Fresh Archives

This Ghostface, Cappadonna & Jeru Freestyle From 1996 Still Does Damage (Audio)

In the mid-90s, there were few more dominant crews in Hip-Hop than Wu-Tang Clan and Gang Starr Foundation. Unlike today, however, where it's more common than not to have guest artists on tracks, in that era crews stayed more self-contained and collaborations outside of the collectives were more rare. As... Read more

September 1, 2016 Audio, Throwback, Throwback

Ghostface Killah Spits The Kind Of Verses That Have Made Him A Legend Worldwide (Video)

Ghostface Killah is quite the collaborator in the 2010s. The Staten Island, New York lyrical master works with a host of artists, producers, and even musicians well outside of the Hip-Hop genre. Teaming with veteran instrumental Down-tempo/Funk creator Wax Tailor, G.F.K. gets fitted with the right kind of track. "Worldwide"... Read more

August 31, 2016 Video

In A World Filled With Hate Audio Push Spread Love (Video)

Next month, Audio Push will be releasing their first studio album after releasing more than ten mixtapes. Representing Southern California's Inland Empire (a region which houses, among others, the cities Ontario, Riverside, and San Bernardino), the duo comprised of Oktane and Price has given its September 23 LP the title... Read more

August 31, 2016 Video

Redman Believes Canibus Was Not Dissing LL Cool J On 4, 3, 2, 1 (Video)

In 2016, LL Cool J and Canibus have come full circle. In late 1997, Uncle L put the young lyricist on the second single to his Phenomenon album. "4, 3, 2, 1" followed 1995's "I Shot Ya" as another possé cut of the reigning Rap star showcasing MCs he believed... Read more

August 31, 2016 Video

Crazy Legs Reminds All That Latinos Were Also “At the Root” of Hip-Hop (Video)

Last week, the globally respected breakdancing icon Crazy Legs took to his Instagram page to express his opinion about "The Getdown," a new series which documents the 1970s New York City street culture in which Hip-Hop was first developed. In his video statement, the Bronx native shared that he felt... Read more

August 31, 2016 Video

10 Reasons Why Jay-Z & Biggie’s “Brooklyn’s Finest” Almost Didn’t Happen (Video)

DJ Clark Kent is a legend. In addition to being a renowned DJ, he is also a producer exrtraordinaire, having made such tracks as Troop's "Spread My Wings," Junior M.A.F.I.A.'s "Player's Anthem," and Mariah Carey's "Loverboy." However, perhaps his most respected contributions in Hip-Hop circles were the records he made... Read more

August 31, 2016 Video

A Computer Inside The Mind? Here’s Why That’s Not Insane In the Brain.

The notion of technology possessing human-like cognitive abilities has been around since antiquity; one need look no further than origin myths of countless cultures in which an omnipotent presence constructs beings possessing consciousness. But in 2016, artificial intelligence is not only a familiar concept, but one that can be seen... Read more

August 31, 2016 Lifestyle

Method Man & Ali Shaheed Muhammad Talk Luke Cage’s Full Clip Of Hip-Hop Music (Video)

Less than one month from today (September 30), the "Luke Cage" series will reach fans. Perhaps more than any other comic superhero in history, the character of "Luke Cage" is a product of the Hip-Hop Generation. The Marvel Studios series episodes all take their name from Gang Starr songs, and... Read more

August 31, 2016 TV/Film, Video

AZ & Alchemist Give A$AP Twelvyy Motivation To Always Strive & Prosper (Audio)

A$AP Twelvyy is one of the Mob members who has not yet released an album. However, the New York City MC stays ready. "Motivation" is the latest burden of proof that the MC heard on Rocky's Live. Love. ASAP and Statik Selektah's Lucky 7 deserves his own platform. Moreover, this... Read more

August 31, 2016 Audio

Snow Tha Product’s Masterful Spanish Rapping Is A Wake Up Call For English-Only Speakers (Video)

For more than five years, Snow The Product has become one of the hardest rapping lyricists of her generation. However, unlike most Hip-Hop artists with major label backing, Snow raps in two languages. The San Jose, California native and Mexican-American MC cut her teeth in the early 2000s showcasing her... Read more

