“It absolutely matters. It’s a karma thing. It’s an energy thing. That resistance is no longer strong enough (to hold Ja Rule back).”

7 Aurelius (also known as  Seven) explains. And it’s a lot. 

Right now, towards the end of this session, he’s discussing whether or not 50 Cent’s decline in musical dominance matters to Ja Rule’s latest push.

The artsy, muscular
producer sits in a dimly lit studio in the outermost section of the legendary Quad Studios in Manhattan. His normally eccentric garb is replaced by a Yankee fitted and normal clothing as he talks his friend Ja Rule. 

He’s conversing with a small, but influential cadre of journalists and bloggers that have come out on a listening session for Ja, who is presently serving two years on gun charges. 

 It’s a lot.

The pair have worked together in the past, but have deepened their relationship for the release of Ja’s new album, PIL2 (Pain Is Love 2). The album is a conceptual work that explains the downside of Fame, which is depicted as a woman on the inner album art. “F**k fame,” is a reoccurring, jagged theme. 

The album is probably Ja’s most cohesive work to date, and it was recorded up until the day before he was transported to Mid-State Correctional Facility in upstate Oneida, N.Y. 

It has not been easy for them to get PIL2 ready for the masses on February 28.

For one, there’s the Rick Ross debacle. 

Leveling, Seven says, “A lot of the [artists of note] were not f**king with us. Rick Ross was the only artist that said, “Yeah.” 

While Ja and Ross share a profound distaste for 50 Cent, the Miami rapper’s health took a turn for the worst with a pair of back-to-back seizures last year. Otherwise, he would have been the only recognizable name on the album.

“This album is [about] a man that is going to prison, and he’s opening up his soul,” Seven says, making eye contact with all of the writers. And his assessment of PIL2 is dead on. Ja Rule seems to regurgitate just about every emotion he’s felt since his decline in popularity stateside. (Seven makes it clear Rule is still poppin’ in the rest of the world, attributing the downslide to fickle American audiences.)

In the United States, it has been hard to change perception. Swizz Beatz, T.I. Weird Al Yankovic, and even 50 Cent have sampled Coldplay. But, the alternative rockers would not approve a sample for Ja’s “Spun A Web,” a song on PIL2 that tried to sample “Trouble.” “They turned us down so many times, we stopped asking, “ Seven laments. 

“It’s hard to explain the mental state of someone going to jail for two years that’s been a star for 10 years.”

And Seven takes a moment to call out the sheepish masses.

“They can’t wait for [an authority] to say, ‘Its OK to like Ja again.’”

Until then, they believe that Pain Is Love 2 will be received as their most creative offering to date and a springboard for Ja’s post-jail career.

“I’m expecting this album to do very well,” Seven utters confidently. “This album is going to help [Ja] come out with the right perception [from fans] when he gets out of jail.”

Ja Rule expects to come home in February of 2013. 

“I’m back where I started / A prisoner of my own success but hardly / Caring enough to know I’m dead without it / No cribs, no cars, no champagne / No bright lights, no bitches, no big stage / But f*ck it, I’m in a better place.” 

Ja Rule on “They Spun A Web”

This was not a show about the “buzz” of an artist or group or even attending the concert as part of a fad or trend. This was a show for real fans of Bone Thugs and the music they’ve been releasing for the past 20 years.

The influence of Bone Thugs’ accomplishments, music, and legacy, was on display for the packed house in the place where Hip-Hop was of course birthed, New York City.

Fan favorites like “Thuggish Ruggish Bone,” “1st of Tha Month,” “Crossroads,” “I Tried,” “Days of Our Lives,” “Notorious Thugs,” “Look Into My Eyes,” and many more were performed throughout the night. Wish and Krayzie closed out the show by having all the fans in attendance throw their X’s in the air as the group performed one of their biggest records, “Crossroads.”

AllHipHop.com spoke to Bone Thugs-N-Harmony members, Wish Bone and Krayzie Bone, backstage about their love for New York, as well as the love New York has for them. They also touched on the global appreciation they get from fans, and why they chose to close out the tour in The Big Apple. Check Part 1 of our interview below:

Next, Wish Bone and Krayzie Bone talked about their “legend” status, inspiring the next generation of artists, how the relationship is with their Bone Thugs brothers now, and what the fans can expect from them musically in the future. Check out Part 2 of our interview below:

Check out a gallery of pictures from the concert below:

Back in 2010, Emilio Rojas had a buzz similar to the one he currently has, but it inexplicably took a nose dive and the Latin spitter was sent back to the drawing board. Now, among MMG rumors and his usual co-sign from DJ Green Lantern, Emilio once again seems poised to make a breakthrough to listeners everywhere with his latest mixtape, Breaking Point.

Emilio is at his best when he is at his most vulnerable. Honesty is something Hip-Hop fans adore, and Emilio showcases it well. The album opener, “Breaking Point” utilizes the ‘me-against-the-world’ style synths for Emilio to vent (“My Daddy learned she was pregnant and he so angry/ He tried to end it, I’m no stranger to coat hangers”), but he gets more personal on tracks like “Spic” and “Take A Good Look Around”. The first explores the hardships and racism suffered by Latin-Americans, and the second goes into detail about his lesbian sister. Emilio speaks about his trials and tribulations with an aggression that’s infectious, and every now and then that carries on to more shallow tracks as well. “Middle Finger” has corky synthesizer work and a Jay-Z sample (“Middle finger to the law”), and no matter how crude “Pussy and Cologne” is, it proves to be mildly catchy.

The other half of the album is unorganized and forced, though. It feels that Emilio Rojas has yet to find his lane in the rap game. “Blame Me” has Drake written all over it- from the soft hook, the vocals, the production, to the flow. “I Thought You Knew” sounds like a throwaway Rick Ross track, and tracks like “Classic” and “Realization” are both underwhelming. Very few moments on the project stand out. A song like “Pimpin” will be to your liking one play, but the next will lose your interest very quickly. This is something that plagues the entire mixtape.

Ultimately, the highlights on Breaking Point are not all that spectacular, and the rest of it is very bland. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly where Emilio goes wrong here. It’s obvious he has talent as a rapper, but some of his production choice is questionable, his hooks are sometimes corny, and his identity as an artist has yet to be established. There are lots of negatives in this review but after the first listen, you’ll think to yourself, ‘It wasn’t that bad’- and it’s not. However, Breaking Point has very little replay value. It’s not something you’ll remember in November.

Independently, you may have heard of both of the people responsible for Never Enough; Knowledge Medina is a battle rapper to the core and has several appearances on GrindTimeNow.net (videos of his handiwork are all over YouTube, if interested), while the Florida producer Numonics has silently crafted a name associated with quality Hip-Hop, working with the likes of Co$$, J NiCS, REKS, and more. It makes sense for the two Florida representatives to work together on an EP, and Never Enough should please a majority of Hip-Hop fans despite its flaws.

Numonics is rock-solid with his production throughout the EP, setting the stage perfectly for Knowledge Medina and friends to spit without having to worry about overpowering instrumentals. The duo channel Hip-Hop in almost every aspect, and it reflects throughout. It’s also notable to mention that Numonics created the title track while recovering from a near fatal heart attack. And, from Medina rhyming about his daughter on “Promise Me”, to the state of music on “DOA”, to just the typical posse cut on “Rhyme Over Reason”, the project showcases enough talent in its brevity (only nine tracks) to warrant respect for all involved.

However, the biggest issue with the EP is the fact that most of the guests featured seem to outshine the host MC. REKS destroys both of his features with ease on “DOA” and “Above and Beyond”, Co$$ delivers a stand-up verse on “Can You Let Me Be”, and J NiCs & Jon The Barber elevate their stock on “Rhyme over Reason.”

Due to his style and cadence when rhyming, it’s easy to become a little bored with Medina’s bars, even when they are well-constructed. Although this isn’t always the case (Medina’s verse on “Rhyme Over Reason” is one of my favorites featured), it’s a reccurring theme that sticks out like a sore thumb in comparison to everything else, and will surely bring up the question if battle rappers can truly make quality songs in the future.

All constructive criticism aside, Never Enough is still a well-executed project that aims for the Hip-Hop heads more so than the radio listeners. Depending on your side of the argument, that could be a good or a bad thing, but regardless of your perspective the Florida tandem adds another nice project to their ever-growing checklist of accomplishments. If you have a little time, give it a download and evaluate it for yourself.

Photo credit: ImageShack

Just in time for Super Bowl Sunday, Gucci Mane released his latest project, Trap Back, hosted by DJ Holiday. After a tumultuous 2011, in which he saw more time inside of a psychiatric hospital and jail cell than a studio, the controversial Atlanta rapper attempts to reach out to his core audience with a project that features Jadakiss, 2Chainz, and Future, as well as constant collaborators Waka Flocka Flame, Yo Gotti, and Rocko.

As expected, Trap Back features an exercise in excellent trap production as Lex Luger, Drumma Boy, Zaytoven, Southside, Mike Will Made It, KE on the Track, and Sonny Digital provide the sounds. So, production isn’t the issue for Gucci as much as the fact that, within the past year, his personal problems have allowed the rise of other Atlanta artists. Long-time fans will be happy to hear that Gucci Mane seems to be moving in the direction of a successful 2012.

The tape begins with a phone introduction from none other than incarcerated drug trafficker, and one of the founding leaders of the Black Mafia Family organization, Demetrious “Big Meech” Flenory. Although this may seem odd to fans as Big Meech has been known as a long-time affiliate of Young Jeezy and an on-again/off-again enemy of Gucci, the introduction sets the tone for a different project from Gucci Mane than we’ve seen in the last couple of years.

“Back in 95” begins the song portion of the tape with a rare look into Gucci’s past. Although critics complain of the lack of variety in his subject matter, it is clear that this is all Gucci has known his entire life (“Had a crush on your sister but I used to serve your mama, breaking fifties down to dimes was my job for summer”).  On “Plain Jane,” producer Mike Will Made It steals the show with a grimy, futuristic-like melody that sounds as if it was produced on the planet Mercury. Although Gucci and Rocko provide solid verses, the beat is so hypnotizing that it manages to stand alone above the other instrumentals on the tape as the clear best beat.

Surprisingly, as strong as the first half of Trap Back is, the second half continues the vibe as quality tracks such as “Thank You” and “Okay with Me” stand on their own. The latter features Gucci Mane providing an excellent hook, sending listeners on a flashback to 2009 when Gucci was at the height of his popularity and hook-creating ability. Although he may not be the most lyrical rapper to ever pick up a microphone, Gucci has an ability to put enough emotion and flair into his words that allow his choruses and ad-libs to float inside of your consciousness for days.

“Sometimes,” featuring buzzing Atlanta rapper Future, brings the finest out of producer Drumma Boy and Gucci Mane. The vibe created by the murky drum and piano sounds will have the listener feeling like the co-star of Drumma’s personal horror movie or as the passenger inside a car with others prepared to do no good. Gucci does not disappoint as he gives a small introspective into his mercurial consciousness, even touching on the passing of Bricksquad rapper Slim Dunkin:

“I know God can’t be mad at me because of all the blessings he gave me /

Riding around with my top down I’m looking up at the galaxy /

Lot of girls can’t stand me, they don’t really understand me /

Can’t get half of my phantom, you ain’t getting half of my mansion /

Lost my homie to gun fire, n*gga part of my empire /

Ever since that day, I been riding late like a vampire /

People say I’m an addict, got a lot of bad habits /

Love smoking that broccoli and I love stacking that cabbage” /

It may not be the greatest mixtape of all-time or even the best mixtape in Gucci’s catalog, but Trap Back is easily the strongest release from Gucci Mane since, possibly, 2008. On this project, Gucci sounds clear, concise, and back focused on his career. With supreme beats and an improved flow, Trap Back is a must-download for fans and might even introduce new fans into the world of trap music. Trappers rejoice – Gucci Mane is back and looking to claim the throne as “King of the Trap.”

Find Gucci Mane’s new mixtape, Trap Back, on Datpiff.com, and follow him on Twitter (@gucci1017). Mos Jones can be reached at mosjones@live.com, through his website www.onebrothertoanother.com, or on Twitter (@MosJones).

When his own career began to slow, and to the dismay of fans, he and Smith disbanded EPMD, Sermon found a long, success-filled career producing music for countless R&B and rap acts. He was one of the early MCs to extend his brand beyond the booth – a wise move at a time when label deals were shaky and corporate America was still being sold on the commercial viability of rap.

Sermon never stopped rapping and performing, however, dodging personal woes to release critical achievements like the Marvin Gaye-inspired “Just Like Music” in 2001 off the J Records release, Music. Still, the audience was slow to shower him with the praise he might have otherwise received if Smith was by his side.

For all his years in the game and his ability to stay alive – literally – Erick Sermon feels like saying, “I’m already me.” Being him, he says, makes him uniquely qualified to speak on the major problems he sees these days within the rap movement he helped to cultivate. After all, people like a young Rick Ross, who at the time was known as the Teflon Don, have come to the “E-Double” for guidance as budding artists over the years. And the “Green-Eyed Bandit’”s got new music, too, in the form of a new mixtape set to drop in just a few weeks.

AllHipHop.com listened in as Erick Sermon broke down his new mission to educate the New School in part 2 of our exclusive interview:

Erick Sermon’s not finished yet! Check back for the rest of his interview this week, and read up on the previous story about his recovery from a life-changing heart attack!

Longtime radio personality and TV veejay Tigger was released from his position as the morning man on Washington, D.C. radio giant, WPGC. When he took the position years ago, he replaced legendary broadcast veteran Donnie Simpson, and in recent years, he was paired up on-air with Free, formerly of BET’s 106th & Park. Were the shoes too big for him to fill? Why was he fired? And, how does he feel after more than 20 years in the radio industry?

In this AllHipHop.com exclusive interview, Big Tigger discusses his happiness, triumphs, and philosophies – some of which we all might think we know, and some which are very surprising. Check out the interview audio below:

David “Tazz Daddy” Anderson is a Nationally Recognized Media Personality, Motivational Speaker, Author, and contributor to AllHipHop.com. His latest book, Common Sense Ain’t Common, is available at www.TazzDaddy.com or wherever books are sold. Follow him on Twitter (@TazzDaddy).

“Erick Sermon had a heart attack today.”

Hip-Hop newsrooms scrambled to find out details, while A-list celebrities began to call around to each other to figure out how to reach Sermon. After Heavy D’s passing just days before, all anyone seemed to want to know was, ‘Is Erick going to make it?’ Scratch’s tweet then reassured:

“He’s ok, but still send your prayers.”

For some, a catalog of musical memories was undoubtedly streaming through their minds that day. Sermon is, after all, one of the pioneers that helped transform rap music from a fad in the ‘hoods of America into a worldwide cultural phenomenon. Alongside rap partner Parrish Smith, he created the group EPMD, a member of rap’s royal Def Squad/Hit Squad, that also includes Redman, Keith Murray, and others. Over time, Sermon also crafted a reputation for being one of the top producers in rap and R&B, with a client list that is still unmatched to this day. So, the thought of losing him and Heavy D in the same week was devastating.

For others, the second week of November served as a tragic eye-opener. Before then, we all thought, ‘People aren’t supposed to have heart attacks or die in their early 40s,’ especially in the prime of their lives as artists, family men, and entrepreneurs. But to the surprise of many – especially 42-year-old Erick Sermon – the unthinkable did happen.

AllHipHop.com spent the afternoon with an eager, healthy-looking Erick Sermon this week to hear firsthand about his three-month road to recovery – and why his heart attack means you don’t have to have one, too:

Check back over the coming days for more of AllHipHop.com’s exclusive interview with Erick Sermon, where he describes his mission to school the youth on the (true) definition of “Hip-Hop.“

Here are AllHipHop.com’s Top 5 Hip-Hop Moments with Don Cornelius and “Soul Train.” Please feel free to add on as we celebrate the Mr. Cornelius with peace, love, and sooooooooooul!

