Bonita

Kanye West is the First MC to Ever Appear on the Cover of the ‘New Yorker’

Kanye West's career trajectory has never shied away of the audacious, memorable, and newsworthy. His announcement of a presidential bid in 2020 at this year's MTV Video Music Awards on August 30 was all three, and whether the plan ever comes to fruition is secondary to the fact that now,... Read more

September 4, 2015 News

Tavis Smiley Gets D’Angelo’s First TV Interview in 10 Years and It’s Masterful (Video)

On September 2 and 3, the incomparable D'Angelo sat down with Tavis Smiley for the singer's first long-format television interview in over a decade. The conversation spilled over into two episodes of Smiley's PBS show, which is not surprising considering the magnitude of the subject at hand. In the first... Read more

September 4, 2015 TV/Film, Video

Anderson .Paak Got Co-Signs From Dr. Dre AND DJ Premier. Here’s His Latest (Audio)

Anderson .Paak, the Los Angeles talent featured more prominently on Dr. Dre's Compton than any other artist (outside of the good doctor himself, of course) has released a collaborative EP with Blended Babies, a production duo whose work with artists like Ab-Soul, Freddie Gibbs, Kid Cudi, and the Black Keys'... Read more

September 3, 2015 Audio

Exile Proves Why He Stands Alone as a Producer on ‘Rhythm Roulette’ (Video)

In the latest installment of "Rhythm Roulette" - a musically diabolical segment from Mass Appeal which challenges heavyweight producers with creating a beat live, based on three random finds at a record store - Exile is in the crosshairs. The Los Angeles native has helped create classic material from Open... Read more

September 3, 2015 Video

23-Year-Old Anthony Sadler Prevented a Terrorist Attack. The Hero Shares His Story (Video)

On August 21, three friends were heading to Paris from Amsterdam as their Euro Trip winded down. After spending some time in the Netherlands, the three Americans opted to head to France, but before they arrived, they were thrown into a harrowing situation that earned them international acclaim. Sacramento, California... Read more

September 2, 2015 TV/Film, Video

Method Man Douses the Hood with a Reality Check (Lyric Video)

After releasing his first album in 9 years on August 21, Method Man has returned to his solo career with The Meth Lab, which follows 2006's 4:21… The Day After. The Wu-Tang Clan member has spent the years since putting in serious work as a guest artist and actor, recently... Read more

September 2, 2015 Video

The Purple File? Just Doesn’t Sound Right…Cassettes Are Not Dead (Video)

Springfield, Missouri is home to National Audio Company, a seemingly nondescript business which manufactures, among other things, cassette tapes. In a video package for Bloomberg Business, the company's president shared insight into how, during the digital era, NAC managed to have its best fiscal year since 1969, due in part... Read more

September 1, 2015 Lifestyle

Sean Price Shows Off His Superhero Capabilities in “Figure More,” His Last Music Video

In the first video released since his death on August 8, and what is said to be the last one he filmed, Sean Price is given the comic-book treatment, giving his reputation as a lyrical superhero a matching visual. In "Figure More" (a sequel to the cult-championed "Figure Four") Sean... Read more

September 1, 2015 Video

Jadakiss & Styles P Are Delivering Healthy Bars to the Neighborhood…But Not the Musical Kind (Video)

In communities across the country, the issue of nutrition and access to healthy foods is one that has permeated across regional, racial, and economic strata. Far too often, residents of low-income neighborhoods don't have health food stores, supermarkets, or even produce stands from which to purchase foods that aren't processed,... Read more

September 1, 2015 Lifestyle

Tower Records’ Place in Music History Is Being Remembered in New Doc (Video)

It goes without saying that every generation of music fan has its earliest, almost primordial memories of when and how it fell in love with music. For some, these memories conjure up images of a live show or a particular lyric that sounded like it was written just for the... Read more

August 31, 2015 TV/Film, Video

Talib Kweli Redesigns Currency For His Anti-Capitalism Campaign (Video)

