News Archives

Big Daddy Kane Celebrates Macklemore For Working With Hip-Hop’s Pioneers (Video)

One of the more polarizing occurrences in Hip-Hop this year has been Macklemore's song "Downtown." Since his massive ascension in 2012, the Seattle MC has had both passionate supporters and vitriolic haters, with little in between. The divide was only heightened when Macklemore won the 2014 Grammy Award for Best... Read more

October 19, 2015 Video

The Game & Scarface Make a Record So Real About Tupac It Hurts (Audio)

On Friday (10/16), The Game released The Documentary 2.5, the second installment of the sequel to his debut album. Far from leftovers, the album stands as one of Game's best bodies of work in his career. With contributions from Nas, DJ Quik, Busta Rymes, Jay Rock, ScHoolboy Q and more,... Read more

October 18, 2015 Audio

Tracy Morgan’s SNL Return Is A Special TV Moment. Watch The Full Episode (Video)

Last night, into early this morning (October 18), Tracy Morgan returned to host "SNL" (f/k/a "Saturday Night Live"). The highly-successful cast alum returned to the storied NBC live sketch comedy show a year removed from an auto accident. The June 2014 incident on the New Jersey Turnpike took the life... Read more

October 18, 2015 TV/Film, Video

Hip-Hop Gave Syl Johnson’s Career New Life. A Film Featuring RZA Shows It (Video)

From Wu-Tang Clan, to De La Soul, to Kanye West, Syl Johnson's music has permeated the Hip-Hop consciousness through sampling. However, many audiences—new and old—are not hip to the 79 year-old Holy Springs, Mississippi native. A onetime label-mate of Reverend Al Green at Hi Records, Syl's churned out R&B, Soul,... Read more

October 17, 2015 TV/Film, Video

Nipsey Hussle Can Be Soulful. So A Producer Remixes T.M.C. With 100% Soul Samples (Mixtape)

Remixing another artist's album was once fairly commonplace for emerging (and decorated) producers. 9th Wonder did it with Nas and Jay Z, ultimately earning him a spot working with Hov'. Before he was making global hits as one half of Gnarls Barkley, Rhode Island's Danger Mouse blended The Grey Album.... Read more

October 17, 2015 Mixes

15 Years Ago, Ludacris Disproved The Sophomore Slump With “Back For The First Time” (Editorial)

It was just under two weeks before Halloween in 2000 when Ludacris, an MC from Atlanta, Georgia whose independently released Incognegro a year earlier barely registered on the charts, dropped his second album. It's possible the spooky story of the dreaded "sophomore slump" circulated around the periphery of his consciousness;... Read more

October 17, 2015 Food for Thought

Will Smith Returns As An MC 10 Years Later & Picks Up Right Where He Left Off (Video)

A decade ago, Will Smith (a/k/a The Fresh Prince) put the mic down, as his acting career was skyrocketing to the top of Hollywood. The West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania left Heads with Lost and Found, and dipped—taking on some of the biggest roles of his near 30-year entertainment career. In 2015,... Read more

October 16, 2015 Video

Redman Still Has The Lyrical Dope That’s Got Heads Fiendin’ (Video)

Whether Redman was paying homage to The Blues Brothers, tormenting his upper class neighbors, or going out to eat with the Def Squad '79-style, Reggie Noble's music videos are etched in the minds of many Heads. Five years removed from an album, the Brick City MC has not put out... Read more

October 16, 2015 Video

The Numbers Show Police Don’t Care About Dead Rappers

For millennia, mankind has been at war. Whether in the name of religion, territory, love, greed, revenge, or duty, human casualties have remained constant throughout civilization, and as society is said to progress, murder remains a dark spot on our collective report card. For many Americans, particularly those of color,... Read more

October 16, 2015 Lifestyle

Ras Kass & Jack Splash Set The Table For Greatness With Breakfast At Banksy’s (Album Stream)

One year to the month after Ras Kass & Apollo Brown's Blasphemy blended the profane with the profound, Razzy Kazzy stays in motion with Mello Music Group with another LP. Semi Hendrix is an out-of-the-blue collaborative project between the Soul On Ice creator and Jack Splash—a three-time Grammy Award- winning... Read more

