Fresh Archives

Phonte Explains Why Big Daddy Kane Is The Reason He Became An MC (Audio)

Phonte is the latest guest on The Cipher Show Podcast. For episode #146, the Greensboro, North Carolina native MC/singer spoke about the evolution of his career. A founder of Little Brother and Foreign Exchange, "Tigallo" had an hour-and-a-half discussion with Shawn Setaro on topics ranging from his "Percy Miracles" character,... Read more

March 15, 2016 Audio

Talib Kweli, 9th Wonder & Nottz Enlist MK Asante & Uzi for a Banger with a Message (Video)

Bars with depth, a video with a concept, and a beat that knocks. The remix to Talib Kweli and 9th Wonder's Indie 500 cut "Bangers" has all of that in the chamber, and then some. On the album version, the Nottz-produced track features MK Asante and Halo and is a... Read more

March 15, 2016 Video

Watch Nate Dogg Freestyle A Hook & See Why He Will Forever Regulate (Video)

Five years ago today (March 15, 2011), the world lost Nate Dogg. The four-time Grammy-nominated hit-maker and founding member of 213 injected a Gospel Soul sensibility into Hip-Hop through three solo albums, a group record, and hits for Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, 50 Cent, Tupac, Ludacris, Mos Def, Eminem, and... Read more

March 15, 2016 Throwback

Q-Tip Explains Why the World NEEDS Hip-Hop Now More Than Ever (Video)

On March 8, it was announced that Q-Tip was appointed the first Artistic Director of Hip-Hop Culture at the Kennedy Center in New York City, possibly the world's most famous center for arts. A massively huge step towards Hip-Hop culture earning the much-deserved recognition of being a serious cultural art... Read more

March 15, 2016 Video

The Government Is Fighting the U.S. Heroin Epidemic in 94 Million Ways (Video)

The recent death of former first lady Nancy Reagan has brought conversations about the so-called "War on Drugs" back into the fray. Considered by most to have been a complete and utter failure, the war was first initiated by the Nixon administration, but was fortified by not only President Reagan,... Read more

March 15, 2016 Lifestyle

The Star Of Hamilton Freestyles For President Obama At The White House (Video)

From day 1, it has been clear that Barack Obama was the nation's first Hip-Hop President. That status had nothing to do with his biracial ancestry. Instead, it was the product of his coming of age at the same time that the most influential cultural force of the last 40... Read more

March 15, 2016 Video

Watch “The Most Significant Day Of Royce 5’9″‘s Life” In His “Tabernacle” Video

Earlier this month, Royce 5'9" released "Tabernacle," the lead single from his forthcoming solo album Layers (April 15), and arguably the most powerful song of his career. "Tabernacle" holds incredible importance in Royce's life, on many levels. It was the first song that Royce wrote when he became sober, after... Read more

March 15, 2016 Video

Buckwild Is An Unsung Member Of D.I.T.C. But He’s One Of The Strongest Links In The Chain Gang (Audio)

When people think of the Diggin' In The Crates crew (D.I.T.C.), names like Diamond D, Big L, Showbiz, AG, O.C., Lord Finesse and Fat Joe come to mind, and rightfully so. Those artists are some of the most acclaimed MCs and/or producers in Hip-Hop, having earned their respect over decades... Read more

March 14, 2016 Audio

Joell Ortiz Wrecks A DJ Premier Beat Like A Supa Star (Video)

Joell Ortiz's new collaboration album with producer Domingo will be released tomorrow (March 15). The project, titled That's Hip-Hop, is an ode to music that puts a premium on top-notch lyricism, and Ortiz is happy to oblige. The Slaughterhouse spitter also invited several other respected wordsmiths to join him in... Read more

March 14, 2016 Video

Black Milk Turns Up His Beatmaking With A Live Instrumentation LP (Audio)

For fans of Detroit, Michigan producer and MC Black Milk, his steady rise as an acclaimed artist has been many years in the making. With a solo production discography stretching back more than a decade, his collaborative efforts include work with Danny Brown, Elzhi, Sean Price, and Slum Village and... Read more

March 14, 2016 Audio

Many Have Never Seen Mos Def’s First Music Video. Here It Is.

