It’s a sad state of affairs when your favorite hip-hop artists begin their travels on the downward spiral. It happens to almost everyone at some point, usually following a slew of classic releases, just look at the drop in popularity of acts like Ice Cube or Public Enemy. And let’s not forget Big Daddy - we’ve seen [cont.]

 Longtime Lyricist Lounge duo has forever been the topic of conversation in underground circles, since early appearances on A Tribe Called Quest and Black Star albums. Even gracing both Lyricist Lounge compilation albums, as well as MTV’s Lyricist Lounge television show, the question remains as to why we haven’t seen any 12″ singles or full-length releases [cont.]

 It’s hard to believe that rap’s current king, Jay-Z, started off as the sweat-suited partner to 80′s rapper Jaz, who made a little noise with the Fresh Prince-like narrative, “Hawaiian Sofie”, as 2Pac  would have reminded us later. This was some time ago, and you’d think by now he would have hung his mic up; [cont.]

 Just as Big L began to perfect his art to the fullest, he was fatally shot on the streets of Harlem. At the time of his death, L was just beginning to rise from D.I.T.C.’s levels of obscurity with his hit single, “Ebonics”, and was in being considered by Jay-Z’s Roc-A-Fella imprint to sign a record deal. [cont.]

 Chances are, the latest LP from Hieroglyphics’ frontman, D-E-L, will not be the critics choice this year. Most people are stuck in a certain state of mind at the moment, and because of that, they really won’t be able to enjoy his latest LP. It even took yours truly a few listens of Both Sides [cont.]

 Enter Rah Digga. First female of the Flipmode Squad, and founding member of the infamous Outsidaz camp – an emcee so nice, she had to affiliate twice. The world first got their fix of Digga on Fugees classic “Cowboys”, where she was trading rhymes with Lauryn, Pras, ‘Clef, and baby-father, Young Zee. But more recently, heads will [cont.]

For those that like to categorize, Necro might be described as a combination of Eminem , Kool G Rap and Master P. When listening to the truly sick shit that he drops in his lyrics, audiences will immediately compare him to a certain Mr. Mathers, yet the difference is a hardcore Brooklyn attitude, and lyrics [cont.]

It’s no secret that Busta Rhymes has the uncanny ability to create classic hip-hop masterpieces, it’s just that they are few and far in between. Of the course of his four album / four year solo career, we’ve seen him bang out a number of timeless tracks. “Woo-Hah”, “Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See”, [cont.]

Born from the second generation of indy emcees, the Masterminds first caught heads attention with the 1997 single, “I’m Talented”, which boasted a fat Beatminerz backdrop behind. After a string of singles and two EP releases, the trio of Oracle, Kimani, and EPOD  elevate to full-length status with The Underground Railroad. This album represents an evolution of [cont.]

When RZA screamed, “Fuck ya’ll analog niggas, we be digital”, he probably didn’t have Kool Keith in mind. But it’s no secret that Keith has always had beef with anyone he’s felt has bitten his ideas, but at the same time has a good enough sense of humor to throw it right back at them. [cont.]

 After introducing their multi-culture style of honest, instrumentally driven hip-hop to the masses two years ago with Behind The Front, and it’s breakthrough single “Joints and Jams”, the trio returns to the scene to pick up right where their debut left off. Bridging The Gap is the second chapter in the BEP empire’s legacy, and [cont.]

Deep below the Lyricist Lounge, lurks a mysterious man known only as Will Tell. While hard at work in his basement, some think he’s a mad scientist, some others think he’s a terrorist. In actuality, he’s the man behind the man on the mic. He is a producer. One who makes beats, and one who [cont.]

 Working as the flagship project to jump-start his new 75 Ark label, producer Dan The Automator Nakamura, along with funky homosapien Del, and Ninja Tuner, Kid Koala, bring the long-awaited, Deltron 3030 project. Using the same formula as Dr. Octagon, that is, Automator on the boards, along with a spaced-out emcee (Del), and an incredible [cont.]

 Whether you realize it or not, you probably have a release or two from any of the members of D.I.T.C. in your CD collection. Without riding each other’s coattails, Diamond, Fat Joe, Show & AG, Lord Finesse, O.C., Buckwild, and the late Big L, have each made names for themselves over the past ten years, as [cont.]

 Once you hit your peak, the only place to go is down. Such is the case with Raekwon’s second solo LP Immobilarity, the follow up to his 5 @ classic Only Built For Cuban Links. With Cuban Links, Raekwon and the Wu-Tang Clan changed the sound of that old New York rap. That album set so [cont.]

Listening to DMX’s third LP, I am finally beginning to understand what gives the X-man his appeal. First and foremost, I think anyone can pinpoint that it’s his high amounts of adrenaline and testosterone that people are attracted to. While some may hate it, take a trip to an NYC club and peep the crowd’s [cont.]

In the glory days of the early 90′s, one half of the Native Tongue duo Black Sheep had a dream. To him, it was more of a nightmare, as Dres woke up in it in a cold sweat. After calming himself down, he turned to his partner in shock and said, “I had a dream that I [cont.]

Just when you thought you figured him out, Kool Keith flips the script, once again. “I mean, is the it just more of the same misogynist bullshit and rhymes that don’t make sense album after album?” cried the skeptics when Keith decided to start dropping albums left and right over the last few years. To the [cont.]

 Coming from the depths of the Detroit underground is Binary Star, a duo that first landed on the scene two years ago, catching heads’ attention with a four song EP, highlighted by the fatal attraction tale, “Glen Close”. Since then, their audience has patiently awaited the full-length release, which finally is earthbound in 2001. The [cont.]

There are many producers in this game that have stamped their names on a number of classic records (and otherwise) over the years, but there are few that have actually developed a signature style, and remained so consistent that they helped define the sound of hip-hop on its many levels, during their respective eras. Among [cont.]