News Archives

Meek Mill and Drake Re-Team on a Track So Hard, It’s Criminal (Audio)

After a nearly three year break since the release of his debut album, Dreams and Nightmares, Meek Mill's follow up, Dreams Worth More Than Money, is in stores now. One of the standout songs on the album is the hard-hitting "R.I.C.O.," featuring Meek's frequent collaborator, Drake. The sparse track finds... Read more

June 29, 2015 Audio

Jay Rock Targets July For His Sophomore LP, ScHoolboy Q Hints At 2015 Album

In the conversations about TDE, Black Hippy, and the finer Hip-Hop of the last five years, sometimes Jay Rock can get lost in the discussion. The Watts, California MC (who signed to Warner Bros. Records in the late 2000s) was in fact the first Top Dawg Entertainment artist to have... Read more

June 29, 2015 News

Madlib Salutes African Grooves with New Project (Album Stream)

The Beat Konducta is back with another installment of his signature Mind Fusion mixtape series, this one penetrating deeply into the sounds of African beats and rhythms. African Earwax showcases the vast and seemingly endless lode of innovative music coming from all corners of the Great Continent, and at over... Read more

June 29, 2015 Audio

Kendrick Lamar & Nicki Minaj Continue to Dominate the BET Awards

Last night's (June 28) BET Awards were equal parts nostalgic and forward-leaning. A Bad Boy Records reunion featuring Lil' Kim, Diddy, Ma$e, and The LOX as well as appearances from Janet Jackson and Smokey Robinson sparked reflection around the web, with viewers expressing delight at seeing some of their favorite... Read more

June 29, 2015 News

August Alsina Looks At What Hip-Hop Is Really About At Its Core (Video)

Even though August Alsina is not a traditional MC, Hip-Hop is a big part of his music. The Def Jam Records-backed singer follows up 2014's Testimony with "Hip-Hop," a single focused on the way things were when they were at their best. Nostalgic, intimate, and easy to relate to, the... Read more

June 29, 2015 Video

Big Sean, Chris Brown & Ty Dolla $ign Recreate The Opening Credits To “Martin” (Video)

Big Sean's "Play No Games" is a 1990s experience by design. The Dark Sky Paradise single heavily-samples Guy's "Piece Of My Love." So for the video to the Chris Brown and Ty Dolla $ign-assisted jam, Sean Don stays in that realm. The video calls back to "Martin." Martin Lawrence's FOX... Read more

June 29, 2015 The Bridge, Video

Kendrick Lamar Strikes Heartfelt Chords Performing A Symbolic “Alright” (Video)

Hope can be hard to find in 2015. There are mass-shootings, continuous fatalities attached to incidents of police brutality, and a quest for justice that can seem elusive. Kendrick Lamar used the BET Awards stage wisely this weekend. The Top Dawg Entertainment star did not make his 2015 standout televised... Read more

June 29, 2015 Video

The Legends Of Bad Boy Records Come Out To Play At BET Awards (Video)

A big part of what's made Bad Boy Records such a great label over the last 20-plus years is the label's ability to deliver cathartic performances. Whether it was peer-criticism, tragedy, or legal woes, Puff Daddy and the Bad Boy family used the stage to remind the world that they... Read more

June 29, 2015 Video

Make Sure You’ve Heard GZA & CZARFACE’s Syllable Smashing Collab (Audio)

Earlier this month, CZARFACE released their sophomore album, Every Hero Needs A Villain. The sophomore outing from Inspectah Deck, Esoteric, and 7L features a smorgasbord of sharp lyrics, dense with wordplay, and chopped down samples. While the guests are exciting (Juju, Large Professor, R.A. The Rugged Man), GZA is at... Read more

June 28, 2015 Audio

Young Buck & Jadakiss Don’t Trust Many, So They Do It By Themselves (Audio)

Young Buck and Jadakiss are no strangers to deeply personal verses on wax. Both men have had public confrontations with figures once closely associated with them. Teaming with the DJ/producer he made the acclaimed Chronic 2006 mixtape with, Buck and DJ Whoo Kid release "Myself." With 'Kiss on the cut,... Read more