The mighty Mos Def (n/k/a Yasiin Bey) has a Hip-Hop career that spans well over 20 years. The Brooklyn, New York MC burst on the scene care of major appearances alongside De La Soul, Da Bush Babees, and DJ Honda—but he had his own thing brewing, even before Rawkus Records... Read more

March 13, 2016 Throwback

LL Cool J Proves He’s The Original GOAT On A Blistering Freestyle Over A Dre Beat (Video)

LL Cool and Dr. Dre go back. The pair are in a select class of MCs who had professional musical careers in 1985 and in 2016, having only risen. James Todd Smith has gone from Def Jam Records breakthrough artist to a network actor star and host of the Grammy's.... Read more

March 12, 2016 Video

AZ Tells The Origin Of His Show-Stealing Verse On Illmatic (Video)

Most AZ fans know that "Tha Visualiza" hails from Brooklyn, New York. However, unlike so many illustrious MCs, AZ's sense of place and home lives in his lyrics more than photographs, symbols, etc. The Firm co-founder returns to his Williams Houses in East New York, Brooklyn for the first time... Read more

March 12, 2016 Video

Black Sheep Dres Gets Wicked With The Wordplay In This Freestyle (Video)

Black Sheep Dres was the most recent guest on DJ Eclipse's Rap Is Outta Control radio show. While on, the Native Tongues member and evitaN co-founder finished off his appearance with a freestyle that's one of his best. Calling for some wordplay, D-R-E-S hit his mark with almost three minutes... Read more

March 12, 2016 Video

Sha Rock Was the First Female MC on National TV. Here’s Her 1981 Performance (Video)

On Valentine's Day in 1981, when Hip-Hop was by and large a completely unrecognized cultural form, national television aired the first appearance by a female rapper. 35 years later, during Woman's History Month, footage of that historic performance has re-surfaced, and it is a remarkable trip down the proverbial Memory... Read more

March 12, 2016 Throwback

Dot Demo Turns A Careful Whisper Into A Crazy Freestyle (Video)

Dot Demo is one to watch. With influences like Big Pun, Nas, Jay Z and J Dilla, the Bronx, NY MC has high standards and high expectations. He recently hit Statik Selektah’s Show Off Radio and wrecked a couple of beats, turning a careful whisper into a crazy freestyle. Dot... Read more

March 11, 2016 Video

Cam’ron & New York’s Subway B-Boys Dazzle in a Video That Redefines Creativity (Video)

Perhaps the only thing more ubiquitous in New York City than the subways are the subway performers who use the time between station stops to amaze the crowd - or at least attempt to - with music, poetry, speeches, or dance. There has developed a microcosm in the subway dance... Read more

March 11, 2016 Video

PRhyme & Logic’s Deluxe Collabo Goes To Animated “Mode” (Lyric Video)

For Logic, to be knighted by DJ Premier and Royce 5'9" at once is a huge deal. The Gaithersburg, Maryland MC is big on restoring a rawness to Rap through intricate lyrics, concept-driven songs, and feisty flows. Who more represents the success of that outlook than PRhyme? The trio (including... Read more

March 11, 2016 Video

Just Blaze Plays Some Unreleased Jay Electronica, Busta & M.O.P. And More In A Mix (Video)

Earlier this week (March 7), Just Blaze stopped by the studio to spin a nearly hour-long set for DJ City, after which the Paterson, New Jersey record producer and master of the decks indulged his hosts with an interview. DJ City, a digital record pool for DJ professionals - is... Read more

March 11, 2016 Video

Heavy D Tells Some Untold Stories About Cutting Classic Records & Self-Love (Video)

November will mark the fifth anniversary of Heavy D's death, a loss which continues to elicit pangs of grief throughout the Hip-Hop community. The money earnin' Mount Vernon native made his indelible mark as a Jamaican-born MC whose contributions in the late '80s and early '90s with Heavy D &... Read more

