DJ Hi-Tek is too oft forgotten since his came into Hip-Hop attached to Talib Kweli as Reflection Eternal. Although Tek was largely responsible for Black Star, it is Train of Thought that remains a popular bid for the best album in the last five years. Easily put, Hi-Tek is to Cincinatti what Kanye West is […]

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 […]

AllHipHop.com: Can you give me a peek into the Late Registration? Kanye West: It will be co-produced by Jon Brion that did Magnolia, Enternal Sunshine for the Spotless Mind, and Fiona Apple. He plays every instrument. AllHipHop.com: What made you do that? Kanye West: That is what I do, have you heard the level of […]

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 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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

A few years ago, a hit single ransacked the streets, “Bling, Bling,” eventually it was a catch phrase and swept the world. Money and fame were everywhere for Cash Money, successful singles hitting airwaves in constant rotation in both radio and video. Together the collective was unstoppable, then inside quarrels in regards to mismanagement of […]

With the resurgence of West Coast Hip-Hop in full swing, several spectacular events have taken place. One is the West coast Peace Summit, another being the reunion of Tha Dogg Pound and the third the “How the West Was Won” tour with Snoop, Game and other notable West Coast all-stars. However, if you really want […]

It was his 1994 classic Resurrection that featured his timeless ode to Hip-Hop “I Used To Love H.E.R.” that established Common as one of the pioneers in conscious Hip-Hop; but unlike his predecessors, many knew that he was destined to be a long shining star. With a countless array of hit singles that not only […]

Longevity. Creativity. Thoroughness. These characteristics embody what most artists hope for out of a career in the music industry, but very few are able to attain. So if there were a class offered to students studying the art of the Hip-Hop game, needless to say, Big Boi of the famed duo OutKast would serve as […]

Since Freeway blazed Jay-Z’s “1-900-Hustler,” he’s remained a sturdy fixture in Hip-Hop. Now the Philadelphia native son returns with Free At Last, his second album. His debut, Philadelphia Freeway was a mere appetizer and soul food Free has in store. The bearded rapper known for his upset delivery is a man of few words, but […]

It’s nearly noon in New York City—Wall Street to be exact. Ironically, the business capital of the world is the perfect locale to conduct an interview with a young man about to turn the entertainment industry upside down after a two-year hiatus. With a new album, movie, tour, and television series all on his plate, […]

When DJ Vlad migrated to New York City from Oakland in 2003, he was dead broke, but was driven by the burning aspiration of making it in the music business as a mixtape DJ. After being in the big city for about a week, the virtual unknown received a surprising call from Justo Faison, who […]

AllHipHop.com was inundated with people that wanted to share their stories and feeling about Justo Faison of The Mixtape Awards. Below is a listing of the condolences and comments from a number of people in the music industry. DJ Jazzy Joyce (Hot 97): “I just saw Justo last Friday (May 6th). We stopped and talked […]

Last time AllHipHop.com sat down with our favorite – Jean Grae, she discussed Michael Jackson, male nipples, and even the prospects of motherhood. Jean had so many interesting things to say, that we thought now was as good a time as any, to update for the fans, stalkers, and inquiring minds that wanted just a […]

The views expressed inside this editorial aren’t necessarily the views of AllHipHop.com or its employees. Earlier this month the federal government issued a statement in which they labeled Joanne Chesimard, known to most in the Black community as Assata Shakur, as a domestic terrorist. In so doing, they also increased the bounty on her head […]

Knowledge is not something that can be bought, but rather attained. Over the years, Hip-Hop music has grown from a young cry of escaping the ghetto, to the booming voice of million-dollar-a-year money making industry. Through this growth and progression, the question, “Has Hip-Hop forgotten where it came?” has become a major issue. In honor […]

Zero is defined as the lowest common denominator. Many consider zero to have no numerical value to the point where they do not even acknowledge that it is the beginning of the number scale. Since his release from jail, Z-Ro has proven himself most valuable to Rap-A-Lot records, the Southern Hip-Hop community, and listeners everywhere. […]

If you like the sound of Pretty Ricky’s new music, it might not just be the video and singing. The producers behind the hit “Grind With Me,” and much of the album, have been a long time coming. After all, they were the genius behind Trick Daddy’s “Let’s Go” and Pitbull’s “Damn It.” Three hits […]