Any man who has ever played the wall at a club can tell you there’s nothing more refreshing than an assertive woman. In the world of Rap, it’s an understatement to say it requires assertion to come of age around Suge Knight, Dr. Dre, Snoop, and Tha Dogg Pound. The Lady of Rage’s pounding lyricism […]

Nothing looks sweeter on a Technics 1200 platter than the classic yellow felt Nervous Records slipmats. Depending on your lifestyle, you might go with the Wrecked or Weeded variation, but these mats were a staple in chill-spots for my growing up, and my awakening to Hip-Hop. The Nervous logo and company manifesto has never changed. […]

My, how times have changed. On the famous Tommy Boy label, Stetsasonic’s “Talkin’ All That Jazz” addressed controversy within sampling, and became an anthem for any producer getting served by Barry White or The Turtles. However, Tommy Boy’s music has always showed a higher appreciation for the records used to create their own classics. 45 […]

While keeping it gangsta isn’t a priority on Merlino’s agenda, he’d probably find it a lot easier than many of his Hip-Hop peers. His family had involvement with La Costra Nostra, one of history’s most notorious organized crime families. The Merlino legacy goes beyond Philadelphia street stories—the Merlinos are documented in The Last Gangster: A […]

Since 1992, the Pharcyde has been lacing Hip-Hop heads with a conscious and alternative sound. When Delicious Vinyl dropped their debut The Bizarre Ride II, the Pharcyde established themselves as a pivotal force in Hip-Hop gaining support from not only fans but fellow artists as well although was not completely felt by critics. But it […]

As the precursor for his long awaited and highly anticipated next release, Trauma serves as an ample title for the soon to be released mixtape from one of the West coasts most enigmatic pioneers. Typically trauma is a catalyst for some type of change, and with hip-hop arguably in a state of emergency, Quik aims […]

For the last decade, groups like Mood and Five Deez have given Cincinnati its place in Hip-Hop history. But perhaps Hi-Tek’s work with Snoop and G-Unit isn’t the only thing that’s gangsta about Southern Ohio. Czar*Nok is a duo ten years in the making that aims to shed light on the Nati’s underbelly, while still […]

The last time AllHipHop.com caught up with The Game, "300 Bars" was just days away from dropping. I’d say at least 200 of those bars gave the streets something to talk about, and a lot of follow-up questions. It turns out that our man Semtex over in London just caught Chuck Taylor swinging through, and […]

With books, film, video games, drinks, clothing, a label, and an already platinum music career, 50 Cent is going to soon require a consumer report of his own. In the event that’s not going to happen, AllHipHop.com wanted to check with 50 on his many forms of merchandise, and get a sense of just how […]

50 Cent’s empire is under siege. Clearly, the lyrical assault by various posses, crews and cliques has been a partial construct of the Southside, Queens native. Although his adversaries have come back at him as if they were avenging a brother’s death, Fiddy’s gate has withstood the battering – and thrived amidst the adversity. He’s […]

Tony Yayo is a loose cannon. While his man Fif was busy putting the rap game in a choke hold, the Talk of New York, as he’s known now, was only the talk of Rikers Island back then [what up Mike Joooones!] due to parole violations stemming from gun charges he caught while hugging the […]

Kool Keith and his many pseudonyms first put his name in the game as a member of the Ultramagnetic MC’s. Since then, Keith has blazed a trail with a variety of different solo projects under a number of different names. Somewhere after Black Elvis and before Diesel Truckers, a portion of Keith’s audience dropped the […]

David Banner’s album covers have always showed the pained disposition of a man with the weight of the world on his shoulders. AllHipHop.com wanted to see why exactly that is. There’s a history of blood in Mississippi’s soil, it’s not surprising that its brightest star wouldn’t settle for speaking without thinking. The inquisition and introspection […]

Who would have thought? After all of the things that have been said, and all the harsh words, Daz and Kurupt are finally back together – the most significant reunion since The Fugees and A Tribe Called Quest. While once bitter enemies, through the help of Snoop Dogg and his push for West Coast unity, […]

The days of concept albums appeared to be a thing of the past. Recently, people have been concentrating on quantity over quality – and real music lovers often feel cheated when purchasing a CD. Proof, an essential ingredient of D-12 is dropping his debut and not only is it a concept album, it is packed […]

A little over a year ago people started seeing a change in the sound from the Bay. It was getting thicker, harder and the rhyme schemes over them had a new edge. Pretty soon everybody was gettin’ “hyphy”. Hyphy is to the Bay what Crunk is to the South. It drives hard, gets people wild […]

The Southern regions of the America have boasted a host of hot, classic songs over the last ten years. Rising from an auspices of just the faithful few to receiving spins in the North, the East, the West, and around the globe. Below the Mason-Dixie, the key difference from other Hip-Hop tracks is the beat. […]

When diamonds literally cost an arm and leg, is it really worth it? “Wodi, I’m tattooed and barred up/ Medallion iced up/Rolex bezelled up/ And my pinky ring is platinum plus/ Earrings be trillion cut/ And my grill be slugged up…” -Baby, “Bling, Bling,” Cash Money Millionaires (1999) The concept of “bling,” a term so […]

People with crystal balls, astrology degrees, and too much time on their hands might try to tell you that Royce Da 5’9” was destined to be where he is today. He’s a Cancer. No, not the kind that comes from smoking, radiation, or other causes and spreads like wildfire. The kind that’s born in July. […]

Brooklyn rapper Maino will tell you he recognizes what is real and what isn’t. When it’s the only thing that you know, you have no other choice. Not only is Maino determined to keep his music in the streets, but also hustle the game for everything its worth. AllHipHop.com spoke with Maino about running through […]