The Plague (Feat. Oh No)
Artist: KaziTitle: The Plague (Feat. Oh No)Rating: 4 StarsReviewed by: Jesse Fairfax If you’re even vaguely familiar with the underground scene you’ve heard the name Stones Throw Records by this point. This West Coast powerhouse has built its reputation for putting out experimental jazz, hip-hop and funk music mainly produced by the extraordinary Madlib. Not […]
World War II: Evolution of the Torturer
Artist: VirtuosoTitle: World War II: Evolution of the TorturerRating: 3 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Max Herman Politically aware MCs may never be satisfied with the government, but lets face it: the outcome of the 2004 election will leave mindful lyricists no choice but to get even more militant on the mic. Just look at how many […]
Immortal Technique: New Rules
Immortal Technique is one of the few emcees in New York City re-writing the rigid rules to the Hip-Hop game. With a volatile mixture of brutal political commentary, spiteful battle raps and street knowledge, Technique put himself on the field of play without significant aid from outside forces. Now, the Peruvian-born, Harlem-bred rapper has remained […]
Lil’ Flip Sued For Copyright Infringement – Again
Lil’ Flip has been hit with a second copyright infringement lawsuit, this time due to alleged unauthorized use of three melodies on his major label debut, Undaground Legend. The latest round of legal wrangling for the Houston, Texas rapper stems from three songs on the CD, “Texas Boys,” “Make Mama Proud” and “What I Been […]
Boyz II Men: Doin Just Fine, Pt 1
Boyz II Men has experienced heights in their years together that even some of the most seasoned artists are still yearning to attain. With multi-platinum singles and albums, they set records for keeping songs at #1 on the charts first with End Of The Road in 1992 at 13 weeks, followed by 1994s Ill […]
Boyz II Men: Doin Just Fine, Pt 3
AHHA: Have you considered covering any songs outside of classic R&B rock songs or any other genre? Nathan: Weve considered creating some rock songs and different things like that. As far as covers, there are so many songs that wed love to do. This Throwback album that we have now is not even the […]
Boyz II Men: Doin Just Fine, Pt 2
AHHA: Do you have any regrets about your musical direction during the course of your career? Shawn: I have more regrets about our mind states during some of those albums than the music. The music was always the easiest thing for us to do we can sing almost anything. If we feel it, we […]
AHH Stray News: Dr. Dre, Fade to Black, The RZA, S.H.I.N.E.
Dr. Dre has restarted his highly anticipated solo album, Detox. The super producer put the project on hold to produce albums for Aftermath artists Eve and Busta Rhymes. According to published reports, the album is slated for a fall 2005 release. Jay-Z’s documentary “Fade to Black” earned $475,648 during its opening week in theaters. The […]
Yukmouth And Game Speak, Say Beef Is Still On
For those not in tune with their Hip-Hop beef, Aftermath/G-Unit rapper The Game and Bay-area rapper Yukmouth of Regime have been volleying back and forth with insults, even though peace seemed on the horizon. A song that featured both rappers on the same track was apparently recorded separately, where Game decided to dis his counterpart […]
Diddy Says Citizen Change Wont Stop, Wants To Be Black James Bond
Rap impresario turned political activist Sean “P.Diddy” Combs announced today (Nov. 6) that Citizen Change, his non-partisan voter registration initiative, will continue to operate and recruit young people into the electoral process even though presidential election has passed. “This is phase one, step one for us to get people engaged," Diddy told the Associated Press. […]
Bill Cosby Gets Down With Hip-Hop
Actor/Comedian Bill Cosby and various Hip-Hop artists have joined with Ras Baraka, Deputy Mayor of Newark, New Jersey, to launch Hip-Hop for the P.E.O.P.L.E., a national community service program aimed at underprivileged urban youth. The mission of Hip-Hop for the P.E.O.P.L.E. (Providing Education Opportunity, Prosperity and Life Eternally) is to enlighten inner city youth on […]
A Critique: Jay-Z’s “Fade to Black”
Under the Paramount Classics banner, "Fade to Black" unspooled before me as I remembered Jay-Z’s previous documentary "classic," an execrable piece of immature backstage concert antics named, well, "Backstage." Imagine my shock and pure joy when "Fade to Black," through fits and starts, eventually emerges to live up to the lofty title of its studio […]
Jacki-O: The Miami Madame
The self proclaimed Queen of the South, Jacki-o, is looking to prove that she is much more than another female emcee looking to strike it rich by flaunting her sexuality. With her debut album Poe Little Rich Girl currently in stores, Jacki is out to tell the world that there is a new girl on […]
Family For Mac Dre Holds Public Viewing
The family of Andre “Mac Dre” Hicks will hold a public viewing for the rapper, who was shot to death on a stretch of highway in Kansas City. The family will hold the viewing from noon to 5 p.m. at Mount Calvary Baptist Church, 1735 Enterprise Drive, in Fairfield, California A private service for the […]
Baby Drops New Shoe
Multi-platinum Hip-Hop artist Bryan “Baby” Williams, CEO of Cash Money Records is collaborating with urban shoe company Lugz to launch a new holiday boot collection.The “Birdman Nightwing” follows in the footsteps of Baby’s “Birdman” shoe line, which was introduced last spring and sold over one million pairs.The new collection will make its debut this weekend, […]
Poe Little Rich Girl
Artist: Jacki-OTitle: Poe Little Rich GirlRating: 2 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Shawn Lawrence James Jacki-O should know that there is a thin line between vending sex and lyricism. While artists like Foxy Brown and Salt N- Pepa exercised their provocative appeal to garner attention from many, their substance conveyed on wax, especially the latter, is what […]
Akademiks Ads Pulled In New York
The Hip-Hop clothing line Akademiks is causing controversy in New York over their racy poster ads that state: “Read Books, Get Brain.”Enraged New York City transit officials are taking action, vowing to pull the ads from city buses.”Get Brain” is slang for oral sex and the ad deliberatly played on the meaning.Akademiks’ ad designer Anthony […]
Veterans Day
Artist: MC EihtTitle: Veterans DayRating: 4 StarsReviewed by: Jozen Cummings Dear Mainstream Media: I write this letter to you with deep concern. For close to 10 years, you have waited for the resurrection of West Coast Hip-hop. Ever since Pac died, you claim the West just isnt the same. Snoop can make a great record […]
The Deadline
Artist: SupastitionTitle: The DeadlineRating: 3 StarsReviewed by: Maurice Downes With The Deadline (Soulspazm), it seems like we’ve caught Supastition at “that” album. To be more specific, the album, technically an EP, that’s some kind of massive change between then and now, between the artist that sounded like A, but now comes across like B. It’s […]
Rapper Testifies During Weapons Of Mass Destruction Trial
Philadelphia rapper John “Tommy Hill” Wilson testified yesterday in Federal court during the trial of a family accused of harboring drugs and Weapons of Mass Destruction.Hill, a former member of popular Philadelphia rap group The Ram Squad, was busted last December and charged with major drug offenses.He agreed to cooperate with authorities and testify against […]