News Archives

Jay Rock Releases the Visual For His Wu-Tang-esque 90059 Album Title Track (Video)

TDE continues its run of cinematic videos. After releasing the short films for Kendrick Lamar's "Alright" and Jay Rock's "Money Trees Deuce," among others, they follow up with another clip for the label's OG, with the title track to Rock's forthcoming 90059 album. The track sounds much more like vintage... Read more

August 17, 2015 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

Oddisee Produced Finale’s Odds & Ends In Its Entirely (Album Stream)

After more than six years between albums, Detroit, Michigan MC Finale just released Odds & Ends. The MC who previously boasted production by Flying Lotus and J Dilla, extends his working relationship with Oddisee. Following 2009's A Pipe Dream and A Promise, the 3-1-3 MC and the DMV producer (who... Read more

August 17, 2015 Audio

‘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

Straight Outta Compton Got Ya Craving An Electro-Rap Vibe? One Of Dre’s Partners Delivers (Mix)

Whether you watch Breakin' or you listen to The Chronic, you've heard the work of Chris "The Glove" Taylor. As moviegoers catch Straight Outta Compton to catch glimpses of Dr. Dre and DJ Yella in Los Angeles, California's early 1980s Electro-Rap scene, The Glove was at the forefront. Ice-T's first... Read more

August 14, 2015 Mixes, Throwback

DJ Premier & DJ Eclipse Honor Sean Price With A 3 Hour Tribute (Mix)

It has been almost one week since Sean Price left a permanent hole in the Hip-Hop culture he loved. Those who knew Sean and his music can agree that nothing has been the same. However, the out-pour of love, remembrance, and attention to Boot Camp Clik enforcer's compound bars, dry... Read more

August 14, 2015 Mixes

Talib Kweli Says Eff The Money & Then Proves It. He Gives Away Free LP. (Album Stream)

August 15 UPDATE: Talib Kweli has also offered an official album stream of F**k The Money: Earlier today (August 14), Talib Kweli offered a powerful indictment on greed and materialism. The Reflection Eternal/Black Star co-founder release "(Eff) The Money," a Cassper Noyvet-assisted track that showed that signature fire inside the... Read more

August 14, 2015 Fresh

JAY-Z Had A Diss Reply Ready For Tupac In 1996. He Even Performed It.

When Nas and Jay Z were entrenched in one of Hip-Hop's most famous battles and beefs, it is Tupac Shakur's words that open up one of the crossfire's most scathing attacks, Nas' "Ether." It was an unusual move for one rival of Tupac to use the slain rapper in his... Read more

August 14, 2015 Throwback

One Week From His Album Release Method Man Leaks More Heat From The Meth Lab (Audio)

It is one week (August 21) until Method Man releases The Meth Lab on Tommy Boy Entertainment. The Wu-Tang co-founder teams with several of his Clansmen on the upcoming project, as well as Cory Gunz, Uncle Murda, and Mack Wilds. However, a key ingredient to The Meth Lab is the... Read more

August 14, 2015 Audio

Talib Kweli Tells Money-Lusting MCs What They Can Do With It…(Audio)

So much of Hip-Hop is centered around money. There are songs about how much money MCs are making through illicit means, whether it be through the sale of drugs, stick ups or pandering. Others flaunt how much money they have through boasts about their cars, homes, fine art and ability... Read more

August 14, 2015 Audio

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

Eligh Attacks 808 Drums With Dazzling Lyricism In A Creative Uprising (Video Premiere)

Today (August 14), Eligh released 80 HRTZ, his latest album in an extensive solo and collaborative catalog. The Los Angeles, California native MC/producer and founding member of the Living Legends, G&E (The Grouch & Eligh), and 3 Melancholy Gypsies. Since the mid-1990s tape culture, Eligh has risen the ranks to... Read more

August 14, 2015 Video

Yasiin Bey Uses Basquiat as His Ghostwriter For an Inspired Song About Injustice & Hope (Audio)

For years, Yasiin Bey (pka Mos Def) has shown he is an artist who walks his own path. Whether advocating for social justice or lyrically taking out sucker MCs, he has proven to be equally adept. After a private video where he challenged the entire industry to battle himself, King... Read more

August 14, 2015 Audio

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

Warren G Recalls Trying To Mediate Tupac & Biggie, An Untold Feud Behind Regulate (Audio)

In honor of his just-released Regulate…G Funk Era Pt. 2 EP, Warren G took the guest seat on the Combat Jack Show. The Long Beach, California MC/producer/DJ tells the show several times, that he is planning a book. This interview, (later featuring actor R. Marcus Taylor ("Suge Knight" in Straight... Read more

August 14, 2015 Audio

Kevin Hart & Ice Cube Are Going For Another Ride and It’s a Wild One (Video)