June 28, 2015 Audio

Jean Grae’s iSweatergawd Is Boldly Refreshing & Produced by Quelle Chris (EP Stream)

Jean Grae makes self-releases fun. The New York City veteran MC surprises the masses on a Sunday (June 28) with the sneak attack release of iSweatergawd. Thanks to the Natural Resource alum's Bandcamp page, the six-track EP is available for stream and $7 purchase. The Everybody’s Pregnant band mates Donwill... Read more

June 28, 2015 Audio

Nas, Wu-Tang, & Beastie Boys All Sampled It, So Why Has This LP Been Forgotten? (Album Stream)

The cultural bridge between African-American art forms in the '60s and '70s and what would eventually become Hip-Hop as we know it has been the subject of countless documentaries, books, academic papers, and of course, songs. However, despite all of the devotion to preserving the history behind the culture, there... Read more

June 28, 2015 Throwback

The Mystique & Mystery Behind Your Old Droog Is Unveiled In A Mini-Doc (Video)

Your Old Droog took Hip-Hop lovers by storm in 2014. Faceless throughout several Internet-buzzing releases, some Heads even went as far as thinking that the clearly New York City narrative was a new pseudonym for Nas. That even had Nasir Jones speaking up. Not the case. And to quote Ghostface... Read more

June 28, 2015 Video

Kenny Dope Rocks All Vinyl, From Fred Wesley & The J.B.’s, To J Dilla To Bob James (Mix)

Kenny "Dope" Gonzalez's name does not come up as often as it should. The Brooklyn, New York producer/DJ is one half of Masters At Work. Also known as Nuyorican Soul, the team of Kenny and "Little" Louie Vega remixed Michael Jackson, Madonna, Tito Puente, and Earth, Wind & Fire. Additionally,... Read more

June 28, 2015 Video

Rah Digga & Lil Fame Bully Weak MCs On A Meticulous Track (Audio)

Rah Digga and Lil Fame both stand for hardcore Hip-Hop, no matter what the trends out. The Mash Out Posse and Flipmode Squad go back, so why wouldn't Fizzy Womack and Harriet Thugman come together seamlessly on an equally charged track from Fat Beats alum Maticulous (who makes some meticulous... Read more

June 27, 2015 Audio

Fresh Dressed Continues To Make Rounds, A Film As Colorful As Its Fashion Focus

From Run-DMC rapping about their Adidas to A$AP Rocky's self-proclaimed status as a Fashion Killa, the merging of clothing and Hip-Hop has been a mainstay throughout the culture's history. From track suits, gold rope chains, over-sized shirts, Kangol hats, and entire lines like Sean John and Rocawear, Hip-Hop artists have... Read more

June 27, 2015 TV/Film

Audio Push Redefine What’s Regular In Normally (Video)

Hailing from the Inland Empire, a sprawling suburban section of Southern California that is far enough from Los Angeles to have its own cultural identity but close enough to still feel the influence of Hollywood's superstardom, Audio Push is a duo comprised of MCs Oktane (Julian Brown) and Price (Larry... Read more

June 27, 2015 Video

Now That Gay Marriage Is Legal in Every State, Will Hip-Hop End Its Homophobia?

In a ringing endorsement for civil equality, the Supreme Court yesterday (June 26) ruled that gay marriage is a national right and that individual states no longer have the ability to ban gay men and lesbian women from matrimony. With that decision came sweeping support from many, but there are... Read more

June 27, 2015 Lifestyle

Oddisee Delivers One of Hip-Hop’s Standout Performances in 2015. This Is Special (Video)

Oddisee's The Good Fight is touted as one of 2015's most cohesive, relateable albums. Beyond simply Hip-Hop, the Diamond District member's latest solo outing dabbles in Jazz, R&B, and Spoken Word. Moreover, from the independent label of Mello Music Group, the mainstream is taking notice. The perfect example of that... Read more

June 27, 2015 Video

Rick Ross Is A Mastermind At Giving Fans What They Want, In A Remix (Video)

It's been a hard week for Rick Ross. Following his arrest, the Miami, Florida superstar MC reportedly lost an estimated $100,000 in earnings. However, R.R. returns to his modus operandi—giving fans exactly what they want. "Neighborhood Drug Dealer" is one of Mastermind's best kept secrets. Even though Ricky Rozay has... Read more