1) Run DMC Interview with Mr. Don Cornelius

I was pretty young when Run DMC appeared on “Soul Train”, but it was an incredible experience that left and inedible mark. Run, D, and Jay were so real at the time. They were so real that they pre-recorded their vocals “live” and then lip synched them later, per Soul Train’s rules. Mr. Cornelius – old school and traditional to the core – was not pro-Hip-Hop at that time, but he started to come around due to the strength of the movement.

“Hit It Run”

2) Public Enemy

Like Run DMC, you can see how awkward it was for Don Cornelius to introduce such a militant, noisy, and angry group like Public Enemy.

3) Eric B and Rakim

As Hip-Hop began to grow in its diversity, the artists spotlighted on “Soul Train” began to change, too. Eric B and Rakim appeared on the show at a pivotal time for the growth of the genre.

4) Heavy D and the Boyz 

Hopefully, Heavy D and Mr. Cornelius are up in heaven chillin’ and choppin’ it up about their awesome impact on life and Hip-Hop.

5) The Sugar Hill Gang 

This is where it all started from a commercial and mainstream level…The Sugar Hill Gang! This song likely got Mr. Cornelius onto Hip-Hop, because he wasn’t the biggest fan. But, still he was forward thinking enough to put The Gang on the show in 1981. Here it is:

Obviously, there are far more Soul Train clips to draw from, especially in the ’90s when “Soul Train” really started to embrace Hip-Hop. Join in with your favorite moments, and we’ll add them!

A trained journalist, Don created a media empire that provided an outlet for record labels and advertisers to reach a new generation of music fans. As the epitome of cool, many of his expressions entered the popular American lexicon: “A groove that will make you move real smooth,” “Wishing you Peace, Love and Soul!” The documentary will feature performances and great moments from the show, as well as behind-the-scene stories and memories from the cast and crew. In addition, popular musicians, comics and actors of yesterday and today will comment on growing up with the show and will share their stories of how Soul Train affected their own lives. – VH1

One of the easier things to do when hearing a new artist is to compare them to things one may have already heard. Some things are just easier to label when categorized, so don’t be surprised when you hear critics comparing Rockie Fresh to Curren$y or Wiz Khalifa because of his initial sound. After getting past that, however, it becomes clear to see why there’s a growing buzz concerning his music – the short reason being simple: it’s really good. With the number of people observing his fast-expanding movement now more than ever, Rockie delivers a great entry into his growing catalog with Driving 88, proving that he deserves every bit of the buzz he’s been building on his own.

Named after the Illinois Interstate 88, Driving 88 as a whole is as smooth-flowing as driving the highway itself (minus the rush-hour traffic, of course). All of the tracks seem to flow together rather well, and the production – although at times eclectic – never feels out of place with the overall mellow vibe of project. The features here are all nice in their own right as well; Casey Veggies delivers a solid verse on the title track, Rebecca Jordan’s vocals sets the song “Don’t Worry” off in a good way, King Louie rambles charismatically through his 16 bars on “How We Do”, and Phil Ade delivers a brash verse in contract to Rockie’s smooth raps on “Where I Wanna Be.”

All of that is impressive, but not as much as the man of the hour himself. The features are nice in their own right, but even without them Rockie Fresh would’ve been just fine. He delivers dope verses throughout, occasionally even dropping knowledge or incredible lines within the bars stealthily (case in point, on “Never Never” he spits, “If you say you got a gift, make ‘em appreciate your presence”, which plays off the gift/present auditory illusion) . He uses punchlines, but he doesn’t rely on them heavily (a la Fabolous, no diss), and he always seems to have a purpose for what he’s spitting.

All of this comes together to deliver an incredibly well-done project in Driving 88. The production fits Rockie’s style like a glove, and combined with all of the aforementioned elements, it’s a project that’s definitely worth checking out if you’re looking for a new artist to add to your iPod/MP3 Player/Zune rotation… if you still have a Zune for whatever reason. Give Rockie Fresh a spin.

Representing for her hometown of Miami, Perry’s name has been buzzing ever since she shared the stage with rap giant Lil Wayne. And, her recent alliance with Atlantic Records may mean that her buzz will grow exponentially in the near future.

Check out audio of Perry’s AllHipHop.com interview as she discusses her new endeavors with music and film, and then watch the video for her new single, “Marilyn Monroe” featuring Wale:

Follow Brianna Perry on Twitter (@BriannaPerryTheYRB).

The “Got That Good (My Bubble Gum)” rhymer recently dropped her latest effort, Boss Bitch Music 4, the latest installment in her Boss Bitch Music series. AllHipHop.com had a quick chat with Rasheeda, the 10+ year rap veteran, to hear about her experiences in the game, her new project, and what she thinks of the new-age ladies of Hip-Hop:

AllHipHop.com: You have had a good amount of experience in your career, both with major labels and indies, as
well as working some Hip-Hop heavyweights along the way. How has that prepared you for running
your own situation now?

Rasheeda: I think the best way to learn anything is through experience, and as an artist and a business woman, you have to learn what works best for you. I have seen varies sides of the music business and I wanted to have control of my music destiny. Being in different major label situations helped me to understand the methods of launching an artist – unfortunately, that was never me – but I was able to see first hand why certain artist get certain places and it’s not always about the talent. Being independent, you deal with way less bullsh*t, and although the machine isn’t as big, if you do the right things and have patience, you can get far. I also tell people this, you don’t have to be mainstream to be successful in this business.

AllHipHop.com: What do you see that is different about the game now then when you first broke in?

Rasheeda: Huh!? Where should I start [laughter]. Well when I first broke in it was all about real music, having real records. As time passed, we saw so many half-hit wonders and gimmicks surface. It was all about radio and now it’s all about the Internet and visual awareness. It was more about passion when I first started; now, it’s about whatever a person can do to get 15 minutes of fame. The record companies are folding, sh*t is just getting weirder and weirder. It used to be more about chasing the dream than chasing the check. Hell, and they ain’t cutting them anything like they used, too.

AllHipHop.com: Your new mixtape, Boss B*tch Music 4, just dropped, the series has seemed to successfully build
momentum, if you would say.

Rasheeda: I’m looking for it to take my movement worldwide. If I have to do it 10 fans at a time, it doesn’t matter long as I get there. The series is building my brand, bringing people into my world and showcasing my music and with each release my fan base gets bigger and bigger and that’s ultimately what I want growth.

AllHipHop.com: There are suddenly a lot of female emcees coming up in Hip-Hop with the likes of Iggy Azalea, Azalea Banks, Kreayshawn, and of course, Nicki Minaj, Diamond, yourself, and others.

Rasheeda: If you pay attention to Hip-Hop over the years, there has always been a female era at one time or another, and it has come to surface again. With the success of Nicki Minaj, it has really shined the light on female MCs now. It’s all about what we do while the light shines. I also think people are ready to hear something else beside the male Hip-Hop artists and definitely wanna see some sex appeal… little t*tty and *ss [laughter].

AllHipHop.com: You have managed to maintain and increase you fan base on your own over time in a business
that can be very here today, gone tomorrow. What is it about you and your music that you think
fans attract to?

Rasheeda: The realness, I just talk real sh*t and in the process I uplift, motivate and give people a sense of truth and inspiration. I make them dance, I make them think, I empower, and I reassure women that we are worthy and strong. Plus, I keep it ‘hood.

AllHipHop.com: What’s next for Rasheeda this year?

Rasheeda: A lot more musically. I will release an album this year, too. I also have several television opportunities I’m working on. I just launched my website ImBossy.com and I’m looking to expand that. This year a lot more people will know Rasheeda and that’s for sure.

Follow Rasheeda on Twitter (@Rasheeda).

For a number of weeks, tickets for the highly publicized event, presented by Power 105.1, had all been sold. For the city that birthed Hip-Hop to open its arms to an artist like 2 Chainz is something that happens rarely, but when it does, it causes a ripple effect throughout the industry.

After openers Troy Ave and Neako did their thing for their New York crowd, Houston’s own Marcus Manchild hit the stage and brought with him a ton of energy and three very special guests: Slim Thug, Paul Wall, and the legendary Michael “5000″ Watts to perform “Still Tippin.” The bar was set quite high for 2 Chainz at this point, and although he didn’t have any special guests, a decision he made early in the night, he had the entire venue rocking to his southern anthems.

Shortly after,  it was time for the headliner. ”Somebody told me this motherf*cker was sold out!” 2 Chainz exclaimed as he hit the stage. “I go by 2 Chainz and I’m tell you three things before I get started. The first thing I want to tell you is I appreciate you for coming out. The second thing I want to tell you is I appreciate you for being patient, and the third thing I want to tell you is welcome to a real n*gga campaign, feel me!?”

After embracing the crowd, 2 Chainz went right into tracks from both of his 2011 mixtapes, Codeine Cowboy and T.R.U. Realigion. He performed ”Kitchen,” “Turn Up,” “Spend It,” and even did his verse from Playaz Circles’s 2007 hit record, “Duffle Bag Boy.”

And although the show was billed as featuring “special guests,” the guests which included Raekwon, Statik Selektah, Slim Thug, and Paul Wall stayed in the audience to watch the artist formerly known as Tity Boi do his thing for the city of New York. As he ended his set, Raekwon rushed on-stage to tell the story of how he and 2 Chainz relationship came to fruition and then gave the MC an official co-sign in front of the entire crowd.

In an exclusive interview with AllHipHop.com, 2 Chainz revealed the title for his album, T.R.U. 2 My Realigion, shared his thoughts on selling out his first show in the Big Apple, and played coy when asked about his rumored signing to Def Jam. Check out the video below:

AllHipHop.com spent some time with newcomer Guyana recently to see what sets her apart from the field, and find out why we should look for her upcoming DJ Drama-hosted mixtape:

AllHipHop.com: Hi, Guyana. Thanks for taking a few moments to introduce yourself to the AllHipHop.com readers who don’t know you yet.

Guyana: Hi, Seandra! Thanks!

AllHipHop.com: So, your name – Guyana – says to me that you have a West Indian background – where are you from and how did you come about your unique sound?

Guyana: I mean, I’m originally from New York originally. I was born in Queens, and my entire family is Guyanese actually, so I’m considered to be American-Guyanese. I lived [in Guyana] for three years, from 10 to 13, and so yeah, the culture has definitely influenced me – enough for me to name myself after the country, for sure! [laughter]

AllHipHop.com: Well, one thing I noticed, especially out of New York – there are a lot of New York rappers who have that West Indian/Caribbean background, either in their family or somewhere in their music. Why do you think that the West Indian sound and rap go so well hand-in-hand?

Guyana: I mean, it’s just…wow, I don’t know how to answer that one for you. It’s good music, and reggae and soca are like forms of rapping, you know? And they have the accents, so it gives their flow a little extra spice. It’s like, it’s like rapping with a few extra things – just a good vibe to bring something fresh to Hip-Hop.

AllHipHop.com: I definitely would say the beats – beats are just as important in reggae and soca…

Guyana: Definitely! We gotta make you move! Make you feel something.

AllHipHop.com: Exactly. So, I wanted to ask you about your affiliation with B Major Music Group headed up by Bryan McKinnie, but who the audience may know as a player for the Baltimore Ravens. Tell me how you got affiliated with him.

Guyana: You know, I actually knew Bryan from past experiences, and at the time, he had a few other artists – Freddy P and Jordan Hollywood – and I would come by and do some vocals for them, some hooks and stuff like that. And, working in the studio with them is when he realized I do more than singing, ‘cause I was in Pretty Money so he was kind of aware of some things.

He was interested in whatever I could bring to the table, and he asked me to be the First Lady of B Major Music, so of course I joined on immediately. Good look, you know? He’s a very good boss. Most people or companies pick you, and they try to mold you into something that they want to make. But here at B Major, you get to be you and do you, you know what I’m saying? I’m blessed.

AllHipHop.com: Do you see any of the work ethic and the discipline that he has in sports sort of trickle over into how he deals with his artists?

Guyana: Definitely. We, as artists, see how hard he works out, being on the field, and then he’s so dedicated to us. It makes us motivated to be on ourselves even better, because he handles everything so well. He’s dedicated to football, but then he’s dedicated to the music. It’s like, when do you sleep? [laughter] And now, actually, we don’t sleep, you know? That’s what it is.

AllHipHop.com: So, I know as far as females in the industry, a lot of people act like there are two, maybe three female rappers that exist. But, as we know, there are a lot more out there.

Guyana: There’s way more!

AllHipHop.com: Yeah! And I know you’ve gotten some co-signs and have also had some good things to say about some of the other female rappers out there. Tell me your thoughts on Lil Kim, Trina…

Guyana: Kim? Wow, I love Kim! Just watching her growing up, she’s one of the people who inspired me to do what I’m doing right now. My family didn’t really approve of rap music and the way they speak and what they’re talking about; it wasn’t really accepted in my family. So I used to go in the bathroom with the hairbrush, and pretend to be her. [laughter]

And to meet her, she’s such a beautiful person on the inside and out. And then she blessed me on one of my tracks called “Money Hungry” we got together coming out soon. I love her so much. And Trina, you know, Trina is a BEAST in the studio! She’s beautiful and fly and all these things, but she’s takes the studio seriously. It’s about the relentless grind; she’s in there for as long as she’s gotta be in there for it to be tight.

I’m blessed to be around people and see these females who work hard and strive and grind.

AllHipHop.com: And that’s good to see you building good relationships with some of the legends. And what do you think about this beef that has been going on between some of the ladies in the past few years?

Guyana: I really don’t like jumping in people’s sh*t, you know? It ain’t mine to do that, but I wish it wasn’t like that. As females, it’s already hard being out here dealing with the men, so it’s dumb for us to be finding amongst ourselves. It’s just like, ‘Why?’ If we could join together and just be positive and be a force, we’d bulldoze over everything, you know what I’m saying? So it’s sad to see, but it’s just the reality of the situation.

AllHipHop.com: Right.. So tell me about this new mixtape of yours. I heard that DJ Drama hosted it, so that’s pretty big.

Guyana: Yes! How lucky am I for that? [laughter] I’m still thinking of a title right now, but I think I’m going with I Am Guyana: Vol. 1. I have my first mixtape out – it’s called Princess Guyana, and that was moreso me introducing myself like, ‘Hey, I’m a rapper; let me in the game, I does this, too. You know what I’m saying?

On this mixtape, you’re gonna get it all from me, my singing, my rapping, my flavor, and you know, the streets of course. So you get a lot more of me in this mixtape – should be by the end of January or by the middle of February.

AllHipHop.com: Yeah, and I know you’re one of those double threats we keep seeing in the industry – both the singer and the rapper. But which one did you start doing first and you feel that it’s your real skill?

Guyana: Ummm, I’d say my real skill out of everything is my writing. Before anything, there was that. That’s how I express myself, through my writing, and then I started with the singing. I think both, you know? I just love music so much, and I wanna say even my reggae, I want to say all of it. My favorite out of all would probably be my singing.

AllHipHop.com: OK, so I remember I listened to a few tracks of yours, and then I actually looked at a picture of you. It was kind of interesting because the picture didn’t really match what I heard at first. You have a sexy vibe going, but then it’s kinda hardcore, too. How do you match what we see with what we hear?

Guyana: You know when I match it? I match it when you see me in a show. It all comes together. You know, that hard side of me, that street side of me is there. It’s New York, it’s my roots. You can’t get rid of that. [laughter] My sexy, I guess it depends on who’s looking at me to determine if I’m sexy or not [laughter], but it pretty much comes together when you see the show. You see it all together, and it sums it all up.

AllHipHop.com: So, last question…as a relative newcomer, why are you the MC people need to watch out for this year?

Guyana: They need to watch out for me because I have a lot to say. You know, I have a lot of style. I’m here to relate to the people, to say what the people want to say who don’t have a chance to. And, I’m bringing versatility, you know what I’m saying? Something fresh to their ears – that’s why they need to check me out.

AllHipHop.com: Well, if they want to check out more, you want to shout out a Twitter handle or webpage?

Guyana: Yes, on Twitter it’s @ImGuyana, and I have a YouTube page as well – it’s www.youtube.com/imguyana, and on www.Facebook.com/BMajorGuyana.

