical condition. To this day, Magic continues to educate on both HIV treatment and prevention. He recently sat down with Sway to discuss his health, his son... Read more

February 20, 2014 Video

Kevin Hart Discusses His First Sex Scene, Drops a Freestyle and More with Sway (Video)

Kevin Hart dropped by the Sway in the Morning show to discuss many of the the recent developments in his career, including the 6 movies he has coming out between now and 2015, doing his first sex scene, Sway's Kanye interview, Chocolate Droppa's career and more. He even dropped a... Read more

February 10, 2014 Video

Did You Know SWV Hated the Right Here Remix??? The Ladies Tell the Story (Video)

SWV are now stars of a hit TV series but, before that, they were one of the biggest groups of the 90's. The Sisters With Voices, along with TLC and Mary J. Blige, help to usher in a new era of R&B that infused Hip-Hop into the sound. Here's an... Read more

January 17, 2014 Video

Who Are the 3 Greatest MCs of All Time? Ice Cube Names His AND He Says He and Dre Are Working on the NWA Film (Video)

Ice Cube sat down for an extended interview with Sway. He discussed his new film with Kevin Hart, the forward progress of the NWA film he and Dr. Dre are working on and who he believes are the 3 greatest MCs of all time. After all that, he kicks a... Read more

January 17, 2014 Video

The Lox Give Sway In The Morning A Mini Concert & An In-Depth Interview (Video)

So The Lox just dropped this EP, The Trinity. Think they know the lyrics? Jadakiss, Sheek Louch, and Styles P rap some of the fresh cuts live on air for Sway In The Morning. In between the sets, the trio talks about their deep respect for those who came before... Read more

January 15, 2014 Fresh, Video

Lantana Returns to Do More Microphone Damage on The Sway in the Morning Show (Video)

A couple of months ago, Lantana dropped one of the hardest verses ever heard on The Sway in the Morning show. The MC literally left Sway gasping for breath and Heather B threatening to take her shirt off (you had to be there...). The Cincinnati MC recently returned to the... Read more

January 5, 2014 Video

This Week in Video Was Dominated By Kanye West’s Epic Meltdown on Sway…But There Was So Much More. Here’s a Playlist of the Kanye Highlights and Anything Else Worth Watching from the Past Week (Video Playlist)

Kanye West shut down the web with his extremely heated exchange with Sway. In the midst of the furor, last week was one of the best of the year for Hip-Hop video programming--Eminem's Rap God video, Snoop talking TDE vs. Death Row, A Tribe Called Quest discussing their farewell shows,... Read more

November 30, 2013 Playlists, Video

You May Have Heard the Audio of Kanye West Going Nuclear on Sway Earlier…Here’s the Full Video (Video)

Kanye West and Sway are friends. That's why it was all the more surprising that Kanye flipped so hard on Sway today during their interview. So how does an interview starting with Sway introducing Kanye as "the most important artist of this generation" get so heated? Check out the video... Read more

November 26, 2013 Featured-homepage, Video

Kanye West Goes Ballistic on the Sway in the Morning Show & Sway Loses His Cool. This Felt Personal (Audio)

UPDATE: Here's the Full Video of the Interview I've resisted getting on the bandwagon of calling Kanye West's recent public statements about his frustrations with his inability to break into the fashion world as "rants" because I think the term is dismissive and makes it easier to ignore some of... Read more

November 26, 2013 Audio

Bun B Drops Knowledge and a True Freestyle on Sway in the Morning (Video)

The Trill OG Bun B hit the Sway in the Morning show and dropped knowledge. He spoke about the class he is currently teaching at Rice University, his new Trill OG: The Epilogue album (in stores now), how he sees the current state of Hip-Hop and more. After, he kicks... Read more

November 13, 2013 Video

Lantana Spits an Adrenaline-Fueled Freestyle on Sway in the Morning (Video)

