Jay-Z dominated the headlines in July, but there was a LOT of good music from other artists last month, as well. Here's a playlist of the best hip-hop to drop in July. You'll hear music from MC Lyte, Q-Tip, J. Cole, Rapsody, Pete Rock & Camp Lo, Daz Dillinger, Nipsey... Read more

After teasing fans with a short, cryptic social media video last month, Nas' Lost Tapes has a release date. The legendary and his Mass Appeal Records dropped a trailer for the compilation that is due July 19. The video, which includes a Statik Selektah-produced "Lost Freestyle" as its sound-bed, confirms... Read more

Five years ago, Nas confirmed that Lost Tapes 2 would be happening. The announcement came at a time when the MC's Mass Appeal Records was rapidly expanding its roster. Since that May 2014 report, Nas has been at work on several projects. Nasir, a collaborative album with Kanye West's production,... Read more

It's been six years since Nas fans were presented a full album from one of Hip-Hop's most revered lyricists. In that time, the MC has remained focused on his business ventures, including a media company, record label, TV and film production, Sweet Chick restaurants, and a massively successful equity firm.... Read more

Decked out in a red t-shirt supporting one of Mobb Deep's favorite spirits and bandana as a sign of respect to the “late, great Prodigy, The H.N.I.C,” Fashawn takes to Flushing, Queens with a local, Large Professor, in this new eponymous visual. One of XXL magazine’s 2010 Freshmen, Fashawn has... Read more

Ten years ago today (June 10), Shadrach Kabango, more widely known as Shad, had a box delivered to his parent’s house in London, Ontario, Canada. As he recalled today via Facebook, the box contained the first CD pressings of his debut album, When This Is Over, which he would take... Read more

When he released his first album, Boy Meets World, Fashawn garnered comparisons to the introspective Nas. When Fash' followed with Ode To Illmatic mixtape, the influence was overt. Last year, Nas signed Fashawn to his Mass Appeal imprint, making the proverbial cypher complete. Clearly, Nas something in Fashawn that he... Read more

Over five years removed from Boy Meets World, Fashawn solo product may feel estranged from record store shelves, but the Fresno, California MC has been anything but stagnant. Ranging from charting joint efforts with Murs to two Alchemist-assisted mixtapes, to a host of videos, singles, and Grizzly City projects, Fash'... Read more

Just over one week after Fashawn & Alchemist hinted at their "Dreams," the FASH-ionably Late EP is here. 2014 was a game-changing year for the Fresno, California MC—even if he did not drop an album. Secured at what is now is Mass Appeal Records, Fash' went from making an Ode... Read more

Now with Nas in the fold, things look especially interesting for Fashawn's studio sophomore LP, The Ecology (February 24). After two tracks have rolled out in the course of the last year and a half, Mass Appeal Records dropped off an ear-grabber in "Dreams." This track, touted to be an... Read more

The members of Black Hippy look up to Nas something fierce. All four members of the California collective have said as much over the last five years. With this in mind, Nasir pops onto the official "G Mix," or official Top Dawg Enterainment remix of ScHoolboy Q's "Studio," which also... Read more

Fresno breakout Fashawn has been getting a little retro lately. The MC links with his longtime producer battery brother Exile for "Niqle Niqle Nine." Not Royce Da 5'9's "nick-name," Niqle is one of several artists in the Circle Of Bosses collective that's closely associated with another Slaughterhouse MC: Crooked I.... Read more

From Warren G, to Tha Dogg Pound, to Beanie Sigel & Memphis Bleek, EPMD made records that made MCs feel compelled to cover throughout the ages. Erick Sermon and Parish Smith remain giants in the lyrical and production circles of Hip-Hop. The duo's impact (through on-again, off-again status) is galactic,... Read more