Trae: A Touch of Trae

R ap-A-Lot Records has helped make local luminaries Houston Hip-Hop royalty for the last 20 years. The label’s most recent experiment has been Trae, a longtime affiliate of both The Screwed Up Click and Guerilla Maab. A cousin to Z-Ro, Trae has watched his friends and family’s lives forever changed by the legal system. In […]

Jurassic 5: Five Alive

W hile the sickle on Rawkus Records’ logo popped the jiggy balloon in ‘90s New York, Jurassic 5 led the charge out West. The six man crew combined harmonious choruses, sample-stacked beats, and tangible concepts to release the critically acclaimed Quality Control, followed by a respected Power in Numbers. However, in the three years since, […]

Jim Jones: High Flying

I n the tight-lipped political world of Hip-Hop, perhaps Jim Jones is a revolutionary. The Diplomats’ movement has grown to one of the biggest forces in Hip-Hop, and their Capo still kicks it with street-corner candor. Maybe that’s why, if any rapper’s voyeuristic documentary appeals, A Day in the Fastlife lives up to its name. […]

Joe Budden: Live & Direct

O n his acclaimed eight-minute mixtape track, “Dumb Out,” Joe Budden professed, “Let me find out Hip-Hop turned Republican.” In the election for “King of New York,” perhaps Joe is a worthy third-party candidate. With hit records like the current assist on Ne-Yo’s “Sexy Love” and a rich history of introspective verses, Budden meets the […]

Yung Joc: Project Runway

Yung Joc’s catchy hit "It’s Going Down" was deemed the motto of AllHipHop.com’s 3rd Annual AllHipHop Week and the headlines the House of AllHipHop Fashion Show tonight (Aug. 7) in New York City (Tickets can be purchased at the door or Ticketmaster)! Like it or not, the rap game and the fashion industry go hand-in-hand. […]

Crazy Legs: Kick, Push

A lmost thirty years ago in 1977, the Rocksteady Crew came to life and set a standard in the Hip-Hop culture that would echo decades later. Richard “Crazy Legs” Colón, a then youngster with the liquid motion, evolved from a crew favorite to President of the Rocksteady empire. One of the longest standing crews in […]

Shabaam Sahdeeq: Lyrical Lazarus

J ust as the September 11th attacks attempted to shut down New York, Brooklyn-bred rapper Shabaam Sahdeeq’s career almost burned in the ashes. On the Sunday after the attacks, Sahdeeq, who had already been through conflicts with his former label Rawkus, was arrested and charged with armed robbery. While serving a three and a half […]

Gillie Da Kid: Face Off

I t appears coincidental that “Gillie” rhymes with “Philly.” However, the former Major Figgas front-man has represented for his hometown heavily over the last half-decade. Though he’s currently without a deal, and never achieved reputable sales, the street-savvy spitter believes he has a legion of fans over six-digits in the 215 area code alone. With […]

Fiend: Cell Therapy

P rophets can come from the strangest of places. Perhaps the man asking you for spare change in front of the bodega has spoken unforgettable wisdom. Fiend is no panhandler, but his name and his image has been built upon being a man of the people, dirty and clean. Of all the former No Limit […]

Sqad Up: Desperate Measures

N ew Orleans, Louisiana: a city hundreds of miles south of New York, has been referred to as the murder capitol of the nation. Yet, out of this violence emerged an influx of street entrepreneurs that made household names within No Limit and Cash Money Records. This culturally creative city, corrupted by Katrina’s chaos, has […]