Who did these guys think they were? They actually had the audacity to make their introduction completely dissing the Black consciousness movement with their debut single, and on top of that, dissing our moms?!?! Two X-Clan-esque characters stood at the beginning of the video preaching, “Yo, we need some brothers to be dropping knowledge”, [cont.]

Recorded perhaps some 5 years back, this record is a document of history. As an emotionally lawless AWOL One revisits a project some 3 albums released past its inception (blame the industry for tardiness) – for while his most recent collaborative work with L.A. production-powerhouse Daddy Kev (and the most recent ) have probably thrown more muscle [cont.]

There is a very small percentage of producers who stay away from the norm and set their own style & patterns. The Opus, reigning from Chicago has been crafting its own style, trend and musical ideas for years. Last heard on Rubberoom’s CD, the Opus releases their first album entitled, 0.0.0. – First Contact. This [cont.]

On his last album, Restless, Xzibit reinvented himself, transforming from the disgruntled L.A. emcee with the underground chip on his shoulder, to full-fledged C-Walkin’ Cali G. While in most cases, these types of transformations yield disastrous results and disposable albums (Buckshot, Mic Geronimo, Saafir, Tash Of The Liks to name a few), X is of that rare [cont.]

An odd, alluring ode was “Christina”. The somewhat standout track of sorts from last year’s joint three-man album, The Netherworlds, that being between Anacron, Himself (Of The Netherworlds) and Murs of the Living Legends. That being MURS who did “Christina”, that being, the odd, alluring ode to the beautiful and quite talented actress, Christina Ricci. The song, [cont.]

Stones Throw is a model-consummate recording label (and trust me, I run my own). What once was merely Peanut Butter Wolf’s out-the-house San Francisco operation, shuffling out solid, consistent 12″s of the late Nineties, has honed in on a few highly successful formulas that have proven both musically and conceptually praiseworthy. Upon the entrance of nuevo [cont.]

It would be wrong to say that this album is boring, but on occasion it can be. What What created wonderful beats as Run Run Shaw  behind the decks for the unheralded Natural Resource, she wowed heads in and out of New York City, garnered the ear of The Herbaliser and created equally captivating late-90′s joints with [cont.]

Way before Eminem re-opened the doors for melanin-deficient emcees, and back when The Source was still readable, a grimey white gravedigga with toothpicks sticking out of his mouth graced the now irrelevant Sure-Shot Singles section of the magazine for his Necro produced debut single “Agent Orange” (with the incredibly dope “Radiohead” on the flip), which surfaced via Bobbito’s [cont.]

There’s been a lot of talk about Aesop Rock ever since his early internet distributed discs, Music For Earthworms and Appleseed. With the release of Float, courtesy of New York abstract label, Mush, the buzz grew bigger and bigger, constantly selling out of record stores everywhere. Followed by an arguably classic album, Labor Days, everything came [cont.]

By now most of you would have been aware of The Beat Generation series, with already released albums by producers such as Pete Rock (Petestrumentals), Jay Dee (Welcome 2 Detroit), Marley Marl (Re-Entry), Wil.I.Am Of Black Eyed Peas (Lost Change) and others. Up next, DJ Jazzy Jeff, the Philly-bred turntablist and producer that the world has grown to [cont.]

There are a few emcees that are famous for the debuts that they have not released, Large Professor, Cormega, Ali Vegas, Last Emperor to name a few. Yet, that list would not be complete without including New Jeruz’s Pacewon, as his “true” debut, The Pacewon Effect, (an E-Bay favorite) was pushed back numerous times and eventually [cont.]

Working as an appetizer to SV’s upcoming three-course meal Trinity: Past, Present, and Future, the trio that helped put the D on the map delivers “a Sequence mixtape session”, spotlighting several up & coming acts from Detroit’s Dirty District. The main difference people will notice about this disc (besides the fact that’s it’s not actually [cont.]

Rawkus’ re-entry into the rap game (after a brief hiatus during the switch of distribution to MCA), comes in the form of Soundbombing 3, the third in their series of mix CD’s spotlighting their current roster, as well as the hot new shit for the coming months, in true mixtape fashion. This time sharing deejay [cont.]

After releasing two successful singles “The Powers of Nine Ether” and “Metaphysics” on Bobbito’s Fondle Em Records, a European Tour, several side projects, and their debut full length Coming Forth By Day: The Book of the Dead, the Scienz of Life crew returns with their sophomore effort Project: Overground: The Scienz Experiment on Subverse. After first [cont.]

The story of Percy Carey is a disheartening one. Pronounced dead on the scene from the infliction of 8 gunshot wounds to the body, Carey who’d recorded arguably the most memorable verse of his career (that being, KMD’s “What A Niggy Know” remix) only days before the shooting was faced with frighteningly never being able [cont.]

Way before Rakim was rocking a graying beard next to the luscious lips of Truth Hurts, or even before he pioneered the idea of rap and R&B collaborations on Jody Watley’s “Friends” (yes, it was all his fault), there was Paid In Full, the debut album from Eric B. & Rakim, which ushered in a new [cont.]

The game is funny no? Just over a year ago, if you polled any hip-hop head, which member of The Lox that they predicted was ready to make waves as a solo-artist, it’s a good bet most of those voters would have given a ringing endorsement to the group’s most lauded member Jadakiss. However, as [cont.]

All we wanted was an instrumental album. After being thoroughly impressed (yet again) by Dan The Automator’s leap into the alternative-rock genre with last year’s surprise mainstream smash, Gorillaz, (which initially only got hip-hop’s attention thanks to the two Del The Funkee Homosapien tracks), it seemed a bit uncharacteristic of Dan to leave us hanging [cont.]

How do comeback after selling 12-million records and winning a slew of Grammy Awards? Well, if your Lauryn Hill, you take a four-year sabbatical and— get your head right. Not only does Lauryn’s Unplugged endeavor go completely against the grain, it will undoubtedly go down as one of the most emotionally tinged efforts to be [cont.]

Wake Up Show alum, Noggin Nodders founder, and one time partner confused to Kool Keith  (Masters of Illusion), Motion Man looks to step out of the shadows and into the spotlight with his debut solo release, Clearing The Field, blessed by the dynamic Kutmasta Kurt, who delivers wall-to-wall production for the entire project. Motion’s solo effort is [cont.]