News Archives

Kanye West Has Made Hip-Hop History In The Era Of Streaming Music

In 2017 and beyond, racking up awards and setting records for streaming-only releases will likely become the norm. Chance The Rapper, who just won three Grammy Awards for an album he gave away online for free; and Drake, who shattered streaming records when More Life earned over 89 million plays... Read more

April 6, 2017 News

Kris Kasanova Is Out To Prove His Bars Will Always Come With A Little Something Extra (Video)

Music has been, and continues to be, a staple in Kris Kasanova's life. Learning and studying the art of Hip-Hop since his years on this Earth crossed into the double digits, the Red Hook, Brooklyn native watched his stepfather Don, who piqued his interests into the game, enter the booth... Read more

April 6, 2017 Ready Or Not

Maino Breathes Life Into Pain As The Ghost Of Kalief Browder (Audio)

Kalief Browder's name is becoming more well known each day, though most would argue it's too little, too late. Spending more than 1,000 days at Rikers Island prison for a crime he didn't commit, Browder was a young man of color who suffered excruciating injustice at the hands of this country's... Read more

April 6, 2017 Audio

Stetsasonic’s Bobby Simmons Argues They Are The Only Hip-Hop Band (Audio)

Author and filmmaker Bonz Malone previously published a coffee-table book, Hip Hop Immortals. Inside the 2002 text, there is a historic, panoramic photo of Stetsasonic and The Roots in a line with their hands up. Together, these two Northeast acts (one famous since the mid-1980s, and the other from the... Read more

April 6, 2017 Audio

Raekwon Details Wu-Tang Clan’s Response To U-God’s $2.5 Million Lawsuit

Last November, Wu-Tang Clan member U-God slapped his band-mates with a reported $2.5 million lawsuit. The Staten Island, New York veteran named RZA and brother, manager Mitchell "Divine" Diggs in the lawsuit, and alleged that he had not been paid for any group work since 2013. That period includes a... Read more

April 5, 2017 Fresh

Troy Ave Defends His Attacks On Capital STEEZ & Details His Shooting (Video)

Troy Ave's career has massively changed since his 2015 album, Major Without A Deal. The Brooklyn, New York MC independently rose through the ranks to reach the Top 200 charts, with an LP that included appearances by 50 Cent, Puff Daddy, Cam'ron, Fat Joe, Jadakiss, Ma$e, and Fabolous. At least... Read more

April 5, 2017 Video

Mic Capes Is Breaking Through Life’s Chains To Help Others Get Free (Video)

Portland, Oregon's Mic Capes has begun to garner notoriety in his homestate for his visceral lyricism, illustrative story-telling, and stirring content. Since releasing his debut album, Rise & Grind, in 2012, the rapper born Michael Caples has expanded his fan base far beyond his St. Johns neighborhood, even earning the... Read more

April 5, 2017 Ready Or Not

Page Kennedy’s Latest Freestyle Leaves Weak Rappers In The Weeds (Video)

Page Kennedy is promoting his recently-released Torn Pages album the best way that he possibly can. The veteran actor from Blue Mountain State ("Radon Randell") and Weeds ("U-Turn") isn't using his Hollywood resumé to pump the LP, he's relying on his exceptional freestyles. It is hard to find a more... Read more

April 5, 2017 Video

Evidence Returns With One Of His Best Songs In Years. He Reigns On An Alchemist Beat.

It has been nearly six years since Evidence released a solo album. For many fans, 2011's Cats & Dogs reached a new zenith for the Dilated Peoples and Stepbrothers veteran. Still running with Rhymesayers, the 20-year veteran is in even stronger form on new video single, "Throw It All Away."... Read more

April 5, 2017 Video

Respect The DJ: Ice Cube Refuses To Replace The Late DJ Crazy Toones On Stage (Video)

The January loss of Crazy Toones, remembered most for his work as a member of WC and The Maad Circle, left a gaping hole in the hearts of many. Celebrated as a producer and DJ, the man born Lamar Dupré Calhoun was the biological brother of rapper WC and appeared... Read more

April 5, 2017 Video

N.W.A. & Ruthless Records Producer & Keyboardist L.A. Dre Has Passed Away

Ruthless Records affiliate L.A. Dre, who in the 1980s and '90s worked as a producer and keyboardist on albums like N.W.A.'s Straight Outta Compton, Efilzaggin, The D.O.C.'s The Formula, and Eazy E's Eazy-Duz-It (as well as on works from Above the Law, Michel'le, and more) has passed away. A longtime friend and... Read more

April 5, 2017 News

Talib Kweli Drops a 64-Bar Video With The Kind Of Wordplay That Made Him A Star.

