Bandini

Michel’le’s Relationships With Dr. Dre & Suge Knight The Subject Of Lifetime Biopic

In 2015 film Straight Outta Compton, the lives and careers of N.W.A. members were profiled to a box office record-breaking response. Eazy-E, Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, MC Ren, and DJ Yella's recording, touring, and the establishment of Ruthless Records made for much of the film's story. Michel'le was present for... Read more

May 19, 2016 News, TV/Film

The Return Of Rage Against The Machine Appears To Be Prophetic.

It has been five years since Rage Against The Machine played a concert together. The Los Angeles, California mainstays of Zack De La Rocha, Tom Morello, Brad Wilk, and Tom Commerford have not released an album since late 2000's cover collection, Renegades. That being said, the onetime Epic Records outfit who... Read more

May 18, 2016 News

Smoke DZA’s Ear For Beats Is Superior. He Operates Over Some Opera (Audio)

Smoke DZA is believed to be currently in the lab with Pete Rock, working on Don't Smoke Rock. As that makes its way to the public, the Harlem, New York veteran keeps his output strong. Whether working with Pete, or past affiliates such as Harry Fraud, DJ Dahi, or Ski... Read more

May 18, 2016 Audio

20 Years Later, Lil’ Kim & Faith Evans Make Peace After A Notorious Past (Video)

In his life, The Notorious B.I.G. was closely associated with two high-profile women. Faith Evans would marry Christopher Wallace in mid-1994 after just a two-week courtship. Providing vocals to Biggie's 1994 debut, Ready To Die, the Lakeland, Florida native would become one of Bad Boy Records first platinum R&B acts,... Read more

May 18, 2016 Video

Redman Has Joined A New Group & It’s Electric. Here’s The First Single (Audio)

Over the last 25 years, Redman has juggled an extensive solo career with a number of very successful side projects. The Newark, New Jersey MC/producer was ushered into the Rap industry under the tutelage of EPMD. In 1998, more than five years after Red's solo debut, he, Keith Murray, and... Read more

May 18, 2016 Audio

DJ Quik Discusses Aging Gracefully In Hip-Hop

DJ Quik released his platinum debut Quik Is The Name more than 25 years ago. An early Compton, California Rap star, the artist born as David Blake has been integral to the careers of Tupac Shakur, AMG, 2nd II None, Suga Free, and Hi-C. Although Q-U-I-K has never had an... Read more

May 17, 2016 Fresh

Fat Joe Reveals The NBA Player Whose Wife Biggie Described On “I Got A Story To Tell” (Video)

In late 2014, former New York Knicks star Point Guard John Starks appeared on ESPN's Highly Questionable. There, host Bomani Jones asked the former all-star about long-speculated rumors that The Notorious B.I.G. was dissing him on 1997's "I Got A Story To Tell." The Buckwild, Chucky Thompson, and Puff Daddy-produced... Read more

May 17, 2016 Throwback, Video

The Juice Crew’s Craig G Remembers The Early Days Of Hip-Hop From East To West (Video)

In the late 1980s, Queens, New York's Craig G was one of the most vibrant members of Marley Marl's Juice Crew. Like MC Shan, Craig was a battle-ready teenager with a chip on his shoulder. Like Kool G Rap, the MC could make lethal, party-rocking songs that displayed his rapid-fire... Read more

May 17, 2016 Video

T.I. & Dr. Dre Rock The Boat With An Aaliyah Sample On A Dope Collaboration (Audio & Video)

Throughout the last five years, T.I. and Dr. Dre have put in documented work together. While Andre Young has no credits on any of Tip's albums, and the Hustle Gang leader did not appear on Compton, these two moguls have verifiable history. Less than six months ago, Dre's "Back To Business" surfaced,... Read more

May 16, 2016 Audio, Video

Puff Daddy, The LOX, Ma$e, Lil’ Kim & More Announce Bad Boy Reunion Tour Dates

It was almost one year ago that Puff Daddy reunited with much of his Bad Boy Worldwide hit-makers for a medley concert at the 2015 BET Awards. The televised June event featuring followed a co-headlined Snoop Dogg concert at Madison Square Garden in February. Symbolically, that concert was at the... Read more

May 16, 2016 Fresh

Ice Cube Wrote For Great MCs, But King T Says He Had Some Help Too (Video)