AllHipHop.com: Thanks for taking a few minutes with us, Guyana. Best of luck ‘cause I want to see some women do big things this year!

Guyana: Thank you, Seandra! I want to see that, too!

AllHipHop.com: What other songs were you not credited for?

Chris “The Glove” Taylor: I played the keys on 2Pac and Dre’s “California Love” and I never received credit or recognition for that. I had to ask what was going on? Am I just an invisible studio guy? “California Love” was the last song that I worked on before I left Death Row. Then later on there was a song on The Chronic 2001 album for Aftermath called “Xxplosive” – that was my track!

AllHipHop.com: Did you ever ask Dr. Dre why you never received the proper credit on these tracks?

Chris “The Glove” Taylor: Actually I did. I was really upset with what happened on the Snoop album. I didn’t even get my name in the “Thank You” section. My name was erased on that album. Like how some producers receive a co-production credit nowadays, that’s what I should have gotten. And I should have six or seven “mixed by” credits on that album too. It’s not Snoop’s fault. He even tried to put my name in his raps but Suge would be there like, “Change that.”

I was the second producer signed to Death Row Records, counting Dr. Dre when they first started. Suge used to tell me all of the time that I was going to be the next Dr. Dre. But how can I be the next Dr. Dre when you’re leaving my name off of everything? I took issue with all of that and those were times that I took breaks from working with Dre. I would just go focus on something else. As a matter of fact, I didn’t get back with Dre until he left and started Aftermath.

AllHipHop.com: Why did you go work with Aftermath after that bad experience with Death Row Records?

Chris “The Glove” Taylor: I had to be convinced, actually, but honestly I figured all of that happened because of Suge. It was just Dre running his own company now so everything seemed to be all good. I worked on The Firm’s album, and I co-produced the song, “Phone Tap.” I got credit for the song and I got paid. I came up with the concept of having a “phone voice” for the song and did the beat but Dr. Dre really did take that song to the next level – and that’s what he does.

AllHipHop.com: Since you bring up The Firm, what went wrong with that album in your opinion?

Chris “The Glove” Taylor: “Phone Tap” wasn’t the first single. Do you know how many people would have ran out to buy that album if the first thing they heard was that song? They chose “Firm Biz” to be the first single and I was like, “You’ve got to be kidding! That’s not Mob music!” There were problems with that project from the beginning.

We had to replace Cormega with Nature and there was a bunch of label in-fighting. If you look at the back of that CD, you’ll see like 50 logos on there [laughter]. Every label and company involved wanted a piece of that project. Plus the album was rushed because it was done in Miami. Nobody wanted to come to L.A. because Biggie had been murdered and we didn’t want to go out East.

AllHipHop.com: You also worked on the Dr. Dre Presents Aftermath album, which was widely panned. Why did that album fail?

Chris “The Glove” Taylor: People were upset because they wanted a “Dr. Dre” album. They weren’t looking for a compilation album. That’s what messed that up. Plus the single “Been There, Done That” was cool, but it was taking away from the gangster style that people wanted. As you saw with the next album Chronic 2001, he returned to the gangster style. People checked out “Been There, Done That” and when they went to see out what was next, they found that Dre wasn’t on another song.

AllHipHop.com: What did you work on after the Aftermath compilation?

Chris “The Glove” Taylor: I did some stuff for Xzibit, a rapper named Saafir and a group called The Militia. They (The Militia) took out a 4 page ad in a magazine and it mentioned the work we did together – and Dre got pissed about that. What happened was that I had just renegotiated my deal with Dre and I was going to make some cool money. Then he cut my salary in half after 6 weeks so I left to work elsewhere. That ad came out before I could talk to him and tell him that I wasn’t going to be around though – but he knows me. If I’m unhappy then I just disappear. I felt like I was missing a lot of money from the Snoop album and points from “Stranded on Death Row.” Between those 14 million albums sold, I should’ve had at least a million dollars from it. I always had that under my skin.

I had brain surgery in September of 1998 and when I recovered, we reconnected and did some work together again.

AllHipHop.com: And of course that leads to the “Xxplosive” song on Chronic 2001.

Chris “The Glove” Taylor: I got burned again too. Let me tell you about that song. We went up to Reno, Nevada to work on King T’s album because that was going to be the next album on Aftermath. I did that “Xxplosive” track for King T. As a matter of fact, that track and the one used by the reunited N.W.A called “Hello,” were done at that same session. Those were both originally for King T. “Hello” was a track that me and Dre both worked on together. He did the drum beat and I put everything else on top of it. “Xxplosive” that was some sh*t that I did.

Mobb Deep had an Issac Hayes sample for a song and I wanted to flip that – and I turned that in to “Xxplosive.” We would generally take the sample off and play the instruments slightly different so that it’s not an interpolation or a sample at that point. I had to get my lawyer involved because I didn’t even get paid the bare minimum that I should have been paid for my initial work.

AllHipHop.com: You got your lawyer after him?

Chris “The Glove” Taylor: I had to! He tried to tell me that he was still recouping from The Firm or some kind of bullsh*t. He had all of that money and he didn’t want to pay the basic $1500 fee for the track. I had to fight just for that and I still didn’t get credit on the album.

One good thing that came out of that though, is that if I didn’t stand up like that, Mel-Man would have never received his co-production credits for the tracks that he worked on.

AllHipHop.com: I feel bad for you. I’ve interviewed other artists from that era and it seems like everybody got ripped off by someone.

Chris “The Glove” Taylor: We all got screwed. Nate Dogg, Jewel, Rage, RBX and The Dogg Pound signed their contracts on the same day. We were getting ready to go on The Chronic tour. Dre and I were putting the tour music together at Trax Studios and Suge had them all sign their contracts. They got $5,000 each. When I signed my deal I got way more than that. I was like, “Damn. Y’all got $5,000? That’s f***ed up.”

AllHipHop.com: What was your friendship with Dr. Dre like?

Chris “The Glove” Taylor: I used to be in the inner-circle and I went to Jimmy Iovine’s house several times with Dre. I went there for a birthday celebration one time and and he (Jimmy) had a tent set up that had a musician playing “The Godfather” theme song on his violin to welcome his guests. I was hanging out with Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Nicks, Eddie Murphy, and all kind of other celebrities.

There was this other time Dre was thinking about doing something with Trent Reznor from Nine Inch Nails, and he asked my opinion. I told him we should consider it, so we went to the studio that Trent was working it and it turned out to be the house that Sharon Tate was murdered in! This guy rented that house and had a studio put in there – the place where the Charles Manson family committed all of those murders. That’s a memory that I’ll never forget.

AllHipHop.com: And you guys haven’t spoken since the “Xxplosive” situation?

Chris “The Glove” Taylor: Not since 1998. I went on to work with a group called Chico & Coolwadda and we had some heat on that album. However, MCA was just stupid and they blew it on that project. I then became the DJ for Tha Pharcyde on one of their tours, and we did a show out in the East Coast.

As the group was being introduced, the host stopped and started talking about me to the crowd, and they all started cheering for me. I was just expecting them to just bring out the group. To me, that was the great big “Thank You” that I had been looking for. I had to get that from the East Coast! I never got that from the West, except for my neighborhood. This was at The Goodwill Games with 10,000 people in the crowd.

I don’t have any regrets. I think I’ve made some miss-steps but everybody makes those. After that, I moved on to television music and made a career out of that. At one point every Monday on the UPN Network, my music was played on every show that came on from the evening until the news came on. I’m talking “Girlfriends,” “One on One,” “The Parkers” – I scored “The Parkers” for over four years. A lot of that was ghost production too.

AllHipHop.com: You’ve got to be kidding me!

Chris “The Glove” Taylor: Let me ask you, who painted the Sistine Chapel?

AllHipHop.com: Michelangelo.

Chris “The Glove” Taylor: That’s who got the credit but it was a bunch of guys like myself. I found out that throughout history most of these great people didn’t even do the f*cking work. The Sistine Chapel was painted by a bunch of guys. Michelangelo taught them his strokes but they did the work and he would come in and just touch up a few things – the same with Dre. One dude could not have painted all of that! This has always been going on. It’s been like this forever. Michelangelo was the person connected to the Vatican that could get the money. Dre was that guy connected to Jimmy Iovine that could get us all paid.

AllHipHop.com: After all of this, would you be up for reuniting with the Doctor and making some music again? And if so, what’s stopping it?

Chris “The Glove” Taylor: The only thing stopping it is a phone call. If he needs me to come in to the studio and help get it in, then I’m there. This is about the West Coast. I’m sure this time it would all be done the correct way. The past is the past. It’s all about now.

AllHipHop.com: What do you think about some of the recent tracks that he’s put out?

Chris “The Glove” Taylor: I think he needs to call me. He needs to call The D.O.C and everybody else who worked on those first two albums – and let’s get it in on this last one – the last ride.

AllHipHop.com: Are there any special projects that you’re working on right now?

Chris “The Glove” Taylor: I’m doing music licensing right now, but I’m also working with Asphalt Entertainment on this project called “Independent Grind” that helps independent artists on what they need to do to get on. It’s about showing how hard you have to work in order to make that dream come true.

Looking to add to this month’s hottest releases, Chip Tha Ripper drops his latest tape entitled Tell Ya Friends. The smooth-flowing Cleveland rapper has brought forth another solid project, with features from Wale, Bun B, Krayzie Bone, Kid Cudi, and more. Tell Ya Friends also features high quality production from Lex Luger, Boi-1da, Hi-Tek, and Chuck Inglish, as Chip looks to follow up on his highly praised 2011 release, Gift Raps.

The opening track, “Good Evening,” is a microcosm of Chip Tha Ripper’s smooth signature style as he speaks on women, his city, sippin’ on syrup, and his favorite drink: Jameson. He raps about his rides on the hook, highlighting one in particular as he repeatedly lets it be known that his “Chevy sittin’ on 24s.” The song topics continue in this manner until listeners get a surprise on the Lex Luger-produced “Out Here.” Demonstrating his versatility, Lex provides the perfect instrumental for Chip to shine on. The beat, which strays away from the popular trap sound that Lex gained popularity on, still features Lex’s signature snare and bass, but slowed down and mixed with synths and strings that are audible enough to keep the beat laidback enough for Chip’s smooth flow.

Chip takes a different approach on one of the mixtape’s top tracks “25 Wives,” as he ponders what life would be like if he could have 25 wives (“If I got all ya’ll, there won’t be no sense in cheating). Not to be outdone, Wale jumps on the track and voices his thoughts on the possibility of having 25 wives in his life. In addition he shares that he enjoys a woman with a natural body: “Silicon b*tches got the confidence / but natural b*tches get all my compliments.” The Boi-1da produced track also features an eastern, almost snake charmer-type flute sound that provides a hazy, laidback vibe.

As the tape progresses, Chip is joined on the song “Stay Sleep” by Cleveland-native, Krayzie Bone, as Chip raps about being overlooked in the game, despite the popularity of his previous mixtapes. Krayzie Bone speaks to the city of Cleveland on his verse, telling the people to “Go get it and quit blaming sh*t on LeBron.”

Chip Tha Ripper’s Tell Ya Friends definitely has what it takes to be mentioned among the top releases of this year so far, even in a release-heavy month. The tape will also have fans anticipating the release of his album, Charles Worth, which is rumored to drop sometime this summer. In the meantime, Tell Ya Friends is impressive enough for listeners to share with their friends, just as Chip The Ripper had hoped, as he looks to continue to add to his underground buzz.

You know the saying about the dog chasing cars; it wouldn’t know what to do if it finally caught one? Well, Saigon is the dog, and his debut album The Greatest Story Never Told was the car he caught. After much and often delay, the project finally released last year to positive reviews. So when Warning Shots 3 was announced, it almost came as a reminder of his lyrical existence.

Nevertheless, with the mean-mug look, behind the fence artwork, Saigon delivers his usual brand of hardcore rap. “BBB”, “Yeah, Yeah”, “War and Chaos” are all the run-of-the mill Saigon tracks you would expect;  hard-hitting, hard-spitting, with tons of curses. However, this proves to become a bit redundant. The majority of the songs here are so predictable as opposed to impressive, that the project beings to glaze over your ears.

The mixtape does coming with its shining moments though; “Bring Me Down, Pt. 3” is a revisit to the album cut, but this time featuring Joe Budden, who adds another flavor of viciousness to the song. “Come Again 2012” is another re-make, and another success for the project, while “Say Yes” is a completely new song with the right bounce for Sai to bruise around.

And when he does try to slow down the tempo, Saigon does so fairly well. Though still filled with angry rhymes, “Hungry” juxtaposes this with a light-hearted, sample based instrumental. “Women are the New Dogs” explores the world of women cheating, and “Learning As We Go Along” is a somber tale of friends and snitching- the deepest song on a mainly shallow project.

But when this project sinks, it plummets. The two least appealing songs are one after the other, putting the mixtape to a complete halt in “Kinky” and “When Did U Get Hot”. The vulgar rhymes on “Kinky” are almost as awkward as the sloppy Rick James sample featured, and the latter of the two attempts to be catchy, but ends up being a quick skip. There are times where Warning Shots 3: One Foot in the Grave works well, but for the most part it’s filled with average, sometimes filler, material. And coming from a spectacular MC like Saigon, that’s a bit of disappointment.

Dice Raw is only half joking when he says that his longtime collaborators, The Roots, actually need him. Yet, for fans of the most famous rap band in the land, his memorable lyrics kicked in Illadelph studio doors right from the start. For example, remember two little, amazing tracks entitled “Diedre vs. Dice” and “Adrenaline” off The Roots’ hit 1999 album, Things Fall Apart? You remember them because that was Dice Raw – the zany-brainy MC who sheds his man-made gear for a superhero cape every time he enters the booth. 

On “Adrenaline” and other Roots’ hits over the years, Dice Raw, now head honcho at his own Raw Life Records, is beloved for his uncanny existentialism (“You’re face down in the ocean/ And no one’s up in the lighthouse“), while keeping his MC assault rooted in the gulliest of streets (“Yo, look at all these scavengers/ Wanna be pretenders, dismember/ Wack n*ggas I intend to…”). His verses are reliable and necessary – perhaps making him the milk to Black Thought’s lyrical cereal, or the “ying” to ?uestlove’s percussive “yang.” Still, even he admits, full praise has sometimes been slow coming from the media and the masses.

In Dice Raw’s superhero world, though, there’s diplomacy (as in his quote at the top), and then there is just plain honesty. And his honest truth is that there was no better Hip-Hop/rap album in 2011 than undun. The Roots’ album collaborator feels confident about that - and if the rest of us are honest, three of the most popular tracks on the critically-acclaimed December 2011 release bore his triple-threat singing, rapping, and/or writing. In part two of AllHipHop.com’s interview with the hilarious Dice Raw, we learn where he fits in The Roots scheme, why he has no idea who our #1 Album of 2011 pick is, and what formula is working for him in the ever-changing music industry:

The Caped Crusader should take a breath now, because 2012 finds him busier than ever: leading a record label where he produces artists such as MySpace Music winner, Tess Henley; recording and touring with the Money Making Jam Boys; already working on The Roots 11th studio album; constantly recording possibles for the next installment of his The Greatest Rapper Never trilogy; and developing the next generation of rappers like Philadelphia’s battle champ, Rone, and Young Gliss, who is featured on an upcoming Prodigy single with Atlanta’s Killer Mike.

So, full praise or not, Dice Raw’s mission remains - to save Hip-Hop. Check out new music from his Raw Life Records imprint:

Young Gliss – “Charles Bradley” (Les Professionnels Edit) from the upcoming release, The Glimmer EP

Rone – “Workaholics” Freestyle (VIDEO)

Did you miss Part 1 of AllHipHop.com’s interview with Dice Raw? Read it HERE.

Since The Glove rarely does interviews, AllHipHop.com has the wonderful opportunity to tell his unique story about the ups and downs of working with Dr. Dre. Although disappointed by some of the uncredited work he’s done, The Glove appeared by no means a bitter man when we spoke to him, and was more than glad to share some stories that he’s never had the chance to really tell. Read Part 1 of this exclusive story:

AllHipHop.com: You were in the 1984 movie Breakin’ DJ’ing for Ice-T. How did you get that part?