June 26, 2015 Video

There Ain’t No Half Steppin’ On Chris Rivers’ Newest Throwback Freestyle (Audio)

Chris Rivers, son of the late Big Pun, has been going on lyrical tirades lately. From killer freestyles, to adding some of his own Horror-core influences, Rivers is proving to be a standout. He is properly following in Big Pun's footsteps by recording crazy bars of his own on his father's... Read more

June 26, 2015 Audio

Capone-N-Noreaga Remind Listeners Why They Became Fans In The First Place (Audio)

Capone-N-Noreaga's Lessons is less than one month away (July 24). The reunion with the Queens, New York duo and their original Penalty label sees Capone and N.O.R.E. invigorating their brand of lyricism. "In The First" has that rowdy delivery on the mic, and sample-savvy arrangement on the boards. Moreover, this... Read more

June 26, 2015 Audio

Yasiin Bey Continues To Merge With Talents Worth Hearing (Audio)

From Da Bush Babees to De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest to The Roots, Mos Def benefited hugely from veterans looking out, early in his career. Now in a position of major influence, Yasiin Bey (f/k/a Mos Def) is returning the favor. The same month he looked out for... Read more

June 26, 2015 Audio

DJ Quik Truly Is Unsung. Watch An Incredibly In-Depth Look At His Career (Video)

From his reportedly uncredited assistance with Dr. Dre in the 2000s to his days on Death Row Records working under his government pseudonym (David Blake), DJ Quik epitomizes "unsung." For the television series "Unsung," the Compton, California star MC/producer/DJ is chronicled. Quik's days of underground tapes, assisting other would-be sensations... Read more

June 26, 2015 TV/Film, Video

Skyzoo Discusses His New Album and the Changing Landscape of Brooklyn (Interview)

2015 is a monumental year for Skyzoo. While the journey extends back longer, it has been a decade since much of the Rap consciousness first heard the smooth cadence from the Brooklyn, New York MC. In that span, Sky' has released and appeared on handfuls of acclaimed and charting albums.... Read more

June 26, 2015 Exclusive, Food for Thought

Vic Mensa Is Breaking New Ground. But He Can Still Crush Old Ice Cube Beats (Video)

Vic Mensa fronted a Rock & Roll band. Vic Mensa made hits with House music. But can Vic Mensa obliterate some '90s and 2000s G-Funk? Most definitely. The Save Money MC hits "The Cruz Show" to munch on some "Breakfast Bars," better described as classic Ice Cube instrumentals. The Chicago,... Read more

June 25, 2015 Video

DJ Quik & Hi-C Remix Rihanna With A Flair For The Early 1990s (Audio)

Rapper/producer DJ Quik released his own remix of Rihanna's latest single with longtime friend and collaborator Hi-C. The two West Coast natives are remembered for being part of the movement of the same name for Rihanna's most recent record. Quik and C are now back together to do a little... Read more

June 25, 2015 The Bridge

Mass Appeal: This Gang Starr Mini-Documentary Is A Must Watch (Video)

Here's an amazing documentary detailing the history of Gang Starr. Though the film is ostensibly about the making of their hit song "Mass Appeal," from Hard to Earn, it begins with the stories of Guru and DJ Premier even before they met and chronicles the story of the duo's rise,... Read more

June 25, 2015 Throwback

Crazy Prophylactics: Q-Tip Referenced Them. 25 Years Later, They’re Here…

It was recently announced that a new line of condoms will change color when exposed to sexually transmitted infections (STIs). What makes the story particularly interesting is the fact that the concept for the condoms was developed by a group of teenaged boys. Named the S.T.EYE, the condoms are designed... Read more

June 25, 2015 Lifestyle

Ice Cube: “There Would Be No Eminem Without N.W.A.”

