News Archives

Tupac’s Life and Legacy Will Be Celebrated with an Exhibit at The Grammy Museum

With more than 40 years of existence, Hip-Hop has undeniably earned its place in the history books. As such, several institutions have started to honor the culture. Last year, The Smithsonian Museum of African American History & Culture carved out a place for J. Dilla's production equipment and it also... Read more

January 16, 2015 Throwback

Funkmaster Flex Drops Some Nuclear Bombs on Jay Z. Says He Can Ruin Him (Audio)

Whoa. Funkmaster Flex fears no man. Last night, he went completely nuclear on Life + Times and, seemingly, its owner...Jay Z. Flex referenced several issues that had him upset. He felt disrespected by an interview of him by Life + Times a few years ago, ostensibly about his mobile app,... Read more

January 16, 2015 Audio

Joey Bada$$ & Action Bronson Show Why They’re 2 of Hip-Hop’s Most Promising MCs (Audio)

Thus far, Joey Bada$$'s forthcoming and long-anticipated album, B4 Da $$, sounds like it will be more than worth the wait. Joey has released multiple burners from the LP, which will hit stores on January 20th, showcasing his versatile range. Records like "Christ Conscious" feature Joey tapping into his Boot... Read more

January 16, 2015 Audio

Finding The GOAT (Round 2): Big Pun vs. RZA…Who You Got?

We have reached the second round in the ultimate battle for the title of the GOAT (Greatest of All-Time). We are asking you to help us rank who is the greatest MC to pick up a mic. We will take over 35 years of Hip-Hop into consideration, pairing special match-ups... Read more

January 16, 2015 Throwback

Stacy Barthe & Common Show How Beautiful Music Makes Us Live for Today (Audio)

Stacy Barthe is a supremely talented vocalist and songwriter. While she might not be a household name (yet), she has written songs for some of the biggest artists in the world, including Rihanna, Kelly Rowland, Britney Spears and Katie Perry. She's also worked with the likes of Melanie Fiona, Akon... Read more

January 15, 2015 Audio

Your Old Droog Gets the Paper with a Killer Beastie Boys Sample (Audio)

If 2014 was Your Old Droog's coming out party, 2015 looks to be the year where he proves to all the naysayers that he's here to stay. His latest song, "Get the Paper" produced by El RTNC, is an ode to the Beastie Boys which features a groove Dr. Dre... Read more

January 15, 2015 Audio

Skyzoo & Torae Are The Latest To Rap On DJ Premier’s Bars In The Booth Series (Video)

With previous sessions featuring Jakk Frost, Dres, A.G., and Loaded Lux, Session 7 of DJ Premier's "Bars In The Booth" video series features the Barrel Brothers duo, Skyzoo & Torae. Now a true duo, this pair found success in the late 2000s, working collaboratively with Premier, on 12" singles also... Read more

January 15, 2015 Video

Jay-Z’s Pre-Reasonable Doubt Demo Tape Surfaces, Ch-Check It Out (Audio)

Before he was regarded in Rap's most elite lyrical circles, and long before he was a sports agent, franchise owner, or mega-million executive, Jay-Z was just another rapper hungry for an opportunity. Before the Brooklyn, New Yorker would form his own Roc-A-Fella Records imprint with Dame Dash and Kareem Biggs,... Read more

January 15, 2015 Audio, Mixes, Throwback

Finding The GOAT (Round 2): Ice Cube vs. Too Short…Who You Got?

We have reached the second round in the ultimate battle for the title of the GOAT (Greatest of All-Time). We are asking you to help us rank who is the greatest MC to pick up a mic. We will take over 35 years of Hip-Hop into consideration, pairing special match-ups... Read more

January 15, 2015 Throwback

Common & John Legend Receive Oscar Nomination For “Glory”

After winning this year's Golden Globe Award for "Best Original Song," Common & John Legend's "Glory", from the film Selma, has been nominated for the Academy Award in the same category. They could potentially be just the third Hip-Hop/R&B act to win the award, along with Three 6 Mafia's "It's Hard Out... Read more

