Who doesn’t know the name 2Pac? Who wold have imagined back in 1990, when a dancer grabbed the mic and said he clowned around with Digital Underground, would become as big as Elvis. He was the rebel of the group that branched off into a solo career that thrust him into super stardom, with his [cont.]

 The Lox  can best be described as a timebomb waiting to explode. When listening to these baby-faced junior thugs, it’s evident that they have talent, and are some of the cleverest lyricists on the east-coast thug scene. The crew first got their chance shine on Bad Boy two years ago, but unlike every other project [cont.]

After raising some hopes with his Delicious Vinyl 12″ “Observations”, the Ase One takes it back down a couple of notches with the middling “So Now U A MC? (Original)” a remake of Run DMC’s “Sucka MCs”. Producer Paul Nice does a slight flip on Run DMC’s original, leaving the familiar hand clap break that we [cont.]

Kool Keith Thornton is back with his Diesel Trucker beat maker Kutmasta Kurt  on this year s most unprecedented release, Matthew . Despite, recent discrepancies, both put aside their differences for the good of hip-hop, and deliver some of the same chemistry last heard on Dr. Dooom . For those in the know, the creative [cont.]

Chalk another one up for DJ Paul Nice - he certainly is one of the nicest producers on the indy circuit at the moment. He’s constructed a simple little track for Masta Ace and Guru’s “Conflict”, consisting of a prevalent Alchemist-styled bassline, along with a piece of “The Bridge”, and a piano capping it off. Guru and [cont.]

What is it with Cypress Hill and remixes? They always come through for the DJ’s – remember the “Boom Biddy Bye Bye Remix” with The Fugees, or “Throw Ya Hands In The Air” w/ Erick Sermon, Redman, and MC Ehit? In the tradition of releasing these post album, vinyl only remixes, they do it again [cont.]

 The cloth the “Hip-Hop” producer is cut from has expanded and mutated infinitely since the bumpin’ days of the 808, no longer bound by simplistic hand-claps or repeated Skull Snaps renditions (although when freaked properly will always prove successful), what we know to be the “Hip-Hop” producer has engulfed all that is music, both past [cont.]

?The Molemen ain’t new to this, without a doubt the production trio of PNS, His-Panik, and Memo have signified the underground esthetic as well as that Chicago grit many heads have come to love with a true-to-the-movement perseverance. It’s actually a little surprising that its taken this long for the fellas to come out with a collective album. [cont.]

 Easy Moe Bee’s name might not yet by as synonymous with beats as Dr. Dre’s or DJ Premier’s, but over the years it’s snuck onto the production credits of various B.I.G. and 2Pac  tracks, as well as countless others albums, you just never noticed it. Using his long list of customers and collaborators, Easy Moe now [cont.]

 A decade has passed in the album-making careers of this trio, hip-hop’s most innovative and highly creative bunch. As the many influences and short-term trends invade and fade out of the rap industry time and time again, De La Soul on Art Official Intelligence, their fifth album to date, carefully embarrass what most emcees tried, [cont.]

 Like a refreshingly strong shot of Maker’s Mark, Defari blasts back onto the scene with blazing saddles under the new guise of “Billy The Kidd”. Roaming the same range trailblazed by Sadat X’s rustic “Wild Cowboys”, the Kidd refines his style like the fine aged Whiskey and Remi he often boasts of on record. Whipping opponents [cont.]

 Even though Sauce Money is most notorious for turning the art of ghostwriting into a lucrative, and highly-compensated occupation by penning Puff Daddy’s haunting, and Grammy-award winning tribute to Notorious B.I.G., “I’ll Be Missing You”, he is no new jack to hip-hop heads. While the ramifications of that landmark single garnished him widespread recognition, this emcee [cont.]

 It’s pretty much agreed that since Wu-Tang Forever, the Clan just hasn’t been the same. Whether it was the abundance of lesser stimulating Wu-affiliate projects, RZA’s newfound comfort, or the formula breaking post “Forever” releases of the core members, things have changed, and what was once known as a never ending dynasty is no more [cont.]

The trio of Zion I is an interesting one no doubt, utilizing rich synths and electronic tid-bits to create an almost technotronic soundscape while remaining rooted deeply in their East Oakland conventions. Last year’s “Inner Light” catapulted the group known for their electric stage presence to nationwide recognition. Interestingly enough it was the drum-n-bass remix that [cont.]

One of the most valued qualities in Hip-Hop is originality. No one wants to hear the same style, rhymes and beats over and over, so naturally the public will notice anyone different. Artists who would rather be noticed than revered take full advantage of this. In other words, rather than being one of the best, [cont.]

 Mr. Eon’s incarnation as “Dick Starbuck” (porno detective), on High & Mighty’s debut, may have ushered in the Smut Peddlers (Eon, DJ Mighty Mi, and Cage) regime. However, the trio’s debut, Porn Again, takes hip-hop’s skinz fetish to new extremes, as it is a collection based solely on the indulgence of everything that can be classified [cont.]



J-Zone came straight outta college with a surprising 1998 debut. Part of a senior project at a NY institute of higher learning, Music For Tu Madre introduced J-Zone as a superb beat architect with a penchant for grabbing his grandmoms in outrageous poses for album cover art. Grandmoms and the Queens based J-Zone return with [cont.]

 Delivering his fifth annual release, Jay-Z somewhat deceptively uses this year’s album to spotlight the Roc-A-Fella family, as the title suggests. Nevertheless, while marketed as the latest Jay-Z “solo” project, but more accurately the “posse” album, Jigga is still in the driver’s seat, despite the numerous guest appearances from Beanie Sigel and Memphis Bleek. It can be [cont.]

Cats overseas seem to have a greater appreciation for what is considered “true hip-hop” than do the yanks on this side of the world. Euro producers Simon Gilbert and Julian Baker, otherwise known as The Creators, bring back the sound of the early 90′s, of which many still consider to be the greatest era of [cont.]