As depicted in 2015's Straight Outta Compton film, Hip-Hop Heads know that Ice Cube was a prominent writer within the N.W.A. group. The youngest member of the Ruthless Records multi-platinum group penned rhymes such as "Boyz N' The Hood" for Eazy-E, with some reported penmanship for Dr. Dre as well.... Read more

May 15, 2016 Video

JSWISS Makes A Song About Rebirth That Brings Sunshine To Rain (Audio)

JSWISS is a 2010s DIY artist that makes albums strictly on his own terms. Two albums following 2013's Awthenticity (which featured video single "Universal Just Called") the Dobbs Ferry, New Yorker gears up for June's No Music. Single "Sunshine To Rain" features some instrumentation by Brady Watt (of DJ Premier's... Read more

May 15, 2016 Audio

DOOM & Jay Electronica’s Collaboration Surfaces From 2 Of Rap’s Most Elusive MCs

For more than 25 years, DOOM (a/k/a MF DOOM) has been one of Hip-Hop's hardest MCs to pin down. The British-born lyricist has historically swapped out names, reinvented himself with a masked face, and retreated to tropical islands for years on end. However, when the Operation Doomsday creator makes an... Read more

May 14, 2016 Fresh

Imagine Souls Of Mischief’s “93 ‘Til Infinity” Remixed To Over 15 Amazing Beats From 1993 (Audio)

Souls Of Mischief's "93 'til Infinity" remains a pinnacle for the veteran Oakland, California quartet. From the Jive/Zomba Records album of the same name, the introductory work from the Hieroglyphics members would see their strongest chart traction for album and single, in showing the rest of the world how they... Read more

May 13, 2016 Throwback

Skyzoo Wrecks A Pete Rock Beat With A Dazzling Off The Top Freestyle (Audio)

Skyzoo The Writer has been writing and performing hard-hitting verses for a decade. On albums, it is not uncommon to see the Brooklyn, New Yorker dazzle with bars that are as close to symmetric as they can seemingly get. Flow is at the epicenter of many S-K-Y records, as the... Read more

May 13, 2016 Audio

ScHoolboy Q & Kanye West Join Forces On Their First Ever Collabo (Audio)

ScHoolboy Q is fast at work on his sophomore major label album. The follow-up to 2014's OXYMORON, which debuted at #1, just got an apparent major boost. "THat Part" features Kanye West, and follows April's "Groovy Tony" look. While Q has appeared on platinum albums by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis... Read more

May 13, 2016 Audio

Chance The Rapper’s Coloring Book Is Another Creative Acid Trip (Album Stream)

Three years ago last month (April 30, 2013) Chance The Rapper's Acid Rap positioned the Chicago, Illinois MC as one to watch in the elite crop of new Rap songwriters. In the time since, C.T.R. has evaded the usual trajectory of peers (ScHoolboy Q, Vic Mensa, Action Bronson), all of... Read more

May 13, 2016 Audio

Russell Simmons Reveals His Secret For Balancing Commercial Success With Maintaining Crediblity (Video)

Throughout Russell Simmons' founding tenure at Def Jam Records, the Hollis Queens, New York native developed a number of hugely successful artists and albums. The Beastie Boys' Licensed To Ill, DMX's It's Dark And Hell Is Hot and Flesh Of My Flesh, Blood Of My Blood, Method Man's Tical 2000:... Read more

May 10, 2016 Throwback, Video

EPMD, Public Enemy, Mobb Deep, Naughty By Nature & More Announce Tour

In 2015, Ice-T launched the Art Of Rap Tour. Taking its name from Ice's acclaimed Hip-Hop documentary, the summer tour featured Rakim, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Doug E. Fresh & Slick Rick, and a number of other acts. For 2016, the O.G. is keeping The Art Of Rap Tour strong. Several '15... Read more

May 9, 2016 Fresh

More Than 18,000 Petition To Make Mixtapes Eligible For Grammy Awards

Artists ranging from Chance The Rapper to Frank Ocean, J. Cole to Jhene Aiko, De La Soul to Lil Wayne have used the mixtape format. The term of mixtape itself has evolved greatly over the last 15 years. What began as a DJ or host-driven compilation sold on the black... Read more

