When you hear the name Flo-Rida you think of his club-smash “Low” and for the most part you are going to be right.  With the certified anthem featuring the always entertaining T-Pain, Flo-Rida has either been dubbed the 2008 (even though “Low” came out late ’07) Young MC or he might have some talent.  Mail On Sunday, [cont.]

After J Dilla passed in 2006, Black Milk found himself carrying the torch for the sound of Detroit. He undertook the duty of composing the grimy symphony of the Motor City, and all eyes turned to the 22-year-old MPC puncher to maintain Detroit’s reputation of legitimacy in the national hip hop scene. Black Milk has [cont.]

If there’s one thing that Hollywood has taught me over the years, it’s that having famous family can definitely make building a name for yourself a pretty difficult operation. Gifted with an abundance of talent, even the most exciting actors have been held back by the shadows of well-known brethren; ever wonder why Emilio Estevez [cont.]

It has been about 5 years since we last heard from Erykah Badu.  After the release of Worldwide Underground the songstress has been on hiatus, rarely to be seen and even contemplating giving up music all together due to a lack of inspiration.  But it seems that the ills of society have rejuvenated her creative [cont.]

Hailing from Detroit and signed to Stones Throw Records, Guilty piggybacked into the game during the final stretch of J Dilla’s celebrated career. After a smattering of singles and a hot fi-ya mixtape by J-Rocc, (of the World Famous Beat Junkies) fans were anxious for a proper full length. Well here it is, and those [cont.]

The Cunninlynguists first emerged on the scene in 2001, just after the beginning of the indie hip-hop boom that saw the creation of labels like Stones Throw and Definitive Jux. Their first record, Will Rap For Food, was backpack rap defined, as the spotlight shined on core members Deacon The Villain and Kno, as well [cont.]

What happened to neo-soul?  In the latter part of the 1990s up until sometime after the year 2000, neo-soul was one of the most popular new genres to hit the air waves.  Collectives were formed, commercials were made, and then out of nowhere the movement ended.   Was this because of the over sensationalizing of the [cont.]

In a culture that embraces and glorifies individualism and style, artists that can truly be deemed ‘unique’ are a dying breed. Year after year, release after release, up-and-coming emcees have claimed they are “the new shit,” “flippin’ the script,” or “changing the game.” More likely, it’s just another typical album. Rhymes over beats, “I’m the [cont.]

Snoop Dogg has been puttin’ it down for a minute, to say the least.  From when he first took the world by storm with his appearance on the 1992 hit song “Deep Cover,” the artist formerly known as Snoop Doggy Dogg hasn’t ceased to captivate audiences of all ages.  Now being a family man who [cont.]

“It’s been years since my records started to spin/I’m from the era where you had to work your hardest to win/a lot of records dropped you never heard the artists again/but in my heart is the desire to win, I’m on fire again”. No truer words have been spoken about the era that has nearly [cont.]

Who says New York lost its crown? For as many jiggy emcees that we saw emerge from the region after Biggie passed, there’s a million roughneck street cats spitting rhymes on the corner, watching each breath come out of their mouths with each accompanying lyric. NYC’s own Torae can be added to that list, whose passion [cont.]

You have to hand it to Janet Jackson: she’s not giving up. Even though this decade hasn’t been as kind to her as the previous one, and her last two albums have been disappointments – by her standards anyway, since they still went platinum – she’s regrouped on Island Records for her tenth full-length effort, [cont.]

Considered by most as one of the greatest hip-hop producers of all time, Pete Rock has been a major contributor to the genre for some 20 years. His partnership with CL Smooth resulted in some of hip-hop’s most poignant work, and his continued pursuits as a solo artist have largely been of the highest caliber. [cont.]

“It’s been long time, since I left you, without a dope beat to step to.”  Isn’t the truth, it’s been nine long years since we have heard from the god Rakim.  So when “It’s Nothing”, the first single from Live Lost And Found was leaked, you can imagine the excitement from this kid, a student of the 90’s era of [cont.]

It started, more or less, with 9th Wonder’s God Stepson. That is, an artist with a lot of passion, but hardly a name to go off of, pays homage to another artist they honor and tribute, by remixing their album (without the original artist’s permission of course). 9th did this for Nas, and when the [cont.]

The 80’s were a great time for the NBA.  The beginning of the decade brought Magic and Bird, and by the mid 80’s Air Jordan had brought he league to a whole new level.  Hip-hop came into it’s own almost at the same time.  Hip-hop was also ushered in to mass popularity by stars like [cont.]

Fact: Alicia Keys debut album, Songs in A Minor, was released in June 2001. Think about that folks, Alicia Keys has only been around for seven years. While this critic sat around, wasting his life, Ms. Keys has released four albums, won eleven Grammy’s, had seven number-one singles, starred in two films, written two books, and become an [cont.]

When listening to the 25th Anniversary edition of Thriller, you forget all of the controversies surrounding Michael Jackson. The fact that he dresses like a general and thinks that he is Peter Pan is irrelevant, as are the strange incidents involving children and whatever the truth behind them may be. Reason being is that Thriller [cont.]

2007 was a pretty good year for the Bone Thugs N Harmony trademark.  In March, they returned with the highly anticipated major label release Strength N Loyalty later to be follow up by the Ruthless labeled T.H.U.G.S. in November. The former is an attempt to reestablish past glory, sadly not living up to expectations.  The [cont.]

It is no secret that Jim Jones has his issues with Jay-Z.  So it only made matters worse when S. Carter released the American Gangster motion picture inspired album of the same title detailing his life synonymously with the film and its protagonist (or antagonist, depending on your viewpoint), Harlem’s own Frank Lucas.  So Capo [cont.]