August 30, 2016 Video

A Debate About Law Enforcement & Social Media Is Redefining Policing In the Internet Age

The deaths of Philando Castile and Korryn Gaines brought into sharp focus a national conversation about social media's real-time capabilities and their relationship to operations of law enforcement. In each case, video of a police-involved incident was made available for mass consumption, effectively turning what would otherwise be reported into... Read more

August 30, 2016 Lifestyle

Apollo Brown, Skyzoo & Joell Ortiz Spare More Than a Couple Dollars’ Worth of Inspiration (Audio)

On September 30, Skyzoo and Apollo Brown will be releasing a collaborative album, The Easy Truth. The Brooklyn, New York MC and Detroit, Michigan-based producer dropped its debut single earlier this month in the form of "One In the Same," which features Patty Crash, whose name will be familiar to... Read more

August 30, 2016 Audio

Dame Dash To Produce Roc-A-Fella Series That May Answer A Million & One Questions

It has been more than a decade since Jay Z, Damon "Dame Dash," and Kareem "Biggs" Burke sold Roc-A-Fella Records. The New York City label responsible for introducing the record-buying world to Jay, Kanye West, Beanie Sigel, The Diplomats, and others remains alive—only as a division of Def Jam. Its... Read more

August 30, 2016 News, TV/Film

Slaine Confronts His Sobriety While Looking The Pusher Dead In The Eye (Video)

Veteran Boston, Massachusetts MC Slaine has been making noise for more than a decade. In addition to his role in talent-stacked groups such as Top 20-charter La Coka Nostra and Duck Down's Special Teamz, Slaine has released a plethora of solo projects—all rooted in hardcore Hip-Hop sound that he grew... Read more

August 30, 2016 Video

Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth Approved This Best-Of Mix & You Will Too (Audio)

Not many groups (in any genre) can warrant a "Best Of" off of just two albums and an EP. Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth are a clear exception. Between 1991 and 1994, the New York City Hip-Hop duo released just a few handfuls of songs. That material left a lasting... Read more

August 30, 2016 Mixes, Throwback, Throwback

Coup’s Boots Riley Shows His Reality & Advises How To Create Lasting Change (Video)

For nearly 25 years, The Coup's Boots Riley has given Hip-Hop Heads the real—according to him. The Oakland, California revolution made popular subversive records like "My Favorite Mutiny," "Fat Cats, Bigga Fish," and "Dig It" through hard trusts against Funk grooves. A new nine-minute, black-and-white documentary vignette looks at the... Read more

August 29, 2016 Video

Token’s Storytelling Proves That Happiness Can Be A Hard Place To Reach (Video)

From DJ Quik's "50 Ways" to Eminem's "Rock Bottom," DMX's "Slippin'" to Geto Boys' "Mind Playing Tricks On Me," lack of happiness and depression has been a theme to many Hip-Hop records. Artists like Blu, Slug, Ghostface Killah, Scarface, and Eminem have defined their legacies by writing and rapping openly... Read more

August 29, 2016 Video

Black Thought & Rahzel Made Us Want More With This 1994 Freestyle (Audio)

It was 1994, and The Roots had delivered their first offering via the previous year's Organix. Released independently, it was stripped-down yet fully developed, and helped land the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania crew a place alongside artists like G. Love & Special Sauce in providing the City of Brotherly Love with a... Read more

August 29, 2016 Audio

Two MCs Try To Eat Chris Rivers’ Lunch In A Cypher Turned Raw Battle (Video)

Celebrants of lyricism in Hip-Hop, particularly in the current generation of artists, have much to tout in Chris Rivers. The son of one of the Greats (Big Pun) has by-and-large forgone the glossy, radio-friendly career path for one built on freestyles and collaborations with like-minded MCs like Joell Ortiz and... Read more

August 29, 2016 Video

Teyana Taylor Channels Flashdance. Kanye West Fades Away (Video)

