Kokane: Down for the Upstroke

“I’m G-Unit, period,” is what Kokane told AllHipHop.com last month. We wanted to capture one of the West Coast legends on his way to his overdue recognition. The fifteen plus year Funkster/MC/Preacher has much to be happy about. We looked at his early years, the state of the unified West Coast, his time with Death […]

The Rebirth of Kool G Rap Part 2

Kool G Rap’s musical career has been a journey that most Hip-Hop aficionados could only dream of. Now the self-proclaimed “Donald Goines of Rap” plots a simultaneous comeback and exit from a profession he helped pioneer since the 80s. AllHipHop chronicles this expedition in THE REBIRTH OF KOOL G RAP, a reoccurring feature. Check in […]

Ruff Ryders: Treading

Sometimes above the music, the Ruff Ryders are to thank for a style. In the wee hours of a school night, young children of the hood tear through West Philadelphia on one wheel. No lights, no supervision, no curfew. While neighborhood watch might be up in arms, Wah Dean would be proud. As the mastermind […]

Emanon: Nickel Bags of Funk

If good things really do come to those who wait, that explains why Emanon’s long-awaited debut LP is a triumph – 15 straight tracks of bona fide goodness. Southern Cali products Aloe Blacc and Exile have been laying down tracks together for more than a decade now, but The Waiting Room marks their first full-length […]

Joe Budden: Soul Man

To those that know Joe Budden, he has truly one of the most complex rapper narratives in Hip-Hop. He takes you along for rides you may know all too well, and shows you things you might not have otherwise looked into. Whether or not you’ve ever lived in the hood, the themes in a Budden […]

Webbie: Young & Thuggin’

It’s summertime, and they are supposed to be hot, but if you have been to the club lately, especially down South, there is a scorching song blazing dance-floors and hoods everywhere. A street hymn that has caught the attention of both men and women alike is, “Gimme That” by Webbie of Trill Entertainment, a label […]

SunN.Y.: Breakin’ In

SunN.Y. knows the history of the rappers that have gone before him only to achieve marginal success on the commercial plane. But, when Jermaine Dupri scooped him off the stage of BET’s 106&Park, he and Sun knew that they would approach the game in a more direct fashion than previous Freestyle Friday Hall of Famers. […]

T.Waters: Flooded

Sure, the South still has the Silkk the Shocker’s and the Lil’ Jon’s of the world, but dudes like T.I. and Young Buck are making sure that Southern cats don’t lose their cool when it comes to lyrical content. For his next wave of So So Def youngsters, Jermaine Dupri follows the recent trend, introducing […]

Young Jeezy: Primetime

Young Jeezy’s name has skyrocketed in the last year, and into overdrive the last month. He is the opposite of what the “New South” has come to signify. His depth betrays the simplicity of his words, and his flow make his tales of survival that much more real. He has no doubt about who he […]

Yukmouth: Dial A Thug

In the movies, mobsters cut off the pinky ring, with the finger still attached, of their nemesis and give it to the Boss as proof that the task at hand has been dealt with. In Hip-Hop, the infamous medallions known as bling that represents the “family” the said rapper is a part of seems to […]

Three 6 Mafia: How High

What’s more American than rugged individualism, ambition, drugs, popular culture and the aggressive pursuit of happiness? The Three Six Mafia represents the good, the bad and the most illicit residue of stateside culture. But that’s what makes the team of Juicy J, DJ Paul and others like Crunchy Black so interesting…we can live vicariously through […]

Krayzie Bone: Boiling Point

Enough is enough! After dealing with ten years worth of frustrations, Krayzie Bone is sick and tired of Bizzy Bone’s “antics.” While the friction between Bizzy and Bone Thugs was made public during Bizzy’s controversial appearance at a Houston radio station last month. According to Krayzie, the problems with Bizzy are deep and complex, and […]

Bizzy Bone: The Understanding

Straight up, Bizzy Bone is confounding. But when he interviewed with a Houston-based radio station earlier this year, his enigmatic mystique grew in monolithic proportions. Bizzy, once was a member of Bone Thugs N Harmony, attempted to explain his seemingly erratic, odd and even daunting behavior that day. But, the world didn’t seem to acknowledge […]