DMX : The Fight in the Dog
DMX is the last of a dying breed in Hip-Hop the unpredictable. These days everything from singles to beef has become formula concocted within boardrooms and color-by-numbers marketing plan. But, nobody gave the plans to DMX, the Yonkers-bred lyricist. And fortunately, if they did make him privy to what hes supposed to do, he […]

Littles: Street Cinematographer
Littles is a survivor. Raised in the infamous Queens Bridge housing projects, the rapper has overcome adversity and hardship his entire life. He was only in seventh grade when he dropped out of school to run the streets. Eventually, the street life caught up to Littles and he served five years in prison. Once released, […]

Killer Mike: To The East, Blackwards
What do you know on Killer Mike? Certainly, if Big Boi’s promises paint the game with his Purple Ribbon, the world will know much more about his Outkast’s Monster. But Mike’s first outing was lost in a sea of Bonecrushers, Bubbas, and Cool Breezes to many listeners that tuned in. Monster might have been an […]

Juelz Santana: Fortune Son
Juelz Santana was the first Diplomat, besides Cam’ron to bring out the solo. He got his name known through his song titles, his pretty face, and his vital association to the Dips. The market sped up, and Juelz watched his crew swarm. But unlike his brothers, Juelz has stayed put comfortably at Def Jam. It […]

Purple City: Get Pifted
Admit it. You thought Cam started the hazy purple trend. Sometimes two different people walk two different paths to get to the same place. One walks the streets of Harlem, conveniently stopping in a corner bodega to showcase the one-stop shop playing a song on his recent mixtape, while he offers daps and pounds to […]

Cam’ron: Built This City
In the 1920s, Harlem was the centerpiece of the Black universe. Poets, writers, scientists, and others all made their presence known. The entrepreneurial spirit was rich, as were the innovators. While the rest of the world admired and resented the oasis, Harlem thrived. In 1929, the stock market crashed and the whole western world went […]

J.R. Writer: Rising Son
If you take a look at most Rap outfits, it seems every crew has their own young gun. That one cat that spits relentlessly trying to prove one thing and one thing only : “I’m nice.” Enter JR Writer. Buzzing on the mixtape scene for almost two years now, he hit big with “Stop-N-Go” off […]

Jim Jones: The Rep Grows Bigga
Hate him or love him, Jim Jones is on top. The Diplomats Capo has risen from his meager beginnings as Cam’s sidekick into a full fledged hood mogul. As a solo artist, he scored big in 2004 with his street anthem “Certified Gangstas”. Additionally, he got his Hype Williams on by directing videos for Dipset-related […]

Buckshot & 9th Wonder: Breaking Atoms
For more than a decade Buckshot has been stunning Hip-Hop crowds with his fiery rhymes. Whether it was with Black Moon or the entire Boot Camp Clique, lyrics ranged from insightful to riot-inspiring, striking a chord in all that listened. But after 1998, Buckshot unstrapped the backpack and became disassociated with his purist audience. Alone, […]

Da Backwudz: Done by the Forces of Nature
Atlanta has proven to be a breeding ground for many of today’s most talented artists. This group is no different. The famous music/film producer, Dallas Austin, believes in Da Backwudz’ music and talent so much that he even re-launched his defunct label, Rowdy Records, just so he can work with them. Their video and song […]

O.C.: It Takes Two
Some artists truly do get better with time. Jay-Z and Masta Ace proved that last year. Quietly, O.C. may be showing 2005 what hes made of. At the top of the year, O.C. released the import, Starchild, but only 20,000 copies were made available. Still, the work was strong enough to attract Pete Rock and […]

Shyheim: The Man In The Mirror
A lot has changed in the life of Wu affiliate Shyheim since he first debuted on the scene. At the age of fourteen, his precious antics matched with his innocent face captured the hearts of Hip-Hop heads and teen girls everywhere. After releasing his debut album The Lost Generation and performing countless guest spots along […]

Kokane: Down for the Upstroke
Im G-Unit, period, is what Kokane told AllHipHop.com last month. We wanted to capture one of the West Coast legends on his way to his overdue recognition. The fifteen plus year Funkster/MC/Preacher has much to be happy about. We looked at his early years, the state of the unified West Coast, his time with Death […]

Gucci Mane: Black Boy Lost & Found
When Gucci Mane laughs, you can see the innocence in him. At the moment, hes in between press engagements and a promotional run across the nation to promote his new album, Trap House. However, laughing at jokes the of Fat Cat Records co-owner Jacob “The Chancellor” York might exude the simple nature of Gucci, but […]

Eastwood: Game Recognize Game
Like a plethora of artists that came before him, Eastwood learned the hard way that Death Row Records was not a place where he could succeed. After riding with Suge Knight and company, Eastwood finally left Tha Row last year in order to get his career back on track. With his debut album sitting on […]

The Rebirth of Kool G Rap Part 2
Kool G Raps musical career has been a journey that most Hip-Hop aficionados could only dream of. Now the self-proclaimed Donald Goines of Rap plots a simultaneous comeback and exit from a profession he helped pioneer since the 80s. AllHipHop chronicles this expedition in THE REBIRTH OF KOOL G RAP, a reoccurring feature. Check in […]

Ruff Ryders: Treading
Sometimes above the music, the Ruff Ryders are to thank for a style. In the wee hours of a school night, young children of the hood tear through West Philadelphia on one wheel. No lights, no supervision, no curfew. While neighborhood watch might be up in arms, Wah Dean would be proud. As the mastermind […]

Emanon: Nickel Bags of Funk
If good things really do come to those who wait, that explains why Emanons long-awaited debut LP is a triumph 15 straight tracks of bona fide goodness. Southern Cali products Aloe Blacc and Exile have been laying down tracks together for more than a decade now, but The Waiting Room marks their first full-length […]

Joe Budden: Soul Man
To those that know Joe Budden, he has truly one of the most complex rapper narratives in Hip-Hop. He takes you along for rides you may know all too well, and shows you things you might not have otherwise looked into. Whether or not youve ever lived in the hood, the themes in a Budden […]

Webbie: Young & Thuggin’
Its summertime, and they are supposed to be hot, but if you have been to the club lately, especially down South, there is a scorching song blazing dance-floors and hoods everywhere. A street hymn that has caught the attention of both men and women alike is, Gimme That by Webbie of Trill Entertainment, a label […]