After the blockbuster success of their movie Ride Along, the sequel to Kevin Hart and Ice Cube's buddy/cop movie was fast-tracked. Ride Along 2 is set to hit theaters in January 2016 and it looks to be a wild ride. Unlike with the first installment which was set in LA,... Read more

August 13, 2015 Video

Disclosure Are Willing & Able to Keep the Soulful Music Coming (Video)

The brothers Howard and Guy Lawrence, who form the duo Disclosure, have shown a taste for soulful beats and voices, from Sam Smith to Mary J. Blige. Even when they've turned the reins over for remixes of their smash "Latch," by the likes of DJ Premier, they've maintained the same... Read more

August 13, 2015 Video

Imagine Losing the Right to Biggie’s Record Deal Over a Dice Game. Bonz Malone Speaks (Video)

Bonz Malone has one of the most distinguished pedigrees in Hip-Hop journalism. In addition to the screenwriting and acting accolades he's amassed for films like Slam and Brooklyn Babylon, he is an author and has written for Vibe, Spin and The Source. After his stint at The Source in the... Read more

August 13, 2015 Video

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

Prince Paul Slices Into A Stack Of Wax By Camp Lo, Inspectah Deck & Big L (Mix)

It's been since April that the devastating Prince Paul gave Heads another latest installment of It's Not The Size Of Your Mix, It's How You Use It. The free-form mix series by the Stetsasonic/Gravediggaz member returns, with #4. Clocking just under 40 minutes, this version finds the onetime Tommy Boy... Read more

August 13, 2015 Mixes

Kendrick Lamar Interviews N.W.A. & Asks All The Right Questions (Video)

It is fitting that N.W.A.'s first full-length interview in conjunction with Straight Outta Compton be conducted by none other than Kendrick Lamar. On behalf of Billboard, Lamar sits down for an intimate conversation with Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, MC Ren, and DJ Yella. Nearly 30 minutes, this interview transcends a... Read more

August 13, 2015 Video

Special Ed’s I Got It Made Remains Ahead Of Its Time In Flow & Style (Video)

One of the forefathers in Brooklyn, Hip-Hop is Special Ed. More than five years before he joined the inaugural lineup of the Crooklyn Dodgers, the Flatbush native Edward Archer made one of Hip-Hop's most enduring opening verses in "I Got It Made." Part of Ed's 1989 debut album, Youngest In... Read more

August 13, 2015 Do Remember, 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

Mick Jenkins’ Wave[s] Continues To Hydrate Minds After The Water[s] (EP Stream)

One year to the day after The Water[s], Chicago, Illinois MC Mick Jenkins returns to the shore with The Wave[s]. The Cinematic Entertainment artist follows his acclaimed breakthrough with 29 minutes, and nine tracks. Production duties include Sacramento, California veteran Lee Bannon (Joey Bada$$, Souls Of Mischief) and Montreal, Quebec's... 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

Mac Miller Unleashes a Previously Unreleased Track Featuring Sean Price (Audio)

Given Sean Price's tireless work ethic as an MC, there are bound to be a number of unreleased tracks featuring his grizzly vocals that surface over the next several months, if not years. One of the first such gems comes courtesy of Mac Miller, with whom Price previously collaborated on... Read more

August 12, 2015 Audio

Monie Love Blasts Degradation & Perpetuation of Stereotypes in Hip-Hop Media (Video)

From the moment she burst onto the scene in 1989 for her standout performance on Queen Latifah's "Ladies First," Monie Love has been an advocate. On that song, she and Latifah were loud and proud about how essential women and their contributions are, not only in Hip-Hop, but to the... Read more

August 12, 2015 Video

2 Chainz Showcases His Often Underrated Lyrical Abilities on Goat (Audio)

2 Chainz is preparing the release of TrapAVelli Tre, the next installment in his TrapAVelli mixtape trilogy. The project will feature a variety of guest artists, including Wiz Khalifa and Kevin Gates, as well as production from Mike Dean and more. His latest leak is "Goat," featuring The-Dream, and production... Read more

August 12, 2015 Audio

Dr. Dre Confronts Abusive Past. Explains Why Compton Ended The Detox.

The same day Straight Outta Compton hits theaters (August 14), Rolling Stone magazine will release their interview with N.W.A. co-founders Dr. Dre and Ice Cube. For now, the heralded music pub only released tidbits from their rare audience with D-R-E, alongside his "Natural Born Killaz" rhyme-partner Cube. For Dre, this... Read more

August 12, 2015 News

Quentin Tarantino & Sam Jackson Are Re-Teaming For The Hateful Eight (Video)

Today (August 12), filmmaker Quentin Tarantino has released the trailer for his eighth studio film, The Hateful Eight. Set in the 1800s, the Western stars leading men Samuel L. Jackson (who has worked with the writer/director for more than 20 years), along with Kurt Russell (Escape From New York, Tombstone).... Read more

August 12, 2015 TV/Film, Video

Chance The Rapper & Noname Gypsy Exercise Their Poetic Licenses With Wild Wordplay (Audio)