MC and activist Talib Kweli has loaned his voice to various social and political movements over the course of his career, most recently as a guest on Real Time With Bill Maher, where he shared his thoughts on the Black Lives Matter organization and the upcoming presidential election. His loudest... Read more

August 31, 2015 Video

The Coup’s Boots Riley Argues for More Radical Movements to Combat Discrimination (Video)

Last month, Boots Riley announced he was releasing a book, one that documents his art, beliefs, thoughts, and personal stories. Also included are lyrics to songs by the Coup and Street Sweeper Social Club, two Oakland-based Hip-Hop groups of which he is a member. Now the book has been released,... Read more

August 31, 2015 Video

Lupe Fiasco Surprises Fans With Free Mixtape, ‘Pharaoh Height 2/30’ (Mix)

Lupe Fiasco Heads rejoice...the Chicago MC has released a surprise free project and with it a nod to the fans who have been following him since 2006. Eleven years ago, he released a series of three mixtapes entitled Fahrenheit 1/15, the same year he released his Platinum-selling studio debut, Lupe... Read more

August 29, 2015 Mixes

Slaughterhouse’s Kxng Crooked Exposes His Vulnerabilities & Struggles with Depression (Video)

Back in July, a demo version of a track called "Don't Close Your Eyes (Ashamed)" was released, and with it came one of the most emotionally wrenching releases in Hip-Hop this summer. A painfully personal tale of personal demons, the song is a single from Kxng Crooked (fka Crooked I),... Read more

August 28, 2015 Video

Cee Lo Celebrates Music’s Healing Powers on a Song Using the “Taxi” Theme (Audio)

On November 13, Cee Lo Green will be releasing a new studio album, reportedly titled Heart Blanche. The Goodie Mob and Gnarls Barkley member will be continuing his solo career after a couple of years spent outside of the limelight, and fans will surely be thrilled to hear new music... Read more

August 28, 2015 Audio

Chris Rivers Opts for a Lyrical Tribute to Sean Price in the Form of a Freestyle (Audio)

As fans know, Chris Rivers has been on a lyrical tirade in recent weeks, using Fridays to release freestyles over a vast array of beats, both classic and obscure. The weekly celebrations are all part of an extended promotional plan as he gets closer and closer to releasing M.C. (Medicated... Read more

August 28, 2015 Audio

Curren$y Keeps It All in the NOLA Family With Lil Wayne & August Alsina (Audio)

New Orleans' own Spitta Andretti released a surprise E.P. titled Cathedral earlier this month, and the rapper better known as Curren$y has now released another single in the form of "Bottom of the Bottle." Featuring assistance from fellow NOLA representatives August Alsina and Lil Wayne, the track is produced by... Read more

August 28, 2015 Audio

Yasiin Bey Dices Up a Beat on Sensei on the Block (Audio)

With all of the recent news of Yasiin Bey making headlines, the Brooklyn MC's return to music was a topic of conversation for many, and with the release of a video for "Basquiat Ghostwriter" earlier this week, it seemed his return was inevitable. Now he's back with more new work,... Read more

August 28, 2015 Audio

Fashawn Revisits Some ’96 Jay Z for a 5-Minute Freestyle (Audio)

Since releasing his second studio album, The Ecology, last year, Fresno MC Fashawn has continued to grow his fan base, one that has been expanding steadily since he released his 2009 debut Boy Meets World, a collaborative LP with producer Exile. In the years since, his visibility has grown exponentially... Read more

August 27, 2015 Audio

Apollo Brown & Your Old Droog Release a Soulful Anti-Drug PSA (Audio)

Apollo Brown & Your Old Droog have teamed up to spin a tale of those lost to drugs on the second single for Brown's forthcoming Mello Music Group release, Grandeur. On "Not That Guy," the producer-MC duo mourn the downfall of people who have opted to chase the high and... Read more