January 15, 2015 Fresh

Warren G Hilariously Explains Regulate for Funny or Die, Line by Line (Video)

As part of its Rap Chronicles series, Funny or Die caught up with Warren G to have him decode "Regulate," his G-Funk classic with Nate Dogg. Despite fellow 213 member Snoop's admonition, the "G Child" told the game for free, to great satisfaction. In a little over two minutes, he... Read more

January 15, 2015 Throwback

Spotlight: Salomon Faye Brings “Luv” To Hip Hop & Gets It In Return (Video)

Salomon Faye may be under the radar for now, but given the quality and originality of tracks like "Luv," he's going to have a hard time staying undetected. For those that feel the passion of spoken word and the fire of hot metaphorical bars, Salomon Faye delivers both in this... Read more

January 15, 2015 Video

Action Bronson Rips the Mic So Hard He Loses His Headphones on This Freestyle (Video)

"I'm gonna keep it official today. Yo, this boy Action Broson is the nicest in the game right now." That was Funkmaster Flex's response after Action Bronson ripped a freestyle so hard that he lost his headphones halfway through. Technical difficulties didn't stop the action man, though. He did the... Read more

January 15, 2015 Video

Do Remember: Haze Presents…NY Reality Check 101 (Mixed By DJ Premier)

This week, it was announced that 2015 will see the release of DJ Premier's first solo album, Last Session @320. The album and its title are an homage to the closing of HeadQCourterz Studios (f/k/a D&D Studios), which had been Premier's professional home for nearly 25 years. As fans eagerly... Read more

January 15, 2015 Throwback

Cormega Confirms 2015 EP, Produced Entirely By Mobb Deep’s Havoc

Following 2014's critically-acclaimed Mega Philosophy album by Cormega (now available on colored 2LP vinyl), it appears as though the Queens, New York veteran MC is well underway into a follow-up. Yesterday (January 14), 'Mega announced, via Twitter, that he is currently planning his first EP, produced entirely by Havoc, of... Read more

January 15, 2015 Fresh

Freddie Gibbs Hits The Hard Drums With A Verse To Match (Audio)

After making a jam with Wu-Tang Clan's GZA late last year, Hanni El Khatib teams up with Freddie Gibbs. Commissioned by Converse, "Satin Black." Boasting that he gives two curse-free verses, Gangsta Gibbs still finds PG ways of describing his garage full of old-school's, his "by any means" approach, and... Read more

January 14, 2015 Audio

2 Chainz Eloquently Argues the Merits of Legalizing Marijuana on CNN (Video)

Many may not know that before his Rap career, 2 Chainz finished number two in his high school class and attended college. The resilient MC has a strong command of the language both on and off the mic. He donned his debate hat on CNN recently and had a substantive... Read more

January 14, 2015 Video

Beanie Sigel To Make A Follow-Up To Public Enemy #1 Mixtape

Just over one month since he was shot in New Jersey, Beanie Sigel has new material on the table. The Philadelphia, Pennsylvania MC survived what is believed to be a near-fatal shooting, at least the second such attack in his lifetime, and has returned to work. What's more, according to... Read more

January 14, 2015 Fresh

Childish Gambino Tears Up The Stage On Jimmy Kimmel Live (Video)

Last night (January 13) Childish Gambino gave a truly amazing performance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live." He performed his song "Sober" off his new double EP, STN MTN / Kauai with flawless vocals and energetic dance moves. The song sounds more peppy when performed with the live band. Gambino also later... Read more

January 14, 2015 Video

Finding The GOAT (Round 2): Lil Wayne vs. Game…Who You Got?