Chance The Rapper and Noname Gypsy made "Lost" on 2013's Acid Rap. The two versatile Chicago, Illinois voices are back for another intersection. "Israel (Sparring)" elevates the craft of collaboration with this amazing display of stylized wordplay. C.T.R. conjures images of Africa, The Bible, along with his own surroundings. In... Read more

August 12, 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

Styles P Gets the Party Started For His New Album and Invites Jadakiss to the Celebration (Audio)

For several years, Styles P has been one of the most consistent artists in Hip-Hop. Whether with his LOX brethren Jadakiss and Sheek Louch, or solo, Ghost releases quality product, year round. After treating fans to a slew of Friday freestyles that spanned the entirety of Spring, Styles turns his... Read more

August 12, 2015 Audio

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

The Documentary About The Real “KIDS” Who Inspired The Movie Has a Trailer (Video)

The movie KIDS has resonated in the collective consciousness for more than twenty years, not just because of the controversial issues it addressed--HIV, teen sex, teen drug use--but also because of the authenticity in which those topics were covered. Many of its stars were first time actors and they fully... Read more

August 11, 2015 TV/Film, Video

Ice Cube & MC Ren Explain Why Rap Groups Are Hard To Sustain

This week, Straight Outta Compton opens to theaters. Presumably, millions of movie-goers will see Hollywood's take on the formation, rise, and eventual break-up of one of Hip-Hop's most influential and iconic groups: N.W.A. While the surviving members of N.W.A. (Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, DJ Yella, and MC Ren) all participated... Read more

August 11, 2015 Fresh

Ma$e Rallies For Hardcore NYC Hip-Hop On Tupac & Dr. Dre’s Track (Audio)

With reports lingering that the 1990s Puff Daddy & The Family/Bad Boy Records team may be reuniting for a tour following the BET Awards performance, Ma$e cracks the mic once more. The former multi-platinum, #1 album-maker aims to return to his roots with "When NY Was NY." A freestyle over... Read more

August 11, 2015 Audio

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

Lil Dicky Has the #1 Rap Album In The Country. He Reveals the Story of Its Creation (Video Interview)

In just a little more than two years, Lil Dicky has gone from being an unknown artist to having the number one album in the country on the Rap Album Chart. His success has been instant, starting with the first music video he ever released ("Ex-Boyfriend") generating more than a... Read more

August 11, 2015 Video

Remember The 50th Anniversary Of The Watts Riots By Revisiting Wattstax (Video)

Fifty years ago today (August 11, 1965) the Watts Riots began. In South Central Los Angeles, California, the Watts Rebellion (as it also known) would last one week. The historic event followed a Black motorist, Marquette Frye's traffic arrest by a white Los Angeles Police Department officer Lee Minikus. Frye was... Read more

August 11, 2015 Throwback, TV/Film, Video

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

If Raekwon Was a Super Hero, He Would Help People Help Themselves (Video)

"Give a person a fish and you feed him or her for a day. Teach a person to fish and you feed him or her for a lifetime." To many, Raekwon is already a super hero, at least as an MC. But, what would the Wu-Tang Clan veteran do if... Read more

August 11, 2015 Video

A Previously Unreleased Fat Joe Track Surfaces, With T.I. On The Hook (Audio)

Fat Joe is a master of reinvention. Whether it's his "Da Fat Gangsta" era of the early 1990s, or his crossover hits like "New York" (alongside Ja Rule and Jadakiss) or "Lean Back" (with Terror Squad), Joe Crack can find his many styles, seemingly on-call. The Bronx, New York veteran... Read more

August 11, 2015 Audio

New Edition’s Story Is The Subject Of New TV Miniseries

The same week that N.W.A.'s biopic, Straight Outta Compton hits theaters (August 14), another game-changing 1980s act is confirmed to be the inspiration of another dramatic retelling. New Edition, the Boston, Massachusetts-based group of Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, Bobby Brown, Ronnie DeVoe, Ralph Tresvant, and later Johnny Gill will be... Read more

August 10, 2015 News

Drake’s If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late Is First 2015 Hip-Hop Project To Reach Platinum

Just weeks following his social media ambush from collaborator-turned-foe Meek Mill, Drake adds another accolade to his resume. Drake's February, 2015 release, If You're Reading This It's Too Late has been certified platinum, according to respected source, Chart News. Drake also confirmed the news: Platinum off the tape. Views up... Read more

August 10, 2015 News

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

Fabolous’ New Visual Recreates “Juice” and Guess Who’s Bishop? (Video)

After a series of weekly freestyles, and a comprehensive throwback mixtape alongside DJ Clue, Fabolous is back to work. The Def Jam/Desert Storm MC returns to promoting his The Young O.G. Project. For "Gone For The Winter," Fab' continues a popular trend of honoring 1990s films through contemporary music culture.... Read more

August 10, 2015 The Bridge, Video