Congolese Government Bans Rap And Foreign Music
Emcees in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are in a state of emergency, as the government has censored all Congolese rap groups and foreign music. The Committee of Censorship instituted the ban earlier this month, claiming that the music is ‘obscene and violent, and causes the youth to behave badly.’ Congolese rappers have united […]
Consequence: Beats, Rhymes, & Perseverance
Remember Consequence? Two years ago, that question might have probably yielded a puzzling look followed by a sudden recollection that might sound something like, “Oh yeah, I remember that kid, you talking about that cat they added to A Tribe Called Quest.” Yes, Consequence is “that cat” from A Tribe Called Quest’s 1996 album, Beats […]
DMX Hit With Additional Charges, Leaves US For Tour
Earl "DMX" Simmons was treated at a New York hospital and has had additional charges slapped on him, due to an altercation with another driver at Kennedy Airport in Queens, New York. Simmons and associate Jackie Hudgins were released on $15,000 bail. Simmons was initially charged with attempted robbery and impersonating an officer. Additional charges […]
One Guard Fired, 3 Suspended In TI Video Aftermath
One guard was fired and three more were suspended in connection with a prison scandal involving rapper TI and his filming an unauthorized video in a Fulton County, Georgia jail. Fulton County Sheriff Jackie Barrett fired Sergeant Robert Sullivan yesterday (June 25). Sullivan oversaw the maximum security zone where the rapper shot a promotional video […]
Ring The Alarm
Artist: Most WantedTitle: Ring The AlarmRating: 3 StarsReviewed by: Jayson Rodriguez During the late 90s, the City of Brotherly Thugs re-introduced themselves to hip-hop with hardcore rappers such as Beanie Sigel, Murda Mil, and Major Figgas. But while those Philadelphians wallowed in their wicked upbringing, Phillys Most Wanted got jiggy with it. Their Neptunes-produced debut […]
City Limits
Artist: DujeousTitle: City LimitsRating: 3 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Paine Just as there appears to be a sampling Renaissance, there is an extension a Renaissance of the Hip-Hop musician. N.E.R.D. finally made an imprint on the masses nearly a year after their debut release, The Roots prepare to outdo their most popular album and M.O.P. […]
Up Pops The SAC
Artist: Starving Artist CrewTitle: Up Pops The SACRating: 3 StarsReviewed by: Dev 1 We are all acquainted with Detroit by the likes of Eminem, D-12, Slum Village, and Royce da 59. However there is something new brewing from the depths of the underground. Enter the Starving Artists Crew with their album Up Pops the SAC. […]
Since We Last Spoke
Artist: RJD2Title: Since We Last SpokeRating: 4 StarsReviewed by: Paine Without a doubt, RJD2 was Hip-Hops favorite new producer of 2002. His debut album Dead Ringer was arguably the years best instrumental Hip-Hop album. On top of that, RJD2 grabbed his crotch and got behind his MHz crew, producing most of Copywrites debut LP (The […]
Jadakiss, Michael Moore Make Statements On Bush
As a member of Ruff Ryders, D-Block and The Lox, Jadakiss has enjoyed a lengthy tour of duty. Now he has gotten the attention of the general American population with one song simply titled “Why.” A collaboration with crooner Anthony Hamilton, “Why” has been the subject of various media outlets attention, due to one line […]
Mos Def, ?uest Love, Others Remix Isley Brothers
The Isley Brothers will delve a bit deeper into Hip-Hop music and have enlisted some of the stars of the genre to help produce a remix album of 10 of their classic songs. Mos Def, will.i.am, Ahmir "?uest Love" Thompson, De La Soul Raphael Saadiq and others contribute to the disc, titled The Isley Brothers […]
DMX Hit With Attempted Robbery Charges
Earl "DMX" Simmons was arrested on charges that he and an aquaintance attempted to steal a car in a parking lot of New York’s Kennedy Airport. Port Authority police arrested Simmons and Jackie Hudgins, after a dispute ensued between the the two men and the owner of the vehicle. A Port Authority spokesman said that […]
Young Buck And 50 Cent Launching G-Unit South
G-Unit’s Young Buck and 50 Cent have elected to jumpstart G-Unit South Records in an effort to expand the gangstas’ business properties below the Mason Dixon line. For Buck, the move is as much personal as it is business, he said. “I want to see more artists from where I am from get into the […]
Skillz Attacks Shaq With Help From Pistons Ben Wallace
Rapper Skillz (formerly Mad Skillz) has launched chapter 2 of his odd rap battle with basketball star Shaquille O’Neal. Without warning, the pair’s musical clash began with a JiCE-produced Shaq freestyle that hit exclusively on a DJ Sickamore mixtape. Spreading rapidly, the track had Shaq spitting lines that appeared to be directed at Skillz.4 In […]
RJD2: The Main Ingredient
Columbus, Ohio’s RJD2 first earned a name for himself with 2002’s Dead Ringer, an engaging and creative instrumental hip-hop album that quickly garnered massive critical acclaim and put him in the upper echelon of the genre. After numerous side projects and remixes, he recently released Since We Last Spoke, a wildly eclectic album that focuses […]
The Passion Of Kanye West
"Like a Prayer," Roc-A-Fella CEO Dame Dash pleaded to MTV brass as if it were 1989 and his artist’s video was Madonna’s religiously loaded and intensely controversial clip. But Kanye West is no Madonna and, according to Dash, the network offered only limited airplay to the second version of the rapper’s video for "Jesus Walks," […]
Snoop Inks Sneaker Deal With Pony
Snoop Dogg has entered into a partnership with sneaker company Pony and will release his own footwear line, "The One and Only," described as a "a creative fusion of Snoop’s signature West coast flavor and style with classic Pony design." A nationwide marketing and advertising campaign featuring Snoop Dogg is currently being produced to support […]
‘Up In Harlem’ Film With Ice-T & Paulie Paul Hits Today
Rap icon Ice-T and film maker Paul “Paulie Paul” Eliacin are collaborating on an independent film, “Up In Harlem,” and hope to spark a new era in independently funded films. The movie hits stores nationally today (June 22) on DVD. With $80,000 of his own money, Eliacin paid for the film after many African American […]
Yerba Buena: Andres Levin, The Herbalist
With six countries – Cuba, Venezuela, St. Thomas, Columbia, Brazil and the U.S. – represented in this 10-member collective, Yerba Buena, loosely translated into good weed, is the ultimate in cultural gumbo and musical fusion. Only one man could be the adhesive that pulls all of this together, Andres Levin, the bandleader of Yerba Buena. […]
Jay-Z Not Beating Women In Video
The internet has been in a silent uproar over an alleged incident of Jay-Z striking a woman, but the speculation over a 3-second moving GIF image has been proven inaccurate. The image, which has been spread through the internet through websites, instant messenger transmissions and message boards, seems to show the image of Jay-Z assaulting […]
Lil Flip Responds To TI
Houston rapper Lil Flip has issued a detailed statement to rebuke TI’s comments against him during a concert in Atlanta, Georgia.During his performance, TI dissed the Houston, Texas lyricist and showed pictures of him in a green leprechaun outfit, often seen on his first album. Flip, who was scheduled to go on as the headliner, […]