Tonight (8/28), Kanye West was given 4 minutes to do anything he wanted at the 2016 VMAs. According to reports, even MTV did not know what Ye was going to do. Given his track record, including embarrassing Taylor Swift at the 2009 VMAs, when he rushed the stage in protest... Read more

August 28, 2016 Video

Colin Kaepernick Takes A Stand By Sitting During National Anthem

Regardless of what the season holds for San Francisco 49ers Quarterback Colin Kaepernick, the NFL veteran made a bold statement before it officially begins. The Milwaukee, Wisconsin native and University of Nevada graduate deliberately sat down through the American national anthem yesterday (August 26). Colin opted to remain seated on... Read more

August 27, 2016 Lifestyle

Hear One Of The Earliest Rap Battles Ever Recorded From 1981 (Audio)

The Rap Battle has become a pop culture institution. The sport of two (or more MCs) competing has excited Hip-Hop culture since the art of rapping stepped to the front. Some of the most successful and acclaimed MCs began their careers through battling, and distinguished their legacies with combative moments... Read more

August 27, 2016 Throwback, Throwback

Redman On Getting Stepped To By MC Hammer In The 90s: “Hammer Don’t Play!!” (Video)

At the height of his career, MC Hammer was far from considered a gangsta rapper. With his parachute pants, highly-choreographed dancing and big pop records, Hammer was often the butt of jokes from his peers and considered a "sell out." His image was so cemented that when he showcased a... Read more

August 27, 2016 Video

Papoose & Remy Ma Show Beautiful Black Love Is Bigger Than Love & Hip-Hop (Video)

Papoose and Remy Ma's romance is the stuff of fairy tales. Their relationship has survived public scrutiny, the music business, an extended prison term for Remy, and perhaps the biggest test of all, a stint on Love & Hip-Hop. Even in the drama-filled world of reality TV, their portrayal generally... Read more

August 26, 2016 Video

Celebrate the Beats, Rhymes, and Life of A Tribe Called Quest With This Mix (Audio)

Last month, A Tribe Called Quest's Beats, Rhymes, Life celebrated its 20th anniversary. The group's platinum-selling fourth LP was released July 30, 1996, and it signaled a sonic departure from its predecessor, Midnight Marauders. Featuring production from the Ummah (Q-Tip, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, and Jay Dee), it served as many... Read more

August 26, 2016 Audio

The Legend of Capital STEEZ Remains Alive In A Colorful New Video

Today (August 26), Pro Era has released a visual treatment for "Herban Legend," a song by the late Brooklyn, New York rapper Capital STEEZ. The song itself was released in 2012, but in a move that helps keep his memory alive, the team he helped found and lead opted to... Read more

August 26, 2016 Video

De La Soul Release Their New Album & A Documentary About Its Making For Full Stream

The power of FREEDOM. For the first time in their nearly 30-year careers, De La Soul have complete control over their art, and they've chosen to share their entire new album, and the Anonymous Nobody, along with a film about its making, with the fans. The story of how the... Read more

August 26, 2016 Audio, Video

Prophets Of Rage’s “The Party’s Over” Gets The Fight For Our Rights Started (Audio)

After a Summer of touring and protests, Prophets Of Rage, the supergroup consisting of Public Enemy's Chuck D, Cypress Hill's B-Real and all of Rage Against The Machine, minus Zack De La Rocha, is far from done. They've recently begun releasing new music, starting with "No Sleep Till Cleveland," a... Read more

August 25, 2016 Audio

Snoop Wanted To End The Death Row/Bad Boy Beef In 1996 But Was Shut Down By Suge (Video)

Over the last few weeks, Snoop Dogg has been very vocal about his complicated relationship with Suge Knight, both past and present. Two weeks ago, he sat down with The Breakfast Club and explained how he was able to forgive the Death Row Records CEO for literally trying to have... Read more

August 25, 2016 Video

20 Years Later, OutKast’s ATLiens Is A Masterpiece Of Space & Time

True to its extraterrestrial theme, OutKast's 1996 sophomore album ATLiens was of another world. Like the "Paid In Full" vocal sample proclaimed, André 3000 and Big Boi added "new color, new dimension, and new value" to the mid-'90s Hip-Hop ethos. Arguably, this came at a time when Hip-Hop's soul needed... Read more