Talib Kweli is fast at work on his collaborative album with The LOX's Styles P. However, in the meantime, Kweli offers up a fresh batch of 64 bars built around everything that's made this Brooklyn, New Yorker so great for 20 years and counting. Just as Talib did on his... Read more

April 4, 2017 Video

Joey Bada$$ & J. Cole Release A Legendary Collabo About Empowering Ourselves & Others (Audio)

Three days away from the release of All Amerikkkan Bada$$, his first album since 2015's B4.DA.$$, and Joey Bada$$ is having a busy week. A performance on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert has been followed swiftly by the apparent leak of what is likely the most anticipated collaboration on his new album: "Legendary,"... Read more

April 4, 2017 Audio

Drag-On Releases His 1st Project In 10 Years, As The Ruff Ryders Reunite (Audio)

Later this month (April 21), the Ruff Ryders are reuniting in their native of New York City. While DMX, Swizz Beatz, Eve, and The LOX have always been the flagship artists within the R.R. management and label, the Ryders have long boasted a deep roster of talent. At times, names... Read more

April 4, 2017 Audio, Mixes

Nice & Smooth’s Smooth B Returns With A New Song That Shows He’s Still A Sure Shot (Audio)

Nice & Smooth have officially been a group for 30 years. The Bronx, New York collective "has come back with more and more hits" in the 1980s and 1990s. Now in the 2010s, the clique is highly active still. Last month Greg Nice partnered with Positive K (of "I Got... Read more

April 4, 2017 Audio

Saint Joe Louis Spar With JR & PH7’s Beat & A Rugged Rah Digga Guest Verse (Video)

JR & PH7 and St. Joe Louis have crossed oceans to collaborate, and anchored a strong feature to boot. "Duck Duck Goose" links the German production duo (Phonte, Oddisee, Saigon, Freeway, etc.) with trio of Michael Cardigan, Tommie Chase, and Elete Wright. St. Joe Louis represents the same New Jersey.... Read more

April 4, 2017 Ready Or Not

Joey Bada$$’ Performance Is A Powerful Reminder That This Is OUR America (Video)

On Friday (April 7), Joey Bada$$ will release what is shaping up to be his most brazen work to date: All Amerikkkan Bada$$. The Brooklyn, New York MC has always had a political bent to his work, but it seems in recent months he has taken advantage of every opportunity to... Read more

April 4, 2017 Video

DMX Gon’ Give It To Ya…But He Now Wants Trap Beats To Do It

For more than one year, DMX has reportedly been preparing his eighth album. In May of 2016, Swizz Beatz, one of X's longest collaborators, confirmed his deep involvement, as well as potential tracks from Dr. Dre and Kanye West. While Dre and X have never released work together, a pre-College... Read more

April 3, 2017 Fresh

In 1991, Ice Cube Spoke With Angela Davis About Using Rap To Wake Up The People (Video)

In 1991, the Hip-Hop world awaited Ice Cube's follow-up to his 1990 solo debut, AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted. The former N.W.A. member had taken a bold step in pursuing a career of his own, and even more so by enlisting the help of definitively East Coast-sounding production crew, Bomb Squad, to... Read more

April 3, 2017 Throwback

Killer Mike Casts A Different Perspective On Kanye’s Meeting With Trump (Video)

Killer Mike and Kanye West are two early 2000s Hip-Hop contemporaries. While Mike came up under Outkast and the famed Dungeon Family in Atlanta, 'Ye was attached to Jay Z and the Roc-A-Fella Records boom. Both artists were introduced as different kinds of Rap stars as they transitioned from memorable... Read more

