Who is Marco Polo? The T Dot native has been creeping in the shadows of production for quite some time.  From lacing Masta Ace’s Long Hot Summer to Boot Camp Click’s The Last Stand, Polo’s production has been appreciated, but without a name or a face to attach with it. Now comes Marco Polo’s [cont.]

    Singer/Songwriter Ne-Yo doesn’t need to sing. The Las Vegas based artist had made his money as a premier songwriter some time ago, but there always seems to be that nagging bug that wonders “What if that was me instead of (place your favorite singer Ne-Yo has written for here)??” His chance came when he [cont.]

   Quannum is the home of what can be considered unconventional Hip-Hop. With acts like Blackalicious, Lyrics Born, and Honeycut amongst others, Quannum has carved its own niche in Hip-Hop, and music in general. Lifesavas are a collective consisting of Jumbo the Garbageman, DJ Shines and Vursatyl and made their presence felt previously on their debut Spirit [cont.]

    The Windy City has become the land of many emcees. From the Common’s and Kanye’s, to the Twista’s and Do or Die’s, all the way down to the Vakill’s and Molemen, Chi-town has constantly made their presence felt through every facet of Hip Hop. Capital D (one half of All Natural) is one of [cont.]

    Remember when Tha Dogg Pound went stomped through NYC and kicked over buildings with Snoop on “New York New York”? Or how about Daz and Kurupt’s memorable verses on The Chronic and Doggystyle? Those were the days right? Since Death Row is no more, it has been difficult for Daz and Kurupt to reclaim [cont.]

   When J Rawls linked up with Declaime in Las Vegas, it almost became apparent that the two should work on a project together. Coupling Dudley’s spaced out rhymes with Rawls’ underappreciated, soulful production, could turn out to be the equivalent of a Vegas lounge show. So to those two, who spent a week together [cont.]

     Musiq has had a recording life much longer than many artists in his genre. While the Neo-Soul tag has lost its luster and the sea of artists lumped in this genre have come and gone (Donnie, anyone?), it’s truly a wonder that Musiq still stands tall. Nothing about him has immediately shouted superb, but [cont.]

    Most in the Hip Hop and R&B worlds haven’t a clue as to who 4hero is, but to those who are familiar with downtempo music scene, 4hero are….well….heroes. Dennis “Dego” McFarlane and Mark “Marc Mac” Clair are considered pioneers of the movement and have been frolicking about the UK with their signature sound. Sooner [cont.]

    As Evidence prepared his solo entree for the world, The Weatherman, there were many questions that floated about. Was he separating with Rakaa & Babu for any specific reason? Was this just a one shot deal? Can he do it all by himself? Would this be the a candidate for album of the year when all [cont.]

    Black Milk is an emcee/producer who comes from the school of Detroit producers and class of J Dilla. While the comparisons can be lofty, they can also be flattering for an up and coming artist. Black Milk can hold onto the fact that the Dilla associations are expected. But considering how solid his new LP, [cont.]

(Mixtape album; no rating given)     There are certain emcees that you wish would have came out 10-15 years ago. Back when people appreciated skill over the nonsensical bullshit that’s released today. When an emcee could be an emcee, and people loved someone who could spit. Apathy is one of those emcees. He has everything [cont.]

   Canadian artist K-Os is much more an “artist”, than just an “emcee”. It’s hard to pigeonhole an artist as being simply a rapper, an emcee or a singer. K-Os is one of the few people that can be deemed as all three. He’s one of those people that can break down musical barriers and have you rethinking [cont.]

    Apparently, when you are an artist coming out of Detroit, you are instantly expected to be in the upper echelon of beatmakers and emcees. Consider the artists that have come from the motor city (J. Dilla, Eminem, Royce 5’9″, Slum Village) and it’s easy to understand why expectations are so high. Enter Ta’Raach (formally known [cont.]

   When your album starts with a “Whoomp….There It Is” sample, you are either interestingly daring, or setting people up for a horrendous listen.  Comprised of two white guys and two black guys, Plastic Little is a group whose aim isn’t to make great music, instead they would rather test your resilience with tasteless race [cont.]

    Mos Def has gone through one of the strangest transitions in Hip-Hop history. As a member of Black Star (with Talib Kweli and DJ Hi-Tek), Mos Def began to make a name for himself with his thoughtful rhymes and unique voice. By the time his solo debut, Black on Both Sides, dropped, Mos Def had [cont.]

     Remember the Juggaknots? For this generation of hip-hop fans, the answer is probably “no”, but for those who are deeply entrenched in the evolution of underground and east coast hip hop, the Juggaknots represent much more than a blank stare.  The duo that gave you “Clear Blue Skies” was supposed to do so much more [cont.]

   While the Wu dynasty reaches a point where a reunion album is nothing more than a myth (and a Rock The Bells concert), Ghostface continues to carry tradition on his back and broad shoulders. This year already saw Ghost come correct with Fishscale, but before the year closes out, Ghost has put together a [cont.]

   Chicago has become the quintessential breeding ground for Hip-Hop. It has taken every musical element from every coast and crafted its own niche in this culture. The Molemen (Panik and Memo) are a production team that can be considered as a part of the elder statesmen within this movement brewing. They embody the windy city [cont.]

   If there ever was an award for the dopest emcee who never got the credit he deserved, it would have to go to AZ. While it can be argued that AZ has never lived up to the lofty expectations placed on him after his scathing verse on Nas’ “Life’s A Bitch”, AZ has always [cont.]

   Emcees come from various backgrounds. Some pushed drugs, some gangbanged, others were college dropouts, but how often do you hear about an emcee with an Ivy League background? Not very often at all. Emcee Naledge and producer Double O both met while attending the confines of the University of Pennsylvania and after hitting the [cont.]