With The South dominating rap sales and radio play the last three years, many could argue that it needs no reinvention. But all one has to do is open a copy of Ozone magazine, and you can see the endless pictures of new blood trying to get in on the fame, the fortune, and even […]

When Nas asked where are they now to some of rap’s pioneers, Ill and Al Skratch heard their names shouted out once again by the QB veteran. A longtime fan of the duo from Uptown and Brooklyn, Nas wanted people to ask Ill and Al Skratch “Where My Homiez?” the title of their 1994 hit […]

Biblically, there were believed to be three wise men that brought Jesus three gifts—gold, frankincense and myrrh. Since only, these three gifts were recorded, most believe that there were only three gift givers. Yet, the scripture doesn’t exactly specify how many wise men there actually were. Wu-Tang disciple, producer/MC Bronze Nazareth, developed a Detroit based […]

In today’s “Everyone listens to everything” age, finding Mobb Deep and Australian punk-pop group Noise Addict on someone’s iPod isn’t so unusual. In the mid-90s, though, bridging the gap between New York street rap and pop-friendly Aussie tunes took a bit more explaining. For 26-year old Noise Addict guitarist-turned-rapper Macromantics (born Romy Hoffman), growing up […]

Throughout the last decade, Christopher Wallace has come up in plenty of discussions on AllHipHop.com. Here’s some of the best, most memorable quotes on the late, great veteran, from people who knew him, and a few who didn’t. On Biggie’s character and legacy: “Well as far as my son is concerned, I taught my son […]

The Golden Age of Hip-Hop, according to most historians, ended in 1996, if not sooner. Whatever the case, nobody’s saying “these are the days.” Still, coastal-connect Verbal Threat still pounds out joints themed for the burgeoning age of creativity and mic skills. While most of Hip-Hop is still battling for where the genre should rest […]

Those who can remember the early ‘80s when Punk Rock and Hip-Hop convened in the wee hours of the night (think Blondie) know that Hip-Hop influence extended beyond Kangols and Cazals even back then. One line in the sand that appeared to be crystal clear was the division between Hard Rock and Hip-Hop – separate […]

With a lack of female representation in Hip-Hop’s front line, one woman has surpassed the generic life span of most performers. Having been immersed in drum patterns, melodies and sixteens for close to two decades and a member of the all female Soul Food Symphony, Tiye Phoenix is breaking the mold in whichever way she […]

Lynching is a word synonymous with murder. Staten Island’s NYOIL, tired of seeing the metaphorical death in the eyes of “shorties around his block,” decided to fight back by spittin’ truth. Voicing his frustrations through his edutainment style of MCing brought forth the October 2006 release of NYOIL’s (pronounced N.Y. Oil) self-produced single “Ya’ll Should […]

My friends dragged to me to a club on a snowy Saturday night, when I would have likely just stayed home, selfishly reading or digitizing dusty vinyl. The DJ was spinning the usual suspects of Jim Jones, M.I.M.S., and T.I., when all of a sudden, Howler Monkey (the peculiarly named DJ) threw on “The Man […]

Stars pull from the pack. Shawnna started out as a member of the short-lived Infamous Syndicate, while Busta Rhymes was a Leader of the New School, and Young Jeezy was a Boy in the Hood. With the exception of N.W.A. and The Juice Crew, no group has ever had a full roster of stars, and […]

Plies’ tagline is “I’m not a rapper, I’m a hustler who can rap.” That said, amidst talk of Hip-Hop’s death, does anybody want to buy an album for 1-900-Hustler-like tips? Plies thinks so, offering his experiences as potentially life-changing to the listener. The Ft. Myers, Florida rapper claims that his raps are non-fiction, and he’s […]

It’s been over two years since Brooklyn’s own Fabolous has dropped his last album, Real Talk, a lot of “breathing” room. Atlantic Records chose the thunderous street anthem Breathe as a first single and it was well received by audiences – but not as much as it was when found its way onto the mixtape […]

Hip-Hop culture is definitely something Serch knows well. The Jewish MC released four albums in his career and executive produced Nas’ first album, the critically acclaimed Illmatic. But there’s more to Serch than just his past, there’s his future. Next month, he will release a new project, Many Young Lives Ago: The 1994 Sessions, which […]

AllHipHop.com: You’re from Atlanta. I’m from New York. You killed Hip-Hop. Speak on it. Killer Mike: [Laughs] If I killed Hip-Hop, what the f**k did the jiggy era bring to the game? [Laughs] Let me tell you something, Hip-Hop ain’t dead – it’s growing. A lot of people in Hip-Hop are getting old… there’s nothing […]

An old adage warns procrastinators “Time waits for no man.” Atlanta born and raised MC Killer Mike has lived this first hand. After guest appearances on his mentors Outkast’s Stankonia LP and Grammy Nominated “Whole World,” time seemed to stand still. That was, of course, until 2003 when he, along with Bonecrusher and T.I., turned […]

AllHipHop.com: Where do you rank yourself in terms of lyricists. I always had you in the Top Five, Top 10 easily… Redman: I’m in the Top Five. I don’t brag on myself. It depends. Even y’all [AllHipHop.com] muthaf***as, you gotta ask yourself, “What the f**k is the qualities of being a lyricist?” Now, how many […]

For years, Redman was once regarded as the king of consistency with albums like Whut? Thee Album, Dare Iz a Darkside, Muddy Waters and Doc’s Da Name 2000. The New Jersey native blazed through the ’90s with a rap style that exuded lyricism, created mosh pits, caused laughter and even allowed b-boys to two-step on […]

Since signing with G-Unit Records in June 2005 M.O.P. has been seated comfortably in the biggest crew in Hip-Hop, and also relatively unheard. While Billy Danze, Lil’ Fame, and producer/manager Laze E have released street albums like 2006’s Ghetto Warfare, the Brownsville, Brooklyn veterans have not come close to that “Ante Up” / “Cold As […]

We are in the midst of a month that commemorates and memorializes people and events in Black History. It was in 1921 that Black Wall Street, a prominent Black owned business district was burned to the ground. Now, 86 years later, that name has re-emerged. This time, it’s taking on a whole new meaning. The […]