News Archives

Focus has been dropping a lot of joints with the former members of Little Brother lately.

First was Uh! ft Phonte. Next up is L.O.V.E. (Lyrics Often Verbalize Everything) [feat, Rapper Big Pooh, Nottz]. Check it out. L.O.V.E. (Lyrics Often Verbalize Everything) [feat, Rapper Big Pooh, Nottz] by Focus...... Read more

June 7, 2011 Audio

Ready for a new Roots album? Not yet…and not soon enough, but it’s coming.

Check out the interview below of ?uestlove and Black Thought for more details. Here's an excerpt from the story, and click here to read the whole thing: For the follow-up to The Roots' 2010 album, "How I Got Over," drummer ?uestlove says the veteran hip-hop band is planning a "concept... Read more

June 7, 2011 Video

Big K.R.I.T. rips it on this live version of Time Machine. Check out the video.

A lot of these live clips sound like ish...but this one is shot well and bumps. http://vimeo.com/24712546... Read more

June 7, 2011 Video

You may have heard by now that Juice is being remade and Soulja Boy is reprising the role of Bishop. All backlash against him aside, could ANYBODY ever fill that role the way Tupac did?

If it's been a while since you saw the hip-hop classic that showed the world Tupac was as much a force to be reckoned with onscreen as he was offscreen, watch the whole movie below. Click here for an article discussing Souja Boy's role in producing the film.... Read more

June 5, 2011 Video

Royce Da 5’9″ + DJ Premier = FIRE. They first linked up in 2002. Here’s their latest collabo.

Check out Second Place. The Nickel Nine is busy this year. In addition to his Bad Meets Evil album with Eminem (click here for their new song with Slaughterhouse), He's dropping a solo joint later this Summer. Be on the lookout for Success is Certain. Click here to download. Here's... Read more

June 5, 2011 Audio, The Bridge

DJ Quik: Compton Alumni is a REALLY dope mini-documentary.

The film is very well shot and gives some great insight into the life and times of DJ Quik, from the man himself. Check out the whole short film below. http://vimeo.com/24593445 And, if you missed it, click here for our DJ Quik playlist and a link to download a mixtape... Read more

June 4, 2011 Video

Eminem and Royce Da 5’9″ brought their friends along on their latest joint.

Check out Bad Meets Evil's Loud Noises ft Slaughterhouse. Click here to download. The Bad Meets Evil album, Hell the Sequel, drops on 6/14.... Read more

June 4, 2011 Audio

Here’s a video for one of the best songs on The Jets’ Jet Life to the Next Life mixtape.

Check out Nothin' Lesser ft Young Roddy and Trademark Da Skydiver. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkaZuODOgNQ Click here to listen to and download the Jet Life to the Next Life mixtape.... Read more

June 4, 2011 Video

Here’s a late 80’s/early 90’s R&B mix for your listening pleasure.

Sometimes you need a palate cleanser to get the most out of a good meal--something to clear your taste buds so you can approach the next serving with a fresh perspective. We think the same is true for music. We aspire to rep the best in hip-hop (old and new)... Read more

June 4, 2011 Audio

Jay-Z has helped put on a LOT of producers. Very few can say they helped put him on. Ski Beatz is one of them…

The latest installment of our Producer Series is dedicated to the music of the legendary Ski Beatz. If you like Reasonable Doubt-era Jay-Z and Curren$y's Pilot Talk series, this one is for you. Ski Beatz was one of the primary sonic architects of all those projects. He also did one... Read more

June 3, 2011 Audio, Playlists

New Kendrick Lamar. Nuff said. Check out Sex With Society.

Click here to download.... Read more

June 3, 2011 Audio

New CyHi Da Prynce too…Check out Emotional.

This is from CyHi's upcoming Royal Flush 2 mixtape. Click here to watch the new video CyHi just dropped for Can't Wait, off the first Royal Flush mixtape. Click here to download.... Read more

June 3, 2011 Audio

Kidz in the Hall have been doing it BIG for years but they have never made it big.

They will get their chance starting Sunday as their new reality web series, Here Now, debuts Sunday on www.kidzinthehall.com and suckerfree.mtv2.com. They also have a new album, Occasion, dropping later this Summer. Here's a new video from Occasion, which features a trailer for Here Now, at the end. Check out... Read more

June 3, 2011 The Bridge, Video

Salute to Shaquille O’Neal. His presence in the NBA will be sorely missed.

In honor of the big fella, here are a couple of dope joints linking Shaq and hip-hop's big fella, Biggie Smalls. First up is Shaq's Can't Stop the Reign ft The Notorious B.I.G., and next is a powerful video ESPN dropped a few months ago examining the connection between Shaq... Read more

June 3, 2011 Video

Here’s a new joint from Wale ft Stalley, Black Cobain and Tone P. Check out Cookup.

