News Archives

Jay Z Originally Had More Songs Planned For Reasonable Doubt & A Different Sequence?

Jay Z's 1996 debut album, Reasonable Doubt, has made an immortal impression on Hip-Hop. The Roc-A-Fella Records breakthrough release featured involvement from The Notorious B.I.G., DJ Premier, Ski Beatz, and Mary J. Blige. Now platinum, the album is still considered Jay's best (including by the artist himself), and spawned many... Read more

January 17, 2014 Fresh, Throwback

Snakes, Nipples, Grills & Pills Appear in Pusha T’s New Video for Suicide (Video)

Pusha T and Ab-Liva compromise half of the Re-Up Gang lineup. While Sandman is estranged from the group, and No Malice is busy with his own solo endeavors, Push and Liva connect on Interstate 95 from Philly to Virginia, for "Suicide," one of the colder tracks from My Name Is... Read more

January 17, 2014 Video

Diamond D Digs in the Crates and Pulls Out a Tough Beat for Big Rec (Audio)

Like D.I.T.C. brethren Lord Finesse and Showbiz, Diamond D is not big on a ton of production of output. The Bronx "best producer on the mic" responsible for Fat Joe's discovery has worked with everybody from Natalie Cole to Aim, but the Atlanta-based O.G. is a Head first. Over the... Read more

January 17, 2014 Audio

Did You Know SWV Hated the Right Here Remix??? The Ladies Tell the Story (Video)

SWV are now stars of a hit TV series but, before that, they were one of the biggest groups of the 90's. The Sisters With Voices, along with TLC and Mary J. Blige, help to usher in a new era of R&B that infused Hip-Hop into the sound. Here's an... Read more

January 17, 2014 Video

Pharrell Speaks on the Essence of Music For Him (Video)

Here's a short clip of Pharrell discussing what he seeks to accomplish with each song he produces, what inspires him in the studio and the essence of music for him. It is a philosophical discussion of emotion. Check out the video. Related: Pharrell Has That Grocery Store Joy In Happy... Read more

January 17, 2014 Video

Murs Makes A Soulful Song With Apollo Brown About Getting Over Pain (Audio)

Almost a decade after making "The Pain" on Murs 3:16 with 9th Wonder, Murray now says "The Pain Is Gone." The Tucson, Arizona-based MC teams with Tucson, Arizona-based label Mello Music Group to release a single with the imprint's producer, Apollo Brown. As Murs has carved a niche for, Murray... Read more

January 17, 2014 Audio, Fresh

Who Are the 3 Greatest MCs of All Time? Ice Cube Names His AND He Says He and Dre Are Working on the NWA Film (Video)

Ice Cube sat down for an extended interview with Sway. He discussed his new film with Kevin Hart, the forward progress of the NWA film he and Dr. Dre are working on and who he believes are the 3 greatest MCs of all time. After all that, he kicks a... Read more

January 17, 2014 Video

Schoolboy Q’s Man of the Year Video is Safe For Work…Barely (Video)

Instead of featuring his TDE crew or guest artists, Schoolboy Q surrounds himself with ladies in his new video for Man of the Year...lots of them. Q's approach is reinforcement of the title of his song and likely his declaration that 2014 will indeed be his. Check out the video.... Read more

January 17, 2014 Video

MF DOOM Has $100 Mask Rings For Sale

From the front-man to Elektra Records group KMD to a Top 200 charting MC, MF DOOM has lived the underground Hip-Hop story. The veiled MC, born in England, but forever entrenched in the '90s New York City (even though he's moved all over) has transcended genre, and through work with... Read more

January 17, 2014 Fresh, Throwback

Canibus Drops The Kind Of Verse That Made Him Famous In New Song (Audio)

So many artists can never seem to find the pocket that made them notable in the first place. Changing time, circumstances, and influences can pull any talent away from their origins. With Canibus, the onetime Fugees/Def Squad/Lost Boyz affiliate certainly has explored conceptually and with his beats. However, the Jamaican-born,... Read more

January 17, 2014 Audio, Fresh

Rick Ross Releases a Video for His Bound 2 Freestyle. No, He is Not Naked on a Motorcycle (Video)

