The duo that collaborated on “If I Ruled The World” well embark on an 18-city U.S. tour called the Life Is Good / Black Rage tour. Definite opposite ends of the outlook spectrum. Dates below: Oct. 6 – Columbia, MD – Merriweather Post Pavilion (NAS ONLY) Oct. 20 – Phoenix, AZ – Arizona State Fairgrounds [cont.]

The Mixdown is a weekly show in which Esteban visits recording studios to hang with hip hop producers and MCs. This week Esteban spends time with rapper Skyzoo, who previews several tracks on his upcoming album A Dream Deferred.

Cameras were not allowed in last night’s $40k-per-plate fundraiser for Barack Obama at Jay-Z’s 40/40 club, but this image was posted on El Presidente’s Twitter account. Who knew Jay was taller than Barack?

Statik helms the remix for this cut originally taken from Take Me to Your Leader.

Ice-T speaks with Dr. Dre about his approach to making beats, in this outtake from Something From Nothing: The Art Of Rap, which is in stores now on DVD.

In this interview with MusicFeeds.TV, Lupe Fiasco explains the thought process behind the cover art for his new album Food & Liquor 2, which is simply a black square.

From DJFood.Com: 3 years in the making, 3 DJs working with over 150 tracks to recreate one of the seminal sampling albums of all time, at last Cheeba, Moneyshot and I can reveal ‘Caught In The Middle Of A 3-Way Mix’. Our tribute to the classic Beastie Boys album ‘Paul’s Boutique’ remixed and re-imagined from [cont.]

Who said folk from the South can’t rap? On this newest leak from his upcoming solo project MFxOG Big Sant and company answer this question in grand fashion. Big Sant along with Phonte, Tito Lopez and King Mez make this Mississippi and North Carolina connection a true lyrical exercise. MFxOG coming soon.

RICKY from Spine TV on Vimeo. This film meets the legendary Ricky Powell, a native New Yorker whose photographs of iconic people such as the Beastie Boys, Run DMC, Public Enemy, LL Cool J, Eric B & Rakim, Eazy E, KRS-One, and more, made him a pivotal figure in the downtown party scene during the [cont.]

Producer/Engineer Nastee shares his experience on mixing Mobb Deep’s classic single, “Quiet Storm”.

Flying Lotus’ Until The Quiet Comes, is out October 1st/2nd on Warp Records. Album features Erykah Badu, Laura Darlington, Niki Randa, Thundercat, Thom Yorke & more. Video directed by Cyriak.

Oh No comes from a musical family — his father is a storied ’70s soul singer; his uncle is an accomplished jazz trumpeter; his brother is the venerable producer Madlib — but that’s only part of the story. As an accomplished producer himself, Oh No has mined musical theater, Mediterranean psyche-funk, and Ethiopia’s experimental soul, [cont.]

New 4-song Bruiser Brigade EP from Danny Brown, Dopehead, and producer Skywlkr, courtesy of FADER.

Directed by Awol Erizku.

Alternate cut of P’s “Live”, shot by QButta.

Lupe performs “Battle Scars” alongside Guy Sebastian on Australia’s X-Factor, and then spoke about the collaboration.

DJ Premier revealed on Twitter yesterday that Game has covered Master P’s “Heaven For A Gangsta” for his new album Jesus Piece. Premier produced the track, which will also feature Master P. “Did a banger on at thegame new LP….we got Master P on it & P got busy on his verse..did a Premier version [cont.]

Stalley drops another video off, as well as a quick freestyle he did for Beats TV, in the second clip.

One of our favorite Roc-A-Fella era emcees spits some bars for Kay Slay up at Shade 45.