Click here to download.... Read more

June 3, 2011 Audio

The video for Can’t Wait is the 3rd collabo between Cyhi Da Prince and director Decatur Dan for CyHi’s Royal Flush mixtape.

They are 3 for 3. Check it out. Click here for more from CyHi and Decatur Dan and a link to download CyHi's Royal Flush mixtape.... Read more

June 3, 2011 Video

Curren$y slows it down a bit on She Don’t Want A Man. Check it out.

June 2, 2011 Audio

Can’t wait till June 13 to hear Eminem and Royce Da 5’9″‘s Bad Meets Evil album? Check out samples of every song.

Click here to hear 30 second snippets via Amazon.com. Tracklist is below. If you missed Fast Lane, the first single, click here. Here's the tracklist: 1. Welcome 2 Hell [Explicit] 2. Fast Lane [Explicit] 3. The Reunion [Explicit] 4. Above The Law [Explicit] 5. I'm On Everything [Explicit] 6. A... Read more

June 1, 2011 Audio

You can hear 9th Wonder’s influence in Khrysis’ beats…That’s a good thing.

It's in the boom BAP and dark chords. Khrysis laced King Mez with a banger called From the South. Check out the video ft Thee Tom Hardy and Sean Boog. http://vimeo.com/24473359... Read more

May 31, 2011 Video

Kids These Days are a dope hip-hop BAND. They have a hot spitter, guitar, trombone, saxophone, drums and more…

Check out their new video called Summerscent. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAopeQdGe8Y&feature=player_embedded Click here for more Kids These Days. And, speaking of hip-hop bands, these cats were one of the first (and no, it's not The Roots). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJ2pArGnXJ8... Read more

May 31, 2011 The Bridge, Video

Here’s some new J. Cole. This is one of the hottest joints he’s been on in a while.

You might recognize the beat from this sick Side Effekt beat we posted a while ago, called The Essence. We actually asked who you thought would rock the hardest on the track...Looks like Cole answered that....Check out How High. Click here to download.... Read more

May 29, 2011 Audio, The Bridge

This week’s Soul Cooking mix features newer soul…but let’s not call it Neo.

If you dig artists like Erykah Badu, D'Angelo, Maxwell, Jill Scott, India.Arie and Lauryn Hill, this one is for you. Put this one on with the BBQ and let it marinate.... Read more

May 29, 2011 Audio

The video for Bad Meets Evil’s Fast Lane is coming soon. Until then, here’s a sneak preview.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glu-JosmhXY&feature=player_embedded Click here for the latest from the Royce Da 5'9" and Eminem collabo.... Read more

May 28, 2011 Video

Curren$y + Nardwaur = Straight Entertainment

Check out Round 2 of their interviews. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVvzAZh7LKs&feature=player_embedded Here's their first interview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VY3IOq4uzpc&feature=related... Read more

May 28, 2011 Video

New Eminem and Royce Da 5’9″ (Bad Meets Evil) ft Mike Epps. Nuff said…

Check out I'm on Everything. Click here to download.... Read more

May 27, 2011 Audio

Here’s the last installment of #PhilAdeFridays. This has been one of the better of these series and he ends on a solid note.

Next week, Phil will drop a mixtape with all the previous joints. Check out Cloud 9 ft GLC. Click here to download.... Read more

May 27, 2011 Audio

Kris Kasanova goes in on Frank Ocean’s Novacane track. Check out Kane.

Click here to download. If you don't have Frank Ocean's Nostalgia, Ultra mixtape yet, click here to download it. It's special.... Read more

May 27, 2011 Audio

Big Sean ripped My Last on Jimmy Kimmel.

The New Edition sample really comes alive with live instrumentation. Check it out. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azFV4qHyHA0... Read more

May 27, 2011 Video

Action Bronson and Statik Selektah bring some heat for the long weekend.

Check out Time for Some ft Lil Fame of M.O.P. Click here to download.... Read more

May 27, 2011 Audio

Here’s a dope remix of Miguel’s Sure Thing which features a verse from Pusha T. Check it out.

We published the original of this song well over a year ago when we looked like this...A lot has changed for both Miguel and us. Salute to Miguel for all of his success. >... Read more

May 27, 2011 Audio

Da Brat shows she can still spit fire on Get It Get It ft Jadakiss.

Check it out. Click here to download.... Read more

May 27, 2011 Audio

Wu is in the building!! Check out these 2 new joints from Raekwon and The RZA.

Here's Raekwon's remix to Rock N Roll ft DJ Khaled, The Game, Pharrell and Busta Rhymes: Click here to download. And, here's RZA's Only the Rugged Survive: Click here to download.... Read more

May 26, 2011 Audio

Ahh…here we go. Here’s the new video for Kendrick Lamar’s HiiiPoWeR (ft J. Cole on the production). Get ready for Section 80.

If you're feelin' this, check out this mix featuring new Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole and many, many more "new" cats who are killing the game right now.... Read more

May 25, 2011 Video

Big K.R.I.T and Slim Thug have been making some incredible collabos lately.