May 9, 2016 News

Freddie Gibbs & Madlib Announce Sophomore Collabo Album

In March of 2014, Freddie Gibbs & Madlib released Pinata. A Top 40 release on the Madlib Invazion imprint, the album would be a chart pinnacle for both veteran artists. With Gibbs rhyming over Madlib beats, the release featured the likes of Scarface, Raekwon, and Mac Miller, among many guests.... Read more

May 8, 2016 News

Large Professor Gifts Powerule With A Knocking Beat & He Makes The Most Of It (Video)

Throughout the last 25 years, Large Professor tracks have maintained the gravitas to introduce Hip-Hop Heads to the likes of Nas, Mobb Deep, Akinyele, Non-Phixion, Mad Skillz, and REKS, among others. Powerule is a veteran MC, who many listeners are still coming around to discover. He has appeared on a... Read more

May 7, 2016 Video

This Track From Dilated Peoples & Tha Alkaholiks Still Deserves To Be In Heavy Rotation (Audio)

In many ways, Tha Alkaholiks were a critical, often overlooked part of the 1990s West Coast Underground movement. Acts like Freestyle Fellowship, Hieroglyphics, and The Pharcyde were instrumental forces—unifying multiple MCs, groups, and styles in a didactic, soulful sound that was distinctly California. However, in L.A., E-Swift, J-Ro, and Katashtrophe... Read more

May 5, 2016 Do Remember

Drake Is The First Hip-Hop Artist Since Lil Wayne To Sell A Million Albums In A Week

The same week Drake enters the top 5 of the Forbes top-earning Hip-Hop artists list, he can count on even more income. The OVO Sound/Young Money/Cash Money/BBK/Universal Republic Records artist released Views less than one week ago (April 29). In that time since, he has sold a staggering 1.2 million... Read more

May 5, 2016 News

Tupac’s Original Version Of “Dear Mama” Emerges & It Features A Sample Of Yo-Yo On The Chorus (Audio)

In 1995, Tupac Shakur would release what may be the most definitive song of his career in "Dear Mama." Appearing on the #1, multi-platinum Me Against The World album, the Tony Pizarro-produced first single countered the Shakur portrayed in the media. While the Thug Life front-man was in prison for... Read more

May 5, 2016 Audio, Throwback

Nas, Kanye West & French Montana Are Trying To Figure It Out Like The Rest Of Us (Video)

This month marks three years since French Montana's studio debut, Excuse My French. Backed by both Puff Daddy and Rick Ross, the Coke Boys veteran caught up fast in the music industry machine with an album featuring Drake, The Weeknd, and Scarface, among many others. A Top 5 debut, Montana... Read more

May 5, 2016 Video

Tupac Shakur’s Estate Is Now In The Hands Of The Man Who Signed Him

Late Monday (May 2), Afeni Shakur died in Marin County, California at the age of 69. The mother of Tupac and Sekyiwa Shakur had become a mainstream figure, not just because of her high-profile son's life (and death), but also due to her years as a Black Panther, social activist,... Read more

May 4, 2016 News

Prince & Kendrick Lamar’s Full Performance Surfaces & They Tear Down The Stage (Video)

In October of 2014, video surfaced of Prince and Kendrick Lamar performing together. The Twin Cities Pop icon and King Kunta from Compton (a title he was six months away from claiming) would rock 1998 Prince box set inclusion, "What's My Name." K-Dot, who was just a mere 11 years... Read more

May 3, 2016 Video

This Mix Of 1980s Hip-Hop Travels A Road Of Riches That Will Leave You Paid In Full (Audio)

When we look back in Hip-Hop, our gaze often hones in on the 90s, and rightfully so, as that era spawned Nas, Biggie, Wu-Tang Clang, Tupac, Jay-Z, OutKast, Snoop and so many other all-time greats. However, each of those legends will say it was MCs from the 80s who inspired... Read more

May 1, 2016 Mixes, Throwback

Your Old Droog Reels In Another Mac Miller Beat To Filet With Sharp Rhymes (Audio)

When Your Old Droog burst onto the scene (in the eyes of many) in 2014, Mac Miller was among the first notable collaborators he crossed paths with. "Sleepers" would be the vehicle for the Brooklyn, New York MC to bring shine to the production of the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania native double-threat.... Read more

