News Archives

Black Hippy (Kendrick Lamar, Schoolboy Q, Jay Rock and Ab-Soul) in Texas (Video)

Here's some footage of Black Hippy (Kendrick Lamar, Schoolboy Q, Jay Rock and Ab-Soul) performing in Texas, set to a medley of their hits from the past year (and damn there are plenty). Props to Top Dawg Entertainment for killing the game in 2011. Click here to check out our... Read more

January 26, 2012 Audio, Video

Logic – Young Sinatra III

Logic breathes life into a vintage (and ridiculously slept on) Milkbone track, complete with a Nas/AZ sample. Check out Young Sinatra III. Props to 2DopeBoyz for the find. Here's the original Milkbone joint.... Read more

January 26, 2012 Audio, Mixes, The Bridge

Joe Budden – No Church in the Wild

Joe Budden went in on the No Church in the Wild track from Watch the Throne. Check it out.... Read more

January 26, 2012 Audio

Joe Cool – Ghetto Bass (Video)

Here's yet another strong song from Joe Cool. Check out the video for Ghetto Bass. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAH3NxeV8Lw&feature=player_embedded... Read more

January 26, 2012 Video

Skewby – Ups & Downs (Video)

Here's the latest video from Skewby. Check out Ups & Downs. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cFHnHoub4Q&feature=player_embedded... Read more

January 25, 2012 Video

Is Big K.R.I.T. the new OutKast?

Big K.R.I.T. asks us to call him a King Remembered in Time – a king who pays homage to royalty who’ve come before him. Among those giants who came before K.R.I.T. is Outkast. The beauty of Outkast is the group’s appeal to the playa and prophet that lives in us... Read more

January 24, 2012 Audio, Food for Thought

Q-Tip Gets DNA Tested And Discovers His African Roots (Video)

Know your roots? Q-Tip does. He recently did a DNA swab to learn about his ancestry. Here's a video chronicling what he discovered about his family tree. Check it out. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Df9x2OUl6X4&feature=player_embedded Also, we had a big Run-D.M.C. weekend with the anniversary of Jam Master Jay's birth on Saturday. Here's D.M.C.'s... Read more

January 24, 2012 Food for Thought, The Bridge, Video

Saigon – Warning Shots 3: One Foot in the Grave (Mixtape)

Saigon has dropped a bunch of tracks from his Warning Shots 3: One Foot in the Grave project. Here's the full mixtape. You can listen to the whole thing and download it below. Download Mixtape... Read more

January 24, 2012 Audio, Mixes

Evidence – Falling (Video)

Here's a new video from Evidence's Cats & Dogs album. That album made our best of 2011 list and this new video is also dope. Check out Falling. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58b37wo_nJg&feature=player_embedded... Read more

January 24, 2012 Video

Sadat X – Remember That (Video) + Fokis – Just Sayin’ ft Sadat X

Here's a double play of new music from Sadat X. Check out the video for Sadat's Remember That and Just Sayin' by Fokis featuring Sadat X. http://vimeo.com/35510763 Fokis - Just Sayin' ft Sadat X... Read more

January 23, 2012 Audio, Video

Saigon – Women Are the New Dogs

Saigon's new song, Women Are the New Dogs, takes a different direction than what you might expect from the title. It actually ends up being a commentary on how men have treated women. Check it out below.... Read more

January 23, 2012 Audio

Action Bronson – Strictly Business Pt. 1 & 2

Here's some new Action Bronson. It's a Statik Selektah-produced track which features an ill flip of a Boyz II Men classic and another New Jack swing joint from the soundtrack to Strictly Business (the movie that put Halle Berry on the map). Check out Strictly Business Pt. 1 & 2,... Read more

January 23, 2012 Audio, The Bridge

JIM-E-O – Tale of 3 Cities ft Big Remo & Dave East

Here's a hot joint from Austin's JIM-E-O featuring Big Remo (from 9th Wonder's camp) and Dave East. Check out Tale of 3 Cities.... Read more

January 23, 2012 Audio

Here’s a tribute mix to Jam Master Jay by Funkmaster Flex (Mixtape)

