It is a wonder how such a jewel like K Banger has been kept secret for so long. The Central Jersey native and Scienz of Life crew member has infiltrated into the music industry from all directions. Working with The Dirt Department, Inc. he learned how to license music for broadcasting and film. He has […]

Common has always been anything but a run of the mill emcee. The Chi-Town lyrical kingpin has long possessed a special brand of flow that has granted him champion MC status in the eyes of anyone from kids who chill on a quad or hug the block, to grown ups leading boardroom conferences or amassing […]

When you think of the Miami Hip-Hop scene, the first thing that comes to mind is Trick Daddy, Pitbull and Uncle Luke. Lyricism is something that was unheard of coming from Miami, or so it would seem. Underground rapper, Garcia is here to set the record straight on this misconception with his sophomore album titled […]

Let’s be frank here, Hip-Hop has been in a slump. The music during the first half of 2007 has been somewhat lackluster, because most releases, especially mainstream offerings, generally haven’t been worth sitting through. Enter, Chamillionaire who has just released his Mixtape Messiah 3 mixtape.  Even though the Houston native son’s hiatus hasn’t been long […]

What a marvelous twenty years it has been. We’ve seen Wesley Snipes canoodle with an Italian girl (Jungle Fever). We’ve seen Whoopi Goldberg with sunglasses and a matching nun outfit (Sister Act) and we’ve even seen 50 Cent relive his life story beside Joy Bryant in two hours flat (Get Rich or Die Tryin’). Through […]

After establishing himself as the lyrical component of one of most influential duos in Hip-Hop, Gang Starr, Guru’s name does carry some serious weight. To the commercially driven aficionados of today’s Hip-pop his prophecies will more than likely fall upon deaf ears; but to the true disciples of Hip-Hop his presence will be forever welcomed. […]

On his seminal hit “Get By,” Talib Kweli rhymed that he could “paint a picture with the pen like Norman Mailer.” It’s no coincidence that the Brooklyn-born MC name-checked the 84 year-old novelist and playwright. Anybody that knows Kweli recognizes that he has surrounded himself with literature and art— including his burgeoning library in his […]

One might expect that a Grammy nominated, former Interscope artist might be more of a household name. But to be an underground MC from the West, you just have to accept early on that there’s a good chance you’ll never get over with the national audience. While Southern artists are the most vocal about having […]

In a world where live instrumentation continuously fights for its old soul, Chromeo could be perceived as the antithesis to the struggle. Then again, on their synth-heavy follow-up Fancy Footwork (Vice), Chromeo wears their millennium shoes to tap on an ’80s dancefloor…in a ’70s club. Three years ago, the Canadian duo—P-Thugg and Dave 1—strutted their […]

Giving new meaning to exposing and entertaining (also the tag line of her popular morning show), controversial radio show host Miss Jones (nee Tarsha Jones) makes her literary debut with her autobiographical memoir Have You Met Miss Jones? (One World/Ballantine ). The tome is a personal and revealing look into the life of the outspoken […]

An integral member of the Gang Starr Foundation, Big Shug is still standing tall as he releases his sophomore LP, Street Champ (Babygrande). Mark his words, he is a battle rap champion. Shug is featured on two of Gang Starr’s most gangsta tracks; “F.A.L.A.” off of the 1994 Hard To Earn and “The Militia” from […]

“The truth always turns out to be simpler than you thought,” is the ominous quote that appears on screen when Life After Death: The Movie commences. Produced by The Notorious B.I.G.’s best friend and Lil’ Kim’s former manager D-Roc, the documentary is essentially his side of the story. That story being the debacle that occurred […]

Remember those days when chillin’ in the park and vibing to music was all you lived for? Boston-native, Raheem Jamal brings everyone back to those laid back summer days with feel good music blasting from his Boombox (Brick/Traffic). Jamal’s lyricism fills Boombox with all the essentials: women, love, money, weed and social change.As Jamal brings […]

At first glance, you might just write Golden off as being just another white rapper. On his debut release Peddling Medicine (FreeFlo Records), he is not shy about bringing up that very topic on the first track, “It aint Me.” Yes, he’s white, but is adamant about not being compared to Eminem, Bubba Sparks, or […]

Just one full listen to Peanut Butter Wolf Presents…Chrome Children, Vol. 2 (Stones Throw) and you have to wonder, is there anything Stones Throw can’t do? The cult-status indie label continuously cranks out one quality record after another, reminiscent of Rawkus’ 1990s reign, except with digital savvy. During this era of uncertainty about the direction […]

A person whose taste in music is truly diverse is a rare find. Even more atypical is a person who has a knack to put together compilations that, while sundry, leave a sound connected to them. The London born, New York bred Mark Ronson is of that uncommon elk. The DJ turned producer has complied […]

Kurupt, iconic west coast rapper and member of Tha Dogg Pound, presents Likwit Crew producer J. Wells on Digital Smoke (Bonzi Records). Not only do the lyrics emulate the style of Cali Hip-Hop, but J Wells’ production takes it back to early Dre days. The album is a homage to the originators of G-Funk, such […]

After a blockbuster signing-bonus, 2006 watched Big Tuck tucker out. After Universal’s eight-figure frontier into Dallas rap failed to go gold, it’s remarkable that the executives would green-light Tum Tum’s Eat or Get Ate (T-Town/Universal Republic) so quickly. But like the release’s title suggests about street culture, Tum Tum’s marketability and talent may decide the […]

If you hadn’t heard of NYOil before reading this review, you no longer have an excuse. NYOil is an enigmatic emcee hailing from Staten Island who has already stirred up controversy thanks to his song “Y’all Should All Get Lynched” (Its video, incidentally, was removed from YouTube almost immediately after its posting due to “inappropriate […]

Hip-Hop is dead has become a commonplace nuance in discourse about the current state of rap music. Similarly, ingenuity in R&B has died down as well as it appears musicians (both rappers and singers) no longer carry the passion for their crafts that they once did. So, it’s refreshing to stumble upon a project like […]