August 25, 2015 Audio

Illa J Celebrates His Big Brother’s Memory & Reclaims J Dilla’s Spirit as His Own (Audio)

On October 2, Illa J will be releasing his second solo album, the first since his 2008 debut, Yancey Boys. A move to Montreal, some time spent touring with Slum Village, and the ongoing pursuit of his own music in the wake of his older brother's 2006 passing has culminated... Read more

August 24, 2015 Audio

Remembering Sean Price’s Giant Sense of Humor, in the Words of Duck Down’s Dru-Ha

As the co-CEO of Duck Down Music, Drew "Dru-Ha" Friedman plays an integral role in the label's operations, but those duties have been overshadowed by his relationships with his artists, specifically Sean Price. One of Duck Down's most successful and adored artists, the Brownsville, Brooklyn rapper left an indelible emptiness... Read more

August 24, 2015 Fresh

The Weeknd Does Away With His Demons in Highly-Conceptual ‘Tell Your Friends’ Mini-Movie (Video)

The Weeknd is having what is likely the most successful season of his career, and his new album hasn't even been released yet. On August 28, Beauty Behind The Madness is expected to drop and will certainly echo the success of "Can't Feel My Face," the album's lead single that... Read more

August 24, 2015 Video

Chris Rivers & Cory Gunz Flip a Brand Nubian Joint on Latest Freestyle (Audio)

In the latest addition to his ever-growing arsenal of Friday freestyles, Chris Rivers has enlisted the help of Cory Gunz for a flip of a Brand Nubian classic. After dropping verses on tracks originally by the Clipse, Dr. Dre, N.W.A., Jay Z, Black Moon, Big Pun, and more, the South... Read more

August 21, 2015 Audio

The Politics of Rap: Political Hip-Hop’s Long & Outspoken History Didn’t Begin or End with N.W.A. (Audio)

The marriage of political engagement and Hip-Hop culture has been a permanent fixture ever since artists began using the mic as a means of delivering dispatches from inner-city life, where systemic problems of economic disparity, educational inequality, poverty, and racism remain far too common for far too many. For many,... Read more

August 21, 2015 Audio

Dayne Jordan Takes a Cue from Mister Rogers in DJ Jazzy Jeff Produced Track (Video)

With news of an impending reincarnation of the '90s sitcom "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air," many are celebrating by remembering the classic moments from the Will Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff-inspired television show that branched out of the duo's success as a Hip-Hop act. The latter's contributions to comedy are... Read more

August 20, 2015 Video

These Performances From the 2015 World Hip-Hop Dance Championships Are Awe-Inspiring (Video)

Earlier this month, Hip-Hop International hosted its annual World Hip-Hop Dance Championships in San Diego, California, where more than 3,000 dancers from around the globe competed to be crowned the best Hip-Hop dance crew. This year, more than 50 countries were represented from Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, and South... Read more

August 20, 2015 Video

A New Kendrick Lamar-Inspired Scholarship Hopes to Send Kids to College with Your Help (Video)

Kendrick Lamar has been in the news frequently as of late, but not just for his successful and popular music. This year, it seems, there has been much attention paid to his impact on social justice issues, and now that impact is spilling over into the world of college scholarships.... Read more

August 20, 2015 News

Sheek Louch Revisits an AZ & Nas Track for His Latest Freestyle (Audio)

Sheek Louch continues to celebrate the forthcoming release of his next album, Silverback Gorilla 2, with freestyles, transforming classic beats from songs both older and more recent. Last month, he opted for the 2003 Neptunes-produced Clipse track "Hot Damn," and back in June, he dropped fire over Jay Z's 1998... Read more

August 19, 2015 Audio

Ice Cube & O’Shea Jackson, Jr. Share Powerful Father-Son Moments in 1-on-1 Conversation (Video)

O'Shea Jackson, Jr. had perhaps the biggest shoes to fill of all of his co-stars in his role in Straight Outta Compton . The son of N.W.A.'s Ice Cube, Jackson, Jr. has been earning rave reviews for his portrayal of his father, putting to rest any remaining talk there may be... Read more