October 16, 2015 Audio

Take A Trip To The Sweet Spot With The Internet (Video)

The Internet have made it clear that they are one of the most stylistically creative bands out today and continue to match that creativity with undeniable talent. Led by former OFWGKTA members Syd tha Kid - a skilled songstress whose own personal image beautifully destroys stereotypes of what a Soul... Read more

October 15, 2015 Video

Quentin Tarantino Makes His Films With No Apologies…To Anyone

As a director, Quentin Tarantino has contributed timeless films, most of which are considered cult classics. Movies like Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction have carved indelible marks into popular culture while Inglourious Basterds and Django Unchained have taken a more mainstream, Academy-Award nomination route. What they all have in common,... Read more

October 15, 2015 Lifestyle

Everybody Knows Jadakiss Is an Elite MC. But Did You Know He Can Windmill? (Video)

Jadakiss is often considered one of the greatest MCs in Hip-Hop. The self-proclaimed "Top 5, Dead Or Alive" got there by winning over the streets, the mainstream, and Hip-Hop Heads. As far as the third component, the Yonkers, New York lyricist is one himself. It's why Jada' has been puttin'... Read more

October 15, 2015 Video

This Quiz Spells DOOM For All But The Masked Villain’s Most Knowledgeable Fans

MF DOOM's career and discography is quite a lot to keep up with. That statement is going to be true for any 25-plus-year veteran, but considering that Daniel Dumile has multiple aliases, many labels, live albums, instrumental albums, group works, and an onslaught of guest appearances, the Masked Villain can... Read more

October 15, 2015 Fresh

De La Soul’s Play-by-Play of Their Early Career is a Hip-Hop Goldmine (Audio)

As part of Atlanta's A3C festival, De La Soul not only performed, but also sat down with Cipha Sounds and Pete Rosenberg for an immersive interview on the Juan Epstein Podcast. For more than an hour, the Plugs recounted tales from their earliest days and along the way dropped names... Read more

October 15, 2015 Audio

TDE’s Punch Has Insightful Commentary Over A Familiar Soul Sample (Audio)

Heads cannot sleep on Punch. The longtime Top Dawg Entertainment executive does not touch the microphone as often as many of the label's album-making stars, but he drops smart-bombs when he does—on others' songs or his own. The Watts, California industry vet takes audit of his life, survival, and a... Read more

October 15, 2015 Audio

Talib Kweli, Rapsody & 9th Wonder Reconsider The Meaning Of “Ghetto” (Video)

Last week, Talib Kweli, Rapsody, and 9th Wonder released "Every Ghetto." The DJ Hi-Tek-produced collaborative single is a hallmark release for the Indie 500 conglomerate, and its follow-up video proves it. Traveling from Brooklyn, New York to Cincinnati, Ohio, the soulful song examines at neighborhoods that are often called "ghettos"... Read more

October 15, 2015 Video

CyHi The Prynce’s Latest Jaw-Dropping Freestyle Mixes Punchlines & Substance (Video)

CyHi The Prynce is revered as one of the best freestyle MCs of the current class. The Atlanta, Georgia faction of G.O.O.D. Music swung through Sway's Universe in his hometown during A3C week. There, the MC who has previously been a star guest on Sway's platforms did it again. In... Read more

October 15, 2015 Video

Big K.R.I.T. Restores The Glory With A Tape Featuring Warren G & Ludacris (Mixtape)

If Kendrick Lamar and Drake can rock the Hip-Hop space in an instant, why shouldn't Big K.R.I.T.? In a comparatively quiet 2015 for the Meridian, Mississippi double-threat, he makes up for lost time with a major splash in the water. It's Better This Way is a fitting title for an... Read more

October 14, 2015 Mixes

Eddie Murphy Explains Why He Refused to Mock Bill Cosby on SNL 40 (Video)

Earlier in the year, Saturday Night Live celebrated its milestone 40th anniversary on air with a multi-hour mega special. The episode featured performances by Kanye West, a who's who list of celebrity appearances and the return of many of SNL's most successful alumni. For many, one of the most anticipated... Read more

