News Archives

Ras Kass & Jack Splash Go All In For Semi Hendrix, With Kurupt In The Wings (Audio)

Ras Kass' career has enjoyed a transformation in the last year. Fresh off of Blasphemy one year ago (alongside Apollo Brown), the Southern California MC teams with decorated songwriter/producer Jack Splash for a group called Semi Hendrix. What mere searchers may not realize however, is how lethal Jack is on... Read more

October 11, 2015 Audio

On The 20th Anniversary Of The Million Man March, Hip-Hop Shows Up

Today (October 10), a protest march was held in the nation's capital. Washington, D.C. played host to the Justice Or Else March, a gathering intended to raise awareness and protest against police violence against Black Americans, among other races profiled and brutalized by law enforcement. Symbolically, today's march was held... Read more

October 10, 2015 Lifestyle, News

Checkmate. GZA’s Liquid Swords Is Platinum Just Before Its 20th Birthday.

GZA (f/k/a The Genius) has become only the third Wu-Tang Clan member to achieve a platinum solo album. The Brooklyn, New York MC and one of the group's onetime leaders joins Method Man (Tical, Tical 2000) and Ghostface Killah (Ironman) with last month's platinum certification of Liquid Swords, as confirmed... Read more

October 10, 2015 News, Throwback

N.W.A.’s Other Member Isn’t Bitter. But He Explains His Absence From Biopic (Video)

Hip-Hop Heads seem to know about Jarobi's early role in A Tribe Called Quest. Listeners may remember Kool Fashion (n/k/a Al Tariq) from The Beatnuts. Many know of the cloudy status surrounding Cappadonna and Wu-Tang Clan. So what's the deal with The Arabian Prince? The Los Angeles, California DJ/producer was... Read more

October 10, 2015 Video

DJ Premier Made Others’ Albums Great. Now Nas, Snoop & Dre Are There For Preemo. (Video)

In January of this year, it was revealed that Gang Starr's DJ Premier would step to the front with his solo debut, Last Session @ 320. The forthcoming LP's title serves as an homage to the West 37th Street address of Midtown Manhattan's HeadQCourterz Studios—Premier's resident studio since the early... Read more

October 10, 2015 News, Video

Celebrate Run The Jewels’ Tour With Music By Big Boi, Fashawn & TV On The Radio (Mixtape)

Run The Jewels are currently ruling the road. The duo of Killer Mike and El-P are taking the stage throughout October with their DJ, Trackstar The DJ, alongside proteges Boots and Cuz Lightyear, as well as Mass Appeal Records label-mates Fashawn. Appearing in Miami, Florida tonight (October 10), R.T.J. and... Read more

October 10, 2015 Mixes

Black Thought, Redman, Doug E. Fresh & More Lead the 2015 Hip Hop Awards Cyphers

Last night (October 9), the 2015 BET Hip Hop Awards were taped at Atlanta, Georgia's Boisfeuillet Jones Atlanta Civic Center. Hosted by "Uncle" Snoop Dogg, the annual affair honored Scarface with the "I Am Hip Hop Award," and handed out trophies to Rap and R&B's brightest and best. For TV... Read more

October 10, 2015 Fresh

DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince May Be Making Some Brand New Funk Together, Again

Earlier this month, Will Smith said he is almost certain that he and DJ Jazzy Jeff (as "DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince") are soon embarking on the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania's first ever official tour, despite a nearly 30-year history. Well, according to Jeff, there is even more coming. Just... Read more

October 10, 2015 News

Nitty Scott, MC Puts Spirituality & Lyrics First On Her Birthday (Video)

Today on her 25th birthday (October 10), Nitty Scott, MC has released her very first self-directed music video. The video is for the first song after the intro on last year's The Art Of Chill album, "Generation Now." It's been over a year since fans have gotten any visuals for... Read more

October 10, 2015 Video

Redman, Keith Murray & Erick Sermon Have a Hip Hop Awards Cypher

The BET Hip Hop Awards are taking place tonight (10/9) in Atlanta, and will air on Tuesday, October 13 at 8pm. This year's event is once again being hosted by Uncle Snoop Dogg, and Scarface will be presented the "I Am Hip Hop" Award, honoring his 25-year legacy. As always,... Read more