At the top of the year, Rick Ross dropped a buttery freestyle over Kanye West's Bound 2. Now, he follows up with a video for the song and, no, he is not naked on a motorcycle...The video does bear some striking similarities to Childish Gambino's visuals for 3005 though. Check... Read more

January 16, 2014 Video

Yasiin Bey To Honor Muhammad Ali’s Birthday With 3 Exclusives From Africa & New Series (Video)

Yasiin Bey (formerly known as Mos Def) is a man of surprises. The Brooklyn, New York MC is reclusive at times, and extremely artistically active at others. With less than 24 hours notice, Yasiin has announced on January 17th (5:30 PM EST), he will celebrate champion boxer/social activist Muhammad Ali's... Read more

January 16, 2014 Fresh, Video

Smoke DZA Puts Record Labels on Blast on His New Song Black Independence (Audio)

Smoke DZA details the pitfalls of being signed to a record label and celebrates his Black Independence on his latest release. Related: Curren$y & Smoke DZA Release The Stage EP (Prod. Harry Fraud) (Mixtape)... Read more

January 16, 2014 Audio

Happy Birthday to Aaliyah. Here’s Mister Cee’s Baby Girl Bday Mix (Audio)

Happy Birthday to Aaliyah. Here's a mix by Mister Cee celebrating her life and music. Related: Aaliyah Video Tribute (Playlist)... Read more

January 16, 2014 Audio, Throwback

Three 6 Mafia May Not Be Alone, As Pharrell Is Nominated For An Oscar Award

The 86th Academy Awards nominations were announced this morning. While The Wolf Of Wall Street, Her, and American Hustle colored the Best Picture category, Hip-Hop Heads saw a familiar name further in the nominations. Pharrell Williams' song "Happy" from Despicable Me 2, has been nominated for Best Original Song. The... Read more

January 16, 2014 Fresh

Saigon’s Next Album To Feature 3-4 DJ Premier Tracks & Big Daddy Kane?

Saigon's The Greatest Story Never Told album featured one of the most exciting production lineups for any debut artists. Although it was released over five years after originally planned, on a different label than commissioned it, the album featured production by Just Blaze, with involvement from Kanye West, Swizz Beatz,... Read more

January 16, 2014 Fresh

You Got the Juice Now…Here is the Most Definitive Piece Ever Written on The Making of Juice.

"Tupac, Fist Fights and the Making of Juice" is an amazing oral history which features inside commentary from many of the film's key contributors. MySpace interviewed Ernest Dickerson (the film's director and co-writer), Omar Epps (Q), Treach, key producers, the actors who played Raheem and Steel, as well as soundtrack... Read more

January 16, 2014 Fresh

Homeboy Sandman Puts A Hip-Hop Spin On A Choir Classic (Audio)

Homeboy Sandman never seems to slow down. After one or more projects every year dating back to 2009, BoySand moves from 2013 acclaim of Kool Herc: Fertile Crescent and right into WHITE SANDS, with frequent producer/collaborator, Paul White. To kick things off proper, H.B.S. and Paul drop "Wade Into The... Read more

January 16, 2014 Audio, Fresh

Kanye West’s Yeezus Reaches Platinum Status, He’s Now 7-For-7

For the seventh time in his career, Kanye West has a platinum album. Yeezus, released in June of last year, has reached the benchmark milestone, according to the RIAA. With the announcement, Kanye West has a perfect track record for meeting the million mark. The Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam Records release included... Read more

January 16, 2014 Fresh

Alchemist & Evidence’s Step Brothers Have A Crooked Cousin In Action Bronson (Audio)

Less than a week before Alchemist & Evidence long-awaited Step Brothers debut, Lord Steppington releases, Rhymesayers Entertainment liberates "Mums In The Garage." The track, led by hard drums and reckless rhyming, welcomes Rare Chandeliers partner Action Bronson to the cypher. The results are as expected on this one: Related: Action... Read more

January 16, 2014 Audio, Fresh

The Flatbush Zombies Haunt The 106 & Park Backroom With Verses (Video)

From Gang Starr and Jeru The Damaja to Eminem and D12 to The Hot Boys, the booth freestyles were important benchmarks for Rap crews. In 2014, Brooklyn's Flatbush Zombies reach the "106 & Park" Backroom. Zombie Juice and Meechie Dark transmit into the mic with extreme confidence, and a delivery... Read more