August 19, 2015 Video

Yasiin Bey’s ‘Basquiat Ghostwriter’ is Full of Unexpected Negatives (Video)

Yasiin Bey (pka Mos Def) has released a music video to accompany "Basquiat Ghostwriter," a song he dropped just a few days ago that took many Heads by surprise. The Brooklyn MC hasn't released a solo album since 2009's The Ecstatic and in the years since he's spent much time... Read more

August 19, 2015 Video

New Jack City & Boyz N the Hood to Be Honored as Hip-Hop’s Influence in Film Continues to Grow

With Straight Outta Compton breaking box-office records and asserting itself as perhaps the summer movie this year, it is hard to ignore the role Hip-Hop has played not only as a cultural phenomenon, but one that commands great attention in the world of film. In a recent announcement, the African-American... Read more

August 18, 2015 News

Bye Felicia: How ‘Straight Outta Compton’ Is Initiating a Conversation About Misogyny (Audio)

In the 1995 film Friday, the F. Gary Gray comedy starring Ice Cube and Chris Tucker, there is perhaps no more regularly quoted line than "Bye, Felicia," a phrase that has experienced a resurgence in popularity thanks to today's Internet culture. Common in hashtag form, the pop-culture reference is a... Read more

August 18, 2015 Audio

Gangrene & Havoc Opt for Solemn Tribute to Sean Price on “Sheet Music” (Video)

The tragic passing of rapper Sean Price earlier this month has left much of the Hip-Hop community reeling, including those who have collaborated with P over the years. Gangrene, the duo comprised of the Alchemist and Oh No, are among those who established not only a musical relationship with the... Read more

August 18, 2015 Video

Master P Shows His Historic Rise to Success in Self-Directed Documentary (Video)

Master P, the New Orleans rapper and business man who transformed the way artists negotiated with record labels, is releasing a self-directed documentary called Ice Cream Man: King of the South in Spring 2016. The platinum-selling MC scored a handful of hits, most notably 1997's "Make 'Em Say Ugh," but... Read more

August 17, 2015 TV/Film, Video

Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis: Could Video Games Help Treat Mental Illness? Research Suggests Yes (Audio)

Last week, a report surfaced about games that promote "brain fitness," a market that merges neuro-science with games in hopes to address issues dealing with memory and mental health in ways that are engaging and effective. NPR's "Morning Edition" ran a story about games that, by and large, claim to... Read more

August 17, 2015 Lifestyle

‘Straight Outta Compton’ Smashes Box Office Expectations. The Strength of Street Knowledge Endures.

Prior to the release of the N.W.A. biopic Straight Outta Compton, industry experts were suggesting the film would pull in an opening weekend box office of around $20 to $40 million, a rather handsome sum for a film about a rap group that, in its heyday, had censors all over... Read more

August 17, 2015 News

Talib Kweli Shares Thoughts on Bernie Sanders & the Women Behind Black Lives Matter (Video)

Fresh off the release of a new single and a new (free) album, Talib Kweli has had a whirlwind 24-hours, and now the Brooklyn MC has brought his thoughts about today's socio-political climate outside the booth and onto television. As a guest on last night's episode of Real Time with... Read more

August 15, 2015 TV/Film, Video

Chris Rivers Maintains East Coast Flow Over West Coast Flavor With A Dr. Dre Beat (Video)

As thousands flock to movie theaters across the country to catch the N.W.A. biopic Straight Outta Compton, fans are expressing their appreciation for the group, even those who are artists themselves. In his latest Friday freestyle, Chris Rivers channels the visual aesthetics of West Coast Hip-Hop flavor from the '90s,... Read more

August 14, 2015 Video

It’s a Doggy Dog World: Pet Stores Across the Country Are Now Required to Sell Rescued Animals