October 9, 2015 Video

Talib Kweli & Rapsody Raise Fists Not Arms on “Every Ghetto” (Audio)

Earlier this week, Talib Kweli premiered a new song on The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon, that featured Rapsody and a production by Hi-Tek. "Every Ghetto" is loud and proud and carries a message of strength, frustration and revolution. Now, they have released the studio-recorded version and its themes are... Read more

October 9, 2015 Audio

Three 6 Mafia’s Koopsta Knicca Passes Away At 40 Years Old

Academy Award winning group Three 6 Mafia has lost another member. Koopsta Nicca (a/k/a Robert Phillips) has died. The Memphis, Tennessee native passed away this morning (October 9) from complications due to a stroke suffered earlier this month. Memphis newspaper The Commercial Appeal reports that the 40 year-old MC was at work... Read more

October 9, 2015 News

Jadakiss & Swizz Beatz’s Chemistry Is Scary Like Jason (Audio)

For more than 15 years, Jadakiss and Swizz Beatz have had an undeniable sonic chemistry. The 2 first linked on N.O.R.E.'s 1998 headbanger, "Banned From TV," and their alliance has been solidified over the years with staples like The LOX's riotous anthem, "Wild Out." Despite the alchemy they've generated, they... Read more

October 9, 2015 Audio

The Roots Perform “Act Too” With Common and Talib Kweli Adds a Freestyle (Video)

Last night, Central Park in New York City hosted the season-ending concert for the Big Apple's SummerStage program, an outdoor performing-arts festival that brings hundreds of free shows to residents each year. Now in its thirtieth season, SummerStage provided Heads with some major Hip-Hop heat including performances from Afrika Bambaataa,... Read more

October 9, 2015 Video

The Government Is Using Hip-Hop To Fight Smoking By Youths (Video)

Earlier this year, the worlds of Hip-Hop and marketing collided when Sprite unveiled a new line of soda cans featuring lyrics from Biggie, Drake, Nas, and Rakim - but that was not the first time Hip-Hop had been used so obviously in a marketing campaign. Artists like Ice Cube, Jay... Read more

October 9, 2015 Lifestyle

Kendrick Lamar Is Performing Several Dates With Jay Rock and a Full Band (Video)

Over the last few years, Kendrick Lamar has been on the road performing as much as any artist in Hip-Hop. In 2013, alone, the Compton MC did well over 100 tour dates. Generally, K. Dot has toured with a DJ and occasionally a small accompaniment, saving his performances with a... Read more

October 9, 2015 News

Eminem Says Tupac “Was a Superstar in Every Aspect of the Word,” In a Moving Tribute

Since he was teenager, Eminem has felt a special bond with Tupac. The young Marshall Mathers grew up idolizing the immortalized MC and, years later as a well-established artist and producer, Em would have the opportunity to produce an album full of Tupac material. Thus, it was fitting that Paper... Read more

October 8, 2015 News

The Game’s New Album May Be The Most Star-Studded Ever. Here’s The Tracklist for The Documentary 2.5

After months of anticipation, The Game is releasing The Documentary 2, the sequel to his heralded debut album, tonight at midnight (EST). As reported earlier, however, this will just be the first in a 1-2 punch combination. The Game also will release The Documentary 2.5 exactly a week later. With... Read more

October 8, 2015 News

A Prison Debate Team’s Victory Shows With Better Opportunities They Could Have Gone to Harvard (Video)

There is an undeniable problem in the United States criminal-justice system that even President Obama could no longer ignore. Recently, he became the first sitting President to visit federal inmates, and the historic event was captured by Vice in a special report called "Fixing the System." The statistics are staggering... Read more

October 8, 2015 Lifestyle

Long Before KRS-One Stepped to PM Dawn, Melle Mel Bumrushed Him On Stage (Video)

Last night, TV and radio personality Sway was a guest for the second time on FOX's series Empire, and he made an inside reference for Hip-Hop Heads, regarding KRS-One and PM Dawn. Fans of KRS undoubtedly recognized Sway's passing comment as a nod to an infamous incident in 1993 when... Read more

October 8, 2015 Video

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Nominates N.W.A. Again. Will They Get It Right Now?