We have reached the second round in the ultimate battle for the title of the GOAT (Greatest of All-Time). We are asking you to help us rank who is the greatest MC to pick up a mic. We will take over 35 years of Hip-Hop into consideration, pairing special match-ups... Read more

January 14, 2015 Fresh

Joey Bada$$ Rocks His Dilla & Roots-Produced Track With The Roots (Video)

Quite curiously, Joey Bada$$'s debut album, B4.Da.$$ (January 20) includes a track co-produced by The Roots, and the late J Dilla. While the snippets of the Sony Red-distributed LP were promptly pulled from YouTube, many Heads are curious how the Brooklyn, New York millennial would sound alongside the iconic collaboration... Read more

January 14, 2015 Fresh, Video

Malik B & Mr. Green Spread The Love From Philly’s Love Park (Video)

Malik B, who was a member of The Roots from the early '90s to the early '00s, is gearing up to release his first solo album in 10 years: Unpredictable. The album, set for a February 24 release on Vinnie Paz' Enemy Soil imprint, will be entirely produced by Mr.... Read more

January 13, 2015 Video

Blu & Large Professor Come Together For That Signature Extra P Remix (Audio)

Back in 2012, Blu teamed up with W.A.R. Media's Mela Machinko for a Coalmine Records single, "Kiss The Sky." Johnson Barnes was in his pocket, and dropped some smooth stream of consciousness on a chopped down beat that paid homage to '70s Soul and scratch DJs at once. Nearly three... Read more

January 13, 2015 Audio

Termanology, Skyzoo, Torae & REKS Celebrate The Downtime (Video)

Termanology just dropped a new music video for "Get Away," a highlight off of his new album Shut Up And Rap, which was just released last month. The song features guest appearances from some dope MCs, all of whom released new albums in 2014: Skyzoo & Torae, who released Barrel... Read more

January 13, 2015 Video

Phonte & Oddisee Channel Pain Into Beautiful Art, Reacting To The World Today (Audio)

In the wake of the 2014 murders of Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Tamir Rice, and so many other Black men at the hands of law enforcement, there was a large outcry for artists to react, reflect, and somehow find the words we, the people, could not. Those expressions are indeed... Read more

January 13, 2015 Audio

Wu-Tang Clan’s Once Upon A Time In Shaolin Going To January Online Auction

Even after a reported (by RZA) $5 million offer, the Wu-Tang Clan wants to see if their guarded, completed album, Once Upon A Time In Shaolin can draw more interest. Dazed Digital reports that the Clansmen will take the single-copy LP, recorded in Marrakesh, Morocco, produced by Cilvaringz, will appear... Read more

January 13, 2015 Fresh

Erick Sermon Speaks Openly About Earnings, Helping Create Atlanta’s Scene (Video)

Erick Sermon does not do a ton of interviews. However, when the EPMD and Def Squad co-founder speaks, he's never big on canned, diplomatic answers. E-Dub opens up in a major way when speaking with This Is 50's Jack Thriller. The Brentwood, Long Island MC/producer breaks down his 2000s-era comeback... Read more

January 13, 2015 Throwback

Common & John Legend Capture The Glory Of “Selma” (Video)

Less than 48 hours after Common and John Legend carried Golden Globe trophies (presented by Prince) off of the stage for their song "Glory," they offer up the video. The "Best Original Song" winner from the film Selma cross-promotes Ava DuVernay's latest work in the visual. Along the way, there... Read more

January 13, 2015 Video

Finding The GOAT (Round 2): Jay-Z vs. AZ…Who You Got?

We have reached the second round in the ultimate battle for the title of the GOAT (Greatest of All-Time). We are asking you to help us rank who is the greatest MC to pick up a mic. We will take over 35 years of Hip-Hop into consideration, pairing special match-ups... Read more

January 13, 2015 Fresh

This Might Be Grand Puba’s Best Song In 10 Years & It Resonates (Audio)

Unlike Sadat X and Lord Jamar, both of whom stay incredibly active in songmaking and social media, respectively, Grand Puba plays the background. Stud Doogie is the faction of Brand Nubian who often wants his silence and privacy, taking an extended break since 2009's Retroactive. However, recent events and world... Read more

January 12, 2015 Audio

Crooklyn Dodgers ’94 & Crooklyn Dodgers ’95 Trade Uniforms In This ILL Blend (Audio)

DJ Hellee Hooper (a play on famed Soul II Soul/Bjork/No Doubt producer Nellee Hooper), swapped the vocals of Special Ed, Masta Ace, and Buckshot from "Return of the Crooklyn Dodgers" with the instrumental to the 1995 original (Chubb Rock, O.C., Jeru The Damaja). The results (thus "94.5") trick your mind,... Read more