October 14, 2015 News

DOOM Makes A Quirky Visual To One Of His Greatest Guest Verses (Video)

In the early 2000s, DOOM (a/k/a MF DOOM) transformed from an underground Hip-Hop lyricist to a Top 200 commercial juggernaut. The former KMD front man did this through a series of albums during a small window of time, including Madvillainy with Madlib, The Mouse & The Mask with Danger Mouse, and... Read more

October 14, 2015 Video

Logic Reflects On How Far He’s Come With Gratitude in a Dazzling Lyrical Display (Audio)

In an era that has de-emphasized lyricism in favor of big tracks and even bigger hooks, Logic is an outlier. The Gaithersburg, Maryland MC has distinguished himself with rapid-fire, complex wordplay that often also includes an autobiographical message. Despite his boyish looks, he's endured unthinkable hardships from watching his father... Read more

October 14, 2015 Audio

Phonte & Like Join Madlib, Blu & MED For A Head-Nodding Groove (Audio)

Historically, when Phonte links with Madlib, some amazing audio moments result. 2010's "Best Of Times" collabo with Strong Arm Steady on a Madlib track yielded a video single that still endures. Five years later, 'Tigalo links with 'Lib, care of the Oxnard, California MC/producer/DJ's trio with Blu and MED. Pac... Read more

October 14, 2015 Audio

A Young Woman From Afghanistan Is Using Her Raps To Fight Oppression (Video)

The Middle East has been one of the most volatile regions of the world in recent history, particularly if one spends much time with American news media. For those who have not visited the area, images of war, terrorism, religious turmoil, and other variants of oppression can become overwhelming, but... Read more

October 14, 2015 Video

The Best Overall Cypher Was Live & Shows Battle Rap Reigns Supreme (Video)

To many Hip-Hop Heads, names like T-Top, Rain, Charlie Clips, DNA, and K-Shine may not resonate. These are not artists with albums in stores or hit songs on social media. However, in the culture of Battle Rap, these are some of the most fiery MCs doing it. At last night's... Read more

October 14, 2015 Video

Talib Kweli & Styles P Prove Their Numbers Always Add Up On New Collab (Audio)

Talib Kweli recently announced the formation of a brand new collective, one that he is calling "Colours of the Culture." Made up of artists, filmmakers, MCs, producers, and various other creatives, the new outfit is shaping up to be the latest in Kweli's career-long attempt to bridge the worlds of... Read more

October 14, 2015 Audio

Monie Love, Mista Lawnge, Hall & Oates All On One Track? We Can Go For That (Audio)

Monie Love, one of Hip-Hop's most celebrated female voices and a longtime proponent for equality inside and outside of the booth, formed a group called Heresy recently, an all-woman affair that has been putting in some serious work with Mista Lawnge. The former Black Sheep member produced the group's "Da... Read more

October 14, 2015 Audio

Chance The Rapper Takes Kanye’s “Family Business” & Runs With It. Carefully. (Video)

Chance The Rapper has this ability to cleverly take things that inspire him and make them his own. That could be something like the theme song to "Arthur" or in the latest case, a College Dropout cult favorite album cut. C.T.R. has made a fan out of Kanye West, so... Read more

October 14, 2015 Video

Scarface Receives The I Am Hip-Hop Award Like An O.G. (Video)

In a career that's spanned 27 years, Scarface has seemingly done it all. The Houston, Texas MC/producer has hit records, platinum albums, legendary verses, and membership to a pioneering Gangsta Rap group. At this year's BET Hip Hop Awards, those achievements are recognized. In a year that's seen another potent... Read more

October 13, 2015 Video

So So Def…Redman Delivers One of The Best Cyphers in Years! (Video)

It has been almost five years since Redman released an album. However, that does not mean that the Funk Doc cannot steal the show on prime-time TV. Red' lit up the 2015 BET Hip Hop Awards cyphers with a Def Squad appearance (flanked by his mentor Erick Sermon and longtime... Read more