It's cool to see different "generations" of Southern rappers coming together to make good music. Here's the video for Slim Thug's Coming From ft Big K.R.I.T. and J-Dawg. Also, click here for Now or Neva, another heat rock from K.R.I.T. and Slim.... Read more

May 25, 2011 Video

Can’t wait to see the A Tribe Called Quest documentary? It’s coming soon to a theater near you.

Click here for details on locations and release dates for Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest. Also, here's a playlist we did celebrating music produced by Q-Tip.... Read more

May 25, 2011 Food for Thought

Here’s the first video from Trademark Da Skydiver, Young Roddy and Curren$y’s stellar mixtape, Jet Life to the Next Life.

Check out Jet Set/Jet Life. Props to 2DopeBoyz for making the mixtape happen. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5S9Y8Nw1tw&feature=player_embedded If you missed it, click here to listen to the whole mixtape and download it.... Read more

May 25, 2011 Video

The 90’s will always be considered the Golden Age of hip-hop. Click below to listen to all 250 songs that XXL named the best of the 1990’s.

That's not to say that decade will always be the best, nor that it contains the best year in hip-hop (in fact, read this if you REALLY want a debate) but, just as the 70's will always be considered Classic Rock (Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, etc.--note other great... Read more

May 24, 2011 Audio, Playlists, Throwback

Pac Div go in on a sample of one of the best tracks from Andre 3000’s The Love Below.

Check out the video for Fallin', from their mixtape, Mania, which you can listen to and download below. http://vimeo.com/24145207 Need some more Pac Div in your life? Check out their video for Rollin' and download their mixtape, Don't Mention It, here. Here's the Andre 3000 joint: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGriTyFX96k&feature=related Here's Mania: Download... Read more

May 23, 2011 Mixes, Video

Stalley is one of my favorite MCs of the last 12 months. Aside from just being plain dope, he has 2 incredibly rare distinctions in today’s hip-hop landscape.

1. He does not curse, and 2. The vast majority of his music does not contain samples. No judgements against either cursing or sampling (some of the greatest to ever do it do both to the fullest) but it's hard to find a credible rapper post 1987 who does this.... Read more

May 23, 2011 Audio

In the late 80’s and early 90’s there was an incredible British soul invasion. The music was called Acid Jazz, but make no mistake–it was SOUL music.

This week's Soul Cooking installment is dedicated to that movement. If names like Loose Ends, Soul II Soul, The Brand New Heavies and Jamiroquai mean anything to you, get ready for a ride down memory lane. If those names are new to you and you appreciate good soul music, this... Read more

May 22, 2011 Audio

Here’s some new Mood Muzik from Joe Budden. Like most of the other Mood Muzik, it’s dark and brooding. Check out Dreamerz.

Mood Muzik 4.5 - The Worst Is Yet to Come drops soon. Click here to download.... Read more

May 21, 2011 Audio

It’s kinda cool to see the recent resurgence of rappers from the 90’s. Kool G. Rap is the latest to join the pack.

Check out American Nightmare ft Havoc. It's like G. Rap never left... Click here to download.... Read more

May 21, 2011 Audio

After 20 years, Bumpy Knuckles aka Freddie Foxx is still murdering MCs.

He and Noreaga go IN on this vintage Statik Selektah track. Check out Lyrical Workout. Click here to download. And, if you forgot (or never knew) how Freddie Foxx/Bumpie Knuckles used to kill 'em, check out this classic from him and KRS-One (stream only--click here to buy it).... Read more

May 20, 2011 Audio

Erykah Badu’s Window Seat beat is the gift that keeps on giving. The latest beneficiary is The JETS.

Check out their video for Pilot Seat. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7YIu5mDacU&feature=player_embedded Click here to listen to and download The Jets mixtape, Jet Life to the Next Life. And, click here to download Pilot Seat and check out Badu's versions.... Read more

May 20, 2011 Video

No I.D. blessed Big Sean with a couple of tracks for his album. Here’s one called I Don’t Think They Want It.

Check it out. Click here to download. If you're feeling that, here's the other track, What Goes Around.... Read more

May 20, 2011 Audio

Here’s a brand new joint from Drake. Sounds like a new album may be coming relatively soon.

Check out Dreams Money Can Buy. Click here to download.... Read more

May 20, 2011 Audio

Erick Sermon just dropped a new song and it inspired us to take a look back at his career. The latest Producer Series installment is dedicated to the Green Eyed Bandit.

When he first unleashed his sonic imprint in 1988 as part of EPMD, Erick Sermon was one of the first producers to bring P-Funk to hip-hop. Over the better part of the next 2 decades, he went on to give classic tracks to some of the most legendary names in... Read more

May 20, 2011 Audio, Playlists, Throwback

Elzhi, Trick Trick and Ketchphrase put it DOWN for their hometown, with a big assist from a Black Milk track.