For the first time in 25 years, all living members of N.W.A. will be performing live, together. As part of the BET Experience taking place this weekend, the seminal Rap group will take the stage to perform some of their classic material and whether or not Heads are in attendance,... Read more

June 25, 2015 News

Raury Finds The Blues Backdrop For Devil’s Whisperer (Video)

One week after sharing "Devil's Whisperer," Raury follows up with the visual. The song serves as a fusion of genres, tying in Blues conventions, with a rapid-fire flow to close down the record. The Atlanta, Georgia MC/singer complements this idea in the visual. He goes down South to a juke-joint... Read more

June 25, 2015 Video

Whether It’s Fans or Friends, Game & Drake Only Want The Real (Audio)

With his highly anticipated album The Documentary 2 slated for a June 30 release, the Game is poised to drop a summer blockbuster of a record. The ardor surrounding the release has been satiated, albeit only slightly, with the release of a mini-documentary with behind-the-scenes footage of the recording process,... Read more

June 25, 2015 Audio

Skyzoo & Westside Gunn Have Luxury & Lyrics To Go (Video)

Just a month removed from his headlining performance at the 11th Annual Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival, Barrel Brother Skyzoo is bringing Brooklyn and New York City back to life yet again with his latest video, "Luxury." Stark black and white visuals boast simple, yet flashy imagery of Skyzoo and the gutturally... Read more

June 25, 2015 Video

LL Cool J Classics Are Mixed While He’s Interviewed…by Marley Marl (Audio)

LL Cool J and Marley Marl go back. These two Queens, New York icons crossed paths in the late-1980s, when LL Cool J was widely touted as one of Hip-Hop's finest MCs, and Marley Marl was the go-to producer. From mixes of "Jinglin' Baby," to "Around The Way Girl," these... Read more

June 25, 2015 Audio

19 Years Ago Today Jay-Z & Biggie Smalls Showed Why They Were Brooklyn’s Finest (Audio)

Although it was never a Reasonable Doubt single, "Brooklyn's Finest" helped make Jay Z's debut album a milestone album. Released 19 years ago today (June 25, 1996) the moment would serve as the first collaboration between Jay and his fellow George Westinghouse Career and Technical Education High School attendee, The... Read more

June 25, 2015 Throwback

Erykah Badu & The Roots Perform The Ultimate Hip-Hop Medley (Video)

Erykah Badu and The Roots took the stage together at the 2015 Roots Picnic and performed the mother of all tributes to Hip-Hop. Black Thought kicked things off, ripping through "Act Too (Love Of My Life)," which segued perfectly into Badu's "Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip-Hop)," and... Read more

June 24, 2015 Video

Are Comedians the Only Ones Keeping It Real on TV? Larry Wilmore Takes Down the Confederate Flag (Video)

In the ongoing conversation about racial injustice in this country, public discourse is moving at a breakneck speed, with daily occurrences adding layers of complexity to what is already a contentious debate. The latest hot-button issue is the Confederate flag and its history, role, and purpose. Opinions on the issue... Read more

June 24, 2015 News

Pac Div Take A Risk & Roll The Dice With A Strong Return (Audio)

West Coast Rap group Pac Div (f/k/a Pacific Division) have not been in the spotlight in recent times, with occasional, yet promising singles appearing here and there. Pac Div member Mibbs grabbed a mic of his own, and released his debut EP, FREEBASS in 2013, and The Program in 2014.... Read more

June 24, 2015 Audio

This ’90s Hip-Hop Mix Reminds Fans Why They Were Ready to Die for H.E.R. (Mixtape)

In the mid-1990s, Hip-Hop underwent a bit of a transition. Some of the most skilled MCs on the scene (Nas, The Notorious B.I.G., Grand Puba, Andre 3000, Scarface, etc.) started trading rowdy, raucous production for the laid-back cuts. Producers like Easy Mo Bee, DJ Clark Kent, Pete Rock, Da Beatminerz,... Read more

June 24, 2015 Throwback

Bun B, Styles P & Sean Price Are Top Tier MCs, On A Statik Selektah Track (Audio)

Last year, DJ and producer Statik Selektah released What Goes Around, an album featuring verses from Ab-Soul, Action Bronson, B-Real, Dilated Peoples, Freddie Gibbs, Joey Badass, Logic, N.O.R.E., Posdnuos, and Sheek Louch (just to name a few!). The album was his sixth since the Massachusetts native launched his solo career... Read more