April 3, 2017 Lifestyle, Video

I Get The Job Done: Technology Is Putting Us Out Of Work

One of the central talking points in Donald Trump's presidential campaign was his vow to bring back American jobs. The longtime entrepreneur and businessman touted his boardroom and negotiation skills as major benefits of a Trump presidency, arguing that he alone could convince businesses who have outsourced American jobs to... Read more

April 3, 2017 Lifestyle

Some Classic Rap-A-Lot Records Artwork & Logos Are Making One Supreme Comeback

Houston, Texas' Rap-A-Lot Records is one of Rap music's greatest anomalies. The label founded more than 30 years by James "Lil J" Prince has been largely responsible for the careers of Scarface, Devin The Dude, Z-Ro, and others. Despite its portfolio of platinum and gold albums, the label often keeps... Read more

April 3, 2017 Fresh, Lifestyle

Lupe Raps That Kendrick, K.R.I.T. & More Embody Hip-Hop. But He’s Still The Heart (Audio)

On Thursday (March 30), Kendrick Lamar released "HUMBLE." The video single arrived just over one week before Dot's upcoming album, confirmed one week prior. In the song, the Compton, California MC spit "I'm so f***in' sick and tired of the Photoshop / Show me somethin' natural, like afro on Richard... Read more

April 2, 2017 Audio

Rikers Island Jail May Be Closing. Jay Z Supports The Plan.

For 85 years, New York City's Rikers Island jail complex has been one of the most notorious prisons on the planet. Lodged on an island in the East River, between Queens and The Bronx, the facility is often home to as many as 10,000 inmates and another 9,000 officers. It... Read more

April 2, 2017 Lifestyle

Thirty Years Ago Prince Made A Love Song That Is Still Adored Today (Audio)

Thirty years ago this week, Prince released Sign 'O' The Times, one of his most ambitious and acclaimed works in a catalog that is unrivaled. The double album was years in the making, having evolved from various other unreleased projects, such as Dream Factory and Crystal Ball. The double album... Read more

April 1, 2017 Audio

Why LL Cool J Is The Original GOAT (Video)

Like Will Smith, Ice-T, and Queen Latifah, it may be easier to name an LL Cool J role in the last decade, than a song. However, James Todd Smith continues to make time for Hip-Hop (right now, with Dr. Dre), and when he's right, he's really sharp. Aside from that,... Read more

April 1, 2017 TV/Film, Video

Raekwon Salutes Marvin Gaye With Some Musical Healing On The Anniversary Of His Death (Audio)

One week ago, Raekwon released his seventh album, The Wild. The ICE H20 Records release features rhyme commentary on the state of Hip-Hop and relationship break-ups, as well as some classic Shallah Raekwon slick talk. Additionally, there is a tribute to Marvin Gaye, simply titled "Marvin." The Wu-Tang Clan swordsman... Read more

April 1, 2017 Audio

Das EFX Celebrate 25 Years Of Dead Serious Rhymes With Reunion Concert

Twenty five years ago next week (April 7), Das EFX released their debut album, Dead Serious. The duo of Dray and Skoob took a giant leap from under EPMD's Hit Squad umbrella when they released their first LP on EastWest Records. Produced almost entirely by Solid Scheme, this was a... Read more

March 31, 2017 Fresh

Mary J. Blige Is As Real As She’s Ever Been In Discussing Her Divorce (Video)

Celebrated world over for her deeply personal approach to music, Mary J. Blige has never held back from admitting her weaknesses and pain. In fact, she has time and time again channeled it all into her work, which continues to resonate with her fans 25 years after she made her... Read more

March 31, 2017 Video

Dave East & Beanie Sigel Say They Stand For Real Raps In An Era Of Fakery (Video)

Dave East's Kairi Chanel album features a number of veteran supporters. Cam'ron, Fabolous, and 2 Chainz all believe in the East Harlem MC, and want to make music with him. Another artist is Beanie Sigel. Heard on "The Real Is Back," Beans cosigns Dave. Like Sigel during his late '90s,... Read more