Chris “The Glove” Taylor: It all started with a club called Radio. The spot was a phenomenon because we used to have lines going around the block and it was open to any age over 13. The L.A. Times put us on the cover of their Calendar section and the producers of the movie came to check it out. Back then, people like Sting from The Police and Malcolm Mclaren would come out to the club.

So they began shooting the movie at the club and one day, I overheard the producers talking about how they needed music to capture the feel of a certain scene. I walked over to them and told them that I could do it. I was just a DJ at the time and had never produced anything up until then. They agreed to it and originally it was supposed to be just a music score for the scene. They had already hired Ice-T as the rapper for the movie, so I approached him about rapping over the beat. We recorded “Reckless” in the middle of the night and finished at 2 am.

AllHipHop.com: That was your first track? It must have been a quick learning experience.

Chris “The Glove” Taylor: I played all of those party tracks like “Planet Rock.” I got my hands on a drum machine after the producers agreed with my request. I learned how to program the beats on it. It’s hard to remember all of the details, but I believe The Egyptian Lover showed me the ropes on how to do it.

AllHipHop.com: Tell us about the experience of DJ’ing in Los Angeles back in the early ’80s before the West Coast Hip-Hop scene blew up.

Chris “The Glove” Taylor: We used to have big time East Coast DJs come to the club. I wanted to prove that L.A. DJs were just as hot so whenever they performed at our club, I made sure that I tore their a** up on the turntables. Each time, they would tell me that I was tight. People back East didn’t know much of what was going on in the West. Back then, they used to call Los Angeles “Southern.” For real! But myself, DJ Aladdin, and Bobcat were shredding whoever came in to town.

For the longest time, it was just me and The Egyptian Lover who were at the top tier. There were other DJs but they weren’t on our level yet. I met Bobcat when he was 16 years old and he told me he was the best. I told him to get down and he looked at my mixer and said he didn’t know how to work it. I laughed and was like, “I thought you were the best?” I showed him how to work the mixer and he was great! Later on there was a point that Bobcat was the best in town – even better than me when it came to scratching, speed, movement and techniques. After us, I would rank DJ Aladdin and then Tony G. Tony was bad! Egyptian Lover was bad too. We were like Superman and Lex Luthor [laughter].

AllHipHop.com: You didn’t list Dr. Dre.

Chris “The Glove” Taylor: I never saw him DJ. He played at Eve After Dark near Compton. As a producer I only rank Quincy Jones higher than Dre because of his work with Michael Jackson. That’s how I feel. But as far as DJ’ing goes I never saw him play live.

AllHipHop.com: How did you end up working alongside Dr. Dre?

Chris “The Glove” Taylor: I did the “Reckless” song and it sold 4 million copies by being on the Breakin’ soundtrack. I decided that I didn’t want to do rap after that and that’s why there is a huge gap between that song and my work with Dre. I felt like R & B music paid more at the time. I had an organ and piano background from church and high school, so I was writing songs. I was a part of a group called Po, Broke and Lonely. We were making hot songs and a mutual friend told Dre about our group. Dre had already heard of me through the DJ scene. We met him out at a party in Palm Springs and e signed us as a group because he was looking for something that was self-contained to where he didn’t have to produce everything – and that was because of me. I was also an engineer, which a lot of producers aren’t. They’ll just lay a beat down and leave it at that.

AllHipHop.com: So what did you and Dre start working on?

Chris “The Glove” Taylor: The first thing we started working on was the Po, Broke and Lonely album. We had this song called “Funky Vibe” and he did the remix. We were at a studio in Carson and I was the first person to show to introduce him to an SSL studio mixer. The way he had been recording was by having all of these different hands pushing the faders up and down on the board. I told him he was working too hard and said, “let me show you this thing called Automation.” It was the reason why I got to mix The Chronic album with him. The credits say, “mixed by Chris Taylor” but I admit that he mixed more of that album than I did. He sat in front of those boards.

AllHipHop.com: Did you have any production or co-production on The Chronic?

Chris “The Glove” Taylor: Yes. I produced a song called, “Stranded On Death Row.” That was me and Dre. There’s been a long standing rumor that I did everything and Dre did nothing. That’s not true. You will never hear me say that. But I also did a hell of a lot that I never received credit for.

AllHipHop.com: Like what?

Chris “The Glove” Taylor: Oh my God [pauses]. The Chronic not so much because I mixed it with him and it was all going good at that point. Although I never got credit for producing “Stranded On Death Row” and that’s where the f*** up’s started. I thought maybe that it was a mistake or an oversight at the time. So we go on to Snoop’s album Doggystyle and I worked with Dre hand-in-hand for about 70 percent of that album. I mixed more of that record than The Chronic.

AllHipHop.com: Did you produce any songs on Snoop Dogg’s Doggystyle album?

Chris “The Glove” Taylor: I produced a song called “Doggy Dogg World.” Dr. Dre did the beat as far as the drums; kick, snare and hi-hat. The bass player wasn’t playing it to Dre’s satisfaction, so I took over and played it on the Moog. Then Dre asked me to put the keys down on it, so I did all of the keyboard parts. He told me to record the beat and then he left – so I laid it all down. I also recorded Snoop’s vocals. I recorded everybody but The Dramatics although I sat next to Dre when that happened.

When that record was finished, Suge was standing on my right side and Jimmy Iovine was standing on my left. They were waiting for me to finish editing it so they could put it on the album and fly it on an airplane to the pressing plant. They told me that it would cost them $42,000 for every hour that it went over. They had trucks lined up, and they were waiting to ship it – Snoop’s first album was a monster. The main thing back then was making sure that the order of the songs was right – because the album has to flow right. We put as much work in to that as anything else on the album.

Check back on Monday for Part 2 of our exclusive interview with Chris “The Glove” Taylor!

Mostly a large BBQ scene, the shoot included a cameo of South Central rapper Nipsey Hussle and a drive-way Lowrider scene, where YG and his homies had fun bouncing off of the car’s hydraulics. Spectators got a little too close to the bouncing vehicle and as you’ll see in our video, a young man even got hurt. In all, it began as a fun scene with the rappers hanging out with friends, family, and the fans who came out to participate.

Then, while waiting for Maybach Music Group rapper Meek Mill to show up, things turned ugly quick as the crowd began to get out of control and regular traffic could not get through. As a Compton Sheriff’s vehicle came through to clear up traffic, a group of young men came running from across the street shouting, “They’re bustin’ on the homies!”

Apparently shots had been fired down the block at a group of people, although I myself didn’t hear anything. Within seconds, the crowd began to run left and right to flee the scene, and as quickly as that happened, police zoomed in immediately and blocked off all street exits from every side and detained everyone they possibly could.

As I was heading down Oleander, a young man about 20 feet in front of me was trying to get to his car when a Compton Sheriff drew a weapon on him and told him that if he moved, he’d be shot. Thankfully, I was able to turn around and find an alley that allowed me to exit the scene without incident.

The area was once made somewhat famous at the beginning of DJ Quik’s “Loked Out Hood,” and I couldn’t help but think of the song as I made it back safely to home sweet home. Check out the video from AllHipHop.com’s unforgettable visit to the Compton set of YG’s “I’m A Thug” video:

While his first album, 2009′s If Tomorrow Comes, was about Maino’s struggle from the streets to success, The Day After Tomorrow, focuses on handling success once you’ve left the streets but are still tied to your roots. In the words of Maino, “I’m going through sh*t, but I’m making money.”

The The Day After Tomorrow listening session began almost immediately, kicking off with a narration from Maino, who returns throughout the album, between several tracks and on the interlude, to add a more conversational aspect to his story.

On tracks like “Never Gon Stop” and “Unstoppable,” two of the albums more up-tempo records with single potential, Maino delivers lines like “critics said I flopped but my single sold a million,” “I’m a freight train on a collision course with success,”  and “I’m living proof anything can happen if you dream.” In other words, haters gon’ hate and Maino’s gon’ keep getting rich.

One of the album’s standout tracks is the Buckwild produced “Nino Brown.” Maino has created a soulful, feel-good, “West Side Highway jam”, backed by flutes and good vibes where he proclaims “look at me, I’m bigger than Nino Brown.”

Another standout from the album is “Gangstas Ain’t Dead” which features Push Montana and Mouse on an old-west influenced beat produced by A-Squared which has major potential to be considered at the very least, a street single for the album. All of the lyricists do their thing, but Maino’s child-hood friend Mouse really shines brightest out of the three on the track.

The singles, which you’ve almost certainly heard. “Cream” with T.I. and Meek Mill, “Let It Fly,” and the Robbie Nova assisted “That Could Be Us,” come one after the other during the album’s second-half. And while the album  bounces back and forth between records about living lavish and struggling to find your path and feed your daughter, the conclusion of The Day After Tomorrow packs some heavy punches with some of the Maino’s most introspective songs to date: “Messiah,” “Glad To Be Alive,” and “Day After Tomorrow.”

Overall, Maino has created a mostly well-rounded sophomore album that showcases his maturing as both a man and an artist; two characteristics that are very much present on The Day After Tomorrow. He has certainly prevailed within the lane he’s created with a more narrative approach to rapping then one filled with metaphors and punchlines that many listeners gravitate towards.

After the listening session, Maino sat down with AllHipHop.com to speak on a number of topics. In the first video below, Maino talks to us about his maturing state of mind and the different recording processes he experienced between his first and second albums:

In part two of our interview, Maino talks about the difference between his recently released mixtape, I Am Who I Am, and the album, The Day After Tomorrow, how critical mixtapes can be to an artists’s success, and what he plans on naming his third studio album:

Maino’s The Day After Tomorrow will be in stores on February 28!

Philadelphia’s Dice Raw is a rapper, a singer/songwriter, a storyteller, a comedian, and one of the long-standing affiliates of the legendary Roots Crew. Along with band founders Black Thought and ?uestlove, the lyrical machete-spitting Dice has helped to create a classic sound that has taken the bunch far beyond their harsh streets of Philadelphia. You can still hear it on cerebral, melody-laced songs like “Lighthouse” – that familiar flow and voice inflection at the end of lines that lets you know it’s a Dice Raw/Roots song.

But, if you examine closely, Dice Raw’s journey along with the band has been somewhat mysterious to onlookers over the years. Where does he fit in? Is he a real member of the band? Does he rotate freely off and on the Roots roster when the spirit moves him? With such a world-class association, why is he – as he puts it – “The Greatest Rapper Never?”

To understand the funny and personable, but seemingly music-obsessed, Dice Raw, one must travel back with him to the early 1990s, when his life was moving much faster than other kids his age. As he tells it, a series of meetings and mutual associates (including Bell Biv Devoe?) led him to The Roots, but his creativity and agile flow has kept him there over the years. AllHipHop.com braved the cold this past weekend to travel to Philadelphia’s legendary Larry Gold Studios (where The Roots, Jill Scott, Dice Raw, and other big-name Philly artists have all recorded) to hear Dice Raw’s fascinating coming-of-age tale:

Shot/edited by Dave Jacobs

Our interview with Dice Raw is just getting started, Check back for part two, where he slices and dices The Roots’ undun album competition!

Kirko Bangz is the type of artist that some people may not truly appreciate until hindsight becomes a factor. The young rapper with the heavy Texas influence may sound like a poor man’s Drake to the casual listener; he relies on Autotune heavily, and he’s not exactly the best singer you’ll hear this year. However, there’s something authentic about his style that cannot be ignored.

With acts like A$AP Rocky and the aforementioned Drake biting the formula that’s made Texas stand out, it’s refreshing to hear someone from the new generation of artists attempt to snatch it back. With his ability to craft songs, write hooks, and mold potent melodies (evidenced by the two singles he helmed that broke into heavy radio rotation, “What Yo Name Iz” in early 2011, and currently “Drank In My Cup”), Bangz has the growing fan-base to eventually make the leap. With his latest mixtape, The Progression 2, he plans to do just that.

That Texas presence is felt throughout the entire project; from the slow beats to the screw effect, Bangz uses all of them heavily, but doesn’t overdo it (which has been an issue with others that “bite” the style). “Knowmtalmbout” features Paul Wall and is by far one of the standout songs, due to how perfectly it encompasses the feel of TP2. There are other notable tracks as well; “Ugly B**ches” has Bangz almost scolding himself for the “mistakes” he’s made with unattractive females, “Play Me” has that “Houstatlantavegas” feel (but more raw), and his “Drank In My Cup” single still sounds solid enough to be placed on an album somewhere soon.

Bangz isn’t the most lyrical rapper you’ll hear, but he’s perfectly comfortable behind a microphone. Although he’s not content heavy, there are several instances where his lyrics pack more of a punch due to the conversational style he takes within the verse. It may not be “Lupe Fiasco” lyrical, but it more than gets the point across, with the best example being present all throughout “Trill Young N*gga,” most notably the last verse:

“I couldn’t wait to meet these famous people /
But now I feel like them people be the lamest people /
They be fightin’ for reality and fighting reality /
The shows, and ho*s wear gold without a salary /
I guess it’s all good, everything is all good /
Private school n*ggas get the pass to act all hood /
 N*ggas never seen or passed through our hood /
But they can act like it? Sh** it’s all good… /

The project is a mix of original songs and re-imagined (remixed) tracks, from Drake’s “Crew Love” (“The Crew”) to DJ Khaled’s “I’m On One” (“Say Hello”). For the most part, Bangz does a good job of making them his own while blending his original music through the playlist. The result is an almost-seamless mixtape that isn’t for everyone, but hogs its Southern lane with a type of quality that could easily place Kirko Bangz in the category with new up-and-comers. As long as he continues with his progression (no pun intended) and shows that he’s more than radio-friendly, he could get there much sooner than later.

The launch party was held at Wish Boutique in Little 5 Points to help bring awareness to the plague of children being bullied in schools across the country.  Waka, who allowed his fans to choose a cause for him to support through his #WakaNewYear initiative, will donate 25 percent of all sales from the custom hat to The Pacer’s National Bullying Prevention Center.

AllHipHop.com sat down with Waka Flocka to speak to him about his feelings on bullying! Check the video:

“DJ Drastic did all the cuts on the album, and he’s probably the best DJ I’ve ever heard. This album wouldn’t be what it is without him,” Copywrite confesses rather nonchalantly. “I didn’t think I would ever do anything better than Life & Times of Peter Nelson, but this album is even better than that one. It’s just hard because I cringe when I hear it, and  I can’t listen to it all the way…” [cue the long record scratch sound].

WHAT?!?! Why can’t Hip-Hop’s celebrated underground giant listen to his own, self-professed “best album?” He says, “Because of what I’m talking about on there. Artistry is great, wordplay, etc., but the lyrics make me sick. I’m so happy that I’m not in that anymore, just saying whatever to earn the praise of man.”

For the people who follow him on Twitter, Copy surprised a bunch of his fans with a sudden change in his posts. Out of nowhere, the usually irreverent MC began talking about Jesus…a lot. And for some it was a new turn for their favorite rapper.

“What people don’t understand is it’s not new. I’ve been saved since I was 16 years old. I wasn’t being obedient at all, but if you look, every single album, I thank Christ, my personal Lord and savior. I wasn’t always obedient, but I’ve always believed it.”

In hindsight, he even sees how his internal struggle was coming out loud and clear in his music but he, and most of us, missed it. “Songs like “Don’t Kill Me” – it was like my flesh and spirit fighting [listen to clip around 4:30 mark for lyrics]. My silly plan was like the Mike Epps joke: ‘I wanna get right with God….but I gotta get this money first!’ And how silly was that of me to think I had any control of time as if I was promised any of it?”

While his lyrics, and subsequently his lifestyle, never lined up with his beliefs, Copywrite says he’s never rejected his long-held Christian beliefs publicly. “I’ve never denied Jesus, but at the same time, it never came up because everyone thought I was a reckless heathen…because I was.”