The nominations for inductees into the 2016 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame have been announced, and among the names offered up as possible choices is N.W.A. The group who is globally famous for bringing "Reality Rap" to mainstream consciousness may not seem like an obvious choice, but as many... Read more

October 8, 2015 News

10 Things You May Not Know About Redman. This Quiz Will Stump Even His Biggest Fan.

As Redman's infamous episode of Cribs revealed, he is a man that has nothing to hide. Reggie Noble is who he is, take it or leave it. However, that does not mean there isn't plenty to learn about one of the most consistent MCs in Hip-Hop for the last 25... Read more

October 7, 2015 Fresh

Big K.R.I.T. & Raury Deliver Some Forbidden Knowledge & Issue a Wake Up Call (Audio)

Over the last few months, Raury has quietly been breaking down barriers in Hip-Hop. He has re-defined the notion of what Southern Rap is "supposed" to sound like and he's embedded his music with deeper thoughts than those typically purveyed on mainstream radio. Whether political or personal, his moves have... Read more

October 7, 2015 Audio

The Music of Bun B, Pimp C and B.B. King Comes Together in a Mashup From Kingz (Audio)

Last month, Amerigo Gazaway, the producer behind the amazing Yasiin Gaye project which blended the sounds of Yasiin Bey (fka Mos Def) and Marvin Gaye, announced that his newest mashup LP would feature the songs of UGK and B.B. King. Like Yasiin Gaye, B.B. & The Underground Kingz: The Trill... Read more

October 7, 2015 Audio

The DJ Premier & DOOM Collaboration Is Almost Here & Black Thought Is Joining the PRhyme Party

DJ Premier, Royce Da 5'9" and Adrian Younge's PRhyme collaboration is the gift that keeps on giving. The album, which featured vocals by Royce and production by Preemo, using samples of Younge's music, was released to critical acclaim near the end of 2014. It featured guest verses from Common, Jay... Read more

October 7, 2015 News

New Orleans’ Pell Witnesses One Family’s Darkest Secrets in ‘Café du Monde’ (Video)

Pell's name has steadily been on the rise of late after his album Floating While Dreaming amassed more than 3 million streams on Spotify last year. Since then, he has performed at SXSW, giving the rapper and singer some very justifiable buzz. Now, the New Orleans native is gearing up... Read more

October 7, 2015 Video

A Documentary Uncovers the Man Behind the Inspiration of the Game’s ‘El Chapo’ (Video)

With just two days until the Game's The Documentary 2 arrives in the form of Disc One, the excitement is at a fever pitch. A slew of leaked songs, promotional singles, and news of the double album's track list have made this one of the most highly anticipated projects of... Read more

October 7, 2015 TV/Film, Video

Photographer Jamel Shabazz’s Hip-Hop Influence is the Subject of New Documentary (Video)

Throughout the '80s, a Brooklyn man named Jamel Shabazz began messing around with a camera, documenting the style and fashion surrounding him on New York City streets. Fast forward three decades and his name is mentioned whenever the topic of Hip-Hop photographers comes up, and rightly so. He has been... Read more

October 7, 2015 Lifestyle

Shots Fired! Hopsin Attacks Every Stereotype He Sees As Polluting Hip-Hop These Days (Video)

If Hopsin has been consistent at anything, it has been staying true to the lyrical craftsmanship of MCing, filling his songs with sharp rhymes and witty wordplay. In recent years, mainstream Rap music has rewarded MCs who do the opposite of this; spit simple rhymes with cookie-cutter flows over hard... Read more

October 7, 2015 Video

Kendrick Lamar Says He Would Not Be Here Today If It Was Not For Eazy-E

Over the years, much has been made of Kendrick Lamar's affinity for Tupac Shakur. The Compton MC often has discussed the impact seeing Dr. Dre and Pac filming the video for "California Love" had on him as a young child, and he even constructed an intricate "conversation" between Tupac and... Read more

October 6, 2015 News

Clubhouse Is As Soulful As Mac Miller Has Ever Sounded. There’s Something in the Water (Video)

