Jim Jones: Diplomatic Immunity

Whether he’s traveling the country, pent up in the studio, strategizing the next corporate hustle, or just out on the daily grind with his Dipset fam, Jim Jones knows that his role in the world doesn’t stop at ‘artist’. The capricious Capo of Harlem’s heavily hyped Diplomats crew never sleeps on opportunity, and he’ll be […]

Mase: Lord Willin’

Hip-Hop’s prodigal son has returned. Mase exited the rap game five years ago after experiencing tremendous multi-platinum success with his album, Harlem World. He was Bad Boy Records’ marquee artist during the windfall after the death of Biggie Smalls. Before his sophomore CD, Double Up, emerged a couple of years later, Mase had hung up […]

Lil’ Flip: Down & Dirty

Flip is coping with success the best way he can. After a decade’s worth of grinding, he moved to major status and has dealt with the roller coaster called fame. With a local following threaded in street credibility, there was beef and rap tofu knocking on his front door. In a recent interview with AllHipHop.com, […]

Banks & Buck: Pop & Politics Pt. 1

Over fifteen years ago, rap deity Dr. Dre helped birth N.W.A., one of the most radically active groups of all time. The Compton-based collective was armed with “street knowledge” and so are their descendents Young Buck and Lloyd of 50 Cent’s G-Unit. N.W.A. and G-Unit’s intellect manifests itself in different ways, but don’t assume these […]

Papoose: Focused Lyrically

It’s commonly understood that first impressions are of the utmost importance. This old adage can easily be applied to new MCs hoping to make names for themselves in this fickle rap climate. Coming with simple punchlines and on-beat freestyles are a thing of the past, especially after hearing ‘Alphabetical Slaughter” by Brooklyn resident Papoose. Running […]

AZ: Classic Material

AZ is vintage. Not Urban Outfitter-manufactured vintage, but genuine, back of the thrift store vintage. From his classic verse on Nas’s “Life’s a B***h” to his pairing with the QB vet on the Grammy-nominated “The Essence,” the Brooklyn-bred emcee has always embodied the sound of an influential era. Mid-90s New York, to be exact. But […]

Talib Kweli: Beautiful Hustle

From the most hedonistically concerned club hopper, to the most obsessively analytical college kid, and everyone else in between, Brooklyn’s Talib Kweli is respected and admired. “Get By,” from 2002’s Quality is Kweli’s biggest hit, and it proved to be a sign of things to come for Kweli. Many who have followed his career felt […]

Grafh : The Big Payoff

Back in 2002, the mixtape scene was rapidly launching little-known New York City rappers into the forefront of the hip-hop game. Names such as 50 Cent and Joe Budden were dominating the streets with various freestyles while making bootlegs by the likes of Kay Slay and DJ Clue must-haves. One MC whose name appeared alongside […]

Charlie 2Na: Jurassic One

In the Land of Milk and Honey, where everything isn’t always so sunny, it seems like it gets more difficult for musicians – especially Hip-Hop – to find the keys to longevity. Jurassic 5, however, one of West Coast hip-hop’s pioneers, has figured out how to allow six individual voices to stand out and stand […]

The Beatnuts: Back

The Beatnuts are one of the most criminally slept on crews, ever. “Off the Books” and “Watch Out Now” are gems for the history books. But while MTV might play an instrumental while their cornball hosts talk, you won’t see a Beatnuts heater getting airplay. Like a lot of artists, JuJu and Psycho Les have […]

Kwame: Nobody’s Laughing

Hip-Hop hurts. I’m not talking about swinging bows and throwing fists. Hip-Hop, the industry, can cut deep, and some scars don’t heal. While most fifteen year olds might not know who Kwame was, they undoubtedly know the opening bars to Biggie’s “Unbelievable” that affirmed Kwame’s decline, and nearly blackballed him from ever being taken seriously […]