So what happened? Was there some tragic turn of events that forced him back to his old faith from his teenage years? No. It was a gradual change. Having been a longtime friend of rap veteran John Rueben, known for making rap songs that cater to the Christian Hip-Hop market, he would watch his career and life, and see how it would have a continued impact on his own life. “Me and John Reuben go way back. I remember John Reuben when he was fat! It’s good to see where he is in music. I remember seeing him on TV when I was in Maryland and thinking, ‘That’s what I’m supposed to be doing.’ That’s because he was still rhyming AND still repping the Lord.”

Then in May 2011, he wanted to change. “I prayed to God to change my desires because I really wanted to live for him. Then I just found myself really uninterested by the things I was doing.” Even performing the old songs didn’t feel quite right to him. “I remember when I did my first show after rededicating. And I dreaded it. It was like wearing old, dirty, dead man’s clothes,” he adds.

While Copywrite couldn’t be more happy about his current state in life, his fans and followers have had mixed reactions to the MC’s faith. “Some fans are like ‘do your thing.’

“Some of them  think ‘you’re looking for a crutch because of losing your parents” but what they don’t know is when I accepted Christ, life couldn’t have been better. Mom and dad were still alive and all that. So it’s definitely not a crutch for me. Some people are excited. They knew what kind of music I did before and now they’re like, ‘Yo, I used to pray for you! It’s good to see what God is doing in you!’ Some are just disrespectful, but not towards me, but towards God.

“I’m cool if people disagree. I’m totally alright with that. You can say, ‘That’s a total lie, dude, I don’t believe at all. But if that’s you, then do you.’ But when you come off just blatantly disrespectful and just trying too hard, then those people I block [on Twitter].”

But again, despite the title of the album, his latest release doesn’t fully reflect his current beliefs.

“God Save the King isn’t about my beliefs. It was supposed to be a UK-catered album, and the title, a spin on the Sex Pistol’s God Save the Queen. The album was almost completely done before I came back to Christ. The title just kind of happened that way.”

So, is there ANYTHING on the album that reflects his current beliefs? “There’s 2.5 Christian songs. I say .5 because I wrote it right at my transition. I cussed on it, but I beeped it out,” admits Copywrite. Even with his 2.5 “Christian songs” on the album, he has a very clear message to the new faith-filled fans he has gained, especially after the release of his song “The K.I.N.G.”: “I don’t want my new Christian audience to buy this album. I don’t want people to think you can live on both sides of the fence. I’m even putting a disclaimer in the album. I’m not playing around with this.”

There is a serious and honest question that HAD to be asked here. If the content is so bad and it’s so evil, then why put it out?! “I feel like all of those fans I’ve built up over the years won’t just listen to me talking about God if I just came out with an album like that. I needed a bridge album. The album was already recorded so people will get to see the change. But in the future all of my music will be Christian music,” Copywrite says.

“Most of my fans are wild. But I hope that they hear the music and now, hearing me giving God praise, that they’ll start to think. Like, ‘This guy is pretty smart. You can’t write stuff like he does and be stupid. Why does he think like this now? Maybe there’s some truth.’ It’s my job to plant the seed, its God’s job to grow it, and I hope with the good content on there, He does.”

Surely, there will be some who feel like he’s presenting two different people on the new album, as if he were some type of hypocrite. But Copywrite says its not a case of hypocrisy; rather, it’s a recorded version of a changed man. “Kind of like how God changed Saul to Paul,” he quips. Others will hear his changed direction and think, ‘He’ll be back. It’s a phase,’ to which he plainly says, “To the people saying ‘he’ll be back,’  stop plotting my downfall and consider your condition with Christ. This isn’t the phase; that other stuff is the phase.”

“I’m not gonna stop rappin’ because I feel like God built up my story so that glory can be given to him, and people can see that God can really do anything with anyone. My thoughts are different so my music is different.”

So, on February 28, we get to hear God Save the King, but the artist and man is looking forward to sharing the story and the music of how God saved Copywrite.

View the tracklist below for Copywrite’s God Save the King album, available for download on February 28. Follow Copywrite on Twitter (@copywrite).

1.Post-Apocalyptic Request Box (prod by Jason Rose)
2.Love Featuring Tage Future (of MHz) (prod by Bronze Nazareth)
3.Swaggot Killaz Featuring Jakki da Mota Mouth (of MHz) (prod by Illmind)
4.Sorrow Featuring Illogic (Prod by Stu Bangas)
5.Man Made Featuring Rockness Monstah (of Heltah Skeltah) (prod by Jason Rose)
6.J.O.Y. Featuring Jason Rose & Torae (prod by Jason Rose)
7.Union Rights Featuring MHz (Tage Future & Jakki da Mota Mouth) (prod by Khrysis)
8.YO! Mtv RAP Featuring Jason Rose (prod by Jason Rose)
9.Blue Ribbon (prod by Bronze Nazareth)
10.Miracle (prod by S.G. on the Trax)
11.G$k (prod by Stu Bangas)
12.Workahol (prod by Stu Bangas)
13.White Democrats Featuring Mac Lethal (prod by Jason Rose)
14.Golden State (of Mind) Featuring Casual, Evidence (of Dilated Peoples) & Roc Marciano (prod by Vanderslice)
15.Synesthesia (prod by RJD2)
16.Got to Make It Featuring Tage Future (of MHz) (prod by Stu Bangas)
17.A Talk with Jesus (prod by Poetiq Beetz)

Steve Patton is a contributor to AllHipHop.com and is also a Senior Writer for Rapzilla.com.

AllHipHop.com spoke to the one of the hottest young artists on the eve of the release for his new mixtape, Driving 88. Rockie discusses the honor of being an XXL Freshman nominee, the recording process for his new project, his rapid rise to success via the independent route, and where he sees himself in five years.

AllHipHop.com: First things first, did you get to keep the DeLorean?

Rockie Fresh: Nah, man, I didn’t get to keep it. That’s my homies DeLorean. He lets me use it whenever I want to.

AllHipHop.com: Lucky him. I want to congratulate you on your nomination for XXL’s 2012 Freshman Class.

Rockie Fresh: Thank you very much, man. I appreciate that.

AllHipHop.com: So, how did it feel when you found out you were nominated, especially to be alongside a number of your friends within the industry?

Rockie Fresh: It felt crazy, and it was cool because there was a fake list that came out a couple of weeks before they did that, and I was on that fake list, but a lot of people didn’t take it seriously, and it had got some people in my city talking about the possibility of me actually being a XXL Freshman. So for them to then come out with their own list and confirm that I had gotten to that point is dope and real cool. And then to have some of my homies on there with me, it just made it the more the merrier so it was cool.

AllHipHop.com: If you could create your own short list for who should be on that cover this year who would you pick?

Rockie Fresh: Outside of myself, it would be Casey Veggies, Phil Ade, and probably my homie Action Bronson. I really respect their grind, and they’ve all built a lot of stuff from the ground up, so definitely those three.

AllHipHop.com: Well, I hope you make it on there, for sure. Last time we talked, you had just released your last project, The Otherside Redux, and now you’re gearing up for the release of Driving 88. How did the recording process of the two mixtapes differ?

Rockie Fresh: Well, the last project, The Otherside Redux, I had recorded a few songs in L.A., but most of the project was done in Chicago. With the new mixtape, I started recording it while I was on tour with Patrick Stump, and so I recorded it in a bunch of different cities and had a bunch of different inspirations. I’m also getting older as an individual – not that I’m not young anymore – but I’m just experiencing a lot more things, and over the course of 2011, I saw some things that I never saw before in my life, so I was able to just broaden my horizon and broaden the things that I could talk about. So that’s what kind of changed with the recording process for this project.

AllHipHop.com: For those that don’t know, can you briefly explain the significance of the title, Driving 88?

Rockie Fresh: Yeah, the title came from the movie, Back To The Future, and basically the DeLorean had to reach 88 miles per hour for them to reach their destination, and so this project is kind of my pace and my speed of me just getting to the places that I want to go. That’s why I called it that.

AllHipHop.com: What can the fans expect on the project, and did you get to work with anyone this time around that you haven’t been able to work with in the past?

Rockie Fresh: Yeah, I was actually able to get a track from Good Charlotte that’s on there. It’s going to be a bonus track for the tape since they had it on their mixtape, but Casey Veggies and Phil Ade are both on the project, and they were on my last project so it’s cool to bring it back.

As far as the music, people can expect a real original sound. I really wanted to tailor my own style of music and my own type of beats, so that fans will always know a Rockie track when they hear it. And so, we really defined that with this project, so I’m excited to see what the fans think about it.

AllHipHop.com: I did actually get a chance to hear that track with the Madden Brothers from their mixtape, and it’s dope. In the past year alone, you’ve already worked with Asher Roth, the Maddens, Kidz In the Hall, Chamillionaire, and a ton more names. How important is it to you to as a fairly new artist to be recognized and respected by your peers in the industry?

Rockie Fresh: That means a lot to me, because it was real natural how I got a relationship with all of those guys, which is why I guess people say that I do a lot of random features, but it’s really always organic. Like I met Lil’ B when I was at SXSW last year, and his style of music is way different then mine. We represent two different things, but because he was a cool dude and he respected me, we were able to link up and do a record. Same thing with Asher and the Madden brothers; it was just a real organic thing, and for those guys to like what I do and respect what I do, it was a blessing for me, and it was super cool. It meant a lot.

AllHipHop.com: Other than the material that you have coming out on Driving 88, are there any collaborations that you’ve done recently for someone else’s project that you’re can’t wait for the fans to hear?

Rockie Fresh: Man, actually I’ve been working with a lot of Chicago artists, ‘cause we don’t really have a history of being big on the blogs or sites. And I’m one of the first people that really has been posted in a bunch of places, and I really want to lend a hand to other people in my city. There’s this guy named King Louie who’s on Driving 88, he’s a new artist out of Chicago. I’m just really trying to build the city of Chicago and bring some people up while I’m coming up as well.

AllHipHop.com: Do you have aspirations to sign with a major label, or are you more comfortable and confident in the independent lane which you’ve been so successful with, as have many other artists, specifically in the past year?

Rockie Fresh: I mean, it really just depends on what makes sense. As far as right now, I’m able to make the music that I want to make without having to use a major label, but at the same time, I’ve always had big dreams of releasing a number one album and things like that. I know that those are certain things that labels can be instrumental in helping with as far as promotion when the time is right. So, right now I’m just going to ride out this independent wave, and if me and some labels can come to an agreement on something and with certain things, then I definitely would sign a deal.

AllHipHop.com: With that in mind, what goals and “resolutions” did you set for yourself for 2012?

Rockie Fresh: For me, more than anything is getting, because I’ve got a lot of stuff on the table now as far as with the XXL Freshman thing, and there’s some other opportunities that I really can’t speak on right now, but for me I realized that I do have a broad fan base and it’s growing naturally. I just want to keep supplying them with better music and keep impressing them, so outside of anything, it’s just really to make sure I record everyday, try to get a song done a day, and make sure that I’m supplying the fans with what they support me for.

AllHipHop.com: And how has the “song-a-day” mentality been going?

Rockie Fresh: It’s been going good. I’m not perfect, so I’ve had some misses, but it’s definitely making me a better artist, making me become more creative and search for more inspiration and different content. So yeah, it’s definitely working.

AllHipHop.com: Where do yo see Rockie Fresh five years from now?

Rockie Fresh: Man, probably one of the top five rappers in the game, obviously.

AllHipHop.com: Great answer. Is there anything else you want the fans and readers to know about?

Rockie Fresh: Just download Driving 88.

AllHipHop.com: Thanks again for your time, Rockie. Can’t wait to hear the project.

Rockie Fresh: For sure, man. Thank you very much.

Download “Rockie Fresh – Driving 88” Now!

 Follow Rockie Fresh On Twitter: @RockieFresh

With the recent release of his independent album, Lincoln Way Nights, his path forward continues. Having recently recorded sessions for  flagship MMG release, God Forgives I Don’t, and working on the label’s next installment of Self Made, Stalley is in line to be one of the next greats off the Maybach Music Group roster. AllHipHop.com caught up with him a few weeks ago to hear what’s up with the MMG MC:

AllHipHop.com: What’s up, Stalley? What’s good on your side?

Stalley: On the road heading to VA, got a show, University of Virginia tonight. Lincoln Way Nights available on Amazon, iTunes everywhere. Make sure you get that…we working. Ambition available EVERYWHERE!!!

AllHipHop.com: How was it for you coming out of the Ohio Hip-Hop scene?

Stalley: When it came to music, I was one of those people that listened to everything. There were times I went through my backpacker stage, my East Coast, West Coast, down South stage. That’s the beauty of growing up in Ohio and the Midwest. We get everything; we are not biased to one coast or one genre of music.

I was probably one of the only people out of my friends that listened to people like Mos Def, Common, Nas. If anyone really listened to East Coast music, they listened to Wu-Tang, Jay Z, Biggie. Other than that, I grew up around people listening to Too Short, Scarface, Brother Lynch Hung, C-Bo, E -40, people like that. I listened to all that, too, but I was heavily influenced by all coasts.

AllHipHop.com: I know you  like to step outside of your genre and work with different artists. How did this effect your relationships with others?

Stalley: They looked at me like I was hard to pinpoint, my sound or my style. Even from outside of Hip-Hop, I’ve been influenced by Bruce Springsteen, John Mayer, Marvin Gaye, Curtis Mayfield. I try to incorporate all those sounds and inspirations that I got from those artists into my music. People start to look at me like, “Man, what’s he on? Where’s he going?” I just go wherever the instincts take me.

AllHipHop.com: You played basketball through your earlier years. How did you stay motivated to keep with it and not fall to temptation?

Stalley: My one big motivation through life, growing up in middle school , high school, playing sports, was just to get out of my small town. Growing up being there was like a trap. I seen a lot of great athletes leave adn come right back, not finishing school, ’cause really it’s a trap. You get so used to it – everybody knows everybody.

When you go away, it’s easy to get homesick, because everyday is laid out for you, your used to that repetition of just doing the same thing – waking up seeing the same people, knowing where everything is, just knowing how your day is going to end up. My thing is I just didn’t wanna end up being stuck there, ’cause a lot of people end up selling and using drugs or are just there, existing. I knew I had a bigger plan for myself. I wanna be able to reach people and touch people, no matter if it were on a court or through music. That was the motivation for me to work hard and stay focused.

AllHipHop.com: How was the transition from your athletics and education to making music ?

Stalley: I didn’t expect it to be as easy and natural as it was. I grew up focused on basketball and my education, ’cause that’s what I felt like was going to take me to where I needed to go as man financially, being stable and to take care of my family. I didn’t focus on music, I always loved music and it was a passion of mine adn something I did, but it wasn’t the main focus, ’cause basketball was, you know?

I always wrote and did freestyles, but it wasn’t until I got injured and stopped going to school and stopped playing ball, that a friend of mine got me into the studio and I recorded music, and it just took off…it was so natural. It was kind of like God put it there for me. He was like, “NO, you’re not supposed to be doing that…your real passion and calling is over here.” And that’s where I went. I’m here now; it’s going on four years now and I’m a signed artist. I’m with the hottest label, MMG. It’s a blessing.

AllHipHop.com: Where do you draw your inspiration for lyrics?

Stalley: All my inspiration comes from life and living growing up in a small town, college. Wanting to be great wanting to better people and give something good to people to help better their lives and help them see they can do it. Also, my inspiration comes from those places I pull from that energy. The things I’ve seen, the struggles…all the glory, all the good things. There’s been a lot of good that’s happened to me. God has blessed me so much, and I reflect and pull from all of those places and put it into my music. Everything is real and natural. I don’t say anything that isn’t the truth or doesn’t come natural to it. Nothing is forced; it’s all me.

AllHipHop.com: Will Self Made Vol. 2 be the first official release we get to hear you on with the Maybach Music family ?

Stalley: Yeah, Self Made Vol .2 is coming soon. We working on records for that; Ibeen working with Ross. I may be on God Forgives, I Don’t - I’m not sure; he hasn’t put the track listing together yet. But we’ve done a few records together; hopefully, I’ll make that. If not then I’ll definitely be all over Self Made Vol. 2.