January 16, 2014 Fresh, Video

MC Serch Recalls The Early Days Of MF DOOM & Slick Rick In This Stellar Juan Epstein (Audio)

From his time with 3rd Bass, Rockaway, Queens' MC Serch is already an interesting figure of old school Hip-Hop. However, the MC-turned-record executive-turned-talk show host has been involved with so much more than his group with Prime Minister Pete Nice and DJ Daddy Rich (f/k/a Richie Rich). Serchlite was a... Read more

January 16, 2014 Fresh, Throwback

If You’re a Fan of Artists Like Earth, Wind & Fire, Michael Jackson, Chic and Luther Vandross, Something Amazing is Coming (Video)

DJ Cassidy, DJ to the stars and even the Obamas, has put together a labor of love project that celebrates the music of the late 70's and early 80's. He has recruited many of the original players on classics like Rock With You, Le Freak and Never Too Much by... Read more

January 15, 2014 Video

Kendrick Lamar Says He Was Once Scared To Say He’s From Compton. Here’s Why (Video)

Like he does in his verses, Kendrick Lamar can do a lot in two minutes of video. In a new Pepsi-sponsored series leading up the Grammy Awards, "Day In The Life." While on the Yeezus Tour, K-Dot runs people through his tireless schedule, as he explains that most of his... Read more

January 15, 2014 Video

Snoop Dogg & Dam-Funk Have 7 Days Of Funk For The Ladies (Video)

In the latest of several stylized videos from Snoop Dogg & Dam-Funk's 7 Days collaborative project, the charismatic Doggfather and the Electro-Funk reviver attract legions of ladies, curious about the week lost in the groove in "I'll Be There 4U." Always one to dazzle with the casting of his videos... Read more

January 15, 2014 Fresh, Video

The Lox Give Sway In The Morning A Mini Concert & An In-Depth Interview (Video)

So The Lox just dropped this EP, The Trinity. Think they know the lyrics? Jadakiss, Sheek Louch, and Styles P rap some of the fresh cuts live on air for Sway In The Morning. In between the sets, the trio talks about their deep respect for those who came before... Read more

January 15, 2014 Fresh, Video

Just Blaze Merges His Roc-A-Fella Sound With Recent Work In Collab With Sinjin Hawke (Audio)

Great Hip-Hop producers can bring back certain movements in their evolution at special times. Dr. Dre touches on some G-Funk when it's called for, as Heads heard on Game's The Documentary breakthrough. DJ Premier, over 15 years removed from Moment Of Truth, can piece together a sharp scratch-chorus for certain... Read more

January 15, 2014 Audio, Fresh

DJ Kay Slay Unifies Members Of Wu-Tang Clan, LOX, Mobb Deep, Capone-N-Noreaga & M.O.P. To Honor The ’90s (Audio)

DJ Kay Slay has a deep network, in and out of New York City. From his appearance in Style Wars to his longtime Thursday night show on HOT 97, the Uptown DJ has fought to keep his city rugged. That quest is ongoing on "90s Flow," which features Ghostface Killah,... Read more

January 15, 2014 Audio

Jean Grae’s 5 Song jeannie. EP Is Available For Listen (EP Stream)

Jean Grae keeps her promises. The Brooklyn-based MC dropped jeannie. as planned. The five-song EP, released to her Bandcamp, includes early preview "The Mask," as well as four other tunes sans guests. Check it out here: jeannie. by Jean Grae While Jean Grae's partnered with labels for some of her... Read more

January 15, 2014 Audio, Fresh

Killer Mike Makes Another R.A.P. Visual That Deserves Constant Replay (Video)

In 2012, Killer Mike's video for "Big Beast" seemed to steal the show. It was NSFW with nudity, violence, and a storyline that made it superior to the rigamarole found in contemporary Hip-Hop videos. After 2008's "Pressure" and 2011's "Burn," Mike Bigga's honed a space in video that's all of... Read more

January 15, 2014 Fresh, Video

Do Tour Announcements Get Better Than This Home Shopping Network Spoof By Action Bronson & Donnell Rawlings? (Video)