June 24, 2015 Audio

Rick Ross Facing Assault, Battery, & Kidnapping Charges After Arrest

Rapper Rick Ross (a/k/a William Roberts) was apprehended outside of what is reported to be his Atlanta, Georgia home by a U.S. Marshals Service fugitive task force earlier today (June 24), along with his bodyguard. According to Jim Joyner, a task force supervisor, more details on the arrest would come... Read more

June 24, 2015 News

King Los Rips What May Be the Best Freestyle of the Year…Off the Top (Video)

King Los has been responsible for some of the best freestyle moments of the last several years. Just as Supernatural, J.U.I.C.E., Eminem, Crooked I, and Canibus helped certify The Wake Up Show in the 1990s, the Baltimore, Maryland MC legitimized Sway's latest platform with off-the-top bars that drove clicks, interest,... Read more

June 24, 2015 Video

Why Did Nas Sign Dave East? Because He’s Hungry. Just Listen (Video)

Every once in a while, you can hear the hunger in an MC's voice. Whether it's untempered desire for success or the unabashed quest for the throne, there's an edge that comes out, and it's palpable. It was audible in Kendrick Lamar's career-shifting "Control" verse. It manifested in King Los'... Read more

June 23, 2015 Video

Eric B. & Rakim’s Let The Rhythm Hit ‘Em Turns 25 Years Old & Hits Just As Hard

June 19 marked the 25th anniversary for Eric B. & Rakim's third album, Let The Rhythm Hit 'Em. Perhaps forever in the shadows of Paid In Full, and to a much lesser extent, Follow The Leader, L.T.R.H.E. is a black sheep within a truly classic catalog from the iconic pair.... Read more

June 23, 2015 Food for Thought

Cereal Killa: Your Favorite Childhood Cereals Are Changing…

Whether you're KRS-One or just an average Joe, things are about to change when you "wake up every morning to your Lucky Charms cereal." Health consciousness has become a major concern for Americans as years of sedentary lifestyles and processed foods begin to manifest themselves into side effects like obesity,... Read more

June 23, 2015 Lifestyle

Puff Daddy Charged With 5 Crimes In UCLA Coach Altercation, Puffy’s Reps Respond

Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs was arrested on UCLA's campus yesterday (June 22), following an altercation with Bruins football coach Sal Alosi. The arrest came after attempting to strike the former New York Jets employee with a kettlebell, "nearly killing" Alosi according to some reports. The incident reportedly stemmed from a... Read more

June 23, 2015 News

DJ Premier Helps Canada’s First Division Go For The Pennant (Audio)

First Division are a Canadian duo, with some deeper history in Rap. One of the members, Shylow, may be familiar to Marco Polo album/mixtape supporters. Crossing the border for "This Iz The Time," F.D. teams with DJ Premier. Preemo laces the Soulspazm-backed pair with chops, cuts, and samples very much... Read more

June 23, 2015 Audio

The Internet and Kaytranada Look to the Stars for the Perfect Girl (Video)

Tyler, the Creator's Odd Future menagerie has given Heads a lot of quality music to knock, including his own discography and those of Earl Sweatshirt, Frank Ocean, Domo Genesis, and more. OFWGKTA producers Syd Tha Kyd (also the gang's DJ) and Matt Martians ventured into their own artistic detour, forming... Read more

June 23, 2015 Video

Out Of This World: Get Your Space Boogie On With Illa J’s New Single (Audio)

In a newly re-invigorated drive to continue his solo career, Illa J has embarked on new paths, both figuratively and musically. Now living in Montreal, the 28-year-old rapper spent the several years after the 2008 release of his solo debut, Yancey Boys, performing and touring with Slum Village, the Detroit-based... Read more

June 23, 2015 Audio

The Getback: Gmail Now Allows Users To Un-Send Emails

Years ago, Google played one of its signature April Fool's jokes on its users, boasting that there was an "undo-send" button for emails. That joke has now become a reality. According to The New York Times, Google's Gmail platform now allows the "undo." Following nearly five years of experimentation in... Read more

June 23, 2015 Lifestyle