I n the Hip-Hop world, a memorable cameo appearance and endorsements from A-List artists can be both a gift and a curse. After impressive guest spots alongside one-time mentors on EPMD’s “Hardcore” and Dr. Dre’s “Deep Cover,” Redman and Snoop Dogg respectively proved that artists can parlay a quality 16-bar verse into a successful solo […]

B rother J of the X-Clan once rapped, “I’ll walk with the lions, stalk with the elephant / pivot like gorilla, pigs become irrelevant.” Fifteen years ago, Hip-Hop and nature seem to have existed on a much more parallel plane than today. However, gear peddler extraordinaire, Marc Ecko seeks to change that. For decades, Ecko […]

O ne year ago, Smitty released his single “Diamonds on My Neck.” Though it promoted an album that’s still unreleased, the knocker affirmed a buzz that the Miami native, born Varick Smith had been building for five years. Still on a journey that paired him with Dr. Dre, P Diddy, and Jay-Z for different periods, […]

S ometimes people get very close to their dreams, and realize that their current path is not the right one. After opening a show for Pastor Troy and Lil’ Scrappy in 2004, Spark Dawg was allegedly courted by Scrappy’s management. The Atlanta up-and-comers were impressed the rapper from central Texas. The 22 year-old says he […]

DJ Khaled believes he was born to be an entertainer. That’s understandable, considering that the 30-year-old New Orleans native has spent more than half of his life DJing. Even his birth name, Khaled Khaled, makes it seem like his life was never intended to be ordinary. For the past 15 years, that predestined entertainer has […]

T here are only two reactions to adversity – win or lose. Roadblocks are certain to affect progress in an environment as political and shark-infested as the music industry. Hit-making machine Dame Grease has gotten the job done time and time again, but has seemingly hit a glass ceiling when its time for that special […]

As a founder of the D.I.T.C. crew, Buckwild has been producing some of rap’s most memorable songs for over a decade, underground and commercial. Whether it was the soulful strings of Game’s “Like Father, Like Son,” the hard drums of Sadat X’s “The Lump Lump” or the hypnotic rhythm of Black Rob’s “Whoa,” Buckwild has […]

I t’s probably a safe bet to say Lloyd Banks has been with more women than your average 24 year old. The G-Unit soldier lives a lifestyle many people merely dream about, admit it or not. He’s won Adult Video News awards, he’s partied with Hugh Hefner, and he’s just gotten the green light to […]

It’s bigger than rap. It’s much larger than any brand of clothing, record label of the moment, or 16-bar quotable. If Hip-Hop is life, are we living correctly? What is the voice of this generation of music-makers saying? More importantly, does what we see on screen accurately reflect our surroundings? And are we motivated to […]

H aving traveled around the world and back again during his 20 years in the game, New York’s very own DJ Scratch is on a mission. This mission isn’t impossible, it is totally viable. He wants his home city to be recognized for quality music. That want is made clear in his recent Busta Rhymes […]

As the well-known freaky tale goes, Too $hort’s multi-platinum dreams started in the streets of Oakland. Close to a quarter century later, the after-effects of Todd Shaw’s still-monumental achievements still reverberate throughout the Town (as the city is affectionately known), and on blocks all over the country. Whether it’s encouraging the current generation of Hyphy […]

S hawnna has been “gettin’ some” for almost a decade – props, that is. While Ludacris’ Disturbing Tha Peace brand made Shawnna an artist that registered with a Southern, audience, this Windy City native dropped a group album nine years ago. As one-half of Infamous Syndicate, Shawnna was rushed into the studio, and later displaced […]

Things should be good for Obie Trice. The artist’s debut album, Cheers, managed to sell over 500,000 copies. He’s a part of the reigning Shady/Aftermath machine and he’s about to release his sophomore album after a three-year sabbatical. But, Obie Trice has a bullet lodged in his head from an attempt on his life in […]

T hroughout his career, Guru has rhymed in allegory. Classic material like “Now You’re Mine” and “Just To Get a Rep” never used names, but let driving words teach valuable lessons on life. Three years after Gang Starr made their last record, Guru reflects on the last chapter in the group’s life and the lyricist […]

C leveland has never been thought of as a hotbed for musicians. Figures such as The O’Jays, Avant, and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony have had profound impacts on music, but only through associations in bigger cities. With a Sony Records contract and a localized approach, Ray Cash envisions a change to this trend. Using Lebron James’ young […]

W hen Cee-Lo Green and Danger Mouse began recording what would become Gnarls Barkley’s St. Elsewhere in 2003, the uncanny pair simply envisioned a pet-project that they could possibly shop to an indie label. Three years later, their debut song “Crazy” is a record-breaking, genre-jumping single in the UK that just started infecting American airwaves, […]

S ome people have all the luck while others get a raw deal. Smiley the Ghetto Child has been devoted to Hip-Hop for over two decades, and he just released his first album. Fans may remember Smiley as the guest verse on Group Home’s#### 1995 single, “Tha Realness.” Just days before appearing in the video […]

T here isn’t just one Mike Watts chopping and screwing his records. While one might be more recognizable than the other, Philadelphia’s Mike Watts isn’t changing his name anytime soon. In fact, the two artists shared legal counsel at one time, and acquaintances in Houston’s Lil’ Troy. While some might be quick to judge the […]

Between the success of Mike Jones, Paul Wall, and Slim Thug, Swishahouse Records was a proud father of artists in 2005.. However, as Chamillionaire and Slim Thug fared well without the label at times, Mike Jones has also recently been declaring his own independence. Michael “5000” Watts and G-Dash say otherwise, and responded to comments […]

L ady Sovereign may be 5’1” tall, but don’t underestimate this young woman’s fierce presence. The self-proclaimed “biggest midget in the game” created such a stir on the underground UK scene, that it persuaded Jay-Z to bring her over the pond to a Def Jam/Island Records contract. Some critics forecast this union of unique talent […]