Major Label Albums of the Year: King by T.I. (Grand Hustle/Atlantic) After two successful albums – and a debut flop, T.I. crowned himself with his fourth full length in early 2006. Bolstered by the synthed out Roberta Flack sample for “What You Know” and Crystal Waters-inspired "Why U Wanna" T.I. songs asked many questions, that […]
Best Mixtapes of 2006: Best of The Roots by DJ J Period The Bay-meets-Brooklyn DJ did it to death this year, when he linked up with Black Thought for an official Roots jump off tape. With over 50 tracks, J Period added blends, rare verses, and remix material that helped show why Stetsasonic may’ve started […]
Artists We Expected To See, But Didn’t… Talib Kweli Listen! was all set to drop, and then Warner Brothers got cold feet about something. Was it a weaker first single? Was it the poor sales of Lupe Fiasco, Jurassic 5, and others in 2006? Nobody’s sure, but if Blacksmith is worth their salt, they’d better […]
Lupe Fiasco just might be okay. No, he didn’t sell the units he or Atlantic Records executives probably had hoped for, but the Chicago MC secured critical acclaim including a Grammy Nomination, with a homegrown debut album. Moreover, in a year where stunting, ass-slapping, and gangbanging were at the forefront, Lupe held down the lane […]
For over a decade, KRS-One has campaigned that “I Am Hip-Hop” in part of his “Rap is something you do, Hip-Hop is something you live” mantra. With that conviction, The Teacha had to feel some kind of way when friend and associate Nas declared Hip-Hop’s death with his recent album title. With his own latest […]
In response to Nas’ Hip Hop is Dead song “Where Are They Now?”, AllHipHop.com decided to answer some of Nasir’s questions. Take a jaunt down memory lane, and find out what the greats of yesteryear are doing, the music they’re making, and what we can do to uphold their names. Redhead Kingpin: You know? This […]
Nas’ mission isn’t over. Hip Hop is Dead has moved appriximately 355,000 units according to SoundScan and blessed him with his third Number One album in the 12 years since many of us pulled the plastic off Illmatic. Fans and critics still talk about whether or not the genre is actually deceased, which has offered […]
W When you think of the West Coast, no particularly mixtape DJ comes to the average mind – as say a Drama in Atlanta or a Clue in New York. DJ Warrior is trying to change the way the industry looks at and markets the west with his Cali Untouchable Radio mixtape series and his […]
Often times, rappers are marginalized. One gun reference makes you a gangster rapper, and one push for piece makes you conscious. Kanye, GLC, and Common make G.O.O.D. Music hard to classify under these umbrellas, but Consequence may be even tougher. Birthed into the industry by way of A Tribe Called Quest’s Beats Rhymes & Life, […]
James Brown once sang “Santa Claus Go Straight to the Ghetto.” Certainly, that’s not always the case. But as many Hip-Hop and R&B stars will tell you, there are memories of all sorts. From the shoreline of Coney Island to the traps of Bankhead, AllHipHop asked various personalities to reflect on the nicer things they’ve […]
No matter how many artist bios or magazine articles you read, one thing remains the same: the best way to connect with your favorite MC’s is to pay attention to the lyrics. If you listen to Spider Loc’s “First Degree” he flatly states, “West Coast classic gimmie my space / and for the record I […]
DEATH AROUND THE CORNER A Novel By C-Murder “If I cry, his blood will be my tears.” The next day, Daquan awoke with a throbbing headache, and he couldn’t unknot his stomach. Even the smell of Grandma Mama’s gumbo didn’t give him an appetite for anything other than blood. He showered and dressed quickly, then […]
Depending on who you ask, the word 8 Ball can take on different meanings. Ask my uncle, and he’d tell you he’s going to sink it every time. Ask a drug dealer, and he’ll give you a price. But ask anyone that’s ever stepped inside the world of Hip-Hop and they’d tell you he’s a […]
Housing the staples of Miami’s Hip-Hop scene is no hardship for Ted Lucas, CEO of Slip-N-Slide Records, but it is a far cry from the football field where he believed he would be making his money. With a roster that has continually maintained the relevance of this southern melting pot when it comes down to […]
Trina might seem one-dimensional in the eyes of some skeptics. The same woman who’s recorded songs such as “No Panties” and “69 Ways” has a soft spot…in her heart. Take note, the rap world didn’t accept her based solely on her voluptuous, southern curves or dirty mouth. Trina’s got substance on and off the mic. […]
Some things naturally complement each other; tight rhymes over thunderous beats are only the beginning ingredients of the Hip-Hop hit recipe. Before elements can be gathered and mixed properly, the right beat is mandatory. For a rapper, strong production can secure a single, or prove the variable in a hit or a flop. While newjacks […]
2006 has been a year where the DJ returned to the mainstream consciousness of Hip-Hop. DJ Khaled supplied a crossover album in Listennn while DJ Drama’s Gangsta Grillz mixtapes brought the best out in everybody from Little Brother to Lil’ Wayne. Michael “5000” Watts chopped and screwed numerous albums as DJ Nasty produced bangers for […]
In the eyes of the law, Project Pat may be some sort of menace to civilization, but those that come into contact with him know there’s more sides to him than a dice from a Dungeons and Dragon’s game. He’s a genuine sort of person with penchant for base, gutter lyrics – lyrics that were […]
When The Game visited the UK last week, I was honored to be granted a face-to-face interview. I was however warned that he may not turn up, say little, or could lock it off at any time. As I waited in the lobby of a posh London hotel, the previous journalist emerging from his own […]
If you look up the word Semtex in the English dictionary, you would find the definition: A general-purpose plastic explosive. But ask anyone from the UK to define Semtex and you would get: Hip Hop Radio/ Tour DJ, Def Jam UK Head A&R/ Marketing Honcho and UK Music Ambassador. With an insight in both the […]