In late 2014, an Arizona judge took a big step in the fight against puppy mills, upholding a law requiring pet stores to sell dogs rescued from shelters. If you recently bought a dog from such pet store but are worried to leave them behind whenever you're away, a service... Read more

August 14, 2015 Lifestyle

Re: Definition: How Toys Are Changing the Conversation About Gender (Video)

Earlier this month, a major retailer announced it would be doing away with gender-specific signage in some of its aisles, which means that no longer will things like bedding or toys be organized by "Boy" or "Girl." It is the latest development in a nationwide conversation about gender that has... Read more

August 13, 2015 TV/Film, Video

Celebrate the Life & Legacy of Sean Price with New Single (Audio)

It's been less than a week since Sean Price passed away, and the collective mourning in the Hip-Hop community has crystallized how much love and influence he left behind. Since his death on August 8, countless homages to the bar-barian have appeared, from tribute pages on social media platforms, to... Read more

August 13, 2015 Audio

The Foreign Exchange Report Back from Love’s Promised Land with their Latest LP (Album Stream)

It's been been more than ten years since the Foreign Exchange began sharing their brand of musical fusion with the world, and now the duo is gearing up to release Tales From the Land of Milk and Honey. Phonte and Nicolay began their artistic partnership with 2004's Connected and have... Read more

August 13, 2015 Audio

Stones Throw Drops Guilty Simpson’s Album Early, With A Rock-Infused Single (Audio)

Earlier today (August 12), Stones Throw Records announced it was releasing the latest album from Guilty Simpson nearly a month early. Detroit's Son will be universally available on September 11, but Heads can purchase it right now by visiting the label's website. Produced entirely by Australian producer Katalyst, the album... Read more

August 12, 2015 Audio

From MPCs to Robots? Technology is Changing How Music is Created

The marriage of music and technology has been around for millennia, but the major strides made in the last few decades alone have brought music tech to more exciting and progressive places than ever before. In a recent development, a program has been developed that is exploring the realm of... Read more

August 12, 2015 Lifestyle

Remember the Classic Board Game Guess Who? Here’s a Wu-Tang Inspired Version

Childhood nostalgia for board games and the old-school have merged in a Noisey-developed rendition of Guess Who?, a guessing game that became popular in the United States in the early '80s. Called "Guess Wu?", their version uses te same concept behind the original, only the faces adorning the game board... Read more

August 12, 2015 Fresh

Graffiti Writers’ Work Is Being Threatened, But Some Artists Are Fighting Back

In today's (August 11) Village Voice, New York City's flagship publication for all things local and cultural, journalist Jon Campbell devoted a significant amount of space to an examination of the current state of graffiti and, by extension, street art. The main subject of the extensive article is Andre Charles,... Read more

August 11, 2015 News

New Orleans Triple-Threat Pell Showcases His Signature Versatility on Latest Single (Audio)

As an MC, singer, and producer, Pell is an artist whose talents are seemingly unlimited, and he manages to transition seamlessly from genre to genre. Having been labeled "cloud rap," "future bounce," and various other terms, this New Orleans native is a musical hybrid whose 2014 album Floating While Dreaming... Read more

August 11, 2015 Audio

Ice Cube Responds To Lyric Annotations Of His Hit Songs (Video)

With Straight Outta Compton's theatrical release date only a few days away, much attention has been paid to N.W.A. and their legacy, and now the film's title inspiration is being addressed by Ice Cube. On a video feature for Vanity Fair magazine's website, the founding member of the historic rap... Read more

August 10, 2015 Video

Who Run the World? Latin-American Women Are Having a Powerful Impact on Hip-Hop (Audio)

In a recent feature for the Guardian, a Female MC from Quito, Ecuador shares her experiences breaking into and representing Hip-Hop culture on a global level, but her story is far from anecdotal. Mariela Salgado (whose stage name is Roja) provided writer Claire Rigby with insight into the male-dominated scene... Read more

August 10, 2015 Audio