To those who have seen him live, Action Bronson is a great performer. The Queens, New Yorker brings massive-sized energy to his shows, with an assortment of guests, and clouds of smoke that he enjoys sharing with the crowd, amidst his jokes and raps. To announce some Blue Chips 2... Read more

January 15, 2014 Fresh, Video

Chi Ali Shows A Street Side Alongside Jadakiss On G Check (Video)

Introduced as a Beatnuts and Black Sheep protege, Chi Ali was the Native Tongues' young'in that had a mischievous side, but a youthful innocence throughout the early '90s. After a 2000 conviction of manslaughter for a high-profile murder in The Bronx, Chi went from "Funky Lemonade" to over a decade... Read more

January 15, 2014 Fresh, Video

Stream Zion I’s New EP The Masters of Ceremony (Audio)

One of Oakland's most unheralded groups is Zion I. In 2000, they released the sonic tour de force, Mind Over Matter, and they've been representing quality underground Hip-Hop ever since. Now, the duo of AmpLive and MC Zumbi is back with a new EP that you can stream in its... Read more

January 14, 2014 Audio

TDE’s Isaiah Rashad Releases a Dark and Brooding New Song Named After Master P’s Late Brother (Audio)

From Shot U Down to Ronnie Drake, TDE's Isaiah Rashad his demonstrated a taste for dark and brooding beats accompanied by pensive and deceptively-layered lyrics. His latest song, RIP Kevin Miller, is no exception. The song, which is named after Master P's brother, is part aspirational and part cautionary tale.... Read more

January 14, 2014 Audio

Jam Master Jay’s Son Carries On Tradition, Deejaying On A NYC Subway Train (Video)

Over a decade since the tragic murder of Run-DMC's DJ, JMJ's son is carrying on tradition. TJ Mizell recently hopped on a New York City MTA train (from the Essex Avenue stop on the J to Marcy Ave. for those playing at home), with turntables and a camera in tow.... Read more

January 14, 2014 Video

Here’s an Incredible Interview of Queen Latifah by Howard Stern…Oh, and She Says OutKast is Working on a New Album (Audio)

Queen Latifah sat down with Howard Stern for an hour+ long video and there is little ground they didn't cover-- Latifah's family life, her music and acting careers, her new talk show, past drug use...and, ever so briefly, Latifah, who used to manage OutKast, casually mentioned that the duo is... Read more

January 14, 2014 Audio

Nipsey Hussle Freaks a Soulful Track with Aggression on His Latest Release, Count Up That Loot (Audio)

Nipsey Hussle remains true to his name by staying steady on the grind. Mere months after releasing his Crenshaw mixtape, he's back with another song. On Count Up That Loot, Nipsey attacks the track with the same fervor with which he hustles. Check it out. Related: Nipsey Hussle Salutes His... Read more

January 14, 2014 Audio

Jean Grae is Self-Releasing a New Album Tonight. Here’s the First Single (Audio)

Just months after dropping Gotham Down: cycle 1: Love In Infinity (Lo-Fi) via her Bandcamp, Jean Grae is releasing another album tonight (January 14). Grae's Jeanie album, as its called, includes "The Mask." Here, you hear the ultra-talented daughter of Jazz vocalist Sathima Bea Benjamin dabble into some singing. In... Read more

January 14, 2014 Throwback

Joell Ortiz Breaks His Silence, Bodying Pusha T & Kendrick Lamar’s Nosetalgia Instrumental (Audio)

In the crop of MCs who can snatch an instrumental and breathe new life into it, Joell Ortiz rings plenty bells. Even before his Slaughterhouse days, the Brooklyn MC had a habit of bodying beats bought by others. On a rendition of Pusha T and Kendrick Lamar's "Nosetalgia," Ortiz shows... Read more

January 14, 2014 Audio, Fresh

RJD2 Builds A Music Machine Reminiscent Of Pee-Wee Herman’s Kitchen (Video)

In the mid-1980s, was there anybody cooler than Pee-Wee Herman? Adults laughed along as Paul Rubins created a children's character that was zany, off-the-wall, and filled with various cultural inspirations. Before his later legal woes, Pee-Wee famously had a Rube Goldberg operation in his kitchen to make eggs, toast, orange... Read more

January 14, 2014 Fresh, Video

DJ Jazzy Jeff & Skillz Kick Off Vinyl Destination Season 2 (Video)

