W hen Cee-Lo Green and Danger Mouse began recording what would become Gnarls Barkley’s St. Elsewhere in 2003, the uncanny pair simply envisioned a pet-project that they could possibly shop to an indie label. Three years later, their debut song “Crazy” is a record-breaking, genre-jumping single in the UK that just started infecting American airwaves, […]
S ome people have all the luck while others get a raw deal. Smiley the Ghetto Child has been devoted to Hip-Hop for over two decades, and he just released his first album. Fans may remember Smiley as the guest verse on Group Home’s#### 1995 single, “Tha Realness.” Just days before appearing in the video […]
T here isn’t just one Mike Watts chopping and screwing his records. While one might be more recognizable than the other, Philadelphia’s Mike Watts isn’t changing his name anytime soon. In fact, the two artists shared legal counsel at one time, and acquaintances in Houston’s Lil’ Troy. While some might be quick to judge the […]
Between the success of Mike Jones, Paul Wall, and Slim Thug, Swishahouse Records was a proud father of artists in 2005.. However, as Chamillionaire and Slim Thug fared well without the label at times, Mike Jones has also recently been declaring his own independence. Michael “5000” Watts and G-Dash say otherwise, and responded to comments […]
L ady Sovereign may be 5’1” tall, but don’t underestimate this young woman’s fierce presence. The self-proclaimed “biggest midget in the game” created such a stir on the underground UK scene, that it persuaded Jay-Z to bring her over the pond to a Def Jam/Island Records contract. Some critics forecast this union of unique talent […]
MC Shan’s albums vanished from record store shelves 15 years ago, and yet he is party to one of Hip-Hop’s most celebrated battles. When cousins Shan and DJ Marley Marl released “The Bridge” in 1986, they soon found themselves with a big slab of beef on the grill. KRS-One and Boogie Down Productions stood up […]
D re envisions a solo career. As half of Cool & Dre, the Miami hit-maker has watched his status rise with each single the pair places on a top-selling album. After last year’s “Hate It Or Love It,” a collaboration with The Game and 50 Cent, the Miami duo has schooled other artists on how […]
As artists like 50 Cent, Cam’ron and Papoose created legitimate careers from the mixtape culture in varying degrees. So has Balance. The Bay artist rose from the ashes of the 90’s decline in his underrepresented region. Under the tutelage of the legendary EA-Ski, Balance’s verses received prime placement on mixtapes, even in the competitive rigors […]
Hip-Hop loves a leak, for better or worse. Whether it’s a crowned veteran or the proclaimed leader of the new school, early access to albums is always in demand. Even if the response is overwhelmingly positive, the labels aren’t as enthused as the fans. For example, Ras Kass’ Van Gogh and Large Professor’s The LP […]
I n Los Angeles’ notorious Watts section, Jay Rock is bidding for the spotlight in the West Coast rap revival. This artist might not have the prolific personnel backing of peers like The Game or Ice Cube, or the highbrow affiliations like rookies Bishop Lamont and Glasses Malone. But, Warner Brothers has taken a chance […]
C elebrity publicists are almost as famous as the superstar clients they represent – they’re the hottest trend! For superstar rapper Lil’ Kim, her PR accessory is Tracy Nguyen. It is Nguyen who appeared in the background of BET’s reality show, Lil’ Kim: Countdown to Lockdown. The series chronicled a time in Kim’s life that […]
Check out part two of AllHipHop.com’s Mike Jones interview… AllHipHop.com: What’s good with Paul Wall? I heard he just had a baby. Mike Jones: Yeah. Congrats to Paul Wall. He just had a little boy. I hit him on the day he was born. AllHipHop.com: Can you get into your Punk’d episode? Mike Jones: You […]
M ike Jones was the only student of Houston’s 2005 graduation class that has experienced platinum success [Who Is Mike Jones.] despite the region’s industry takeover. Jones swears he was also the stepchild of the lot, which included acclaimed artists like Paul Wall, Slim Thug and Chamillionaire. A budding mogul, the rapper says he’s now […]
D uring his formative years, a young Torhi Harper’s close family stressed that luck was a delicate combination of preparation and opportunity. When most teenagers slaved at their sorry part-time jobs and prepped for the SAT’s, Torhi, or Murphy Lee and friends, the St. Lunatics, worked to fulfill their dreams as rap stars in the […]
W hat MC dare call himself an educated thug in this era of Hip-Hop? J.Bully represents a new breed of lyricist and a movement he deems “Educated Thug Muzik,” an interest group that intends to balance the genre a bit. In many ways, Bully represents the paranormal to rap though. He teaches a Hip-Hop course […]
S traight out of Wilson, North Carolina, K-Hill is one of the state’s brightest talents of today and tomorrow. The producer and MC gained notoriety from producing throwback-minded joints on Kaze’s Spirit of ‘94 project three years ago. While he says he wasn’t aware of the theme at the time, this is an artist with […]
T he female Hip-Hop head appears to resemble the Black man at first glace: an endangered species. However, upon deeper analysis and sincere study, it’s apparent that they are flourishing in some ways, while languishing in others. DJ Chela may not be a household name, but the spin-doctor seeks to change that notion and marshal […]
H ailing from North Carolina, Edgar Allen Floe has made a name for himself, writing and producing as one of 15 members in Hip-Hop’s ‘Knights of the Round Table,’ the Justus League. One might think that by having more members in your group than the Wu-Tang Clan, he would get a case of middle child […]
N orth Carolina’s agents are always on their grind to get quality Hip-Hop out to the masses. Little Brother’s sophomore album The Minstrel Show dropped this past September, and since then, the trio hasn’t stopped working. Most recently, they linked with DJ Drama for a “Gangsta Grillz” mixtape that connected the group to Mos Def […]
T he mid-90’s are fondly revered by Hip-Hop fans for several reasons. For starters, they defied convention. The things that were said and how they were presented were very different from today. The uncertainty on records like Group Home’s “The Realness” or Common’s “Nuttin’ To Do” made for audiences to relate, regardless of socioeconomics or […]