The late, great Jam Master Jay would have been 47 years old yesterday. In celebration of his birthday, Funkmaster Flex did a tribute mix filled with Run-D.M.C. classics. You can listen to the mix and download it below. When asked who's best, y'all should say....Also, click here to listen to... Read more

January 22, 2012 Audio, Mixes, Throwback

K. Sparks – The Cotton Club ft JAYVINE

Here's a nice jazzy track with some knock too it. Check out K. Spark's The Cotton Club featuring JAYVINE.... Read more

January 22, 2012 Audio

Schoolboy Q – Hands on the Wheel ft A$AP Rocky

Schoolboy Q's album Habits & Consequences dropped last Friday. It's a solid album, if you haven't checked it out yet. Here's his new video for Hands on the Wheel featuring A$AP Rocky. Check it out. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGd9DTTrX4U&feature=player_embedded Also, click here for our interview of Kendrick Lamar.... Read more

January 20, 2012 Video

Joe Cool – Cooley Hi (Mixtape)

Here's Joe Cool's new Cooley Hi mixtape. It has a bunch of hot joints on it, including I Wanna Sell Drugs which talks about fighting through the daily grind and resisting the temptation to sell drugs. Joe Cool is also a double threat, handling most of the production on the... Read more

January 20, 2012 Audio, Mixes

Saigon – Hungry

Here's the latest from Saigon. Check out Hungry. His new mixtape, Warning Shots 3: One Foot in the Grave drops soon.... Read more

January 20, 2012 Audio

DJ Jazzy Jeff is a hip-hop icon. You know the stats: one of the illest DJs EVER, winner of the first ever rap Grammy, superstar producer and one half of the legendary DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince. But, do you know the path that led him to become one of hip-hop’s pioneers? Here’s an interview where he breaks down his journey to hip-hop through music. This is Where It All Began for DJ Jazzy Jeff.

Click here for Where It All Began: Kendrick Lamar.... Read more

January 19, 2012 Food for Thought, Video

8Ball & MJG – We Buy Gold ft Big K.R.I.T.

Here's some new Southern Funk from 8Ball & MJG featuring Big K.R.I.T. This one knocks. Check out We Buy Gold. Both 8Ball & MJG and K.R.I.T. have mixtapes dropping soon.... Read more

January 19, 2012 Audio

Snoop Dogg & Wiz Khalifa – Smokin’ On ft Juicy J (Video)

Here's a new video from Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa. Check out Smokin' On featuring Juicy J.... Read more

January 19, 2012 Video

Ski Beatz – Fly By ft Curren$y (Video)

Ski Beatz produced most of Curren$y's Pilot Talk and Pilot Talk 2. Here's another hot collabo between the two. Check out the video for Fly By, off Ski Beatz's upcoming 24 Hour Karate School Presents Twilight album. Also, click here to check out our playlist of music produced by Ski... Read more

January 19, 2012 Video

Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock and Terrace Martin Speak on the next generation of West Coast Rap (Video)

Here's an interview of Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock and Terrace Martin from This Is 50. Check it out. Also, click here if you missed our playlist on the evolution of the West Coast sound from Dr. Dre to the future of the West featured in this interview. Props to This... Read more

January 17, 2012 Food for Thought, Video

First Serve (Posdnuos and Trugoy of De La Soul) – Pushin’ Aside, Pushin’ Along

New music from Posdnuos and Trugoy the Dove (aka Dave)??? That's right. Check out Pushin' Aside, Pushin' Along from 2/3 of the legendary De La Soul, aka First Serve. Also, if you dig the Native Tongues, click here to check out our Beats, Rhymes & Life mix, featuring music from... Read more

January 17, 2012 Audio

MC Eiht – All Hood

Here's some new music from West Coast OG, MC Eiht. Check out All Hood.... Read more

January 17, 2012 Audio

Freddie Gibbs & Madlib – Thuggin’ (Video)

Here's the new video for Freddie Gibbs' and Madlib's collabo, Thuggin'. Check it out.... Read more