Throughout his 8-year career, Mac Miller has consistently shown himself to take risks. Whether it was radically re-inventing his sound and image or taking on billionaires and presidential hopefuls, Miller has been unafraid. His sonic spectrum has moved from pop, to psychedelic and now the needle has settled into a... Read more

October 6, 2015 Video

Joey Bada$$ & Dessy Hinds Drop an Ill Bomb on a 2K15 LL Cool J Throwback (Audio)

By September of 2000, LL Cool J was approaching the end of what would be a nearly 20-year run of Hip-Hop dominance. The 32-year old Cool J asserted his reign on the throne with the release of the album G.O.A.T. (Greatest Of All-Time). The album would become LL's first and... Read more

October 6, 2015 Audio

Even in Animated Form, Method Man Shines (Video)

Back in 2014, Boston MC M. Dot enlisted the help of Method Man on "Shine," a triumphant celebration of self-determination and unity that also features Dominique Larue, an exceptionally talented spitter from Columbus, Ohio and siren Katy Gunn. The foursome's end result is a well-rounded track that in no way... Read more

October 6, 2015 Video

Royce Da 5’9″ & Logic Rain 7 Minutes of Lyrical Armageddon Over DJ Premier’s Magic (Audio)

In July, PRhyme, the collective of DJ Premier, Royce Da 5'9" and Adrian Younge, released a new track titled "Mode" that was included on the soundtrack for the Forest Whitaker and Jake Gyllenhaal led boxing film, Southpaw. The song featured Logic and was a 2 minute and 49 second lyrical... Read more

October 6, 2015 Audio

20 Years Later, Dead Presidents’ Depiction About Life for War Veterans Still Resonates

20 years ago today (October 6, 1995) Dead Presidents was released in theaters and with it arrived one of the most powerful depictions of Black Veterans in the history of American cinema. Starring Terrence Howard, Larenz Tate, Chris Tucker, and Bookeem Woodbine among others, the film was directed by brothers... Read more

October 6, 2015 Food for Thought

Talib Kweli & Rapsody Debut a New Song Live…& The Revolution Is Televised (Video)

On last night's episode of "The Tonight Show," Talib Kweli and Rapsody visited Jimmy Fallon and performed a no frills rendition of "Every Ghetto," the latest single from Kweli's forthcoming Indie 500, a name first introduced to Heads last year when it was announced that Pharoahe Monch, 9th Wonder, and... Read more

October 6, 2015 Video

Will Smith Says He & DJ Jazzy Jeff Are Going On Their First Tour Ever (Video)

After recently releasing his first rap verse in ten years with a remix of Bomba Estereo's "Fiesta," Will Smith stopped by the Beats 1 studio for an interview with Zane Lowe. The new song of course draws speculation as to whether we can expect a new album from Will Smith... Read more

October 5, 2015 Video

Fredro Starr Dismantles Keith Murray In Their Battle & They Nearly Come To Blows (Video)

After more than a year of hype, promotion, and anticipation, Keith Murray and Fredro Starr finally battled. Yesterday, the October 4 battle at Brooklyn, New York's Milk River saw the two 1990s major label stars from their crews (Def Squad and ONYX, respectively) square off in a crowded boxing ring.... Read more

October 5, 2015 Video

Listen to the Best Hip-Hop of September 2015 in One Playlist (Audio)

As the Fall set in, the hot Hip-Hop continued to flow. September brought not one, but two songs from the elusive DOOM, one of LL Cool J's strongest verses in years, a power collabo between Nas and Scarface, an unreleased track from Jay Electronica, Redman's release from his forthcoming album... Read more

October 5, 2015 Mixes

All Aboard For Large Professor’s Latest Visual To A Locomotive Jam (Video)

Large Professor's latest album, Re: Living is a rich album. The 25-plus-year veteran makes good on his reputation for complex arrangements and thoughtful rhymes. "New Train, Ole Route" is one of those moments, which actually owns Extra P's formula. Still immortalized through work on multiple early 1990s albums, Large Pro'... Read more

October 5, 2015 Video

Rome Clientel & DJ Concept Bask In Life’s Pleasures With Chuuwee & Rick Gonzalez (Audio Premiere)