October 13, 2015 Video

Doug E. Fresh, Rahzel & Nicole Paris’ Beatbox Cypher Is Supernaturally Dope. (Video)

Based upon its recognition in the mainstream, beatboxing may seem passé. While Rap groups like the Fat Boys and Get Fresh Crew kept the booming sound effects closely in tow, the emergence of the Hip-Hop producer and improved technology have challenged the gifted breath control and malleable mouths of yesteryear.... Read more

October 13, 2015 Video

Black Thought Pumps Cypher Adrenaline In This Dazzling Display (Video)

Black Thought and The Roots rock the spot on television five nights a week. However, that doesn't mean that they can't shut things down in one fell swoop. Tariq and Ahmir hit the 2015 BET Hip Hop Awards with the kind of vocal precision that they made famous, when cyphers... Read more

October 13, 2015 Video

Elzhi Keeps It So Real His Songs Are Like Journal Entries. (Audio)

Elzhi has built a formidable career off of just one solo album—and that was more than seven years ago. The onetime Slum Village member does this through making every verse count, independent of where those bars live. "P.S." is the latest check-in. Themed around a Matrix red-pill vs. blue-pill scenario,... Read more

October 13, 2015 Audio

The UGK & B.B. King Mash-Up Has Arrived. Here Is ‘The Trill Is Gone’ (Album Stream)

Amerigo Gazaway has made a name for himself as an ingenious mad scientist of sorts, one who uses his musical beakers to create an amalgam of two entirely separate yet somehow synchronized artists. In his mashup arsenal thus far is 2011's Fela Soul (ingredients: Fela Kuti & De La Soul),... Read more

October 13, 2015 Audio, Mixes

Run The Jewels Are Ruling The Stage. This New Tour Footage Visual Shows It (Video)

Often times, tour footage-driven videos can be mundane. Killer Mike and El-P's Run The Jewels outfit, however, has been rocking venues with palpable energy. So as the video to "Get It" shows the R.T.J. award tour, Heads who have not seen Mike, El, Trackstar the DJ, and others on the... Read more

October 13, 2015 Video

DJ Premier Remixes A Termanology Standout, Featuring Sean Price, Lil Fame & More (Audio)

Termanology has released a new EP, Term Brady. The Lawrence, Massachusetts native has released a combined 11 LPs and EPs in the last nine years, including collaborative work with 1982 partner Statik Selektah, as well as a celebrated project with M.O.P.'s Lil Fame. There have been 12 more mixtapes in... Read more

October 13, 2015 Audio

Yasiin Bey & Robert Glasper Perform De La Soul’s Stakes Is High (Video)

Concert-going Heads know, rarely are two Yasiin Bey shows the same. The MC formerly known as mighty Mos Def can do Hip-Hop sets, singing sets, and often weave in Dancehall to his live show—and that's when he's not playing support to Gorillaz, doing Black Star dates, or trying his hand... Read more

October 13, 2015 Video

A Tribe Called Quest Release a Groovy Remix to Bonita Applebum Produced By Pharrell (Audio)

Although "I Left My Wallet In El Segundo" was the first single from A Tribe Called Quest's seminal album, People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm, for many, it was "Bonita Applebum," the second release from the LP, that announced Tribe's arrival. The lush RAMP (Roy Ayers Music Project)... Read more

October 13, 2015 Audio

Has Obama Done Enough For Race Relations? Jeezy’s Response May Surprise (Video)

Last night's episode of "The Nightly Show" was the first to air since the weekend's historic Million Man March, a landmark event in which hundreds of thousands took to the streets of Washington, D.C. to partake in the "Justice or Else" March. In honor of the 50th anniversary of the... Read more

October 13, 2015 TV/Film, Video

In His Latest, Tyler, the Creator Still Has Zero Effs Left to Give (Audio)

Since exploding onto the music scene with 2008's The Odd Future Tape, Tyler, the Creator has left a wake of controversy in his path. The Los Angeles MC and producer has never shied away from the provocative, and his early mainstream career earned the disdain of plenty of critics who... Read more