January 12, 2015 Throwback

DJ Premier Announces His First Solo Album, Last Session @ 320

Less than one week into his new studio home in Astoria, Queens, big news is coming from DJ Premier. The longtime Gang Starr producer/DJ has announced his first solo album, Last Session @ 320. Planned for 2015, the title is presumably an homage to the 37th Street address of his... Read more

January 12, 2015 Fresh

Picture Everything Great & Wrong About the ’80s in One Video Set to Wu-Tang Music (Video)

New York City-based store Turntable Lab and Adult Swim's "TV Carnage" have come together to mash-up some '80s and early '90s-skewed pop culture, with a Hip-Hop slant, in quite a cool way. Part DJ-themed, part VJ-themed, the resulting "War Inna Discoteca" is expertly beat-matched and synchronized to the instrumental from... Read more

January 12, 2015 Video

Breaking Bad Spin-off Better Call Saul Begins Next Month. Catch The Official Trailer (Video)

"Breaking Bad," in all of its glory, was one of the most captivating, cliff-hanging, and entrancing television series of all times. Within Vince Gill's cross-over hit for AMC there were some splashes of comic relief from Walter White and Jesse Pinkman's meth-cooking madness: attorney Saul Goodman. The mass-advertised phone-book lawyer... Read more

January 12, 2015 TV/Film

Lil Wayne Apologizes For The Wait With A Song To Appease All Of His Fans (Audio)

Lil Wayne is out for 2015. Only brandishing the Young Money flag for the year ahead, Mr. Carter will crack open the calendar with his upcoming mixtape, Sorry 4 The Wait 2. After a slow last year, Weezy F. goes to his YM site and takes Future's hit "Sh!t," and... Read more

January 12, 2015 Audio

Finding The GOAT (Round 2): KRS-One vs. Masta Ace…Who You Got?

We have reached the second round in the ultimate battle for the title of the GOAT (Greatest of All-Time). We are asking you to help us rank who is the greatest MC to pick up a mic. We will take over 35 years of Hip-Hop into consideration, pairing special match-ups... Read more

January 12, 2015 Throwback

Freddie Gibbs Writes Stuart Scott Editorial, Says He May Have Saved His Life

Freddie Gibbs is an evocative MC. However, the Gary, Indiana lyricist is not typically known for being overly sensitive to others. So when the ESGN leader takes time to pay a long-form homage to life of another, it's big. Gangsta Gibbs penned an editorial for Billboard today (January 12), reflecting... Read more

January 12, 2015 Fresh

Eminem Grants One Teenage Fan’s Final Wish

Many Eminem Heads know how much the superstar admires the life and music of Tupac Shakur. Eminem even worked extensively, as a producer, on some of 'Pac's posthumous albums, including 2006's Pac's Life. Although a lot can be said about the final years of 2Pac's life, one moment always speaks... Read more

January 12, 2015 Fresh

E-40 & Too Short Dust Off The T.W.D.Y. Tag and Co-Sign IamSu! (Video)

In the late 1990s, when the Bay area was largely ignored by mainstream radio and video outlets, T.W.D.Y. formed. Ant Banks' super-collective The Whole Damn Yay included icons such as Rappin' 4-Tay and Captain Save'Em, with strong involvement from the likes of Too Short, E-40, Mac Mall, B-Legit, Spice 1,... Read more

January 12, 2015 Video

Sound Bwoy Bureill Was Intended For Heltah Skeltah? Smif-n-Wessun & Da Beatminerz Recall (Video)

This past Saturday (January 10), Smif-n-Wessun's debut album, Dah Shinin', turned 20 years old. The Wreck Records release from General Steele and Tek was a benchmark moment for the Boot Camp Clik, and largely perceived as a follow-up to Black Moon's Enta Da Stage, given the tight-knit collective's overlapping production... Read more

January 12, 2015 Throwback

Common & John Legend Are Presented With Golden Globes…By Prince (Video)