March 31, 2017 Video

Rah Digga Uses Fiery Rhymes To Blaze A Trail For JR & PH7 and St. Joe Louis (Video)

Leading up to her beloved Dirty Harriet LP in 2000, Rah Digga had made a host of powerful feature performances. The fiery MC was heard on Fugees' multi-platinum The Score, DJ Clue's The Professional, and the famed Lyricist Lounge double album. More than 20 years after she made her first... Read more

March 31, 2017 Exclusive, Video

Geechi Suede Climbs Fishnet Skyscrapers To Reach Love’s Top Floor (Video)

On "7 Digit Dolls," Camp Lo's Geechi Suede celebrates the romantic interests in his world, adding some romantic flavor to his recently launched solo catalog. It's the first taste from his forthcoming mixtape, Fishnet Skyscrapers, which officially drops on April 4. Just a few months removed from the release of his... Read more

March 31, 2017 Exclusive, Video

Who Is The Leader Of The New School? (Audio Playlist)

Life is too short to listen to bad music. So...let us fight through it for you and only supply you with the good stuff. Despite the reports, Hip-Hop is alive and well and, in many ways, is better than it's ever been before. Not only are we able to go... Read more

March 31, 2017 Audio

Ludacris Reworks Sisqo’s Smash Hit To Create A New Type Of Fantasy (Audio)

In 1999, Dru Hill's Sisqó freaked the charts with his solo smash hit "Thong Song." While "Got To Get It" had broken into the Top 40, the veteran Baltimore, Maryland singer crossed over in the biggest way by making a simple song about ladies' lingerie. At the time, Nelly, Lil'... Read more

March 31, 2017 Audio, The Bridge

Logic’s Next Album Is Coming & The 1st Single Reminds Everybody He’s An Elite MC (Video)

In the last year two and a half years, Logic has released two gold-certified, Top 5 albums on the charts. The Gaithersburg, Maryland MC is now ready to follow 2014's Under Pressure and 2015's The Incredible Story with his third album. Today (March 29), Visionary Music Group and Def Jam... Read more

March 31, 2017 News, Video

Mary J. Blige & Kanye West’s Collabo Is a True Labor of (Self) Love (Video)

Mary J. Blige has always kept it real in her music, pouring her heart(break) and soul into songs about love. Since her triple-platinum 1992 solo debut What's the 411?, the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul has blazed a trail for women in music, providing anthem after anthem for anyone who has... Read more

March 30, 2017 Video

Kendrick Lamar Shows Other Rappers Just Aren’t Cutting The Mustard, In His New Video

Last week, Kendrick Lamar set the digital world on fire when he deleted all of the photos on his Instagram account and replaced them with an image simply bearing the Roman numeral IV. The picture created wide-spread speculation that it was in reference to the imminent of arrival of his... Read more

March 30, 2017 Video

Brother Ali’s New Song Tackles Prejudice At Home & Abroad As An American Muslim (Video)

Brother Ali, the Minneapolis MC revered for his truth-telling and lifelong pursuit of knowledge, today (March 30) debuted a timely and powerful new single at Sway in the Morning. As a practitioner of Islam since his teenage years, Ali has always placed his faith front-and-center in his music, and he... Read more

March 30, 2017 Video

A Tribe Called Quest Premiere The Video For “Dis Generation” With An Assist From Busta Rhymes

When A Tribe Called Quest released their final album, We got it from Here... Thank You 4 Your service, in November, one of the standout songs was "Dis Generation." The record featured the kind of crate-digging samples and kinetic back and forth interplay between Q-Tip and Phife that had powered... Read more

March 30, 2017 Video

Joey Bada$$ & ScHoolboy Q Awaken The Revolution On The Explosive “Rockabye Baby” (Audio)

"If you 'bout this revolution, please stand up," raps Joey Bada$$ on his new single, "Rockabye Baby." Featuring ScHoolboy Q, it's a dark, overcast call to arms. It's the latest from All Amerikkkan Bada$$, the forthcoming album from the Brooklyn MC who continues to prove time and time again that... Read more