Few things in Hip-Hop get the heart beating like a killer verse...especially when it's unexpected. That's precisely why Kendrick's Control verse created an explosion for nearly 2 months in the Hip-Hop universe. We recently learned of a Cincinnati MC named Lantana. He spit a verse on Sway in the Morning... Read more

October 30, 2013 Video

Childish Gambino Smashes the Pound Cake Track with a Freestyle on Sway in the Morning (Video)

When Childish Gambino started this freestyle it sounded and looked like he was sleepy. He maintained a laid back demeanor throughout but trust and believe HE MURDERED THE MIC. Comparisons of him and Drake have been flying lately, so Sway put Mr. Glover on that Pound Cake track and let... Read more

October 23, 2013 Video

Vic Mensa Discusses His Innanet Mixtape and Spits a Blistering Freestyle (Video)

Vic Mensa sat down with Sway to discuss his Innanet mixtape, staying away from the violence in Chicago, his influences and more, and also dropped an incredible verse. His flow is so unorthodox yet so in the pocket it's CRAZY! Just watch Sway's face while Vic rhymes. It tells the... Read more

October 17, 2013 Video

Loaded Lux Freestyles on Sway in the Morning Over Black Milk Beats (Video)

Loaded Lux freestyled off the top on Sway in the Morning and straight snapped. Even better, he went in over several Black Milk beats. Check out the video. Related: Loaded Lux – You Gon’ Get This Work (Mixtape)... Read more

September 10, 2013 Video

Marley Marl on Sway In The Morning (Video)

“Hangin’ pictures on my wall / Every Saturday Rap Attack, Mr. Magic, Marley Marl” Now the term “legend” gets thrown around a lot these days, but the world of Hip-Hop as we know it wouldn’t even be close to the same if it weren’t for the man mentioned in the... Read more

August 23, 2013 Throwback

Schoolboy Q Discusses Getting Kicked out of His Hotel in Vegas on The Sway in the Morning Show (Video)

Schoolboy Q discusses how he hangs out in Vegas--like really hangs out off the balcony in his room--and why it lead to him getting kicked out of his hotel last Spring on The Sway in the Morning Show. He also touches on whether he would sell his soul (literally) for... Read more

August 12, 2013 Video

Stalley Freestyles On Sway In The Morning (Video)

Maybach Music Group's Stalley discusses his role in Rick Ross' conglomerate and kicks some bars in a two-part appearance on Shade 45's Sway In The Morning. Stalley even gives props to Buckwild and O.C. for a "Times Up" soundbed. You can't help but like the Massilon, Ohio native who lives... Read more

August 7, 2013 Fresh, Video

Bobbito Garcia (aka DJ Cucumber Slice) Guest DJs on the Sway in the Morning Show (Mix)

Legendary hip-hop personality Bobbito Garcia put on nothing short of a HIP-HOP CLINIC on the Sway in the Morning show. As a guest DJ, Bobbito (aka DJ Cucumber Slice) played a treasure trove of break beats and original songs that have been sampled on various hip-hop classics (all vinyl...). You... Read more

May 29, 2013 Throwback

Talib Kweli on the Sway in the Morning Show (Video)

Talib Kweli stopped by the Sway in the Morning show to chop it up about his Prisoner of Conscious album, what he would do if he had a radio show, how he gets down on social media and more. He also did a performance of his timeless joint, Get By.... Read more

May 14, 2013 Video

Snoop Discusses His Last Interaction with Tupac Before He Died (Video)

Snoop was on Sway in the Morning and talked about his unfortunate last interaction with Tupac before he died. Check out the video. Related: Snoop & Big K.R.I.T. Freestyle on RapFix Live (Video)... Read more

April 26, 2013 Video

Pete Rock & DJ Jazzy Jeff in the Mix on The Sway in the Morning Show (Mixes)

Two heavy hitter DJs blessed the Sway in the Morning show with mixes earlier in the week. You can listen to and download mixes from both Pete Rock and DJ Jazzy Jeff below. Related: DJ Scratch in the mix on the Sway in the Morning Show (Mix) Pete Rock Click... Read more

April 5, 2013 Audio, Mixes