The test for the veteran Rap star is how they will give back to the culture that made them a success. Juice Crew alum Masta Ace figured out this challenge rather easily. For him, the Brooklyn native gives back by instilling the next generation of  MC’s with the skills needed to keep Hip-Hop culture thriving. […]

  The city of Detroit has developed a rich Hip-Hop resume over the years with contributions from the likes of Eminem, Slum Village, and the late great J Dilla. Newer heads like Guilty Simpson are also making noise. Another name that is helping to further solidify the D’s status in the Rap game, is MC […]

Queensbridge’s own Cormega hosted a live show at New York’s Knitting Factory (4/2) featuring Affiliate, REKS, Big Shug, Skyzoo, and DJ Statik Selektah. In a dimly-lit room, dozens of hoodies and fitted caps gathered in anticipation of what many hoped would be a real Rap show. DJ Statik Selektah opened the show with superb maneuvers […]

  With her competition either behind bars, hacked up from excessive plastic surgery, or a hating one hit wonder, it isn’t a surprise that perhaps Trina is the last of a dying breed. Finding a female MC with a decent flow and lyrics is slim to none these days, and Miss Miami makes a decent […]

Calling the Juice Crew legendary is an understatement these days. Even for those who count Nas, Wu Tang, and B.I.G. as godfathers, the Juice Crew was always a trump card our elders would pull out when we got a little beside ourselves about our generation’s MC’s.   And in 2008, here they were, headlining the […]

  If you grew up an 80’s or 90’s baby, you are probably feeling the obvious creative slump in Hip-Hop. Luckily there are some talented newcomers from all markets keeping things fresh as well as those who have been rocking the mic since first day. Case in point Mr. Sosa himself, AZ.   The man […]

  While we wait for El Che, the follow up to Rhymefest’s slept on debut Blue Collar, we have a Michael Jackson themed mixtape Man In The Mirror (All I Do). This approach makes this piece more like a mini-album with a full length feel, with subtext to boot. We all grew on Michael but […]

DJ KHALED’S “I’M SO HOOD” THE FREE ROCK REMIX (Jamey Jasta Remix) Featuring T-Pain, Trick Daddy, Rick Ross and Jamey Jasta of Hate Breed Koch Records, iTunes and AllHipHop.com present a free download of DJ Khaled’s “I’m So Hood,” but with a twist. Being “hood” is typically associated with the inner city or just Black […]

  When Jay-Z released American Gangster, he couldn’t have predicted the impact it would have had on the game. Most producers and DJs have made a remix in Jay’s image, blending their own production and samples with his lyrics to create their version of A.G..   Few have taken it another direction, but London based […]

  It’s been eight years since we’ve had a good taste of Rap’s favorite West Coast leftfield don, Del The Funkee Homosapien. The last time he made our heads spin was with his previous solo album, 2000’s Both Sides of the Brain and the futuristic collaboration project Deltron 3030’s self-titled release with Dan The Automator. This time […]

Ghostride the Whip tells the real story behind hyphy’s historic evolution and diverse cultural expressions through its unsung hero, Vallejo rapper and underground legend Mac Dre. Directed by DJ Vlad, the film showcases artists at the forefront of Hyphy’s rise to popularity, such as Bay ambassador E-40 and ‘hyphy’ terminologist Keak da Sneak, who have […]

Throughout the years Atlanta has emerged as a renaissance city for Hip-Hop. Below the superficial surface of snap music lies a thriving underground of literary artists, DJs, B-boys/girls, and MC’s. With such diversity, it was appropriate that the all-star A3C (All 3 Coasts) Festival brought together over fifty artists spanning the last twenty-five years of […]

  Rocko is no newcomer to the industry. He started Rocky Road Records back in 2002 and recently put out two mixtapes with the most recent being 2007’s Swag Season. This mixtape helped make himself more familiar as a rapper in and around Atlanta. He’s now brought his swag to the frontlines with his first […]

With the deluge of so-called urban fiction in the last few years, it is refreshing to remember that there is still a genre called crime writing out there, and that it can take place in the modern environment – replete with familiar nods to Hip-Hop, pop culture, and everyday city life.Thus it is reminiscent of […]

  A Silverback Gorilla (Koch) is known for being the dominant leader of the pack. Perhaps Sheek Louch of the LOX thought it would be a fitting title, considering they make their own moves and lead on. He does do that in his album; controlling his records and lyrically screaming on anything that get in […]

The curl has dried, the AK-47 is shelved, and Ice Cube now makes children/family-oriented movies.  Saturday however, Cube was put to the test, as over ten thousand Austin, Texas fans, many of whom were children when he was still the “n**** you loved to hate,” some of whom probably banned their own kids from listening […]

  Don’t let the “Apple Bottom jeans with the boots with the fur” cause you to hastily judge Flo Rida’s lyrical ability. Surprisingly, the Floridian rapper isn’t as bad as you would assume. It’s an assumption that listeners make of any artist who has a wildly popular “shake your ass” song.   On the first […]

  In all honesty a lot of followers of underground Rap were a little skeptical when news broke that Masta Ace, Punchline, Wordsworth, and Stricklin were forming an underground supergroup named eMC. While the skill of all four MCs is evident, the super-group album efforts in Hip-Hop have a history of not meeting the potential […]

Massachusetts, by way of Connecticut, graffiti artist turned MC, Bisc1 moved to the Big Apple over a decade ago. He quickly made a name for himself spinning in clubs and distributing mixtapes in and around local neighborhood hotspots. After winning several Rap battles, Bisc 1 finally released his first commercial project The Basics. The EP […]

  Many of Detroit’s emerging MCs are determined to bestow continual prominence upon the city’s name after 2006 saw the departure of the late great production wizard Jay Dee. Stones Throw Records is a crusade to keep Dilla’s legacy alive or recognizing good fiscal opportunities as the label continues to join forces with his underground […]