Ransom: Hostile Negotiations

“Why these mothaf*ckas keep not trying to put you on?,” a hypeman asks incredulously on New Jersey rapper Ransom’s Pain & Glory mixtape, echoing the thoughts of critics, internet forums and the streets alike. With the A-Team’s aptly titled Hardhood Classics mixtape trilogy, Ransom and his now-estranged partner Hitchcock won accolades for trading prize punchlines […]

Different Spins: The State of HipHop part 2…. with Hurricane Chris, Lil B., and Mistah Fab

Hurricane Chris obtained his name from devastating battle competition,  causing havoc, and leaving crowds in silence, in the similar fashion of a Hurricane storm.  His first single “A Bay Bay,” inspired by an event for DJ Hollyhood’s “Bay Bay” in a club,  garnered him the attention of Mr. Collipark and a contract with Pologrounds Music/J […]

Jim Jones: Fly Like An Eagle

Relevance in the rap game is occasionally a long time coming, and frequently elusive.    Jim Jones, who only recently became a major artist in his own right after years in the Diplomats’ trenches, seems to have a handle on the importance of strategy in prolonging his run. Through his tactics of aggressive competition and frequent […]

Smif N Wessun: Wrekonize

Do the math. New York’s own Smif N Wessun has been putting in that work for a long time. Making their introduction on Black Moon’s Enta Da Stage, the duo hit hard with their gritty back and forth Brooklyn hard-rock swag. Tek and Steele dropped the single “Bucktown” and instantly had the underground on smash.  […]

Freeway: Let’s Get Free

It is somewhat ironic that Freeway, Roc-A-Fella Record’s star pupil and 50 Cent’s latest protégé, has disappeared from the limelight since his 2003 debut, Philadelphia Freeway. A Sunni Muslim convert and self-proclaimed rock fan, despite the North Philly MC’s strong fanbase his career has been basically on hold. After the break-up of Roc-A-Fella Record’s founders, […]

Percee P: Breathe Easy

The story of Percee P is long and battle-laden enough to deserve it’s own feature length documentary. This is a man that started rhyming in kindergarten, put out his first record in ‘89, and has been on the grind like a skateboard ever since. Thanks to the recent surfacing of video footage capturing his legendary […]