Features

Big Shug is that dude who held doors for everybody until there was no room left to get in. At least, that’s how it would seem. Luckily, when you’re as big as Shug, you can shove your way in whenever you want. That’s exactly what the Gang Starr Foundation father out of Boston is doing. …

“Dope beats, dope rhymes/ What more do y’all want?” –Phonte, on Little Brother’s “Not Enough” This straightforward question seems rather telltale for Little Brother’s current mood. In some ways, the North Carolina-based trio [MC’s Phonte and Rapper Big Pooh, and producer 9th Wonder] have reluctantly been cast as Hip-Hop’s “saviors.” Amidst an industry abundant in …

Remember when A Tribe Called Quest helped usher in Jay Dee to Hip-Hop ears? Though he’s not 9th Wonder, Holland’s Nicolay has gained a lot of fans, respect, and work after last year’s Connected project with Phonte, as Foreign Exchange. Although Little Brother may be skeptical of the internet reaction to certain things in Hip-Hop, …

In 1993, Hip-Hop in America was so light-hearted that a group named Yall So Stupid dropped a all-but-forgotten album called Van Fulla Pakistans on Rowdy Records – to limited success. Hard to imagine – through today’s memory. As it were, after 2001 though, such a title could hault even the smartest publicity campaign. Old jokes …

AllHipHop.com: One of the big issues surrounding The Minstrel Show has been magazine’s album ratings. What are your opinions on the reviews? 9th Wonder: Regardless of what people feel, those magazine ratings definitely help record sales. Credible or not, they help. Big Pooh: When you go into a bookstore, you may not even buy the …

It may not be easy to spot now, but going to the “big house” may be the best thing to happen to Lil’ Kim’s career. Based on a recent interview on BET’s “106 & Park” she indicated that knows this notion to be true. “I’m gonna go do what I gotta do for a year …

As Mike Jones, Slim Thug, and Paul Wall garner mainstream recognition in 2005, Chamillionaire patiently waits. After all, some critics claimed he carried the 2002 Get Ya Mind Correct album that put him and Paul Wall, then as a group, on the map. Though the Swisha House affiliation and the independent labels have progressed to …

Tupac Amaru Shakur fathered so many minds in Hip-Hop. Many people, if given the chance to have dinner with anybody, would opt for Tupac. At 13 years old, Candyman 187’s father-figure became the late, great rapper who died nine years ago, today. Chances are, you haven’t heard of Candyman. That guessed, you’re probably unaware of …

A decade of artistry surfaced for many people when California’s Murs linked up with North Carolina’s 9th Wonder to release Murs 3:16 on New York’s Def Jux label. One of the inspired listeners was film student with a mission to get discovered. A year and a half later, Murs’ song, “Walk Like a Man” has …

Paul Wall’s smile costs a fortune. Perhaps he protects his investment in being a man of few words and many blinding smirks. The Houston rapper, who lives at Asylum/ Swishahouse Records,is on the fringe of releasing The People’s Champ to more fans than he’s ever had in his releases. With supporting appearances by Freeway, Screwed …

Crack. The name alone evokes a million thoughts. Many reading these words knows someone or is related to a person that has succumbed to the drug’s hypnotic grasp. Today Hip-Hop stands in the aftermath of one of the most deadly drug epidemics to ever hit the planet. In the new book A Time Before Crack, …

While Eminem’s annual Anger Management Tour and Jay-Z’s Fade To Black make national headlines with their three-month concert circuits, touring is a way of life for One Be Lo. The Pontiac, Michigan native has been winning fans over with his live shows ever since he was named OneManArmy, one-half of Midwestern gurus, Binary Star. He …

Lil’ Kim is about to go away for a while. But, the pint-sized rapper isn’t leaving without leaving an indelible mark that will hold fans down until she returns from 366-day bid in prison. Kim’s new album, The Naked Truth, hits stores on September 27, and her fourth opus is already being touted as her …

In an industry dominated by new, young talent, it’s not easy for a rapper with a career spanning more than ten years to be taken seriously. Sure, that rapper would be respected, but not necessarily as someone who could drop a relevant album. Those who have tried, with the exception of a rare few, have …

“There were like bodies floating past my front door,” one New Orleans resident said weeping. “We did the best we could.” The masses remain shocked, stunned and saddened by the annihilation left by Hurricane Katrina on Louisiana, Mississippi and parts of Alabama. The Hip-Hop community was built on a foundation of struggle and anguish, but …

The Lone Star state is home to some of the most influential rappers and independent labels in the country. In the last few months, two of Texas’ own have debuted in top positions on the Billboard music charts. We all know that behind every great rhyme is a great beat. These two brothers have been …

With so many new artists and musicians coming out of ATL, sometimes it’s hard to keep up with some of the town’s elder statesmen. The Youngbloodz have been on the grind since the late 90’s, but have yet to garner the praise that they deserve. J-Bo and Sean Paul have been through a series of …

Pioneer, icon, trendsetter. Any of these words can be used to describe one of Hip-Hop’s official first lady’s, MC Lyte. These day’s however, she’s feeling another title, author. As she ventures in to yet another medium to get her message to the masses, Lyte uses a tool that she has come to master-words. As an …

Trick Trick, the infamous independent selling artist from Detroit is as real as they come. He was framed for murder by the Detroit Police, fought the charge and beat it, so it is not surprising how thankful he is for his ability to hit the streets and the skies to travel, all be it for …

The last time AllHipHop.com featured Slim Thug, Already Platinum seemed like a political campaign from a president – questionable. Already, Slim Thug has affirmed what Mike Jones showed early, and what Paul Wall is likely to punctuate – that Houston is beastly in the ’05 Rap Game. It hasn’t been since Lil’ Flip’s commercial boom …