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 […]

Mikkey: Number One Pick

The Hip-Hop industry can be suffocating if you don’t set the business aspect of this game as your number one priority. Chicago’s multi-talented MC, Mikkey can vouch for that. Long before Kanye West was selling millions of records and winning Grammy’s, Mikkey was one of his closest friends. The two were inseparable, making music together […]

Kanye West: Pre-Registration Part One

Remember all that controversy when Kanye West proudly deeming himself a college dropout? Well, the Chicago resident opted to return with a Late Registration, the sophomore chapter in his ever-changing saga. But, in between albums, Kanye has seen himself the subject of scorn and worship alike. For example, his faux Gospel Rap song “Jesus Walks” […]

Do or Die: From the Corners

Do or Die gave us one of the first anthems that made pimpin’ commercially acceptable and cool, especially if you were Po’. Along with a Beatnuts backed Common Sense, they were also early trailblazers for Chi City Rap culture. While in some regions, the album sales and radio play might not reflect it, this duo […]

Junior M.A.F.I.A.: Back At It

As Ready To Die reached high plateaus, Biggie Smalls quickly created a platform for a nine of his closest friends. Junior Masters At Finding Intelligent Attitudes would go on to rule the year a decade ago with “Player’s Anthem” and “Get Money.” Names like Lil’ Cease and Lil’ Kim sprung into solo stature, and even […]

Bruce George: Poetic Justice

Almost anyone who knows anything about Hip Hop, knows that the Rap element is rooted in African oral poetry. Back in the early days, some people used to say that Rap was an acronym for “Rhythmic African Poetry.” Few people in this world understand the historical, social and political impact of the poets as Bruce […]