Moments ago this evening (January 11), it was a historic moment for the careers of Common and John Legend. The former G.O.O.D. Music label-mates, as a pair, took home "Best Original Song" Golden Globes for the song "Glory" from the film Selma. Not only does the honor put John and Comm'... Read more

January 12, 2015 Video

The Beastie Boys & Nas Unearth A 5 Year-Old Visual That Hasn’t Aged A Day (Video)

It was a major affair back in 2009 when the Beastie Boys and Nas released the spiking commentary track "Too Many Rappers." The Def Jam superstars of 1986 teamed with the critical label acquisition of 2006 in a song that was appropriate for the times. Released on vinyl, and also... Read more

January 12, 2015 Featured-homepage, Video

D’Angelo’s One-Hour 2014 AFROPUNK FEST Performance, In Full (Video)

After a career that could be described as largely dormant for more than a decade, 2014 was the great wake-up for D'Angelo's output. While the closing month of the year afforded musically-starving fans with a third album in Black Messiah, August was incredibly telling. It was then that the Richmond,... Read more

January 11, 2015 Video

DJ Dahi Drives Stevie Wonder’s All I Do Through The Trap, Then To The Jungle (Audio)

In the last five years of Hip-Hop music, DJ Dahi has made hits—and never seems overly concerned with getting his name out, or on the track. A Los Angeles, California native, the man born Dacoury Natche has produced hits for Big Sean ("IDFWU"), Drake ("Worst Behavior"), and ScHoolboy Q ("Hell... Read more

January 11, 2015 Audio, Fresh

There Have Been A Gang Of Death Row Records Documentaries, But This One Stands Tall (Video)

Starting when the label was less than six years old, documentaries started releasing around the creation, controversy, and commercial dominance of Death Row Records. Started by Marion "Suge" Knight and Dr. Dre in late 1991, the Los Angeles, California-based label released classic, multi-platinum albums by Snoop Dogg, 2Pac, Tha Dogg... Read more

January 11, 2015 Throwback

Slick Rick Performs Children’s Story with Nas at His 50th Birthday Party (Video)

This is classic. Slick Rick celebrated his 50th birthday (1/14) early at NYC's Brooklyn Bowl last night. As part of the festivities, he performed "Children's Story." Rick, being one of Hip-Hop's greatest storytellers, got a special assist. Nas, another master of the narrative, served as The Ruler's hype man. The... Read more

January 10, 2015 Throwback

A.O.T.P. Meets D.I.T.C. As Apathy Announces Collaborative LP With O.C., Perestoika

Veteran Willimantic, Connecticut MC/producer has announced—via a new video—that he is planning three albums for 2015. A member of veteran charting act Army Of The Pharaohs, recent super-group Get Busy Committee, and founder of Demigodz, Apathy has stayed quite busy since his shelved tenure at Atlantic Records in the early-mid-2000s.... Read more

January 10, 2015 Fresh

KRS-One Decodes His Most Classic Lines. You Must Learn… (Audio)

Shawn Setaro, former Editor-in-Chief of Rap Genius, has been opening up his vaults of classic interviews on his theciphershow.com site. One such gem is an amazing conversation with KRS-One. Kris breaks down the stories behind many of his most famous lyrics, and also provides colorful insights on never before discussed... Read more

January 10, 2015 Throwback

YG Talks Fist Fights with DJ Mustard, Grammys Snub and More (Video)

YG and DJ Mustard are like brothers. Sometimes, brothers knuckle up...YG dropped by HOT 97 in NYC and discussed their recent, quite public altercation, as well as several they've had in private. He explained it's all in the family. The Compton MC also discussed how he feels about fans replacing... Read more

January 10, 2015 Video

Master P Addresses the Rumors about Signing Lil Wayne to No Limit Records (Video)

Master P's recent collaboration with Lil Wayne on "Power" set the Internet on fire. The song featuring the two legendary MCs who helped put the South on the map was historic in its own right. However, given Lil Wayne's very public dissatisfaction with Cash Records as of late, their working... Read more

January 10, 2015 Video