March 11, 2016 Video

Prodigy Releases Free Album Bundle Featuring Curren$y, Action Bronson, Childish Gambino & More

Mobb Deep is currently embarking on their 20th Anniversary Hell On Earth Tour. Prodigy and Havoc have a busy 2016 already. Prodigy has dabbled with experimental performance theater and plans to release two more book titles. Meanwhile, Hav' worked on Kanye West's The Life Of Pablo album, on production. Today... Read more

March 11, 2016 Fresh

Lil Dicky & Snoop Dogg Have A Serious Conversation About Making “Comedy Rap” (Video)

Lil Dicky is the latest guest on Snoop Dogg's GGN show. There, the two Professional Rapper collaborators have a largely serious discussion about the craft of rapping, getting in where you fit in, and the hope for an eventual return to form of the Philadelphia 76ers NBA basketball team. "To... Read more

March 11, 2016 Video

Sean Price & Planet Asia Set Off the Festivities With Serious Lyricism (Audio)

The late, great Sean Price left Heads with a robust discography, thanks to the Brownsville "Bar-barian's" extensive recording career as a member of Heltah Skeltah, Random Axe, and as a hardworking solo MC. Now, his booming baritone can be heard dropping some new heat in the form of "The Festival,"... Read more

March 10, 2016 Audio

Daddy-O Says “Rakim Told The Biggest Lie In Hip-Hop,” In An Unfiltered Interview (Video)

Professor Daddy-O is an MC/producer who has been actively working for 30 years. The front man for 1980s Brooklyn, New York pioneers Stetsasonic, Daddy-O would help introduce the world to Prince Paul (the group's DJ and one of its producers), as well as Mary J. Blige, Lil' Kim, and others.... Read more

March 10, 2016 Video

Royce 5’9″ Explains Choosing To Sign With Tommy Boy Instead Of Dr. Dre (Video)

Royce 5'9" released his first gold album, care of Bad Meets Evil's Hell: The Sequel. The 2011 album released on Eminem's Shady Records, which is part of the same Interscope umbrella that includes Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment, and previously, 50 Cent's G-Unit Records. Notably, while Royce is signed to Shady/Interscope... Read more

March 10, 2016 Video

Hillary Clinton & Bernie Sanders Are Asked About Climate Change & It Gets Heated (Video)

Last night (March 9), the two front-running candidates in the Democratic quest for the presidency squared off in Miami, Florida for the Univision-sponsored debate. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders were both fired up, with the Sanders campaign capitalizing on its recent winning upset in the... Read more

March 10, 2016 Lifestyle

MC Lyte is Cold Rockin’ Hip-Hop Feminism in Major Ways (Video)

MC Lyte has added activist, businesswoman, and philanthropist to her resume thanks to her tremendous work in empowering children and women. Having founded the Hip-Hop Sisters Foundation, a non-profit that promotes positive images of women of ethnic diversity, she has made it her life's goal to work on behalf of... Read more

March 10, 2016 Video

Joey Bada$$ Carries On Tradition For Brooklyn And Biggie (Audio)

Today (March 9) marks 19 years since the world lost The Notorious B.I.G., but his legacy remains as strong as ever. His music stands the test of time as some of the greatest Hip-Hop ever recorded, and he has influenced countless artists since. One MC who has steadfastly carried on... Read more

March 9, 2016 Audio

Mister Cee Explains Why Biggie’s “Ready To Die” Sounds Like 2 Different Albums

This morning (March 9), Brooklyn, New York DJ/producer/radio personality Mister Cee appeared on Sway In The Morning. On the 19th anniversary of The Notorious B.I.G.'s tragic (and unsolved) murder, Cee recalled his hand in turning a street-corner MC into arguably Rap's greatest ever. Beginning the interview, Mister Cee recalls friend... Read more

March 9, 2016 Throwback

Open Mike Eagle Exposes His Addiction to Something We All Cherish (Audio)

Los Angeles-based MC and sometimes producer Open Mike Eagle made major waves with his 2014 album Dark Comedy, which was lauded by indie and mainstream outlets alike. Having graduated from the Project Blowed school of underground Rap in the city which has birthed contemporaries like Anderson .Paak, Flying Lotus, Nocando,... Read more