AllHipHop.com: Maybach Music Group has a big roster from the Core Triple Cs Gunplay, Torch and Young Breed, then you’ve got Meek Mill and Wale. You’ve been opened up to building a lot of new relationships …

Stalley: It’s all love, everything is just natural. I wouldn’t be there if it didn’t feel comfortable; if it felt forced in any way, I couldn’t be comfortable being around those guys. All those guys you mentioned right there, they’re my brothers, good dudes. We vibe out, we talk outside the studio when we see each other. It’s all love.

We all focused on music and being great in our own right. We all busy, but every chance we get, send a text, give a phone call. Being in the studio with them is great; there’s no egos. Of course, we all probably trying to write the best verses and out do each other, but that’s just being a rapper and having that pride of wanting to be great. But it’s all love; them are my brothers. It’s family over there.

AllHipHop.com: How have things changed for you in your personal life since your budding success?

Stalley: It’s changed for the good and bad, you know? [laughter] A lot of people are happy, and you’ve got a lot of people who are not happy – that just comes with the territory of being successful and doing what you love to do. It”s been a blessing. I have no complaints; everyone has shown love, especially from my town.

We are a prideful place; we are one of those places when someone is doing something positive and good, the whole city is behind it. Not too many people get to make their way out of that town. I love to be that voice and representation of my city and give the kids hope that there’s other things you can do besides sell and do drugs. That’s all they seeing right now around them, and it’s hard to stay focused on a bigger picture when that’s all you see.

AllHipHop.com: What can we expect to see from you and the rest of the camp for the remainder of the year?

Stalley: Lincoln Way Nights is available now. We got tons of music videos off the project coming…got a new mixtape. Besides that, look forward to Self Made Vol. 2 , God Forgives I Don’t,  Ambition is available right now , Self Made Vol 1. is out right now. Just support the MMG movement, support good music.

Follow me on Twitter (@Stalley) and check out www.Stalley330.com, and you’ll get all the latest and greatest on myself.

And good looking out, Mikey T The Movie Star; we making movies!

Follow Mikey T The Movie Star on Twitter (@MTMovieStar).

Either Black Thought was a fortune teller, or he already knew back in 1995 that he had something special that would allow him to dominate his rap opponents for years to come. In fact, at the time “Proceed” was released,  The Roots spitter had already been part of his gifted rap band for nearly a decade (his “Illadelph Half-life?”), and he seemed to know in advance that the best was yet to come.

Flash forward to 2012, and you’ll find out that Black Thought was right. He’s still rocking mics and crowds, from Toronto to Tokyo and everywhere in between, recording epic albums, and then getting right back to work on the next one. Hip-Hop has been good to him, too - artifacts from his world travels adorn shelves and tables in his home. Countless photos of music legends grace the walls, but Black Thought is posing in very few of them. Perhaps a voyeur, he comes across as a keen observer who is not full of himself – at least not outside the booth.

AllHipHop.com recently hung out with Black Thought before he took the stage at an intimate show with the legendary singer/xylophonist, Roy Ayers, in New York City. In the back of the house, he has ”blinked himself away” in a corner VIP booth – listening, laughing, and very obviously enjoying doing nothing at all. It was a great time to be a keen observer of the keen observer – check the video clip below for insights about the swell life and times of The Roots’ founder:

Did you miss out on “Black Thought Week?” Be sure to catch up on our week of exclusives with The Roots frontman:

- Black Thought Reflects on MLK’s Dream

- Black Thought Deconstructs the undun Album

- Black Thought: Don’t Ever Call Him “Underrated” Again

- Black Thought Births the New “Sound of Philadelphia” Via The Wurxs

Salt-N-Pepa brought together pioneers like Kurtis Blow, MC Lyte, Kool Moe Dee, Dougie Fresh, Big Daddy Kane, Whodini, and more for a nationwide tour with the roster rotating in each city. As you’ll see in the clip below, for racking up 20+ years in the game, Vin and Treach are still as energetic and amped on stage as ever:

Is it finally Schoolboy Q’s time to shine? After the monster year Kendrick Lamar had, Q is looking to use his affiliation with Top Dawg Entertainment to launch his own career. The anticipation was certainly there, as Habits & Contradictions built buzz up until release. It’s always a positive step in an artist’s career when they make the transition from a ‘free download’ to ‘available for purchase on iTunes’- but does Schoolboy Q have the legs to stand on his own on this big of a stage?

The California representative has gained a reputation for his aggressive, almost angry, rapping style, and there is no shortage of that here. “Raymond 1969” sounds like something out of a horror film, with Schoolboy riffing about endless violent acts. The horror theme follows on “Nightmare on Figg St”, where Q makes a play on last year’s biggest hit, “What 50-grand to a m*thaf*cka like me/ Can you please remind me?/ Sh*t, I’ll remind you.”

Two of the best tracks on the project come in the same brash manner in “Sexting” and “Druggys With Hoes Again”. When the album first leaked, many versions were missing the first of the two – which is a shame, as the lust filled flute-like sounds on the instrumental set the tone for Q to spaz on. The same goes for the latter, which features Ab-Soul and an insanely catchy, bouncy bassline. Violence and hoes – not the most articulate of ideas, but Schoolboy Q excels at what he’s good at.

However, when he does delve a bit deeper, he does it with success. The first song on the album, “Sacrilegious”, is a spacey introduction with introspective lyrics; the same kind of lyrics that are featured on “Blessed” (a Kendrick Lamar sighting) over the stuttering bass thumps. He’s quoted as calling these songs the “title tracks” to the LP, and it’s easy to see why.

“My Homie” is a tale about friends and snitches matched up with a cerebrally tranquil Alchemist beat, and “My Hatin’ Joint” tells about cheating on another man’s girl; more looks into the several facets of Schoolboy Q’s still-growing style. Coming off as a rough, thug type, Schoolboy does a great job of giving the listener an inside look of the trials to that lifestyle.

Habits & Contradictions is filled with a bunch of cool joints. Aside from the ones mentioned above, “Grooveline Pt. 1” is a smooth track with Dom Kennedy and Curren$y, “Hands on the Wheel” is yet another head-banger with A$AP Rocky, and “How We Feeling” acts as a needed break of melody. What makes this project work is the fact that it doesn’t get boring. Whether it be the guest features, subject matter, or Schoolboy Q himself, it keeps the listener attached.

At the same time, though, most songs will come as good with one listen, but just average on a few others – with exception to the few exceptional tracks. Inevitably, anything he does will be compared to that of Kendrick Lamar – not in a competitive sense, but more of an expectation one. And, this is not a Kendrick Lamar project, but it’s a damn good, refreshingly hard album that shouldn’t be overlooked.

AllHipHop.com sat in this past week with Rico Love, a “Love & Hip Hop” regular, respected producer, and the SESAC’s 2011 Songwriter Of The Year. Check out our interview, where he discusses everything from his musical influences to his recent involvement with the popular series that some people can’t seem to get enough of:

Watch an all-new episode of VH1′s “Love & Hip Hop” on Monday night (January 23) at 8PM. Follow AllHipHop.com contributing writer, Skyyhook, on Twitter (@skyyhook).

Don’t know Ill Will? Well, then we don’t want to know you, because after hosting some of Hip-Hop’s most downloaded mixtapes, Ill Will is at the forefront of online mixtape DJs, and has embedded his footprint on the Los Angeles and online Hip-op scene for years to come.

Always thinking ahead of the curve, DJ Ill Will’s path in the game hasn’t been like typical club or street DJ. After leaving South Bend post-college and making the jump to Los Angeles, Ill Will has been developing his lane online for roughly the past five years, mostly via the Alumni Music Group brand and its flagship artist, Kid Ink, who has 30 million plus views online.

Trust us when we say that your wifey knows a song is a hit record, especially when she hears the “cuff yo chick,” drop on a DJ Ill Will mixtape. But that name brand recognition didn’t just evolve over night. Ill Will credits his early embrace of the more Pop and R&B-sounding Hip-Hop artists in ’07, as the bridge that led to his work with Soulja Boy, Tyga, Ya Boy, Wiz Khalifa, Gudda Gudda, Bow Wow, Jae Millz, Yung Berg, Trey Song, and Drake, to name a few.

So what does Ill Will think it takes to make it these days? What is the best way for artists get their music posted by taste-making bloggers and popular websites? Take a look at AllHipHop.com’s exclusive sit-down with one of the hottest online mixtape DJs in the game, as we go to school with Ill Will and find out what it takes to be an “Alumni.”

AllHipHop.com: Ill Will, what’s good, sir!?

DJ Ill Will: Chillin,’ man. We on the West Coast, so I’m just getting my day started, was in the studio late last night.

AllHipHop.com: Ok, that’s whats up.

DJ Ill Will: Yeah, we were in there with Kid Ink and Ty$.

AllHipHop.com: Word, that’s dope. So to get started, for the viewers that don’t know, tell us a little bit about your background.

DJ Ill Will: Yeah, to be honest I’m originally from South Bend, Indiana, graduated from college and moved to L.A., no aspirations to join the music industry. It just so happened I kind of became friends with a lot of upcoming rappers.  So, I did my first mixtape in ’07 just to support some kids locally and kind of help them find a different kind of fan base. I have always been big on using online blogs and forums, before it was as big as it is now, and a lot of these kids that we knew were just ‘hood rappers that were talented, but they didn’t really understand the online game. I just started dabbling in the mixtape game just to really try to give them another outlet and sense of awareness and it kind of just exploded and went from a hobby to a career [laughter].

AllHipHop.com: Yeah, man, over the last couple years, you have had some of the biggest mixtapes to drop in the game. From Wiz to Kid Ink, to Chris Brown and Tyga to Soulja Boy, you have been busy, bro.

DJ Ill Will: Yeah, it was perfect timing, and when I first started online was kind of frowned upon and people were considered internet DJs, and as time went on, and as the Internet became a focal point, I think that it really kind of turned the tables for my career because it went from frowned upon to being embraced, and already I was a foot ahead of the competition because I had built my awareness online, people trusted my brand. So you know once that whole thing hit, when people would be like, “you have to get it poppin online,” I was just one of the go-to guys. It kind of just happened that way, and I was just working with Tyga and Chris Brown and Bow Wow, Soulja Boy, and it kind of just exploded after that.

AllHipHop.com: Ok, that’s not a bad start. So, Tyga and Chris Brown and Bow Wow were some of your first real big mixtapes?

DJ Ill Will: Yeah, definitely, as far as like Tyga, I been working with Tyga since ‘07 or ‘08, and being he is from L.A., I was heavy in the streets out here, because I was working with all the West Coast artists. Tyga, I’m not saying he was a fan, but he was aware of my importance out here on the West Coast, and as he evolved, I tried to evolve as well to work with bigger and bigger acts, and taking advantage of that.

Then he teamed up to Chris and he reached out to me to be a part of that project, you know because obviously he was just being a loyal person because I was down with him when nobody else was really f*ckin with him. So working on the project with Chris was definitely one of the biggest projects I did, and probably the only thing that could compete with that is Wiz’s Burn After Rolling and Meek Mill’s Mr. Philadelphia, things like that. Obviously, Kid Ink’s projects now are doing extremely real well at this point ,so I could say they are definitely in that competition level of those projects as well.

AllHipHop.com: Talk to me about your relationship with Kid Ink. He’s the main artist you are working with right now, right?

DJ Ill WIll: Yeah, I’m the CEO of the Alumni Music Group, and Kid Ink is the flagship artist on the team. I was successful getting my money up, and I was doing well in the mixtape game, and I was looking for something else because I don’t want to be a mixtape DJ at 50 or 60 years old. So, I had been looking for years for the right artist to manage, and you know I took a couple shots and tried it just didn’t fit. But when I heard him, I was like, “Wow, this kid is gonna be a problem.” I sat down got the business right, and we explored what we both wanted to do professionally, and it was a perfect fit, and bam, it’s been a blessing, the kid is a work-a-holic, which is perfect for me.

AllHipHop.com: That’s whats up, man. So, how did you come up with phrases and drops used in your mixtapes?

DJ Ill Will: Early on, I was only doing West Coast mixtapes, and I was going for a more rugged appeal, and I just realized, I’m not a real rugged gangster dude, and I wasn’t trying to bite off those mixtape DJs heavy in the streets and those type of DJs that have that appeal.  So I said let me separate myself from the music that I don’t do and I always liked the urban pop and R & B. I always f*cked with more urban pop than electro or club pop.  So I sat down one day, I came to a realization that I needed to be in a different lane, being more pop than street. So I started dabbling in the R&B mixtape scene, dealing with a few artists that were more pop than street, then that’s when it all started making sense. Then my friend was like, “You’re like the only mixtape DJ that my girl will listen to; you’re my wifey’s favorite DJ.” I was like, “Ohh that’s so ill, I gotta use that.” So that was so ill I had to use it, and that was recorded and remade and redid, so it was really clean.

Basically, man, like my whole awareness popped off on the Internet when I would leak these big records on the Internet from huge artists. When I was leaking these big records from huge artists, I would put, “cuff yo’ chick,” on all the big records. So I don’t put “cuff yo’ chick,” on every record – only the dope ones – and I just put it on all these records and so I  put that tag on only a 1/10 of the records that are really out there and only the biggest ones. So if you hear “cuff yo chick,” you know its gonaa be a big record, it just kind of evolved and the records spread across the world to where it kind of just brainwashed them.

AllHipHop.com: OK, tough question, man…Live Mixtapes or DatPiff?

DJ Ill Will: Dat Piff all day.

AllHipHop.com: How come?

DJ Ill Will: Well, my relationship started with Dat Piff started with me just being a fan, and I just was like if you are going to be the featured mixtape, you made it. That’s how big of a fan I was. I never reached out to them, but the timing was right and they reached out to me, and the relationship was built organically. But the dude that runs the site KP is one of the coolest, dopest dudes I met on the website. So DatPiff and HotNewHipHop are my sites I go to everyday.

AllHipHop.com: The L.A. Hip-Hop scene is really budding, things are really shaking out nicely out there. Can you explain your take on the LA Hip-Hop scene?

DJ Ill Will: I mean, L.A. right now is on the verge of breaking, and I think it’s a whole new wave, I think it was a very confused movement for a while. It was like so West Coast, like gangsta with khakis and Chucks, gangter, Crips and Bloods, and it was like so many kids thought they had to follow that format, and it wasn’t right. People felt they had to make certain types of records with that khakis, low-rider, g-funk sound music, and because the way the West Coast was perceived outside of the west was the same, and I don’t think it was right or that people believed it.  So I think eventually these young kids were like, “f*ck that, we don’t listen to that,” and just started creating their own sound, thats where you see the YG’s popping up. Nipsey Hussle is one of dopest artists out right now; Kid Ink, Schoolboy Q is getting big now, Kendrick Lamar, Casey Veggies, Dom Kennedy, Pac Div, there’s so hot many artists out here on the West Coast and it’s not just regionally. I am really excited to be a part of it, because I really believe in it this time around.

AllHipHop.com: That’s crazy, man. It’s dope, man. Just thinking about it, you just listed off a whole bunch of artists, bro. Its impressive what the West has to offer now.

DJ Ill Will: [laughter] Yeah, man. There’s a huge movement out here and these kids are doing their own shows and its never been like that on the West Coast. To even pack a club, it would have to be three or four New West acts, but it would be 500 rappers standing around mean-muggin.’ Now, it’s like thousands of White kids at a Kid Ink or Tyga show, kids screaming and yelling, trying to pull their shirt off. It’s crazy.

AllHipHop.com: It’s funny how it just takes a lil’ bit for the scene to evolve.

DJ Ill Will: That’s exactly what happened, and even Wiz, I would consider Wiz as a West Coast artist. He’s as West Coast as it gets, to keep it 100, and I think that he helped evolve the scene, letting artists know that you don’t have to go that lane and opened some doors and let artists know that you can still be accepted and appreciated.

AllHipHop.com: Throughout the convo, we have talked about online marketing and developing an online presence. If you can, give your overall feelings about the online world with mixtape DJs etc., your feelings about the growing your buzz as an artist.