May 1, 2016 Audio

Queen Latifah To Play Master P’s Mom In Upcoming Biopic

Master P is moving forward with his biopic. The No Limit Records founder and multi-platinum rapper from New Orleans, Louisiana has announced an Academy Award-nominated actor (and peer) attached to the King Of The South: The Ice Cream Man film: Queen Latifah. Speaking with HipHopDX, Percy Miller confirmed the casting.... Read more

April 29, 2016 News, TV/Film

Slick Rick Announces Victory Tour With A Host Of US Dates

Less than two weeks after being granted United States citizenship, Slick Rick is celebrating by way of a Victory Tour. The onetime Def Jam Records platinum MC will kick off a slew of dates next month, the run through the duration of summer. The tour with be along the East... Read more

April 28, 2016 Fresh

Kris Kross Showed They Had Much More To Offer Than Backwards Jerseys On “Tonite’s Tha Night” (Video)

May 1 marks the third anniversary of the death of Chris "Mac Daddy" Kelly. One half of Kris Kross, Mac Daddy had skyrocketed as one of the 1990s' biggest Rap acts. He (with partner Daddy Mac) would reach the mainstream with multiple hits, appear in music videos with Michael Jackson, and... Read more

April 28, 2016 Do Remember

J Dilla, Nas & Madlib’s Visual Is So Sick It’s Hallucinogenic (Video)

A week and a half ago, J Dilla's The Diary album finally released. Ten years after the producer/MC's death, his family and the Nas-backed Mass Appeal Records delivered an album that began in 2001 to the fans at last. The final Dilla vocal album, this was what was on James... Read more

April 27, 2016 Video

Havoc & Method Man Spray Lyrical Bullets Over A Cold Alchemist Beat (Audio)

Twenty years ago, Mobb Deep tapped Wu-Tang Clan's Method Man for Hell On Earth's "Extortion." The song was bombastic blackmail, as some of Loud Records' stars came together to tackle a chilly M-O-B-B string arrangement. In 2016, Mr. Meth' and Havoc still maintain that chemistry. From Hav' and Alchemist's The... Read more

April 27, 2016 Audio

Pro Era’s Chuck Strangers Spreads Love On His Upward Journey (Audio)

Long before his two album inclusions on 2015's B4.Da.$$ studio debut by Joey Bada$$, Chuck Strangers has been putting in work. Since the early 2010s, the Pro Era producer has supplied the Brooklyn, New York-based conglomerate with a wide range of sounds, appearing on 1999, Capital Steez's AmeriKKKan Korruption, and... Read more

April 26, 2016 Audio

Listen To Aesop Rock’s Next Album While Watching A Shot-For-Shot Remake Of “The Shining”

Since the late 1990s, Aesop Rock has been an artist in every since of the word. The Long Island, New York MC, poet, and visual artist has tackled multiple mediums in a career that includes six solo albums, as well as work with the Weathermen, The Uncluded, and Hail Mary... Read more

April 25, 2016 TV/Film, Video

From Jay-Z To Ghostface, The Rub Touches Everything That Made 2000 To 2010 So Great (Mix)

Today (April 25), duo The Rub (DJ Eleven & DJ Ayres) release Oodles Of OOs. The Brooklyn, New York-based unit's latest highly-curated mix pays tribute to Hip-Hop and R&B music from 2000-2010. Ranging from Lil Jon to JayLib, this 57 minute master-mix features blending, scratching, and very engaging turntablism. Elsewhere... Read more

April 25, 2016 Mixes

Prince & Big Daddy Kane’s 1989 “Batdance Remix” Is Finally Released (Audio)

In 1989, the Batman franchise relaunched with the title film starring Michael Keaton, Jack Nicholson, and Kim Basinger. For the soundtrack, Warner Bros. Records tapped Prince for an entire album companion to the blockbuster film. Led by single "Batdance," Prince's 11th album (and a #1 on the charts) appeared to... Read more

April 24, 2016 Audio, Throwback

“MTV Cribs” & “Unplugged” To Return In 2016

MTV is bringing back two of its legacy programs for 2016, closely associated with the network's programming of the 1990s and early 2000s. MTV Cribs launched in year 2000, and included more than 100 episodes. The series was a behind-the-scenes look at musicians and celebrity homes, toured by the owner.... Read more