January 17, 2012 Video

Here’s an MLK day playlist featuring music from Common, Talib Kweli, Kendrick Lamar, Big K.R.I.T., Nas and more (Playlist)

Happy MLK day. MUCH has changed since the 60's when Dr. King led a peaceful revolution for justice and equality, but the beautiful struggle continues. We are in complex times. The nation has a black president, a reality that likely would not have materialized had it not been for the... Read more

January 16, 2012 Audio, Food for Thought, Playlists

Kanye West Performing in 1996 (Video)

Here's some ill footage of Kanye West performing in 1996...8 years before College Dropout was released. You can see the same energy he displays now. Check it out. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auCaRs_pSlM&feature=socblog_th... Read more

January 15, 2012 Video

KRS-ONE Speaks on the evolution of his career, The Return of the Boom Bap and the death of conscious rap (Video)

Wow. Here's an unbelievable interview of KRS-One from DJ Premier's blog. He identifies the moment conscious rap died...Check it out. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erwJzZxaWXs&feature=player_embedded... Read more

January 15, 2012 Food for Thought, Throwback, Video

Bring That Funk Back (Playlist)

Here's an old school playlist of songs from the 70's and 80's that influenced a lot of the funk in hip-hip. If you like music from Dr. Dre, DJ Quik, Erick Sermon or just appreciate some of that rich back in the day goodness, this one's for you. You'll find... Read more

January 14, 2012 Audio, Playlists, Throwback

Schoolboy Q – Grooveline Pt. 1 ft Dom Kennedy & Curren$y

Here's some new heat from Schoolboy Q. It's a laidback, soulful joint from Lex Luger that is a completely different sound than what you're used to hearing from him. Check out Grooveline Pt. 1 ft Dom Kennedy & Curren$y. Schoolboy Q's album Habits & Contradictions hits tonight at midnight. Based... Read more

January 13, 2012 Audio

Saigon – Another Man Down ft Lil Fame of M.O.P.

Here's some new music from Saigon, and it's a banger. Check out Another Man Down featuring M.O.P.'s Lil Fame.... Read more

January 13, 2012 Audio

We had the good fortune to sit down with Kendrick Lamar and he gave us an in-depth interview about the music that shaped him and led him to hip-hop. He discusses everything from the earliest influences on his musical tastes to the deep connection between him, DMX and Tupac. He is candid, introspective and insightful. Witness the story of Where It All Began in hip-hop for Kendrick Lamar.

You may have seen bits of the interview in our sneak peeks (posted below) but they were just a taste of the knowledge he dropped in the full conversation. If you missed them, check out more Where It All Began sneak peeks below.... Read more

January 12, 2012 Food for Thought, Video

MED – War & Love ft Oh No (Video)

Alchemist MURDERED this track for MED and MED & Oh No matched it with ill verses. Check out the video for MED's War & Love featuring Oh No. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=6idlGXj7BD4... Read more

January 12, 2012 Video

The RZA (Bobby Digital) – Shock Me

Here's some previously unreleased music from The RZA. It's an old Bobby Digital demo. Check out Shock Me.... Read more

January 12, 2012 Audio

Murs speaks on the power of independent hip-hop (Video)

Here's a really dope interview from Murs speaking about the current state of the industry for independent artists and talking about the new generation of West Coast MCs. Get this knowledge. Also, click here to hear Murs (and many others) talk about his first favorite rapper. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZOw5GQlaSg&feature=player_embedded Props to LA... Read more

January 11, 2012 Food for Thought, Video

Dom Kennedy – Why The Hell Not

Here's a hot previously unreleased track from Dom Kennedy. Check out Why The Hell Not.... Read more

January 11, 2012 Audio

Obie Trice – Growing Up in the Hood ft The Game

The Game and Obie Trice go in on a classic track from Compton's Most Wanted (with a little Ohio Players sprinkled in). Check out Growing Up in the Hood. Here are the Compton's Most Wanted and Ohio Players tracks: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcU1ra4nyTI http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJLrYjKqPmk... Read more