DJ Ill Will: Well, I think right now it’s more competitive than ever, and it’s really tough for a new person to crack. I think that it all really begins in the streets. You can’t just get on the Internet. I don’t think that you can just go out there spamming people with your link. I think that it starts with the buzz and movement in the streets, getting people to talk about you, and share your info with people online. I think the work ethic and the quality has to be high quality dope artwork and videos.

I think videos are the new mixtape. If you are shooting quality videos for dope records, more people are going to take two minutes out of their day to watch a video than to go to a website, download a link, unzip it, burn it to a CD and put it in their car. There are so many steps that it takes to actually get people to listen to you, I think that if you shoot five dope videos to your records then your buzz is really going to change. The YouTube movement is crazy. Kid Ink has 30 million YouTube views, and I can’t tell you how important it has been for our movement.

You have to understand it’s so competitive. There are like a million artists out there, and it’s just so hard that its really key to get people not depend on HotNewHipHop’s, Rap Radar, 2Dopeboyz, NahRight, OnSmash, and Hot New Hip-Hop. It’s too competitive to dry e-mail them and expect them to embrace you; it’s just not going to happen.

AllHipHop.com: Yeah, I know what you mean, bro. It gets hectic.

DJ Ill Will: You can try and keep up with it, but then it becomes your job to listen to music 24/7. You couldn’t imagine how many people bang on me, and you can’t take it personal and its really not personal because they don’t know me and I don’t know them. I would have gave you the chance, but you are couple years late online. So to add, I think they need to find a local DJ to run with them, that’s going to be key for them, to have a middle man and someone that can push their music for them.

AllHipHop.com: That’s good advice, man. Everyone thinks they need to be on those sites.

DJ Ill Will: But you really don’t. Odd Future, they created a movement from the streets and of “ 2dopeboyz,” or “f*ck NahRight,” because they were getting no support. Like they worshiped those websites and never got embraced, and they went a different route and those websites still don’t f*ck with them, and they got a huge buzz.  They never got that blog support from them, they created a new movement through the streets. They went through YouTube, Tumblr, Twitter, whatever they did. They are where they are and people are forced to f*ck with them, because they are so hot and once you create a certain amount of traffic, whether you like an artist or not, the Internet game is all a business. If you aren’t bringing traffic to the site, then you aren’t going to be in business long.

AllHipHop.com: Explain your role as a producer, or any role you are looking to take in the future as an A & R.

DJ Ill Will: I think a lot of people, they think that I produce and make beats, but I definitely am not that guy.  (laughs) Any bit of production that I do is more along the lines of picking out beats for a project as an A&R to find the right sound and right producer and getting in the studio with Kid Ink.  Like, this is the kind of sound that I want to go with you, just trying to evolve the sound, and take it to that next level by being creative, but staying in the same mold.

I would consider my self as a producer with Ink because I have been there from the ground up with him as far as helping him evolve his sound. Whether it just is feedback or production that I get to him or by saying, “yes this is the right record,” or, “no this isn’t the right record.”  So, I would consider myself a producer in the aspect that I help him decide which records to push and which records are hot and which ones to keep on the shelf and which ones to push. People hit me every day like, “you are the best producer ever!” But I have never made a beat in my entire life.

AllHipHop.com: [laughter] So when you DJ, are there any particular pieces of equipment that you like to use?

DJ Ill Will: Pretty much, I bring my Serato, and I deal with whatever the club has to work with. Technology has evolved so much at this point that quality should never be an issue, but the key is always making sure your brand is always quality and top of the line.

The journey back in time through the history of L.A. Hip-Hop continued at the “Occupy Skid Row” Music Festival this past weekend, with a performance by The Freestyle Fellowship. The group performed their Jazz-inspired song, “Inner City Boundaries,” which was a staple on Yo! MTV Raps back in 1993.

The musical time machine then traveled deeper into the past as the crowd was treated to a performance by The Egyptian Lover, an original member of the legendary Uncle Jamm’s Army DJ crew and one of the first notable rap names to come out of Los Angeles before there was a fully-established West Coast scene. Fans partied through a medley of tracks like, “Egypt, Egypt,” “What Is A DJ”, and “My Beat Goes Boom.”

The audience was then introduced to Darryl “Big Dad” Pierce and Dwayne “Muffa” Simon who, along with Bobcat and DJ Pooh, formed the infamous production team known as The L.A. Posse. Big Dad and Muffla gave a brief history lesson about their past work with Def Jam Records – namely, LL Cool J’s Bigger and Deffer album. The duo then brought out MC Breeze, for whom they produced his 1990 single, “L.A. Posse.” It was a homecoming for Breeze, who hadn’t performed the song in Los Angeles for over 20 years, according to Muffla. Once Breeze finished, The L.A. Posse introduced their next protege,  The Lady of Rage, who they introduced to the business prior to her Death Row Records days. Rage rocked the party with her 1994 single, “Afro Puffs.”

West Coast producing legend Sir Jinx, most noted for his work on Ice Cube’s early albums, introduced General Population, made up of two young artists named Tri-Star and Big Hop. After their quick performance, Chuck D ushered out one of the first Los Angeles rap groups to ever release a record – Disco Daddy and Captain Rapp. The two performed their song, “Radio Activity”, and then gave the crowd a special treat by bringing out out Ronnie Hudson, who recorded the West Coast Old School classic, “West Coast Poplock.” The homecrowd went wild as Ronnie sang the infamous “California knows how to party” chorus, which was later made popular by the late Roger Troutman on Dr. Dre and Tupac’s hit, “California Love.”

As night fell over the Occupy Skid Row Music Festival, Compton legend King T rendered a heartfelt tribute to Nate Dogg, leading into his verse off of Dr. Dre’s Chronic 2001 song, “L.A. N*****.” Closing act Kurupt finished the evening off – the Dogg Pound member lit up the enthused crowd with his verse from the Snoop Dogg classic, “Ain’t No Fun,” and he even brought out former enemy BG Knocc-Out – a one time member of Eazy-E’s Ruthless Records – as a show of West Coast unity.

Occupy Skid Row was positivity mixed with nostalgia, shining a much-needed spotlight on the plight of the homeless in Los Angeles and many other cities nationwide. Special recognition is due to General Jeff for serving the backbone of the Skid Row festival, and for his daily fight for the causes of the Skid Row community.

Check out more event photos below, and get involved in helping out the homeless by visiting LA CAN at http://www.cangress.org/we_lacan.htm !

Brother J of X-Clan

Chuck D, General Jeff, and Flavor Flav

Yo-Yo

Money B of Digital Underground

In rap, ego is everything. Whether you’re literally boasting, or merely outshining your opponent lyrically, ego is the energy drink that catapults the best MCs beyond the rest.

So, it comes as no surprise that Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter might have an extra healthy perception of himself. And yet, unlike the glitz and gravitas that most other rappers lean heavily upon, Black Thought chooses to do his bragging with his fiercest weapon – his rapping. His undeniably-one-of-the-best-who’s-ever-done-it brand of rapping.

Google him and you’ll find one word that keeps cropping up after all these years – and it must be almost annoying if you’re Black Thought. ‘UNDERRATED.’ By definition, it means “to rate or evaluate too low; underestimate.” And by rap terms, it means not getting your full shine, props, respect, due, and so on. Ask the proud Philadelphia native, however, and Black Thought will assure you that there’s nothing underrated about him. Besides, he has the catalog, Grammys, epic collaborations, and uber-comfortable lifestyle to prove it.

If you’re Black Thought, though, the spotlight is somewhat unwanted, and the self-knowledge that you’re one of the best is plenty. Plenty to fuel an ego that still effortlessly slays microphones and MCs after 25 years in the game. Check the video clip below, as AllHipHop.com interviews Black Thought at his home, where he talks about “Watching Thrones,” the person who DOES enjoy the spotlight within his crew, and returning to his Roots past:

In case you’ve been sleeping lately, this is “Black Thought Week” on AllHipHop.com! Check in tomorrow for more on his latest ventures, and read up on his previous “Black thoughts” about MLK and the undun album!

Occupy Skid Row was a festival, not a concert. Onlookers were reminded of this countless times by Chuck D of Public Enemy throughout the positive evening, which took place on the outskirts of Downtown Los Angeles. It was a festival about more than the music, as the message was to raise awareness of the ever-growing and notorious homeless rate in the L.A. area. Festival goers were reminded constantly that after the show was over, the pervasive poverty in “Skid Row” would still be there:

And yet, this did not stop PE from rocking the crowd – a crowd that was anxious and supportive, yet only a few feet away, as the stage was literally on the street, smack dab in the middle of Skid Row. Performing cuts like “Bring The Noise”, “Fight The Power”, “By The Time I Get To Arizona”, and “911 is a Joke”, the anti-establishment tone was set, emphatically.

Eager to show the crowd that they were human, too, Flavor Flav and Chuck D, along with the rest of the PE crew, reached out in support local acts and movements. Originally, the last act on the bill, PE performed first; demonstrating that it was not about them, but about shedding light on hometown performers and issues. Not that they needed to stick around and perform throughout anyway; as the radical tone had been set with their brief showing.

After PE rocked the crowd, the stage was then set for X-Clan’s own Brother J, who took the crowd through a groovy experience with “Heed The Word Of The Brother,” and then finished off with the all-time classic, “Grand Verbalizer.” At the finale of his set, Brother J gave a touching tribute to his former partner and mentor, Professor X, by leading the crowd with their “This is protected by the Red, Black and Green” signature line.

Members of the Skid Row community were also given the chance to share their unfortunate experiences onstage and show their appreciation for programs such as LA CAN, which donates time and resources to provide for the area’s homeless. 

Although he’s from New York, Chuck D offered the Southern California crowd a history lesson in L.A. Hip-Hop, as he introduced blasts from the pasts such as Kid Frost and Yo-Yo. Frost, who recently recovered from a mild stroke, took everybody back to 1990 as he performed his classic Hispanic anthem, “La Raza.” Yo-Yo trasported the crowd back to the early ’90s with “The Bonnie and Clyde Theme” minus Ice Cube, along with her breakout single, “You Can’t Play With My Yo-Yo.” Longtime friend and fellow Lench Mob member Sir Jinx backed Yo-Yo on the wheels of steel.

Check out the event photos below and come back tomorrow for Part 2 of AllHiphop.com’s recap from Occupy Skid Row!

Public Enemy

Flavor Flav

Lady of Rage and her lookalike daughter

Kurupt

Atlanta rapper T.I. paid tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. during a Saturday night performance at the Hennessy VS MLK Weekend event at the trendy Compound night club.  The crowd included his fellow Atlanta artist Big Boi, along with DJ Kid Capri and Lisa Wu Hartwell, a former “Real Housewives of Atlanta” cast member.

During his performance, T.I. took a moment to address Dr. King’s birthday and how important it is to keep the fallen civil rights leader’s legacy alive.

“We all need to remember Martin Luther King Jr. and never forget what he’s done for us,”  T.I. said.

Fabolous took his talents to D.C. and visited the newly done MLK Memorial.  He posted a photo on Instagram, check it out below.

Lil’ Kim and Trina traveled to Tampa to spread the word by partying it up at IMAX Channelside.

“Love & Hip Hop’s” Olivia was out in Baltimore celebrating MLK’s Legacy with Hennessy VS at the grand opening of Club Mirage.

BFFs Ciara and La La Anthony spent MLK day at Madison Square Garden yesterday, watching the Knicks take on the Orlando Magic.

Dwyane Wade turned the big 3-0 on Sunday night and celebrated at Setai with a slew of celebrities, including the usual suspects, teammates Lebron James, Chris Bosh, and Udonis Haslem, as well as Pat Riley, DJ Irie, and Usher. The bash featured as an endless supply of Hennessy and Belvedere and special surprise performances from Common and Rick Ross.

Wade was gifted with a car, a Vintage 1982 bottle of Dom Perignon, and a Hublot 3000 diamond encrusted watch. The night came to a close with the birthday boy being serenaded by Kelly Rowland, who sang a seductive and sexy version of “Happy Birthday” that had the basketball star blushing.

Anchored by the foundations of the group – rapper Black Thought and drummer ?uestlove – The Roots are members of rap’s elite 10+ Club, having recorded 10 studio and one collaboration albums in the 25 years since their “Illadelph inception” at Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts.

Times have changed, and the industry is nearly unrecognizable when compared to rap’s Old School and Golden Eras, where The Roots first showed signs of greatness. Still, as Black Thought would agree, when an artist or group’s foundation is sturdy and timeless, the old fans remain loyal and the new fans become mesmerized by the new material – such as the critically-praised undun album, released in early December 2011. The work also remains steady – touring and a long-term house band gig on “The Late Night With Jimmy Fallon Show” hold The Roots down between albums.

Black Thought welcomed AllHipHop.com into his amazing home on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday, where we received a schooling on how to create a genius concept album and also received some scoop on what’s next for The Roots:

The Black Thought exclusives aren’t over! Check back all this week for our interview all up in the crib of The Roots MC!

With his first official album, Shakedown, coming out this spring, Red Cafe’s new mixtape Hell’s Kitchen is certain to hold fans over as he delivers another album-quality tape with a handful of bangers and guest appearances from 2 Chainz, Wale, J. Cole, Fabolous, Trey Songz, and Meek Mill among others.

The tape begins with the title track, “Hell’s Kitchen” which sets the tone for what’s to come, as Red lets it be known that he “Went to sleep the champ / woke up with the title.” The drum-heavy track is complimented by a high-pitched vocal sample, which is most audible on the hook as Red asks listeners a question by stating “Hell’s Kitchen / What Else?” On the very next track, “His Story,” Red starts off his verse by rapping about putting on for his label, Bad Boy Records (“Mase went to church / I signed to Bad Boy / Got right to work”).

The strong start continues on the remix to the Jahlil Beats produced, “Let It Go.” Red Cafe is joined on the track by Bad Boy boss Diddy as well as label-mate French Montana and takes time to make reference to Will Smith’s character in the movie Bad Boys (“Ain’t been a better bad boy since Mike Lowery”). In the song’s third verse, 2 Chainz then makes the first of his two appearances on the mixtape, continuing to build his momentum in 2012, as it seems like he’s been featured on every mixtape released so far this year.

Trey Songz, Wale, and J. Cole join Red Cafe on the remix to the popular “Fly Together” produced by Ryan Leslie. The song’s feel-good vibe finds each rapper speaking to the ladies on their respective verse and letting them know the luxuries they can experience if they join them; Wale offers first class seats and drinks (“First class seats / Bottles on me”), while J. Cole prefers to invite his woman overseas  (“Come with me, to Madrid that’s where Real play). The song comes together on the chorus, as Trey Songz replaces Ryan Leslie on the hook singing, “When I fly, you fly, we fly together…” As the tape progresses, Red Cafe demonstrates his versatility, especially on “Can You Hear Me,” as he raps about more serious issues including street life, his kids, religion, and even politics.

With an album-type feel to it, Red Cafe’s Hell’s Kitchen joins the growing list of hot mixtapes released so far this year. With his album, Shakedown, on the way this spring, Red Cafe will look to continue to represent well for Bad Boy by continuing to grow the buzz and momentum generated by Hell’s Kitchen.

Checkout AllHipHop’s exclusive interview with Red Cafe and footage from the Hell’s Kitchen listening party below:

For many babies of the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s – the collective Hip-Hop era – the American Dream that Dr. King so eloquently spoke of back in 1963 has often been just that – a dream. As inner cities swelter with rising rates of violence, unemployment, and despair, it sometimes seems as if we haven’t “overcome” much at all in the nearly 42 years since his tragic assassination.

And yet, for some, Hip-Hop symoblizes – both literally and figuratively – the attainment of the American Dream, and the ultimate “rage against the machine” method for using what we’ve got to get what we want. In fact, it has been said that Hip-Hop music and culture have created more young, Black millionaire Americans than any other industries in our history. Coupled with serving as the voice box of the streets, Hip-Hop plus wealth equals power in 2012.