April 24, 2016 News, TV

People Under The Stairs Share A 6-Song Slice Of Their 10th Album (Audio)

2016 marks 20 years of People Under The Stairs. The Los Angeles, California duo of Thes One and Double K were among the artists who helped showcase the West Coast Hip-Hop Underground during the time when Jurassic 5, Planet Asia, Dilated Peoples, and Saafir signed major label deals. P.U.T.S. never... Read more

April 23, 2016 Audio

Ice Cube Explains Staying “True To The Game” & Family-Friendly At Once (Video)

Ice Cube is the latest guest on Snoop Dogg's GGN TV. The pair who would perform "The Next Episode" without its host, Dr. Dre during Coachella weekend enjoyed discussing music, film, and some items in between. The segment opens with the "Only In California" collaborators discussing Cube's 1991 Death Certificate... Read more

April 19, 2016 TV/Film, Video

Digable Planets Are Back In Orbit With 2016 Tour Dates

It has been nearly 25 years since Hip-Hop trio the Digable Planets released their hit, "The Rebirth Of Slick (Cool Like Dat)." Made up of members from Silver Spring, Maryland (Ladybug Mecca), Seattle, Washington (Ish f/k/a Butterfly), and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Doodlebug), the Elektra Records act was part of the early... Read more

April 19, 2016 Fresh

President Obama Invites Some Of Rap’s Biggest & Brightest To Keep Giving “The Message”

On Friday April 15, President Obama invited a group to the White House in order to better understand and bring awareness to his "My Brother's Keeper" initiative. According to The Root, that meeting group included several handfuls of Hip-Hop acts, including J. Cole, Chance The Rapper, Ludacris, Nicki Minaj, Pusha... Read more

April 19, 2016 News

Bas Points To The Stat Sheet. He Believes It’s His & Dreamville’s Time (Video)

Last month, J. Cole's Dreamville artist Bas released his second album in as many years, Too High To Riot. Backed by Interscope, the New Yorker (by way of Paris, France) MC cracked the Top 50 of the charts. "Matches" is the latest single, and serves as a rich gumbo to... Read more

April 19, 2016 Video

Rapsody’s Superhero Draws On Kindness, Inner-Beauty & One Bad Chariot (Video)

Most people have visions of superhero grandeur. Hip-Hop artists from Curren$y to Raekwon have described theirs. Rapsody's superhero alter-ego would be known simply as "Queen Rap'." Just as her albums The Idea Of Beautiful and Beauty And The Beast have done with sharp lyricism, the North Carolina MC would use... Read more

April 18, 2016 Video

11 Veteran Lyricists Break Ground In One Video With Another In MC Spiritual Essence

In today's musical age, assembling collaborations seems relatively easy. Translating that to a compelling, well-produced video is not quite as accessible. Especially in hardcore, purebred Hip-Hop, making videos like Sway & King Tech's "The Anthem" seems implausible without big budgets like the one the two iconic radio personalities had at... Read more

April 18, 2016 Video

Run The Jewels Celebrate The Birds & The Bees In Their Video For “Love Again”

Run The Jewels is known for their hard raps and nostalgic Hip-Hop aesthetics. Killer Mike and El-P channel the likes of 2 Live Crew, Eazy-E, and even Lil' Kim when they team with Gangsta Boo for "Love Again (Akinyele Back)." Even in its title, the late 2014 Run The Jewels... Read more

April 17, 2016 Video

Celebrate Redman’s Birthday With This Rare 1995 Funk Doc Prescription (Audio)

Today (April 17) is Reggie Noble's birthday. The man better known as Redman has been giving Hip-Hop Heads quote-worthy verses, one-of-a-kind charisma, and sheer originality for more than 25 years. In all of that time, he has been one tough mudder on the mic. In 1995, Funk Doc was in... Read more

April 17, 2016 Throwback

C.L. Smooth & Skyzoo Have “Perfect Timing” With A Record Store Day Remix (Audio)

Today (April 16) is Record Store Day. One artist whose catalog has long been celebrated on vinyl albums is C.L. Smooth. With partner Pete Rock, throughout the early 1990s (and for a couple 12" singles in the early 2000s), the pair made sought-after Elektra Records wax. Today, the New Rochelle,... Read more

April 16, 2016 Audio