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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

In today’s day and age, prosecutors have new a new weapon against some defendants- lyrics. Almost a decade after C-Bo proved this to be true in the Pacific Northwest, Fort Worth native, Twisted Black, learned this first hand when some of his lyrics were turned against him in a trial during which he stands charged […]

What does it mean to be Black in America in 2007? The past year watched Sean Bell’s murder and Michael Richards’ rant prove that White on Black racism in America is very much alive. But in certain lights, things are a changin’. For instance, some project that Young Buck’s Buck the World album could certify […]

AllHipHop.com: After the tour, Nas throws a dart at you on the song “Nastradamus.” How did you feel when you originally heard that? When I saw you coming up I know you had a lot respect for Esco before that. Memphis Bleek: Man, Nas was one of the first original Gs of videos. He had […]

At a time when rappers are bragging about tropical islands, penthouse boardrooms, and Connecticut gated communities, Memphis Bleek is making a b-line for Brooklyn. “This new album is going to be so crack because I’m so involved in the streets right now man, I might as well get me a brick and ride around in […]

On his diss record to 50 Cent, Cam’ron taunts “This ain’t a label Curtis, I’m freakin’ with family.” And during the filming of the “Cuurtis” video in Harlem, where Cam is jumping out of caskets, surfing car roofs and poly’n with his peoples ‘til day break, family is exactly who he is surrounded by. The […]

2006 was a year of hits and misses for Mobb Deep. On one hand, their deal with G-Unit shot their creative energy through the roof, and the buzz behind Blood Money was arguably their greatest promotional effort since their classic release, The Infamous. But at the same time, Blood Money is also regarded as one […]