August 25, 2016 Food for Thought

Redman Details The Violent Split of Hit Squad & The Origins of Def Squad (Video)

Redman's connection to Erick Sermon is deep. The two started working together more than 25 years ago, after Sermon met Red when Red was DJ'ing for Lords Of The Underground. "I knew there was something spectacular about him. Right off the bat. The next day, we talked. And within the... Read more

August 25, 2016 Video

Prince’s Paisley Park Will Be A Museum & Open For Public Tours This Fall

For nearly 30 years, Paisley Park served as Prince's home and the location where he created the vast majority of his music. Built in 1988, the complex located outside of Minneapolis, MN took on mythic proportions akin to estates like Michael Jackson's Neverland and Elvis Presley's Graceland. It was the... Read more

August 24, 2016 Fresh

Leslie Jones’ Second Online Attack Points to Anti-Black Woman Sentiment in the U.S.

Leslie Jones is a survivor of one of some of the most vicious civil rights violations, and it was all done in front of millions. In July, the celebrated comedian and star of the rebooted "Ghostbusters" was victimized by a mob of racist, sexist, and verbally violent Twitter users who... Read more

August 24, 2016 Lifestyle

J Dilla Pieced Together Some Of His Musical Influences In This Mixtape (Audio)

August 22 marked the tenth anniversary of The Shining, the J Dilla album released only a few months after his passing in 2006. Tributes to the LP could be seen across social media and elsewhere online, proving that even after death, the iconic Detroit producer continues to delight and inspire.... Read more

August 24, 2016 Mixes, Throwback

Frank Ocean’s Blond(e) Gets Bleached To Its Roots By !llmind (Audio)

It's safe to say that with the release of Blond(e), Frank Ocean has delivered one of the year's most sought-after musical content of 2016. His inclusion of Andre 3000 only added to the fervor, with music fans justifiably clamoring over any new material from the Outkast MC who has never... Read more

August 24, 2016 Audio

Martin Lawrence Is Releasing His First Stand-Up Comedy Special Since 2002

Though Martin Lawrence has been here for years, through daily reruns of his classic 1990s series, Martin, his activities of late are nothing short of an epic comeback. Lawrence enjoyed one of the most prolific careers of any comedian, from 1989 to 2011, starring in films in virtually each of... Read more

August 24, 2016 Lifestyle, News

Run The Jewels & DJ Shadow Give New Meaning To Political Warfare (Video)

Run The Jewels has a standing reputation for incredible music videos. As independent artists, Killer Mike and El-P have been able to make bold statements that match their cutting lyrics and pounding beats. Teaming with DJ Shadow for The Mountain Will Fall single "Nobody Speak," the rep is all the... Read more

August 24, 2016 Video

De La Soul Describe Their Million Dollar Album With Priceless Jewels

In two days (August 26), De La Soul will release its eighth album, and the Anonymous Nobody. Released through the trio's own AOI (Art Official Intelligence) imprint, the album follows up on 2004's The Grind Date with an assortment of features, and at least one theme. While the Long Island, New... Read more

August 24, 2016 Exclusive, Food for Thought

With A New Album Coming, Revisit A Tribe Called Quest’s Rare Erykah Badu Collabo (Audio)

Last week, Epic Records CEO Antonio "L.A." Reid made a bold revelation. The seasoned executive and TV personality confirmed that a sixth album from A Tribe Called Quest is coming soon, and is both "great" and "something special." The news broke care of a Rap Radar Podcast episode, with limited... Read more

August 23, 2016 Throwback

Misplaced Hate Makes Disgrace: Changes Are Addressing Online Racial Profiling (Audio)

Nextdoor is a social-media platform that connects people with their real-life neighbors and cultivates an online community where residents can communicate with one another. It serves as a virtual town hall, community bulletin board, and crime-watch group, but because it functions as an extension of real-world functions, there are some... Read more

