Dilated’s Rakaa made his solo debut this week on Decon Records with Crown Of Thorns. The label is still offering the deluxe pre-order packages including an autographed CD, t-shirt, sticker, poster, and an immediate MP3 download of “Aces High”. Check out DeconRecords.Com for more info.

In “When You Rock & Roll,” emcees Cookbook, Uno Mas, and Evidence take turns giving heartfelt renditions of their own struggles with life as an artist; the ups-and-downs, successes and failures that come with being a musician staying true to their art. The song begins with a sample, “How much can you get for your [cont.]

Official video for “Delilah” from Rakaa’s upcoming solo debut album, Crown Of Thorns available everywhere on 7/20 via Decon. “Delilah” was produced by Evidence, video directed by Yoram Benz.

Dilated’s Rakka serves up the title track from forthcoming Decon Records solo debut. Featuring Mr. I Need A Dollar, Aloe Blacc, whom we’ve been hyping for years. [Audio clip: view full post to listen] LISTEN: Rakka – “Crown Of Thorns” (feat. Aloe Blacc) (MP3) Rakka – “Crown Of Thorns” (feat. Aloe Blacc) (MP3)

El delivers the first single from his second LP with Polish production team The Returners, GP2: Nu World, due June 6th on Asfalt Records. Unfortunately, this is only available overseas, but the album will include additional collaborations with Treach (Naughty By Nature), Sean Price (Heltah Skeltah / Boot Camp Click), Doujah Raze, Rakka Iriscience (Dilated [cont.]

Evidence speaks with Hip-Hop Official about his second solo LP, Cats & Dogs, to be released later this year on Rhymesayers Entertainment. Confirmed guests include Raekwon and Mystic….

Rakaa’s tweeted today about the status of his solo album release Crown Of Thorns. No further details in regards to an official release date. In the meantime check out his live performance of “C.T.D.” in Amsterdam and of course “Delilah” .

Here we go with one more track from the Cypress Hill album Rise Up. This track features Evidence and The Alchemist. Check it out below, the album is set for April 20th release date. [Audio clip: view full post to listen] LISTEN: Cypress Hill + Evidence (of Dilated Peoples) + The Alchemist – “Pass The [cont.]

Includes footage from: Murs & 9th Wonder, Tha Dogg Pound, Dilated Peoples, Jay Electronica, Raekwon, Ice Cube, Lady of Rage, Psycho Realm, People Under The Stairs, Tech 9ine, Freestyle Fellowship. More to come, check back for updates.

Rakaa gives us another glimpse of the Crown Of Thorns LP, this time with “Connect The Dots”, as heard on Babu’s UStream performance this past week. Props for the first person to call that sample… Rakaa-Iriscience – “Connect The Dots (Radio Rip)” (MP3)

Babu debuted a new Iriscience cut on his UStream set last night, a track that may or not appear on his solo Crown Of Thorns LP. Produced by Evidence. Rakaa-Iriscience – “Delilah (Radio Rip)” (MP3)

To know a group from day one is a great feeling.  It’s the feeling I have about Dilated Peoples.  I was there when “Work the Angles” dropped, when Babu sliced the cuts so thin you could almost see through them.  I was there this last year when Capitol completely fouled up “20/20″ and as Evidence [cont.]

     In today’s day and age of dwindling quality in major label rap, Dilated Peoples are looked at as the last hope for fans of backpack rap, acting as one of the few true hip-hop groups still recording under contract with a large conglomerate - in this case, Capitol Records. They’ve shown progression in between each [cont.]

      Dilated Peoples have come a long way since their underground breakthrough theme song, ‘Work The Angles’, delivering their third effort (fourth if you count the shelved debut, Imagery, Battle Hymns, Political Poetry), Neighborhood Watch. While this latest LP sticks to the script for the most part, longtime fans may be a little sour over the [cont.]

HHS: The Platform was a debut that was handled almost exclusively in-house.  Yet, Expansion Team, includes more contributions from artists outside the Dilated family, why the change? Rakka: Well, The Platform included allot more vocal collaborations. On the Expansion Team project Babu really stepped up his production game.  The people that we always work with [cont.]

They are a crew that needs no introduction – the literal frontrunners of the independent hip-hop movement, and last purveyors of hip-hop culture through major label support, Dilated Peoples. The expansion team of Rakaa-Iriscience , Evidence , and DJ Babu has put in a year’s worth of work following last year’s debut, The Platform, delivering [cont.]

Dilated Peoples first appeared on the scene via the bargain bin favorite, The Next Chapter compilation, from Immortal Records in 1995. Among other artists such as Defari, Phil Da Agony, and Ghetto Clownz (?). This overlooked clear double vinyl pack served as the first appearance of Rakaa-Iriscience and Evidence, which later led to their first [cont.]

When most heads think of skating, the words “thrash” or “extreme” come up before the words “fresh” or “dope”. Not being a skater, I’ve always seen skateboarding culture as one that would embrace punk before hip-hop, but in the early nineties, that started to change. My friend Cavan, who used to skate, was the kind [cont.]

First off, you have to give Brent Rollins some serious props for some of the illest cover art I’ve ever seen penned. It inspires a “Damn!” with the capital D. Likewise, Kutmasta Kurt comes with another remix that hits hard enough to shatter vertebrae in its twangy guitar rhythms. On the “No Retreat (Kutmaster Kurt Remix)” [cont.]