Rapper Black Thought of the legendary Roots crew has surely seen his life change dramatically in the 25 years since the inception of his critically-acclaimed rap group. His humble, early rap days in Philly are a far cry from where his longevity and success in rap have landed him as of late. AllHipHop.com spent the evening at the lovely home of the self-proclaimed “hometown hero” MC (along with the talented young duo that make up his newly co-signed group, The Wurxs), and asked if he thinks Hip-Hop is Dr. King’s dream personified – and at what costs?:

Want more Black Thought? Check back all this week for a daily dose of wise thoughts from one of the illest MCs alive! And hear more from The Wurxs!

Wais has a very simple motto and work ethic: “If you not working, you’re not relevant. If you not here to work and put out, as well as quality, a nice body of work, then you’re getting left behind.”

The former Da Ranjahz member’s mixtape features, not just beats from the legendary DJ Premier but, a co-sign from him as well. All of the 11-track tape’s production comes from Premier’s Beats That Collected Dust (Vol. 2).

When asked about how the project came together, Wais said, “I want people to know this is just not me snatching a bunch of unreleased Premo beats and rocking over them. I got the call from Fat Gary and the go-ahead from Premo; it was actually their idea.”

Wais P breaks down tracks two, four, and six from Premo Pimpin: “Multiple Sclerosis,” “Money In the Yard,” and “Lessons,” in the video after the song clips below:

“Multiple Sclerosis”:

“Money In the Yard”:

“Lessons”:

In the second part of AllHipHop.com’s interview with Wais P, he talks about the project’s last three songs: “Come Back To Collect,” “When the Cops Come,” and “Amphitheater.”

“Come Back to Collect”:

“When the Cops Come”:

“Amphitheater”:

Dowload Wais P’s “Premo Pimpin” Now!

Follow Wais P on Twitter: @WaisTheP

Bad Boy artist Red Cafe’ is set to perform music from his Hell’s Kitchen mixtape on Thursday, January 12, at New York City’s famous Webster Hall.

The rapper, whose “Motto” and ”Fly Together” track (featuring Rick Ross and Ryan Leslie) drew praise in recent months, is working on an upcoming Bad Boy release entitled Shakedown.

AllHipHop.com is giving away a pair of tickets to the Webster Hall show tonight (January 11) at 6PM EST on Twitter. Be the 25th person to retweet the phrase below and win!:

“RT & #WIN a chance to watch @RedCafe live @ Webster Hall & check out his new mixtape #HellsKitchen available #Fridaythe13th”

Red Cafe’s mixtape, Hell’s Kitchen, will be released on the historically superstitious date, Friday, the 13th.

Just three seconds into the lively horns from “Livin’ It Up,” and the listener is instantly thrown back into the ‘Jiggy Era’ of rap. To be honest, it’s hard not to smile while listening to this summer anthem. “Put It On Me” is the same way, as the high-chimed instrumental rings in a place inside your eardrum that had been picking up dust for awhile.

Speaking of not doing anything for a while, Ashanti is featured on three of these tracks (“Mesmerize”, “Wonderful”, and “Always On Time”), which really gets you to thinking where the time has gone. Ja’s chemistry with Ashanti was amazing, and the ease with which he made crossover hits was astounding. Listening to them now, it’s difficult to not think them as corny; people complain about Drake singing, but Ja Rule carrying notes is chuckle-inducing. The fast tinged “Between Me & You” (which features Christina Millian, another ‘I remember!’ moment) is a great example of this.

For a good while, however, Ja Rule was able to walk the fine line between soft duets and street-anthems. “Holla Holla” was his first big hit, establishing his signature “MURRRRDDDAAAA” mantra, and “New York,” which featured Jadakiss and Fat Joe, was a huge hit for everyone on the East Coast.

It’s the beginning of “Thug Lovin” that features Bobby Brown (That takes the cake!) that brings back memories of his downfall and this review to an end. As he clamors about not having to worry about certain “clowns” throwing shots at him, Ja Rule had every reason to be concerned. He’s far from an “icon,” but the Murder Inc. representative certainly had his run. If anything, this release is just a reminder of his glory days – something no amount of jokes can take away from him. And if it means anything, 50 Cent continues to have his own musical issues with his label, so maybe that’s just karma. Regardless, this may be the last hurrah for Ja.

The Next 48 Hours is an original AllHipHop, JumpOff.TV & Tantrum Production.

Directed by Steve Raze

For the younger set, the Stetsasonic veteran was the architect of a rap band long before The Roots. If there were a Rap Bible, it would go something like, “PRINCE PAUL BEGAT DE LA SOUL & SOULS OF MISCHIEF, WHO BEGAT ECELECTIC ARTISTS LIKE KANYE WEST & ODD FUTURE, WHO BEGAT A LOT OF THE HOT STUFF TODAY.”

To stay close to his Hip-Hop roots, last year, Prince Paul and his 19-year-old son, Paul Fresh, created and toured via ”Negroes on Ice,” which, when described, sounds like a DJ exhibition on steroids.

“People think, it’s really funny and really bizarre, and my son’s kind of like the main… it’s like a one-man show,” Prince Paul told AllHipHop.com in a recent interview. “But it’s a one-man show we made with my son as the one person, like the one man, and then I kind of score underneath the story he’s telling. Sound effects, video footage, still photos, it kind of enhances the story. It’s like “Adult Swim” onstage; it’s bizarre.”

In recent months, Prince Paul has been on a one-man show of his own, via the Scion car company-sponsored “Prince Paul’s Adventurous Musical Journey.” Scion is onto a good idea, as they invite viewers to “follow Hip-Hop pioneer Prince Paul on his cross-country quest for fresh inspiration.” And, Prince Paul has the kind of wide-eyed enthusiasm and observation needed for a series like his to make it to a larger, non-Hip-Hop audience. Watch this clip of Prince Paul’s first adventure, “Beating Up New York,” where he jokes that he’s looking forward to “biting something” – musically, that is – as he takes a “pause” to laugh:

“The main thing that I learned, and I actually probably said it in almost every episode, ‘I’m not a fan of a lot of that music.’ You know, I went around, and I listened to it, and once you’re in the moment, if you’re in like a garage set, or those different places, you feel an energy from everybody,” Prince Paul said.

“But when you leave or go on, man, I can’t stop thinking about that screeching guitar, get that out my head, you know? None of that. But the thing that I did learn, or that inspired me the most is, those people are really passionate about their music. Like, you know, it kind of reminds me of the way Hip-Hop used to be. It was like music’s first and then the accolades, if it comes…but it was never really about making money.”

Catch “Negroes On Ice” on Jan. 13 in Minneapolis, MN and on Jan. 14 in San Francisco, CA – and check for their live uStream HERE.

Check out all six episodes of Scion’s “Prince Paul’s Adventurous Musical Journey” series HERE, and follow him on Twitter (@DJPrincePaul).

In 2006, one of the best movies I’ve ever had the joy to experience was released in theaters. The Prestige, which starred Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale, was one of the movies that you truly had to see to believe. Directed by Christopher Nolan (Inception, The Dark Knight), the movie presented a story of a rivalry between two magicians and their search for the perfect magic trick that turned deadly. Most people that remember The Prestige don’t seem to remember The Illusionist, another movie released in the same time period that had a similar concept. The Illusionist wasn’t a bad movie by any means; it just wasn’t The Prestige and was largely overshadowed due to bad timing.

Sadly, in this case for Yo Gotti and his long-delayed debut release, Live From The Kitchen sounds as if it’s patterned after The Illusionist; this particular brand of street music is nowhere near the level of T.I.’s F*ck Da City Up, Jeezy’s TM:103, or Rozay’s Rich Forever. It doesn’t help the fact that Yo Gotti’s album comes well after two years of his most buzzworthy single, “5-Star”, was released (which spawned a star-studded remix with Trina, Gucci Mane, and Nicki Minaj). All of the singles that hit the radio at the height of his attention then are all cut; the original “5-Star”, “Women Lie, Men Lie”, and “Look In The Mirror” are nonexistent (5-Star Remix is present, however). Instead, the album is a lean 11 tracks that boasts newer content and newer radio singles as well.

Unfortunately, newer content doesn’t necessarily translate into fresher content, and a large majority of the album seems to fall into the bland, generic category due to the redundant production. Yo Gotti has never exactly been a “lyricist” either, and he needs his beats to be a little more diverse in order to reach his full potential. The features here all help to add value to the project, but it’s still futile; the big names here (Rick Ross, 2 Chainz, Jadakiss, Big K.R.I.T., Wale, Big Sean, Wiz Khalifa) all make interesting cameos in their own right, but the entire project still comes off as uninspired, especially when compared to other projects that have been released in the last month.

If Yo Gotti wouldn’t have had label issues and was able to release Live From The Kitchen when it was garnering the most buzz, we’d probably have a different, more complete album. Depressingly, that’s not the case, and we’re left with an LP that’s decent if you’re a fan of his music, but will most likely be overshadowed due to its overall lack of appeal outside Gotti’s fanbase. Hopefully in the future, the timing will pan out better for Yo Gotti as he releases studio albums.

After delaying his forthcoming album, God Forgives, I Don’t, due to health issues, Rick Ross has kicked off 2012 with the release of his heavily anticipated new mixtape, Rich Forever. However, the 19-track mixtape feels like more an album due to the high quality production and multitude of top-notch guest appearances, the likes of Drake, Nas, Wale, Meek Mill, and John Legend, among others.

An early standout is the title track, “Rich Forever,” featuring John Legend. Ross takes a more serious approach on the song, rapping over piano and dramatic strings about his come-up in the game (“Def Jam on my heels, should I sign to it? / Million dollar advance for me to rhyme fluent”) before changing it up as the drums come in and sharing the motto (“You only live once, I’m screaming YOLO in the VI”). John Legend does the song justice on the chorus by making it very clear that he and Ross plan on living the title of the song to the fullest.

The very next song, “Triple Beam Dreams,” begins with a spectacular verse from Nas, in which he raps about growing up with dreams of getting rich and being inspired by what he saw (“I remember watching Scarface the first time / Look at that big house, that Porsche paid for by crime”). This track keeps the serious tone of “Rich Forever” over an airy synth and drums, as Ross and Nas rap about formerly being poor and hustlin’ their way to the top. Ross proves his point on the hook shouting out the Miami Heat president, Pat Riley (“Early 90s reminiscing when I had a pager / Triple beam dreams, now Pat Riley my neighbor”).

Drake and French Montana join Rozay on “Stay Schemin’”, where Drake blesses us with a lengthy verse potentially firing back at Common with his opening line (“It bothers me when the gods/ get to acting like the broads”). Throughout the verse, Drake ends up outshining both Ross and French Montana with on this track, making reference to Kobe’s divorce (“B*tch you wasn’t me with me shooting in the gym!”) and letting it be known that his OVO crew is unpredictable (“Might look light, but we heavy though / You think Drake will pull some sh*t like that? You never know!”).

Overall, Rich Forever is good enough to be an album, which ends up raising the bar as well as fan expectations for Ross’s delayed and much-anticipated upcoming LP. The entire process of releasing the Rich Forever tape generated a huge amount of buzz for the album as Ross had likely planned. Now, all he has to do is fulfill even higher expectations on God Forgives, I Don’t and continue to lead the way for his Maybach Music Group in 2012.

The stirring horns on the intro set the stage perfectly for the king of the South to make his return. Legal woes have plagued T.I. throughout his entire career and put a halt on any kind of momentum the rapper has gained; and at some points, he had garnered quite a bit. But hopefully, that’s all behind him and we’re back to business as usual with his latest mixtape, F*ck Da City Up.

The entire mixtape is filled with features, like the title track featuring Young Jeezy. Being that it’s the first song on the project, it sets the tone for the entire project: ball on everybody and anybody in sight. “Loud Mouth” features the brash 2 Chainz and has an equally cocky instrumental to go with it. Meek Mill makes a solid appearance on “Who What When,” and seemingly out of nowhere, Nelly appears on “This Time of Night” over a smooth guitar loop.

The whole tape has sort of a 2007-2008 feel to it, with the anthem-style songs, synth-heavy beats, and T.I. seeming to be on top of the world, but it works. One thing that does remind you that you’re now in 2012 is the B.o.B feature on “Piss’n On Your Ego.” This Grand Hustle one-two punch is becoming of the strongest combinations in Hip-Hop, and this arrogant cut shows both in top-form, especially Bobby Ray who lets loose more than one quotable in his verse (“Got a drunk b*tch on my mattress, doing backflips, gymnastics”). In the same sort of rapping-just-to-rap style, Pusha T makes a visit on “I’ll Show You”- the only sample-based instrumental here. He too makes his presence felt with his lyrics (“I over-cane, I’m novacane, I Frank Ocean that fish scale”).

But the biggest collaborations come in “Pimp,” and “Popped Off.” The first features the late Pimp C, and he’s the initial voice you hear on the song. It’s a bit eerie, and posthumous features are always risky, but this one does more good than harm. The latter is produced by, and features Dr. Dre. The triumphant beat utilizes warm horns and heavy slaps and is good, but not great. The collaboration figured to be a bit bigger than what actually materialized.

After everything you’ve read, it would seem that F*ck Da City Up was an extremely successful project. But the mixtape has 19 songs, and is packed with filler material. Tip could have heavily trimmed the fat here; “Hot Wheelz”, “On Purpose”, and “In a Nutshell” are all forgettable.  “Harry Potter” and “I See Ghosts” are both plagued by yawn-inducing features and “Oh Yeah” features Trey Songz and a surprisingly pedestrian beat by Just Blaze. The intro and outro don’t do anything and the interlude with Young Jeezy hollering for two minutes makes this whole project drag on, and that’s the biggest problem. In addition, most of the songs are over four minutes long, and the subject matter never changes. If the mixtape was six songs leaner, it would be great.

All critiques aside, T.I. did exactly what he intended to do here – garner a buzz. There are more than enough quality cuts here to get people excited about his upcoming album, as T.I. has proved that he still has enough flare for this game (not to mention it’s better than his last mixtape).

In the previous two parts of AllHipHop.com’s interview with Mac, he discussed the out-of-control year he has had and how he plans on topping himself in 2012, as well as his ability to mature as an artist and how he sees himself as a perfectionist.

Check out a video of Mac sharing his thoughts on some of his biggest inspirations, closest friends, and rumored enemies within the Hip-Hop world:

Follow Mac Miller on Twitter: @MacMiller

As part of their year-round strategies, The League of Young Voters Education Fund presents Generation Next: #Unf_ckTheWorld, a four-part digital music showcase featuring some of America’s top indie urban musicians and activists.

Leaders from The League said that, in 2012, they hope to offer a “no holds barred look into the communities that inspire their music and their art.” And, their hope is that, as they “aim to raise up the creative solutions for the next generation,” mixtape listeners will be pushed to do more in their own backyards.

Detroit rapper FowL is the first artist featured in the #Unf_ckTheWorld series, which raises the following questions to young Americans on the cusp of an important election and critical time period across the globe:

• What if the world doesnt’t get taken over by robots, riddled by nuclear war, and/or destroyed by climate change?
• What if instead of fear and oppression, we used love and intelligence to solve our “99 Problems”?
• What if instead of politicians that sucked, we built a generation from the ground up?
• What if we were the solution?
• What if we #UNF_CKTHEWORLD“?

It’s possible! AllHipHop.com and The League of Young Voters Education Fund invite you to #Unf_ckTheWorld! To learn more, visit www.99Problems.org, or shout out The League of Young Voters Education Fund on Twitter (@TheLeague99).

Download the new mixtape, Generation Next: #Unf_ckTheWorld HERE.

Help us by e-mailing and tweeting the link to your friends!

Generation Next: #Unf_ckTheWorld Tracklisting:
1. “UnF_ck Detroit” (Intro)
2. “Black is Beautiful”
3. “Living Like a Legend”
4. “Live from Detroit”
5. “I’m Busy”
6. “Who Is You”
7. “Whoop Whoop”
8. “UnF_ck Detroit” (Interlude)
9. “All Up In My Mix”
10. “Get Up Out My Way”
11. “Holla At’cha Boy”
12. “The League Freestyle”
13. “Hey Gurl”
14. “Screens, Doors”
15. “Pieces Of Pain”