August 23, 2016 Lifestyle

Big Boi & Killer Mike Are Working On A Joint EP

Big Boi and Killer Mike go back. Way back. The two met in the mid-90s, while Mike was at Morehouse and Big Boi was in the early stages of changing the face of Hip-Hop, as one half of OutKast. Big Boi took Mike under his wing, eventually having him record... Read more

August 22, 2016 Fresh

Online Trolling Is An Epidemic & It’s Threatening Our Way of Life

It's the nastiest by-product of the social-media revolution, and one that far too many experience either passively or directly on a daily basis. It's called trolling, but despite its somewhat whimsical name, it has become a modern-day plight that ranges from the harmless to the heinous. As explored by Ambrosia... Read more

August 22, 2016 Lifestyle

Styles P, Freeway & Torae Get Down On A Pete Rock-Produced Single (Audio)

Back in January, Torae released his Entitled album. One of the focal points to that self-released LP was "Get Down." First unveiled almost a year ago, the song is the latest run-in the Brooklyn, New York MC had with producer Pete Rock. A lot was at play in the beat,... Read more

August 22, 2016 Audio

Stro Runs Through 7 Minutes Of Classic Beats In 1 Of The Year’s Best Freestyles (Video)

Stro (f/k/a The Astronomical Kid) has had a quieter 2016 than other years. However, the Brooklyn, New Yorker is just ramping up, and showing that his skills have refined. Appearing on the most recent episode of Statik Selektah's ShowOff Radio show, Stro asks if he can go off the top... Read more

August 22, 2016 Video

Pras Details How O.D.B. Getting Lost Led To His Biggest Hit (Video)

The highest charting single of O.D.B.'s Hip-Hop career was not his own. The Brooklyn, New York MC/singer hit the charts with Wu-Tang Clan and his solo works. He would appear on the Bad Boy Remix to Mariah Carey's #1 single "Fantasy," but not on the chart-topping version. Instead, it was... Read more

August 22, 2016 Video

Andre 3000 Calls Out MCs Who Use Ghostwriters On A New Verse (Audio)

Perhaps more than any MC in Hip-Hop history, Outkast's André 3000 knows how to make his feature guest verses count. Whether alongside UGK, T.I., DJ Drama, Goodie Mob, or DJ Unk, 3 Stacks has used just 16 or so bars to satisfy fans who have waited a decade-plus for anything... Read more

August 22, 2016 Audio, Fresh

There’s Nothing Nice About How These MCs Wreck Mics (Audio)

Brooklyn, New York based MC JSWISS has been been both consistent and active. Fresh off of releasing his No Music EP in June, he teams with North Carolina artist Topiq (who also produced the track) for "Nice Guys." Sticking up for themselves, these two rappers refuse to believe that kindness,... Read more

August 21, 2016 Audio

Latino Rap Pioneer Kid Frost Details His Courageous Fight Against Cancer (Audio)

Kid Frost (a/k/a Frost) is renowned as one of the pioneering Mexican-American MCs. His 1990 hit "La Raza" would become a staple in the West Coast Hip-Hop boom, representing the Latino community. Five of Frost's album releases appeared on the Billboard Top 200 Album chart. Around the time of Eazy-E's... Read more

August 21, 2016 Audio, News

Allen Iverson Has The Answers. He Shares His Top 5 Rappers & Hoopers With Jadakiss (Video)

If there's anyone who embodies both Hip-Hop and hooping, it's Allen Iverson. He recently sat down with Jadakiss to talk about his favorite rappers, his favorite ball players and what it was like to be one of the first NBA players to bring Hip-Hop swagger to the league, on and... Read more

August 20, 2016 Video

This 1977 NYC Party Mix Shows How The Earliest Hip-Hop Parties Sounded (Audio)

Thanks to the series "The Get Down," many are newly fascinated with 1970s New York City and the genesis of Hip-Hop. DJ'ing, rapping, graffiti, and breakin' came together harmoniously in an overall form of expression that reflected the complexities of city-dwelling at a specific time in fashion, music, visual art,... Read more

August 20, 2016 Mixes, Throwback, Throwback