Last month, AZ released one of the most anticipated albums of 2021. The East New York, Brooklyn veteran delivered Doe Or Die 2, a sequel to his lauded 1995 debut–and an album that AZ had been hyping since the early 2010s. Proudly independent, AZ self-released the LP on his Quiet... Read more

Last Friday (August 21), Nas released his 13th solo album, King’s Disease. Produced entirely by the Inland Empire native Hit-Boy, the project features appearances by Anderson .Paak, Charlie Wilson, Big Sean, and Dr. Dre, among others. The Mass Appeal Records release also marks a surprise reunion of The Firm. The... Read more

Tragedy Khadafi (fka The Intelligent Hoodlum) has been releasing music steadily over the three decades but it's been nearly four years since he released his last solo album. That's all changing now though. The Queensbridge legend has been in the booth heavy since 2014's Pre Magnum Opus and is slated... Read more

It has been nearly 20 years since The Firm released its one and only album. The collective of Nas, AZ, Foxy Brown, and Nature would sign with Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment for a chart-topping LP (called The Album) that is seemingly misplaced by time. Dre would place six of the album's... Read more

One can argue that Curren$y's best music has been that which he made with Ski Beatz. While at the Def Jam-distributed DD172 (Dame Dash's label), the New Orleans, Louisiana MC and the Original Flavor co-founder made two volumes of Pilot Talk, and revamped Spitta's sound in the "Michael Knight" era,... Read more

Raekwon's TBT series rolls on, with an early '00s tilt. Chef looks to Faith Evans & Carl Thomas' "Can't Believe," which is not even his first Faith nod. The song notably swacked the basis of the beat to The Firm's "Phone Tap," made by Rae's friends and collaborators Nas, AZ,... Read more

As we ease into October, here's a look back at some of the amazing music that came out in September 2014. You'll hear songs from DJ Quik, Nas, The Lox, Schoolboy Q, Common, Jay Electronica, MC Lyte, Childish Gambino, Raekwon, Logic, Rapsody, Yelawolf, Diamond D, Elzhi, Talib Kweli, Nature, Rick... Read more

Relative newcomer, Gotham Green, has a dream come true as his Hip-Hop heroes Kool G. Rap and Nature join him on a track: "I grew up in New York during a time where lyrics and talent ruled hip hop. As a result, I gravitated towards artists who could verbally amaze... Read more

Capone, Noreaga, Cormega and Nature link on a Hazardis Soundz track to form Rap's Mount Rushmore. What's your ideal 4-person super group? Check out "Rap Rushmore." Related: Capone-N-Noreaga Talk Chasing Fame With Big L, Say AZ Stole Sugar Hill (Video)... Read more

In the late 1990s, Nature and Black Rob had a lot in common. Both street-certified rappers got nods from lyrical circles, while still securing major label deals. Nature, taking Cormega's spot in The Firm, also had a solo deal with Poke & Tone's Trackmasters Entertainment at Columbia Records. Meanwhile, Rob,... Read more

DJ Skizz of Halftime Show fame loves New York. His B.Q.E. album features local legends like O.C., Cormega, and Craig G. On "Metal Bars," Skizz linked a Brooklyn-Queens (® 3rd Bass) tandem in Juice Crew alum Masta Ace and The Firm alum Nature. With both MCs having ties to Large... Read more

The last addition to The Firm (Cormega's replacement) has had a persistent career since parting ways with The Trackmasters. The Queensbridge MC stays active with his peers, visiting LeFrak's N.O.R.E. (who started off this year known as P.A.P.I) down in Mi-yayo. Together, the '90s major label acts turned indie stalwarts... Read more

#10 Aftermath Entertainment In 1996, Dr. Dre was wounded from his departure from Death Row Records. He had virtually given up everything (ownership of his masters, future revenues and equity interest) to extricate himself from the madness that had swallowed up Death Row, not the least of which was the... Read more