DJ Jazzy Jeff is a true turntablism ambassador. The Philadelphia DJ/producer is a non-stop touring artist, with his show partner/MC, Skillz. Jeff documented his travels, with A Touch Of Jazz, in Vinyl Destination over the last two years. Cut into seasons, these lengthy vignettes are expanding into a second run.... Read more

January 14, 2014 Video

Sir Michael Rocks Is Ballin’ In The Everglades In Memo (Video)

Less than 24 hours after two new Cool Kids songs surfaced, Sir Michael Rocks hits what appears to be Florida's Everglades in "Memo." The video features some raccoon humor in a way that would make fans of The Great Outdoors happy, as Mikey swags out with his friends. Things appear... Read more

January 14, 2014 Fresh, Video

Nas Brings Hip-Hop Education to Harvard. Hip-Hop is Alive and It’s Changing Lives (Video)

Ammunition's new series, By Design, takes a compelling look at Harvard University's Nasir Jones Fellowship. The fellowship's namesake, Nas, explains his role and activism and punfully says that Hip-Hop needs a countering "slow-down period" to the "fast life" (a single Nas appeared on with Kool G Rap almost 20 years... Read more

January 14, 2014 Video

Cappadonna Drops A Visual To His Winter Warz Verse 18 Years Later (Video)

In the canon of guest verses, one legendary look came back in 1996, from Staten Island, New Yorker Cappadonna. The Wu-Tang Clan's tightest affiliate, a onetime argued tenth member, Cappa was a co-star on the cover of Ghostface Killah's solo debut, Ironman. After putting Heads to bed with his seemingly... Read more

January 14, 2014 Fresh, Throwback

Sway Chops It Up About West Coast Hip-Hop Old and New With Alchemist and Evidence (Video)

Evidence and Alchemist sat down with Sway to talk about West Coast Hip-Hop (old and new), their new Step Brothers project and how Evidence got Sway his MTV gig. Kid Ink also got in on the conversation. Check out the video. Related: The Step Brothers (Alchemist & Evidence) Have The... Read more

January 13, 2014 Video

Childish Gambino Clowns Chick-Fil-A in His Latest Short Film (Video)

Childish Gambino has written and directed a new short film called Chicken and Futility that takes a satirical side-eyed look at Chick-Fil-A while also pondering the meaning of life through the action of moths...Make sense? Check out the video. Related: Donald Glover (aka Childish Gambino) – Clapping for the Wrong... Read more

January 13, 2014 Video

Drake Shoots “Wu-Tang Forever Remix” Video In New York City, But Who Was There? (Photos)

Much has been said, opined, and speculated about Drake's Nothing Was The Same single's unheard companion, "Wu-Tang Forever Remix." While members of the Clan, whose 1997 cut "It's Yourz" (along with T. La Rock's original cut of the same name) inspired Drizzy's ballad have differing opinions of whether the song... Read more

January 13, 2014 Fresh

The Cool Kids Are Back Together, And Return In Style With Two New Songs (Audio)

Some groups seem to go a lot farther together than apart: arguments could be made for Black Sheep, Outkast, Young Gunz, and Tha Dogg Pound. One contemporary clique that may fit into that description is Chicago, Illinois' The Cool Kids. The mid-2000s MySpace success group, combining fashion with '80s-styled boom-bap... Read more

January 13, 2014 Audio, Fresh

J-Zone Samples Classic Artwork From Redman, Ice-T & MC Ren In New Visual (Video)

J-Zone loves his Hip-Hop. If his columns in the now-defunct Elemental magazine or egotripland.com aren't telling, his video for "Crib Issues" is. While the song is inspired by the displeasures of staying over at a significant other's house, the video plops Zone into the artwork of albums by Redman, Ice-T,... Read more

January 13, 2014 Fresh, Video

Quelle Chris Has Glow In The Dark Fun In Ghost At The Finish Line (Video)

Michigan native and Cali transplant Quelle Chris had a banner year in 2013. He released two critically-albums on Mello Music Group, and toured with collaborator Black Milk. The latter of those two albums, Ghost At The Finish Line, is still actively making its rounds. Chris dropped a bugged video for... Read more

January 13, 2014 Fresh, Video