March 9, 2016 Audio

Elzhi Only Needs Two 16s to Deliver Unmatched Storytelling (Audio)

March 25 will signal the arrival of Elzhi's Lead Poison, a scenario for which "highly anticipated" is an understatement. His first full-length release since 2011's Elmatic, the upcoming LP is equal servings of vulnerability and dominance, as the Detroit MC's gimmick-free lyrical abilities take on everything from mental illness to... Read more

March 9, 2016 Audio

Yuna Rocks A DJ Premier Track Better Than Most MCs Do (Video)

Wanderlust - the overwhelming desire to travel - may be one of the most relatable concepts in the human experience. Whether geographically or otherwise, thoughts of arriving elsewhere can be freeing or suffocating, and Malaysian singer Yuna explores that dichotomy beautifully in her DJ Premier-produced single "Places to Go." Having... Read more

March 9, 2016 Video

Robert Glasper & Bilal Rhythmically Glide Over A Miles Davis Horn Sample (Audio)

Always creating, Robert Glasper's upcoming project connects his music to that of late Jazz icon, Miles Davis. Both men have injected a sense of soul, pain, and pride into the music—while reminding the world of Jazz' Black heritage and medium to express the culture. Everything's Beautiful (May 27), Glasper's seventh... Read more

March 9, 2016 Audio

The Game Joins Koache & Nottz On A Song That Feels Like Back In The Day (Audio)

Los Angeles MC Koache has released his debut album, Game Point. He's joined on the project by West Coast OGs Xzibit and WC of Westside Connection, as well as young guns like BJ The Chicago Kid and Cory Gunz. A number of the tracks are produced by Nottz, including the... Read more

March 8, 2016 Audio

Hopsin Airs His Grievances With Funk Volume On “Ill Mind Of Hopsin 8” (Video)

Over the years, Hopsin has been known to play pranks on fans and the media. In December of 2014, he claimed he was retiring and moving to Australia, only to reveal a couple of weeks later that it was a gag and he had a new album on the way.... Read more

March 8, 2016 Video

Joell Ortiz Speaks About Never Dumbing Down His Sound & Standing Up For Hip-Hop (Interview)

In the last 15 years, Joell Ortiz has climbed from a Brooklyn, New York MC releasing 12" Rawkus Records singles to the top of the Pop charts. The pride of the Cooper Houses projects still dazzles with his flow and exudes the highest love for Hip-Hop culture in his art... Read more

March 8, 2016 Food for Thought

Celebrate International Women’s Day with Queen Latifah, MC Lyte, TLC, & More (Video)

March is Women's History Month, and as we get closer and closer to the presidential election in the United States, the likely reality of the country electing its first female president is a topic of excited discussion. Furthermore, 2020 will mark the centennial of women's suffrage in the U.S., making... Read more

March 8, 2016 Video

J. Cole & Bas Are Working Late While Other MCs Keep Sleepin’ (Video)

Queens, New York rapper Bas is nearly two full years out from the release of his debut album, 2014's Last Winter, and he's keeping the momentum up with Too High to Riot, released on March 4. The Dreamville Records signee - born Abbas Hammad - has naturally established a strong relationship... Read more

March 8, 2016 Video

Rhymefest Details Third Album & Updates On Reconnecting With His Father

One year ago, Chicago, Illinois MC/writer/politician Rhymefest began screening documentary film In My Father's House. The work looked at Che Smith's father, who was estranged for much of the artist's life due to homelessness and alcoholism. In the film, the Grammy Award-winning artist (who, since filming, has added an Oscar... Read more

March 8, 2016 Food for Thought

FUBU Founder & “Shark Tank” Star Daymond John Lists His Keys to Success (Video)

The entrepreneurial spirit has been present in Hip-Hop culture since its inception, from the creative youth who began to throw block parties to those who made and sold mixtapes to classmates at school. One area of the culture which really fostered entrepreneurship is fashion, and recent films like Fresh Dressed... Read more

