Ever since Talib Kweli quietly stepped on to the scene in the late 1990s, his bars penetrated the ears of its listeners with stinging truth. His early classic, “The Manifesto” plowed the minds of the youth with lines like, “We pickin’ 100% designer name brand cotton, they still plottin’” and “Back in the day they […]
Tupac Shakur once said that his big mouth had the tendency to get him into a lot of trouble. The man responsible for violent songs like “Hit ‘Em Up” and “Bomb First” made his detractors confirm their beliefs when he got into trouble. And he sure did get in trouble a lot. He allegedly shot […]
The mid-to-late 90s can be best described as the gift and the curse for Hip-Hop Journalism. In one respect, the urban written word was in its heyday, where heads anxiously awaited how many mics an album received from The Source. The power of the pen echoed through publications laden with everything from beef to the […]
IIt’s been ten long years since Tupac Shakur’s untimely death, but his group, the Outlawz, continue to tear through the rap game at a same grueling pace. They started off as seven members but after Tupac’s death fate would downsize them, and now three remain: E.D.I., Kastro and Young Noble. They’ve consistently released solid albums […]
To his supporters, activist Dr. Mutulu Shakur is a political prisoner forced into an Atlanta-based penitentiary for crimes he didn’t commit. Since his capture and arrest on February 12, 1986, he’s been vehemently fighting for his freedom – nearly 20 years. In 1987, he was sentenced to 60 years in jail for an alleged conspiracy […]
After Tupac Shakur’s untimely death ten years ago today, his family fought for the control of his unreleased work and presented it to the world – in the process, selling millions of records, creating a successful clothing line, and producing an Oscar-nominated film. While Afeni Shakur was the engine that powered the franchise and is […]
In 1996, Rick Ross’ role in Hip-Hop was simply a fan. Living in Miami, no doubt pushing to the limit, Ross felt understood when listening to the struggles of Tupac Shakur on All Eyez on Me and Makaveli. “The Boss,” as Ross calls himself, was emotionally affected upon the loss of rap’s most colorful character. […]
The Runners don’t look like two men with their ear to the streets. The Orlando-based production duo is more GQ than they are AllHipHop. Their unapologetic fashion sense is a little flashier and more form-fitting than two men ingrained in Hip-Hop typically have. That’s a risky move in an industry that places as much emphasis […]
A lot can be said of Lil’ Jon’s patience. Years before he was the Crunk kingpin that was parodied by Dave Chappelle, revitalizing careers for Ice Cube and E-40, he was a studio rats for So So Def. On So So Def All-Stars volumes, fans hear a pre-sunglasses Lil’ Jon as well as one of […]
While most 22-year-olds are too busy making petty mistakes, Darryl Kevin Richardson II seems to have the wisdom and experience of a man who has seen much of what life has to offer. Luckily, even though the album is called Bred to Die, Born to Live, Richardson, better known as Lil’ Scrappy, is nowhere near […]
It’sprobably safe to say that the Wu-Tang Clan, sans actual instruments (a la The Roots), is the only group in Hip-Hop’s history to really come across as an actual band. Yeah, a band. Remember those? I know, you thought those were just for Rock & Rollers. Each member plays his respective role and serves as […]
“You know dead rappers get better promotion…” -Styles P, “We Gon’ Make It” Something many forget or refuse to recognize is that art is immortal. Long after an artist’s life is over, they continue to live through their work. Music is no exception. 2Pac and B.I.G. are perfect examples of artists who in their lives […]
As Wu-Tang week winds down, a running theme with the Clan members has been one of disenchantment. Whether it was Meth’s dissatisfaction with Def Jam, Raekwon’s pressure to meet expectations, or Inspectah Deck’s need to be heard, the brothers from Shaolin all seem to have something to talk about. And as it’s been years since […]
Throughout Wu-Week, both GZA and Masta Killa cosigned that Inspectah Deck has long been a cypha show-stealer for the Wu-Tang Clan. Whether he was comparing himself to Spiderman on “Protect Ya Neck” or impersonating a masked Peter Parker in the “Triumph” video, Deck has always been a musical marvel. Unfortunately, the Staten Island MC has […]
There was no figuring out Ol’ Dirty Bastard. Was he a wily Hip-Hop jester or a tragically misunderstood apostle of the Wu-Tang Clan? Both scenarios, and all points in between, are debatable, but what is certain is that his deeds were legendary. Whether it be saving a child pinned underneath a car in front of […]
Just when a Wu-Tang verse seems battered and bruised from eight other swarming MCs, it is never been uncommon for Ghostface Killah to stomp the beat out with a surly sixteen. The Staten Island 36-year-old MC clearly represents the era when rap was not so formulaic. From his unique brand of ice-cream cone eating swagger […]
Method Man’s name, stage persona and music are defined by an intoxicating mixture of gruff flows, sharp lyricism and witty magnetism. Truth be told, he was the only member of Wu-Tang Clan recognizable to the general population for the longest. The tall, lanky, charismatic rapper has come quite a ways from his discovery in 1992, […]
When Only Built 4 Cuban Linx came out in 1995, he launched a genre within rap, using coded language to describe cocaine sales. Armed with a concept, dope beats and a charismatic partner-in-crime, Ghostface Killah, Raekwon the Chef carved out a spot in Hip-Hop history for himself. Not only was the music hot, but so […]
From the moment the world heard Masta Killa’s clean-up verse on the Wu-Tang Clan classic “Da Mystery of Chessboxin,’” it was obvious that the quality of rap lyrics stepped up about three notches. Masta Killa was the silent horse, called upon for lethal injection as needed. While the rest of the Wu released groundbreaking LPs […]
G oing into its thirty-third year, Hip-Hop has spun on pitch with the times. But as wise words echo from a true originator, the hands of time might want to cut the record back. Pee Wee Dance was expressing himself in the would-be culture when Richard Nixon was America’s president. The man’s role in Hip-Hop […]
