The year 2021 continues to be one marred by loss for the Hip-Hop community. Timothy J. Parker, perhaps better known as The Gift Of Gab has died at the age of 50. Gab was a co-founding MC of Blackalicious, the Sacramento, California-based crew alongside producer Chief Xcel. Together, Blackalicious was... Read more

Following last year's Grammy nomination for DAYTONA, Pusha-T has been a Rap role-player in 2019. He appeared on lauded albums by Freddie Gibbs & Madlib, Benny The Butcher, GoldLink, and YBN Cordae. At the same time, Push' released a collaboration with Lauryn Hill, plus reunited with brother NoMalice for Kanye... Read more

Nas and Pharoahe Monch each grew up in Queens, New York. While Nasir reps Queensbridge, Pharoahe hails from another section, South Jamaica. Both MCs made impact in 1991. The same year that Monch's crew, Organized Konfusion, released its self-titled debut, Nas famously appeared on Main Source's "Live At The Barbeque."... Read more

In July, veteran producer and mixmaster DJ Shadow released a collaboration with De La Soul. The Davis, California native who was part of the Solesides/Quannum Projects family released "Rocket Fuel" prompting fans to assume that a new album was on the way. Now, Heads learn that it's going to be... Read more

Three MCs, united by a spitfire, rapid delivery, as if sped-up on steroids, make this release from Bay Area’s Gift of Gab (one-half of Blackalicious) a masterclass in the art of rhyming. “Freedom Form Flowing.” Blackalicious’ Gift Of Gab Tackles Gentrification With Artisanal Rhymes (Video) The mellow beat produced by... Read more

Blackalicious MC Gift Of Gab released a new EP last week called Rejoice! Rappers Are Rapping Again!. The Sacramento, California veteran MC extraordinaire known for his early 2000s "Alphabet Aerobics" lyrical exercise (that even had "Harry Potter" busting raps) and a host of other dazzling displays releases a song that... Read more

Out of Davis, California's Solesides movement emerged Blackalicious, DJ Shadow, and author/scholar Jeff Chang. Another key part of the mid-1990s wave would be Latryx. Heard on Blackalicious' 1994 Melodica EP, the pairing of Lyrics Born and Lateef The Truthspeaker would blend melodic Funk with Hip-Hop for a sound all its... Read more

Although Blackalicious always keeps it musical first and foremost, the Sacramento, California veteran duo regularly injects substance into their art. "On Fire Tonight" is the latest example of this skill. The Imani, Vol. 1 single "On Fire Tonight" could easily mean Gift Of Gab's fast and furious flow. However, the... Read more

For a 20-plus-year group, Blackalicious is one of the only Hip-Hop acts whose biggest hit lives exclusively on an EP. "Alphabet Aerobics," found on 1999's A2G EP has taken on a life of its own. From famed remixes, to viral video performances, to "magical" cover renditions, the Gift Of Gab's... Read more

With their first new album in a decade, Imani, Vol. 1, Blackalicious are pulling out all of the stops. The Sacramento, California mainstays could have just made a typical video. However, given MC Gift Of Gab's propensity for precise lyricism at rapid speeds, isn't it fun to show somebody else... Read more

For more than 20 years, Sacramento, California's Blackalicious has made captivating Hip-Hop music. Pioneers within the West Coast Underground movement, Gift Of Gab and Chief Xcel joined forces with DJ Shadow, Lateef The Truthspeaker, Jazzbo, Mac B. Dog, 8th Wonder, author Jeff Chang, and Lyrics Born to forge the Soulsides... Read more

For more than 20 years, Blackalicious have been a beacon of dope in the Hip-Hop landscape. From the capitol city of Sacramento, California, Gift Of Gab and Chief Xcel made distinct releases that exemplified the creative freedoms of the Underground Hip-Hop spirit, also while earning a place in the mainstream... Read more

Throughout the last year, DJ Shadow and Cut Chemist toured the world with Afrika Bambaataa's records. Not just copies of records that the Universal Zulu Nation founder made or carried, but the actual "sacred crates" of Hip-Hop from one of its foremost pioneers. Together, Cut and Shadow called the act... Read more

One of my favorite reunions of late has been the Bay area duo Latyrx. They're part Soul group, part Hip-Hop crew, but the Solesides/Quannum Projects alums made some of the best Indie Rap of the mid-to-late '90s (see: "Lady Don't Tek No"). Lyrics Born and Lateef The Truthspeaker are back... Read more