Robust is one way to explain the return of Sean "Diddy" Combs and his Bad Boy regime. Take the mogul’s latest and last album foray, Press Play. The album features a full-bodied and impressive list of collaborators like Kanye West, Will.i.am, Havoc of Mobb Deep, Just Blaze, Christina Aguilera, Pharrell, Big Boi, Ciara, Timbaland, Twista, […]
It’s amazing that Hi-Tek could float under the radar for the past five years and yet still have so many production credits to his name. But since he’s joined in the ranks of Dr. Dre’s Aftermath Entertainment and the label’s growing stable of artists and producers, Tek has seen his name drop in a few […]
Sadat X is the definition of what it means to be about your business and on your grind. The one-time teacher, basketball coach, would-be firefighter and rapper is the everyman’s man. Not comfortable with just relying on one gig, the Bronx-bred MC isn’t afraid to take a regular job and hustle like the rest of […]
Twelve years ago, you’d never catch Nas in the streets without a ton of reefer. Today, the King Poetic has turned over a new leaf, and no longer splits the leaves of his cigars. Perhaps it’s a new frame of mind for a 33-year-old rapper who went from snubbing Jesus to being the same age […]
O ne of the beautiful things about chess, martial arts, and Hip-Hop is that at its highest levels, race does seem to fall away. You only see the raw courage, and art in motion. International Grand Master Maurice Ashley embodies these three things, and he plays as well as when he speaks. He is the […]
With seemingly everyone under the sun throwing the word “young” in front of their name or stealing the alias of an old mob boss, one could argue that the originality of rap monikers took a nosedive right along with record sales. If nothing else, you’ve got to give Xzibit credit for picking a name that’s […]
PC police are on a full-scale red alert when Mr. Snoop Dogg is in the area. The rapper holds nothing back. In part two of AHH’s feature, the rapper talks about controversy, his wife and if the pimp game got a hold of his own daughter. Check the second half of this doggy biscuit. AllHipHop.com: […]
In 1999, Defari’s debut Focused Daily gave Tommy Boy Records one of its final notches in the catalog during the independent Hip-Hop glory years. Since then, both the artist and the label have heard cries from the masses on bringing it back. At least one of them appears to have listened. Now on the ABB […]
When telling the story of “how the West was won” in the world of Hip-Hop, you can’t leave out Snoop Dogg. When he first appeared next to Dr. Dre, he was young and fresh, but his words were straight and to the point and let folks know immediately that “Tha D-O-double G” wasn’t for play. […]
Pigeon John isn’t just one of the freshest voices to emerge in Hip-Hop this millennium, he may also be the realest. The Inglewood native has never fronted about packing heat or slinging rocks despite the rough environment he came up in. In fact, the Quannum MC carving out a niche in Hip-Hop as the Average […]
The fictional character of Clark Kent has super powers allowing his alter ego to rescue and protect what he sees fit. The DJ Clark Kent we all know within our spectrum possesses similar super powers when it comes to music and not just Hip-Hop. And after a career spanning twenty years, experiencing multiple countries and […]
The monk. Big brother Abdul. The man that would be king. North Philly son Ab-Liva is different things to different people. To Pharrell Williams and the Re-Up Gang, he’s a reserved philosopher, pen in hand, waiting for inspiration. To his younger brothers Hassan and Anwar, who are both incarcerated, he’s a tower of hope, a […]
You think it’s that easy? Just show up on a pair of Clinton Sparks-backed mixtapes with Clipse and get glowing write-ups in national publications, then scores of year-end props? It takes years to get to this point, takes years to make opportunities fall into place. Talk to Northeast Philly native Sandman, and he’ll tell you […]
Brick Records has forged a reputation for building Boston’s independent Hip-Hop market. Having put out cult-followed records for MF Doom, D-Tension, and 7L & Esoteric, the presence goes beyond Beantown too. But after over a decade of grinding, Brick brought it back home with an unlikely newcomer, Raydar Ellis. Ellis, a Berklee School of Music […]
Aside from the obvious legal problems, any financial advisor can give you a laundry list of reasons why pimping and hustling are bad options for diversifying your portfolio. Yet, when faced with the prospect of finishing high-school and waiting for royalty checks to slowly trickle in, that’s exactly what Sky Balla did. The result was […]
Do your homework, Rudy Ray Moore is an icon. The singer turned comedian propelled himself into the spotlight with using four letter words way before Eddie Murphy. Most known for his leading role in the cult film Dolemite, Moore trademarked a rapping style of delivering classic lines such as “Dolemite is my name, and f**king […]
Hate or it or love it, snap music has consumed this country. When the percussion finger-snap sounds and the bassline drops, anyone who is near the dance floor is moved to join into the crowd’s cycle of leaning, rocking, and snapping their fingers. Although this sound was born in the impoverished community of Bankhead in […]
Some critics of Chingy would’ve never believed that the former St. Louis teen-star would be one day delivering a third album on a major label. Perhaps like Cassidy, Chingy has evolved from a rapper birthed in a bubblegum fanbase, driven to the battle, then returning to his Pop sensibilities. As “Pulling Me Back” became a […]
In 2003 when 50 Cent decided he needed to Get Rich or Die Tryin’, Dre wasn’t the only producer to lend his magic touch to the multi-platinum project. Fif’s second #1 single from the album, “21 Questions” introduced the hit-making production/remixing duo of Midi Mafia to the masses. Consisting of Kevin “Dirty Swift” Risto and […]
It reads like a rags-to-riches adventure loaded with hilarious rap beef, custom Lamborghinis, and international “pizzle.” G-Unit is all about the global and financial elevation of Hip-Hop culture. And DJ Whoo kid knows the key to success. The Queens-bred entrepreneur with Haitian roots has traveled the world with one of the most successful rap crews […]