March 30, 2017 Audio

The Original Aunt Viv Responds To The Fresh Prince Reunion Photo & It’s Too Hot For TV

On Monday (March 27), Alfonso Ribeiro, former star of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, posted a photo to his Instagram that took on a life of its own. The portrait pictured him along with several other members of the cast, in what went viral as a 20-year reunion photo, given... Read more

March 29, 2017 Lifestyle

Ice-T Provides Some Rare Facts About The Song That Nearly Killed His Rap Career (Video)

This week, Ice-T's Heavy Metal band Body Count will release their sixth album, Bloodlust. In doing so, the 35-year Rap pioneer is releasing his first full-length project in nearly three years. Just as Tracy Morrow does on TV, in film, and has always done in music, he strikes with a... Read more

March 29, 2017 Throwback, Video

Maseo’s New MC Makes 5 Fingers A Hard Fist To The Face Of Hip-Hop In A New Freestyle (Video)

Born and raised in Harlem, rapper Bill Ray is signed to Maseo (of De La Soul)'s indie label, Bear Mountain. Formerly a member of group Triple Beam, he's been pursuing a solo career for over a decade, earning thousands of fans by touring with De La Soul and performing his... Read more

March 29, 2017 Video

Wood Harris Argues Why New Edition’s Story Is The Ultimate Musical Biopic (Video)

In 2017, actor Wood Harris is quite busy. Approaching 25 years since he starred alongside Tupac Shakur in Above The Rim, the highly accomplished actor is staying busy through The New Edition Story and The Breaks. Both films are music-based. In the first, Harris portrayed Brooke Payne, New Edition's longtime... Read more

March 29, 2017 TV/Film, Video

Muhammad Ali Will Be the Subject of Ken Burns’ Newest Documentary Series

Earlier this week, Brother Ali expressed his belief that more of America's Muslims should be identified by and celebrated in the media, particularly in an era when Islamophobia is so present in the U.S. He mentioned Muhammad Ali by name, calling him a leader whose role as a Black Muslim... Read more

March 29, 2017 News

N.W.A.’s Straight Outta Compton Album Heads To The Library Of Congress

Approaching its 30th anniversary of release, N.W.A.'s album Straight Outta Compton continues to be rather suddenly treated as a classic album in the mainstream. The 1988 Ruthless Records LP by Eazy-E, Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, MC Ren, and DJ Yella has always been a grassroots success. However, the album that... Read more

March 29, 2017 News

The Cast Of The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air Reunites 20 Years Later

It's been over 20 years since the final episode of The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air, but the show's impact continues to this day. Each and every day, the show plays on channels across the country, and it has left an indelible mark in both Hip-Hop and sit-com history. Yesterday (March... Read more

March 28, 2017 Fresh, TV, TV/Film

Akinyemi Is The Latest Queens MC Trying To Be A Hip-Hop King (Video)

Queens, New York has given Hip-Hop some of its most captivating, creative and distinctive, yet still relatable acts, from A Tribe Called Quest to Nas to Pharoahe Monch. Like the aforementioned MCs, newcomer Akinyemi is a true individual with unique flows and imaginative concepts, but with an air that somehow... Read more

March 28, 2017 Exclusive, Ready Or Not

DJ Premier Recalls The First Show Gang Starr Ever Did (Video)

Nearly 30 years into his recording career, DJ Premier actively tours across the globe. The iconic Gang Starr producer performs regular DJ sets, shows with PRhyme, jams with his band, and playing with other artists. Currently overseas with his artist Torii Wolf, Premier recalled the first time he took the... Read more

March 28, 2017 Video

REKS & Apollo Brown Celebrate Hip-Hop’s Infinite Powers (Video)

With ten LPs already under his belt, Lawrence, Massachusetts' REKS may very well be the perfect embodiment of an underground MC. Since his 2001 debut, Along Came The Chosen, he has worked with the likes of DJ Premier, Styles P, Pete Rock, Skyzoo, Alchemist, Freeway, Hi-Tek, and more. In September... Read more

March 28, 2017 Video