After making considerable noise in recent years, the Dirt Disciples (Rome Clientel and DJ Concept) are poised to release an EP this week. On October 9, the pair of New Yorkers (Elmira and Long Island, respectively) will drop The Ambition EP on Soulspazm Records (Torae, Pumpkinhead, Marco Polo). "Life Is... Read more

October 5, 2015 Audio

Snoop Dogg Drops ‘Em & They’re All Hot In This ’70s & ’80s DJ Set (Video)

The same August 20 night that DJ Quik tore down a Los Angeles, California roller-disco party, Snoop Dogg jumped behind the wheels too. "DJ Snoopadelic," with 7 Days comrade Dam-Funk in tow as well as Tha Dogg Pound's Daz Dillinger, spun nearly an hour of relaxed, groovy joints. Snoop used... Read more

October 5, 2015 Mixes, Video

Prince Paul & Wordsworth To Feature On “Mr. Peabody & Sherman” Series

This week (October 9), Dreamworks Animation Studio will launch its latest series, "Mr. Peabody & Sherman." Appearing exclusively on Netflix, the series is a reboot of the famed "The Rocky & Bullwinkle Show" time-traveling affiliates which aired from 1959 to 1964. Former "SNL" cast member Chris Parnell is the voice... Read more

October 5, 2015 News, TV/Film

Run the Jewels Honor Their Cultural Forefathers in New Single (Audio)

This year, much of Hip-Hop's history has been documented on screens, both large and small. While Straight Outta Compton undoubtedly leads the pack when discussing the biggest Hip-Hop blockbuster, one could argue that Rubble Kings serves as the year's stand-out Hip-Hop documentary. The film tells the story of the earliest... Read more

October 5, 2015 Audio

Puff Daddy Wants Bad Boy To Be Epic Again. So That’s Where He Signed.

In the more than 20-year history of Bad Boy Records, Puff Daddy has inked deals with a number of distributors. In the 1990s glory years, Clive Davis' Arista helped put multi-platinum, highly-acclaimed albums by The Notorious B.I.G., Ma$e, and Craig Mack in stores. For much of the 2000s, Diddy (as... Read more

October 5, 2015 News

Run-DMC, Beastie Boys, & Public Enemy Are Real-Life Comic Book Heroes (Video)

Ed Piskor is an award-winning comics creator whose latest project is a genealogical study of Hip-Hop, a six-part series titled The Hip-Hop Family Tree: A Look Into the Viral Propagation of a Culture. Written and illustrated like a classic comic strip, the ongoing endeavor began in 2011 as a weekly... Read more

October 5, 2015 Lifestyle

Michael Bivins Discusses New Edition’s 30-Year History and Their Upcoming Film (Video)

In 1982, New Edition won a talent show in their hometown of Boston, MA that would lead to a 30+ year career that spawned spinoffs and birthed a new generation of boy groups. In many ways Michael Bivins would prove to be the group's nucleus, as their business leader. He... Read more

October 4, 2015 Video

Today Is Harold Hunter Day. Remember The Skate Icon/”Kids” Star Through This Compilation (Video)

Harold Hunter epitomized 1990s New York City cool. A feature actor in Kids, Hunter is best remembered for his skate style, grit, and sense of humor. He would go on to be a primary figure helping launch the Zoo York brand. In 2006, at the age of 31, the East... Read more

October 4, 2015 Lifestyle

Anderson .Paak Details the Joy DJ Premier & Dr. Dre Had Working Together (Video)

When Dr. Dre released Compton, his first solo album since 1999, one of the songs that generated the most excitement was "Animals." The track featured Dre and Anderson .Paak on the vocals and they were backed by a production that was anchored by DJ Premier and fine tuned by Dre.... Read more

October 4, 2015 Video

If Kool G Rap & DJ Polo Released This ’87 Demo Cut, Things May Be Way Different (Audio)

In 1986, Kool G Rap & DJ Polo (then, as "DJ Polo & Kool G Rap") made noise with "It's A Demo." The Cold Chillin'/Prism Records release was part of the mid-'80s unilateral attack that was The Juice Crew. G Rap joined MC Shan, Roxanne Shante, Biz Markie, Big Daddy... Read more

October 4, 2015 Throwback