January 11, 2012 Audio, The Bridge

Nipsey Hu$$le – A Million (Video)

Here's a new video from Nipsey Hu$$le for his song, A Million, which flips the hook from Jay-Z's classic A Million and One Questions. Check it out. Also, if you missed it, you can listen to and download Nipsey's mixtape, The Marathon Continues, here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4kqJI_ACTw&feature=player_embedded Here's the original Jay-Z joint:... Read more

January 11, 2012 Video

Joe Cool’s I Wanna Sell Drugs is actually NOT about selling drugs…It’s about his daily struggle to materialize his dreams and his resistance to the fleeting temptation to sell drugs. The song is incredible and the video takes the concept to a different level. Check it out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dbFEz1p47Y&feature=player_embedded... Read more

January 11, 2012 Video

STS – Cut Me Off (Video)

STS's Cut Me Off is a comedic take on a story about a relationship that was doomed from the start. The acoustic guitar track with no drum track is a different sound for him. Check out the video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=VPwHRNWJVvk... Read more

January 11, 2012 Video

Terrace Martin – Thoughts From Detention ft Yung Shep (Video)

Terrace Martin drops some more of that new West Coast heat on Thoughts from Detention featuring Yung Shep. Check out the video. You can also check out our playlist of the evolution of the West Coast sound from Ice-T to Kendrick Lamar here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4l735zqqB9s&feature=player_embedded... Read more

January 11, 2012 Video

Kanye West plays Big Brother for Jay-Z for the first time (Video)

Here's some pretty dope footage of the studio session where Kanye West played Big Brother (the original version) for Jay-Z the first time. It kicks in at around the 1 minute mark. Check it out. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=-ZpPdqhTs3U... Read more

January 10, 2012 Video

Stalley – The Night ft Rashad (Video)

Here's a hot new video from Stalley. It's another gem from his Lincoln Way Nights project, which made our best of 2011 list. Check out The Night featuring Rashad. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TT6ZHe_D5GM&feature=player_embedded... Read more

January 10, 2012 Video

Ski Beatz & Freddie Gibbs – Illegal (Video)

Ski Beatz dropped his song Illegal featuring Freddie Gibbs a few weeks ago. Here's the video. Also, check out what Freddie Gibbs had to say about his first favorite rapper and what Ski Beatz had to say about who introduced him to hip-hop. Here's what Gangsta Gibbs had to say... Read more

January 10, 2012 Video

Talib Kweli presents Black Star Live Part 2 (Video)

Here's a cool clip featuring some new music from Black Star, as well as some behind the scenes footage of their tour and Talib Kweli talking about what's in store for the Black Star family in 2012. Check out the video. Click here for more new music from Black Star.... Read more

January 9, 2012 Video

Rockie Fresh – Driving 88 ft Casey Veggies

Rockie Fresh and Casey Veggies dropped a hot song called Duckin' N Dodgin' last Summer. Here's another nice collabo between the two. Check out Driving 88 (stream-only).... Read more

January 9, 2012 Audio

Jay-Z and Beyonce welcomed their daughter, Blue Ivy, into the world on Saturday. Jay-Z did an intimate song about her and his entry to fatherhood. Check out Glory, produced by and featuring Pharrell.

January 9, 2012 Audio

You knew this was coming…Common takes shots at Drake on Sweet, Drake fires back on Stay Schemin’ with Rick Ross and now Common retaliates on his own personal remix to Stay Schemin’. Who got who? Does this “beef” even make sense? 2 artists, 2 new albums…Here’s Common’s “Remix” to Stay Schemin’ by Rick Ross ft Drake.

Click here to see the video to the original Stay Schemin' from Rick Ross, Drake and French Montana.... Read more

January 9, 2012 Audio

Cinematic Soul Playlist

Hip-hop has long been influenced by the cinematic soul of the 70's. Whether you're a fan of Big K.R.I.T. or Biz Markie, UGK or Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre or Just Blaze...you can hear the influence of music from films like Shaft, Super Fly, The Mack, The Payback. Here's a playlist... Read more

January 7, 2012 Audio, Playlists, Throwback