Polow Da Don may not have reached the pinnacle of success that some of his peers have, but the colorful producer is well on his way. Unless you have been living in a hole for the past two years, you have at some point jammed to the hard-hitting bass, heavy synths, unconventional horns and other […]
Whether from Nas or Edan, MCs today constantly refer back to one criminally-slept lyricist from the Class of ’88 – Lakim Shabazz. The Newark, New Jersey MC could be described to his former Flavor Unit posse with exactly what Big Daddy Kane was to The Juice Crew. Shabazz was gifted, smooth, and insightful […]
One of the most important words to any up-and-coming producer is ‘placement.’ Getting a standout track on the album of a Billboard peaking rapper is as good as gets for sticking your foot in the door. So Arnaz “The Nasty One” Smith knows he was blessed to land his staff producer job with Young […]
Video Editor/Videographer: Rich MartinezProducer: Steve Raze Every so often, an artist drops the formalities and speaks freely. David Banner, who’s always been known for his candor, finds a way to even shock those who might know him best. As southern charm only gets one so far, Banner openly proclaims that his album is better than […]
Disputing the fact that the 90’s didn’t take Hip Hop to another level can’t be easily argued. Labels were flooding the airwaves with a sound that proved the genre had not only evolved, but shifted. Ruff Ryders Entertainment, founded by siblings Chivon, Dee, and Waah Dean, premiered their label in 1988. While propelling the careers […]
Growth and maturity go hand-in-hand. Although Talib Kweli has had plenty to say on records since his career began over a decade ago, he’s traditionally been tight-lipped in interview settings. Like other Hip-Hop greats such as Scarface and Dr. Dre, perhaps this only added to the Brooklyn MC’s mystique. On a laid-back summer […]
Los Angeles has always boasted a different brand of Hip-Hop. The city most infamously provided the spark, through N.W.A. that put gangsta rap in the limelight of not only Hip-Hop culture but the entire music industry as well. Since then, against the grain artists above and below ground have chiseled Hip-Hop into a sculpture […]
Kamaal is in fact abstract. Not to the point where he’s engulfed by the multiple pre-requisites (and stigmas) attached to the duty of being an MC of substance. After all, he was a “vivrant vivarant” at one time and has a penchant for tequila shots and cursing. But the Renaissance Man known as Q-Tip […]
This is part two of the 10 Track Commandments. In part one we discussed things that pertained more to the business aspect of production. In part two we will focus more on the originality and how to create a name for yourself by making great tracks. 6. Know When It […]
There are several men using the name Tone Capone in Hip-Hop. One in particular has separated himself from the pack with a stack of accolades at radio, labels, and now online dating back to 1990. Born in the Dominican Republic and raised in Brentwood, Long Island, the college student wanted to […]
Right now the Living Legends are being drowned out by Public Enemy. It’s not the group’s fault. A concert organizer decided to place the B Stage of the Rock the Bells tour just off to the right of the Randall’s Island concert venue; what looks to be a safe distance from the main stage. […]
Whether MC Ren, Jarobi or T-Mo Goodie, most prolific rap groups have a member that doesn’t quite fit into the spotlight. After three acclaimed albums, one of which toted as a classic, Black Moon’s middle member has always been 5FT. As Buckshot became the Timberland-clad executive of Duck Down Records, Evil Dee’s […]
Remember the days when you purchased a twelve inch single from a new artist, and you knew what to expect from the rest of their album? Remember when albums had a consistency to them, so you could drop the needle and just let the music play? Jason “MoSS” Connoy remembers those days and albums, and […]
Tupac Shakur once rhymed that “Every move is a calculated step, to bring me closer to embrace an early death.” 50 Cent is a man full of calculated steps, but self-destruction aside, he appears too smart for an early death. That doesn’t mean he can’t go out in a blaze of glory as he […]
Jazze Pha is easily known as one of the hardest working people in the industry. Born Phalon Alexander, the son of James Alexander, bass player of Otis Redding’s Bar-Kays, and accomplished vocalist Denise Williams, Jazze Pha has the genetic make-up of a musical genius. Still, the dynamic producer pulls his own weight in an industry […]
T.I. just couldn’t wait to be King. In 2006, if there were any other bidders for the crown of the South, Clifford “T.I.” Harris raised his hand and his voice – blocking out whatever and whoever else. As his fast-selling T.I. vs. Tip album continues to find buyers, and get discovered through second […]
DJ Envy, CEO of Blok Entertainment has made his niche in the mixtape market by providing exclusive music and freestyles by the hottest rappers in the industry . Signed in early 2003 to Desert Storm Records, he released his commercial debut The Desert Storm Mixtape: DJ Envy, Blok party Vol. 1. DJ Whoo Kid put […]
C-Rayz Walz may not be the most famous rapper in the world, but he’s arguably the most charismatic MC you “might have” heard of. If you aren’t aware, he came up in the streets of New York as a stick-up kid who once tried to jux the Notorious B.I.G. for rockin’ a Coogi sweater. […]
If you asked M.O.P. about ratchets, you’d get an entirely different explanation than you do from Hurricane Chris. Ratchet is a lifestyle in Shrevport, Louisiana – where the regional “Ay Bay Bay” has recently become commercial rap vernacular. The Pologrounds/J Records artist wants his face and talent to spread like the slang he’s helped […]
Two of the most impressionable young faces in rap this year are Sean Kingston and Hot Dollar. As Hip-Hop stars appear to be at a changing-of-the-guard, making way for the next would-be T.I. or 50, perhaps both regional rappers are in the hat. The man who helped them get a bid is Jon Shapiro, […]
