Mike Jones: Icebreaker Part One
M ike Jones was the only student of Houstons 2005 graduation class that has experienced platinum success [Who Is Mike Jones.] despite the regions industry takeover. Jones swears he was also the stepchild of the lot, which included acclaimed artists like Paul Wall, Slim Thug and Chamillionaire. A budding mogul, the rapper says hes now […]
Steve Rifkind Addresses Label Status, Negotiates New Deal With Universal
Music executive Steve Rifkind has launched a new label and renegotiated a pressing and distribution (P&D) deal with Universal Records. Rifkind, who is credited with introducing the concept of the "street team" to the music industry, is also the founder of the seminal record label, Loud Records. Rifkind said the new imprint has been dubbed […]
T.I. Lays Friend To Rest, Tour Temporarily Halted
Rapper Clifford "T.I." Harris mourned the loss of his best friend and personal assistant at a funeral service held yesterday (May 8) in Atlanta. Philant Johnson, 26, of Union City, Ga., was killed last Wednesday (May 3) and three other members of T.I.’s entourage were injured in a shooting incident following a performance at Bogarts […]
Killa Season (DVD)
Artist: Cam’RonTitle: Killa Season (DVD)Rating: 2 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Brent Woodie Camron scene stealing performance as Rico in 2002s Paid In Full showed the Harlem-bred rapper had more than what it takes for the big screen. Taking the trend of rapper-turned-actor up a notch Camron makes his directorial debut with Killa Season (Diplomatic Man) to […]
Clipse Tour With Ice Cube; Album Release Date Set
Even without releasing a new album in four years, Malice and Pusha T continue to grind. The brothers-collectively known as the Clipse-are currently on the road opening for Ice Cube while also putting the finishing touches on their long-delayed sophomore set, Hell Hath No Fury. “Coming off the hiatus we been on, it’s huge (to […]
Murphy Lee: Grown Man B.I.
D uring his formative years, a young Torhi Harpers close family stressed that luck was a delicate combination of preparation and opportunity. When most teenagers slaved at their sorry part-time jobs and prepped for the SAT’s, Torhi, or Murphy Lee and friends, the St. Lunatics, worked to fulfill their dreams as rap stars in the […]
Jim Jones Talks New Album, DVD And ‘Killa Season’
Dipset capo Jim Jones is gearing up for the release of his next album Summer Was Fun due this fall. The first single from the album is titled “We Fly High” and the album features appearances from fellow Dipset members like Cam’ron and Juelz Santana, as well as other unaffiliated rappers, said Jones. “I got […]
Wood Work
Artist: Da BackWudzTitle: Wood WorkRating: 3 StarsReviewed by: Paine Having achieved monumental success as an R&B and Pop producer, Dallas Austin is still itching for a hit Hip-Hop act. The last time he eyed up a Southern rap talent, it was Poison Clans JT Money and the nauseating Who Dat chants that followed. Seven years […]
Letters To A Young Brother: MANifest Your Destiny (Book)
Artist: Hill HarperTitle: Letters To A Young Brother: MANifest Your Destiny (Book)Rating: 4 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Danielle Cabell Maybe all that taping of CSI: NY caused Hill Harper to miss the popular memo de stereotype: Young black men dont read. So devoting 173 pages of words to them probably isnt the smartest idea. Then again, […]
Suge Knight Appears In Court, Denies Having Foreign Investments
Rap mogul Marion “Suge” Knight testified at a bankruptcy hearing Friday (May 5) that Death Row Records has struggled financially because of his frequent incarcerations, in addition to a $107 million lawsuit filed by the label’s alleged co-founders. The hearing was set to allow creditors to question Knight about his massive debt, which totals over […]
McNally Smith College of Music Announces ‘Ice Cube Scholarship’
Rapper/actor Ice Cube visited the St. Paul, Minnesota campus of McNally Smith College of Music last week, to announce the “Ice Cube Scholarship.” Ice Cube, students and executives from the McNally Smith College of Music were on hand for the announcement on Thursday (May 4). The Ice Cube Scholarship will be awarded each year to […]
Pick A Bigger Weapon
Artist: The CoupTitle: Pick A Bigger WeaponRating: 4 StarsReviewed by: Michael P###### Like walking into a party drunk and pissing on the coats, Pick a Bigger Weapon (Epitaph), The Coups fifth album, is no less unpredictable and vitriolic than anything theyve done before. MC Boots Riley is still in Richard Pryor-sharing-an-apartment-with-George Clinton-mode, still getting all […]
Never Drank The Kool-Aid (Book)
Artist: TouréTitle: Never Drank The Kool-Aid (Book)Rating: 4 StarsReviewed by: Sidik Fofana Touré has a nice gig. An esteemed journalist for Rolling Stone magazine, The New Yorker and a slew of other highly reputable publications, former host of MTV Spoke n Heard, and current BET correspondent, Touré makes a living out of deconstructing Hip-Hop culture […]
Stay Tru
Artist: Pastor TroyTitle: Stay TruRating: 3 StarsReviewed by: Paine Since his mildly publicized feud with Master P five years ago, Pastor Troy has been an Atlanta workaholic, yet still without the level of notoriety of his peers. On the heels of some new exposure via Chamillionaires Southern Takeover, Troy drops his seemingly mandatory yearly installment […]
J. Bully: The Intelligent Hoodlum
W hat MC dare call himself an educated thug in this era of Hip-Hop? J.Bully represents a new breed of lyricist and a movement he deems Educated Thug Muzik, an interest group that intends to balance the genre a bit. In many ways, Bully represents the paranormal to rap though. He teaches a Hip-Hop course […]
K-Hill: Livin’ Proof
S traight out of Wilson, North Carolina, K-Hill is one of the states brightest talents of today and tomorrow. The producer and MC gained notoriety from producing throwback-minded joints on Kazes Spirit of 94 project three years ago. While he says he wasnt aware of the theme at the time, this is an artist with […]
Van Hunt: Funky Ride
Van Hunts debut self-titled album was critically acclaimed. He even earned a Grammy nod for the nod-worthy Dust, but people found it hard trying to classify the singer in a sea of R&B pretty boys. Hunts newest effort On The Jungle Floor doesnt sound like Prince, and it doesnt sound like Jimi Hendrix. It is […]
The Square Egg: Round Here
From the sound of the name, The Square Egg, sounds very contradictory to the ear. One may wonder why and how a group could come up with such an obscure name. Is it for the attention? It may be hard to put your finger on it, but its not as complex as one might think. […]
DJ Chela: New Girl Order
T he female Hip-Hop head appears to resemble the Black man at first glace: an endangered species. However, upon deeper analysis and sincere study, its apparent that they are flourishing in some ways, while languishing in others. DJ Chela may not be a household name, but the spin-doctor seeks to change that notion and marshal […]
AHH Stray News: Police Fear Revenge In TI Shooting, Whoo Kid, Ice-T, Chaka Khan
In an attempt to thwart a violent retaliation, Cincinnati police have increased their patrols and undercover officers’ work, after a shooting that killed one person and hurt three members of Atlanta rapper T.I.’s entourage. The extra security measures were taken after detectives received several credible tips that retaliation was planned. Lt. Col. James Whalen reported […]