We tried to get at Fred “Fab 5 Freddy” Brathwaite, for real we did. But he never got back. There is no love lost though. When the foundations of Hip-Hop were being laid, Fab 5 was there as participant and orchestrator, hob nobbing it up with the likes of Basquiat, LEE Quinones and even Blondie. […]
As Houston artists like Trae, Lil’ Keke or Z-Ro finally saunter into the limelight they deserve, one can often wonder about other Southern cities. As the most decadent city of the South, Miami rappers have often adorned major label deals muchlike the diamonds on their neck. Even with Pitbull and DJ Khaled, on TVT […]
Grandmaster Caz shouldn’t need an introduction…but he does. That’s because many of the fans that love Hip-Hop don’t truly know who he is. Grandmaster Caz is one of the founders of the music that dominates today’s airwaves, and is also involved in most of the “firsts” that occurred in Hip-Hop. The culture’s first parties, […]
Midi Mafia is living proof that when worlds collide, beautiful music is made. Bruce Wayne, a rapper from East New York and Dirty Swift, a DJ from Canada have paired up to make up one of the most talented and diverse productions teams the business has seen. The duo has worked with everyone from 50 […]
Common and Kanye West Interview
Before the 21st century hit us with corporate music acquisitions and Soundscan numbers, first week music sales didn’t make or break artists. Artists worked hard to perfect their craft and music was made to be enjoyed by the people – not to be sold as a cellular ringtone. These harmful moves have lessened Hip-Hop making […]
If you possess even a passing fancy with graffiti, you’ve probably heard of Sandra “Lady Pink” Fabara. If not, the short version is she’s a storied graffiti artist who has gone from bombing trains to seeing her work exhibited in museums and galleries across the globe. Born in Ecuador and raised in Queens, by the […]
So many producers work to build an empire and make a name for themselves, hoping that their work is a reflection of that dedication and diligence. But for producer Chris Styles, recognition came at a price. The Hip-Hop producer, who boasts three ASCAP awards and a Grammy nod for the 2004 hit “Disco Inferno,” (The […]
For 15 years, Bone Thugs N’ Harmony has successfully been able to service the mainstream with singles that were defiantly street. Whether it was the gangsta gospel of “Crossroads” to the empathetic “Hard Time Hustlin’,” the legendary rap group never catered. However, with their latest album Strength & Loyalty, the three-man outfit wasn’t […]
Whether Bizzy Bone or Joe Budden, many rap artists have tried to tackle the topics of child abuse. The reactions have varied from ridicule to respect to apathy. Mr. J. Mederios, front-man of The Procussions, is going all out in this path, with his single “Constance.” The single, released by Rawkus Records, chronicles the […]
While many media sources attribute the dawn of rap gangsterism strictly to the West Coast, are they not overlooking the pioneers of the East? Given his track record, swirled with rumors of shotgun-toting, record label office blasting, exec duffing, and keeping enemies in fear, Just Ice may’ve created the thug image that so much […]
Cincinnati producer, Hi-Tek, is proof that good things happen to talented people. Being slighted on one of his first musical projects still landed him in the right place at the right time. The right place to meet Talib Kweli and later spawn the duo Reflection Eternal, which greatly contributed to the branding of Rawkus Records. […]
For every “Wipe Me Down” there is a “You Make Me Better.” In 2007, after much media criticism on Hip-Hop’s separating the sexes with misogyny, objectification and male-dominated subject matter, there are plenty of hope stories in the mainstream and independent realms of the business. Foreign Exchange, born as a side-project between Little […]
Every city has one. That local star that seems to know all the radio DJs, can upstage most records in rotation with a breezy freestyle, and seems to capture the zeitgeist of the area code. In Philadelphia, Jakk Frost does it lovely. The West Philly-raised thirty-something left behind a deal at Sony Records several […]
Ever wonder, “Who is 9th Wonder?” Well, if you ask him he’ll tell you that he is a producer, DJ, lecturer, husband and father. So basically, he has the whole world on his shoulders. From putting in work in the studio with urban music’s top Hip-Hop and R&B artists, to spinning your favorite old school […]
For someone whose career is approaching the two decade mark, Diamond D is still Hip-Hop’s best kept secret. Starting as a DJ for Jazzy Jay back in ’86, the legendary producer and MC has had, arguably, one of the longest careers in the game. One can hear the relentless producer’s beats on over 20 official […]
The DJ game is hot right now, just ask DJ Drama. Or better yet, ask the DJ who stands next to DJ Drama as one of the most powerful mixtape DJs in the mix right now, Superstar Jay. Winner of Justo’s “Rookie of the Year” award at the Apollo Theater, and MTV.com’s “Breakthrough DJ” in […]
“ Let’s Get This Paper” by Rich Boy Maybe you didn’t hear it; Rich Boy’s offering up more advice than just how to pimp your ride. The Zone 4 Alabama star vented on one of the final moments of his debut album, “Let’s Get This Paper” Overtop careful, choral production from Polow da Don, […]
Once upon a time, Brian Coleman had a great idea. He had already written for all these fancy-shmancy Hip Hop zines like XXL, Scratch, Wax Poetics, URB etcetera and had amassed all these classic records from his lifelong tenure as a true Hip-Hop fanatic, but still felt like he could do something even more extraordinary […]
Growing up in Boston’s ‘Murderpan’ sector, Cary “Big Shug” Guy has seen his share of struggle. At 14-years-old, Shug’s mom split, leaving him and his siblings under the care of their father, who at that time cared more about drinking than raising a family. Like most teens faced with tough times, Shug hit the streets […]
