UK TUESDAY: GIGS

To be an MC in the UK, is almost as a rule, to be a Grime artist. Traditional Hip-Hop is generally viewed as something ‘the Yanks do’ with UK rhymers preferring to recite 140 bpm Grime bars. So it’s a refreshing surprise to see South Londoner Giggs, catch the ear of the mainstream on both […]

Paul Wall: Fast Money

It’s a new year but Paul Wall still rocks his platinum and princess cut studded grills which gleam when he smiles. The Houston rapper is still sitting sideways and still considers himself the people’s champ.   Now two albums deep, the artist born Paul Slayton is looking at readying the release of his third and […]

Exile: MPC Technician

These days, one would be hard-pressed to find a Hip-Hop fan that is satisfied with the culture’s representation on mainstream radio. Take Los Angeles’ Exile, the man responsible for the exceptional production work on 2007’s critically acclaimed collaboration with rapper Blu, Below the Heavens. Long exasperated by the lack of originality on the radio, the […]

5 & DONE: Evidence

For over a decade Cali native Evidence (aka Michael Perretta) has been pushing out quality product most notably with his group Dilated Peoples (with DJ Babu and Rakaa) and independently. He’s managed to do all this while rubbing shoulders with a kaleidoscope of diverse artists such as his long-time friend the Alchemist, Linkin Park and […]

TRACKING SHOTS: EPMD

EPMD isn’t really looking for radio play. “We wasn’t gonna play the politics,” explains Erick Sermon of their choice to pass on sweating over spins in the Big Apple. “Just straight underground. We feel that the web, people like AllHipHop [the world’s most dangerous site], [REDACTED, though a good site], [REDACTED, kinda suspect site];  we […]

Common: My Mind Spray

“Truthfully I wanna rhyme like Common Sense, [But I did five mill’]—I ain’t been rhymin’ like Common since,” quipped Jay-Z on his song “Moment of Clarity.” The point is clear; rhyming for the sake of the art doesn’t really pay. But then again Chicago rhyme slinger Common isn’t doing so bad.   Surely you’ve seen […]

Prodigy: Speakin’ Freely

On January 8, 2008 Albert “Prodigy” Johnson of Mobb Deep infamy began serving a three and a half year sentence after pleading guilty to gun possession charges stemming from an incident in 2006.   Nevertheless, before entering those four walls and momentarily losing his freedom, P was able to record his third solo project, HNIC […]