October 13, 2015 Audio

Tracy Morgan Returns To Stand-Up Comedy For First Time Since Accident

This coming Saturday (October 17), Tracy Morgan will make his return to host "SNL." Not only is the former cast member returning to his NBC alma mater, he is making a public, televised performance following a June, 2014 accident that nearly cost him his life. One of Tracy's friends and... Read more

October 13, 2015 Lifestyle, News

The Game Tells The Story of The Doctor’s Advocate & Why It’s His Best Album (Video)

This month, Compton, California MC Game is in the midst of releasing two discs to The Documentary 2. Featuring involvement from Dr. Dre, Kanye West, Ice Cube, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, and Q-Tip (among others), the LP is an independent homage to Jayceon Taylor's 2005 breakthrough. Speaking with HipHopDX last... Read more

October 12, 2015 Video

Even Amidst Unthinkable Turmoil, Hip-Hop Offers a Refuge in the Congo (Video)

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the reverberations of war remain omnipresent despite the fact that 2003 marked the official end of the Second Congo War, considered by most historians to be the deadliest war in modern African history. The war itself and its aftermath have claimed more than 5-million... Read more

October 12, 2015 Lifestyle

Jadakiss & Swizz Beatz Speak Directly To The Badges Of Brutality (Video)

Just days after "Jason" released to audio, Jadakiss and Swizz Beatz drop the visual. The track captures the suspense associated with the Friday The 13th slasher franchise, where Jason Vorhees attacked Camp Crystal Lake, again and again. In Jada' and Swizz's version, it's not at the movies. Instead, the two... Read more

October 12, 2015 Video

40 DJs Come Together To Scratch, Including Jazzy Jeff, QBert, Craze & Z-Trip (Video)

These days, Hip-Hop loves a good cypher. MCs coming together to collaborate in the moment - a balance of competition and cohesion. But what about the DJs? The Red Bull Music Academy recently assembled 40 of the world's best DJs, and asked them to plug in, together at the academy's... Read more

October 12, 2015 Video

Black Sheep Dres & Jaleel Shaw Take Rap-Jazz Fusion To A New Frontier (Audio Premiere)

With his group Black Sheep, Dres helped lead a charge in the early 1990s that brought about awareness in Jazz, Funk, Dance, and a gestalt of Hip-Hop's influence. Nearly 25 years after A Wolf In Sheep's Clothing, and D-R-E-S is still at it. Recently, the New York MC veteran came... Read more

October 12, 2015 Audio

Jeezy & Janelle Monae Find Reason To Celebrate Life’s Triumphs (Audio)

There is a reason Jeezy named an album The Inspiration. The Atlanta, Georgia rapper has made massive music about beating the odds, and upward mobility. While his imagery and narrative is often very specific to his own circumstances, the CTE/Def Jam Records mainstay has won over listeners with vastly different... Read more

October 12, 2015 Audio

Hip-Hop Is Alive & Well In Haiti. Now Outsiders Can See It In Living Color (Video)

The global influence of Hip-Hop culture has reached every corner of the globe, one could argue easily. From international breakdancing competitions to the international fashion market, hints of its four elements have touched the cultures of other nations, even on the other side of the planet from the United States,... Read more

October 12, 2015 Lifestyle

Game Over! Jay Rock, ScHoolboy Q & Game Bang On Wax Like Their Lives Depend On It (Audio)

For the last few years, many have said there has been a resurgence in West Coast Hip-Hop. They have attributed the renaissance to artists like Y.G., Problem, Nipsey Hussle and the 4-man Black Hippy tandem of Kendrick Lamar, ScHoolboy Q, Ab-Soul and Jay Rock. While those artists have certainly been... Read more

October 11, 2015 Audio

Keith Murray Apologizes For His Poor Battle Against Fredro Starr & Says He Was on Meds (Video)

Earlier this week, Keith Murray and Fredro Starr battled at Brooklyn, New York’s Milk River. The battle was over a year in the making, having already been postponed once. When the event finally did take place, fans were incensed by what they viewed as a completely one-sided performance, in favor... Read more

October 11, 2015 Video