To most, the Beatnuts are Psycho Les and Juju, but for the group’s first two projects, the third of the trio was Kool Fashion. Fash went on to pursue a short-lived solo career as Al’ Tariq, citing religious regions for leaving the group, with his 1996 Correct Records LP, God Connections. Tariq also had [cont.]

Compilation; No Rating Given     Just like the first Chrome Children Project, this album acts as a brief introduction to the majority of the Stones Throw roster. The big names get just as much shine as the lesser-knowns, with everyone except Madlib getting just one track to show and prove. The production styles go way [cont.]

     Who would have thought, that one winter in 1999, the biggest commercial hip-hop single in New York City was by Pharoahe Monch, � of defunct backpack duo, Organized Konfusion. Call it a fluke, or call it payola, but “Simon Says” Godzilla stomped its way onto the charts, help making his solo debut, Internal Affairs, [cont.]

     Back in college, there was this guy named Pete who had a house. He was the only one of us youngsters with a house – the kind of dude who had been the man of the house under his mom’s roof for so long, it was only natural that he’d be the first one [cont.]

     In one of the most highly controversial moves in music 2006, veteran rapper Nasir Jones dug a hole, threw Hip-Hop in a coffin, buried it, and declared the genre deceased. While not everyone agreed with the Queensbridge MC, his album Hip-Hop is Dead served as a pretty convincing epitaph for the genre that was [cont.]

    It’s official. The 80′s are back. It’s everywhere – from big budget re-imaginings of 80′s properties like Transformers and Miami Vice, to reissues of classic Nike Air Jordans, the nostalgia factor for “the me decade” is bigger than ever.  But nowhere is it more prevalent than in music. Just look at many of today’s [cont.]

     Coming from Boston is rising star, Slaine, who delivers the second volume in his The White Man Is The Devil mixtape series. Slaine’s a Caucasian himself, but the “white man” that the title refers to is actually slang for cocaine (hence the album’s subtitle: Citizen Caine). Slaine first started turning heads as a member [cont.]

    When the sultry vocals of Chrisette Michele first glided across the choruses of Jay-Z’s “Lost Ones” and a handful of hooks on Nas’ Hip Hop is Dead album, listeners began to wonder “Who The F*ck Is That?” Her throaty chops belted words out with a deep sense of soul and evoked comparisons to some [cont.]

Compilation; No Rating Given     The guys at Stones Throw have done it again, even if on a project not released on their label. Forget the Hollywood map to the stars, or the City Pages. In conjunction with, Time Out L.A., Peanut Butter Wolf and Madlib bring The Other Side of Los Angeles. No, this ain’t a [cont.]

   Say what you want about R. Kelly, but there’s no questioning the man’s resiliency. From the charges of sexual offenses to the feud with Jay-Z that forced the scuttling of their joint tour a few years back, he’s had his share of controversy. But he’s also managed to shrug it all off, and continues to [cont.]

   When you hear West Coast music, what pops into your head first?  90% of fans probably said something either to do with Dr. Dre or perhaps the Hyphy movement.  The truth is, there’s more to West Coast Hip-Hop than what you’re used to, and for nearly two decades, Cali rappers have been trying to break out [cont.]

     Tallahassee’s T-Pain first made it big two years ago with crossover hits “I’m Sprung” and “I’m In Love With A Stripper” off of his Jive Records debut, Rappa Ternt Sanga (yes, that is spelled “correctly”). Utilizing a “talk box” with his vocals, T-Pain’s style has been compared to the late Roger Troutman. With two [cont.]

    Utilizing a plethora of genres to create their sound, Zeph & Azeem create a unique piece of work with Rise Up. With Zeph providing the production’s punch and Azeem flexing his lyrical prowess on the mic, Rise Up is yet another venture when one producer and one emcee pull off a cohesive project. The [cont.]

Mixtape; No Rating Given.     It’s official – the south has it’s own super-emcee. Originally pigeonholed as the “kid rapper” of the Ca$h Money Records family, Lil’ Wayne has officially come into his own within the last few years, really starting to show his talent on 2005′s The Carter 2. Once the buzz began, he [cont.]

    When Hip Hop lost James Yancy, a legendary producer was removed abruptly before he could ever be acclaimed as he deserved for his brilliant work. When Detroit lost Dilla, it lost more than just a producer. The city lost a brother and friend. Phat Kat is one of those who was blessed with much [cont.]

    The Snowgoons consist of four members:Det, DJ Illegal, Torben and DJ Waxwork. Although the four man crew has been steadily making noise in their respective hometowns, it is with their first release of German Lugers that they smash onto the US underground circuit. With a title like German Lugers, you would expect the team [cont.]

    Hailing from Edmonton, Canada, Cadence Weapon (literally) comes out of nowhere with Breaking Kayfabe, an album originally released in Canada at the tail end of 2005, to great critical acclaim. As the story goes, the 21-year Cadence Weapon was the son of a Brooklyn deejay, who would mail him tapes of classic New York [cont.]

    First off, forget everything you know about Mark Ronson. Usually people get one chance to make it big, one chance to present themselves to the masses as who they are and what they do. And if after that chance, people decide that they don’t like you, that’s usually it - especially in major label music [cont.]

    Styles P hasn’t had the best luck in the music biz. The long conflict between The Lox and Diddy epitomized Industry Rule #4080 and he didn’t fare much better on his own either.  A Gangster And A Gentleman helped to finally realize Pinero’s potential, but it would be four long years later until Time Is [cont.]

   Joell Ortiz grew up loving Hip-Hop.  He idolized lyricists like B.I.G., Nas, and Big Pun.  For ten years, Ortiz competed in countless battles, handed out his mixtape and provided 16′s whenever he got the chance.  He did whatever it took for an opportunity to get signed.  In 2007, he finally got that shot and [cont.]