Ayatollah: Soul of Queens

At the arrival of Mos Def’s “Ms. Fat Booty”, Ayatollah’s deft reworking of an Aretha Franklin deep cut made him a sought-after producer. Rawkus may’ve been crucial to ‘Tollah’s arrival, but work followed with Ghostface, Rakim, and Smif-N’-Wessun, solidifying his staying power. The one-time Tragedy Khadafi DJ and student has risen to acclaimed ranks. Today […]

Needlz: Cue Burn

“A new producer’s on the rise? and you don’t want a problem with this guy.” No, really. The only thing slightly problematic nowadays is the overbearing corporate machine in the world of Hip-Hop music. One guy’s story combats this errie tradition. Needlz has a new sound and an old soul to break his own brand […]

S.A.S.: Change Clothes

England is notorious for its traditionalist values; change happens in the country eventually, but not as quickly as some would hope. The music industry is no different. One of England’s hottest exports this century has to be Pop Idol which translated state side as Fox’s####, American Idol. Rap, Hip-Hop, R&B has yet to be welcomed […]

Lord Finesse & A.G. : Encore

The Diggin’ in the Crates crew has a legacy paved in Gold. Though some of the records reached Gold status, it’s the bronzed respect of Hip-Hop that’s endured the group’s name. While Lord Finesse has taken a hiatus from releasing albums and producing, Buckwild has placed tracks on Game’s, 50 Cent’s, and Black Rob’s albums. […]

Skillz: The Will of a Ghostwriter

Skillz stops suddenly mid-sentence, glancing out of the corner of his eye. “He’s like, ‘You ever heard of Big L?’” he finally says, breaking the silence—almost with a giddy curiosity—from the other side of the table at Virgil’s BBQ in Times Square. He’s been eavesdropping intently on a fellow patron’s conversation. Seconds later, he’s turned […]

Troy Dunnit: Canada Fly

Troy Dunnit is making moves. Some may remember him from Montreal crew, Obscure Disorder, which also yielded Kanye West’s DJ, A-Trak. After a small success with Obscure Disorder, he has journeyed from the frozen north of Canada, to Kool G Rap’s proverbial mass-populated “streets of New York” to seek success. Perhaps it’s just as easy […]

The Reavers: Hard Times

The Hip-Hop supergroup is formed as needed. Diggin’ in The Crates arrived to attack stagnant production. The Wu-Tang Clan swarmed to return the ruggedness into raps. While individually, The Reavers may be unknown to many, this group of established underground artists united with social and musical cause. Vordul Megallah, Akir, Kong, Spiega, Dom Pacino, Billy […]