March 7, 2016 Video

Planet Asia Rolls Up His Sleeves & Gets Busy With Intricate Wordplay (Audio)

Planet Asia has more than 15 years of shredding up tracks under his (black) belt. Fresno, California's first MC on the national scene is hard at work on a new album with DJ Concept. Seventy Nine releases March 25 on Coalmine Records with a promised theme driving the wheel (Heads... Read more

March 7, 2016 Audio

When Big Brother Isn’t Watching, It’s Someone Much Shadier

The unique aspects of living in our technologically soaked 21st century world are covered every day in the news, but these days there is one tech-based story that is impossible to ignore. The ongoing game of moral tug-of-war between the FBI and Apple over an iPhone used by one of... Read more

March 7, 2016 Lifestyle

Chris Rock & Ice-T Discuss Making “New Jack City” On Its 25th Anniversary (Audio)

Twenty five years ago tomorrow (March 8, 1991) New Jack City was released to theaters. Largely conceived and written by Barry Michael Cooper, and directed by Mario Van Peebles, the film starring Wesley Snipes would live well beyond its impressive theatrical run. A quarter century later, the Warner Bros. movie... Read more

March 7, 2016 Audio, TV/Film

Listen To The Best Hip-Hop of February (& January) 2016 In One Playlist (Audio)

The month of February brought many surprises in Hip-Hop. DJ Premier partnered with ambient songstress Yuna, for some boom bap vibe music. Blu rocked on a 45 King track reminiscent of "Hard Knock Life." Kendrick Lamar and Ice Cube got funky with Funkadelic. The Game waxed poetic with nothing but... Read more

March 7, 2016 Audio

The Internet Drop 3 videos in 1 & Invite Tyler, the Creator to the Party (Video)

Grammy-nominated contemporary Soul outfit the Internet offer up a melange of sounds and sights in an ambitiously packaged music video. Comprised of three separate vignettes, today's release celebrates three stand-out tracks from last year's Ego Death. "Special Affair," "Curse," and "Palace" are all treated independently but are pieced together in... Read more

March 7, 2016 Video

Nobody Beats The Biz Markie. This Documentary Trailer Shows Why (Video)

For more than 30 years, Biz Markie has been a Hip-Hop multi-threat like no other. The Long Island, New Yorker raps, DJ's, produces, dances, acts, and sings. While the B-I-Z would ultimately pave the way for everybody from Digital Underground to Devin The Dude, Gnarls Barkley to The Pharcyde, he... Read more

March 7, 2016 TV/Film, Video

It’s Official. YG Is Bringing G-Funk Back (Video)

Last year, when YG released "Twist My Fingaz," the lead single from his forthcoming album Still Krazy, it sounded like he was making a statement. The track, which featured an interpolation of Funkadelic's "One Nation Under A Groove," oozed the G-Funk sound that dominated the West Coast, a generation before... Read more

March 6, 2016 Video

2 Chainz & Lil Wayne Stage A Rap Battle & Throw Heavyweight Blows (Video)

Due to their immense commercial success, sometimes people forget that 2 Chainz and Lil Wayne can really RAP. They use the video for "Bounce," from 2 Chainz's just released album Collegegrove, to remind all that their pen games remain sharp as steel. Drawing heavily from a recent episode of Empire,... Read more

March 6, 2016 Video

Wayne Brady Freestyles With Action Bronson & Steals The Show (Video)

This week, Action Bronson made an appearance at Shade 45 on a show hosted by Whoo Kid and DJ'd by Alchemist. Joined by Meyhem Lauren, Bronson was there to promote his VICE cooking web series. While there in the Shade 45 "fish bowl," Bronson spotted none other than the multi-faceted... Read more

March 5, 2016 Video

This Remix Takes Redman’s “Funkorama” And Cooks It With Soul (Audio)

Many producers try their hands at remixes, but when the duo of Cookin' Soul lay their hands on a song, the result is usually specially. True to their name, they inject their productions with rich soulful sounds that re-invent the original songs, without sounding forced. Over the years, they have... Read more

March 5, 2016 Audio