Hip-Hop Chronicle gathered their notes before this interview and asked Loud’s Steve Rifkind a few doozies. They manage to get Steve to dish his memories regarding early dealings with Wu, Dame & Jay, Mobb Deep, Melonia Fiona and other randomness (like being arrested for tossing a chair out of a window during a Wu negotiation). Read the rest of this entry »

Along with the recommendations found here, DJ Whoo Kid and XXL have consolidated the year’s top Freshmen onto one mixtape to give the uninitiated a crash course in one sitting. It’s Big Sean, Donnis, Fashawn, Freddie Gibbs, J. Cole, Jay Rock, Nipsey Hussle, OJ Da Juiceman, Pill and Wiz Khalifa all competing for your headphone time. Will one of them make a new believer out of you? Read the rest of this entry »

Featuring production by the Trackslayerz duo — whose credits include Jim Jones’ “Pulling Me Back” and Yung Joc’s “Posted at Da Store” — we get our first listen to post-prison T.I. with the release of the aptly-titled “I’m Back.” Coming out guns blazing, Tip comes out taking the time mention those who held him down and takes a few shots @ those who he felt attempted to slip into his slippers while he was on his federal-sponsored vacation. No names called on the latter half, but expect a few rabbits to poke their head out of their holes seeking infamy soon enough. Read the rest of this entry »

DSoM4 snitches! If you’re wondering “should I even bother with this?” know that Danny comes with a heavy LC cosign. And we all know LC is anti-radio, anti-fluff and only fucks with the hard stuff. In fact, I think just about everybody in the Crew cosigns this guy. And the mix features production from Black Milk, DJ Babu, Apollo Brown and Wajeed and features from Slum Village’s T3, Guilty Simpson & Trick Trick. Yeah, it’s a Detroit affair, Old English embroidered hats pulled low and the whole nine.

If you’re so inclined, grab the first three volumes of DSoM, which can be found in the post from last week. Get in the know before Danny’s The Hybrid drops on March 16th. Read the rest of this entry »

When we gave the first points for your SXSW itinerary, I mentioned that there would be updates. Check it as TSS & Burn Rubber together to provide support as Hustle Simmons presents Hustlepalooza: The SXSW Edition. Not like Hustle needs the extra muscle or weight behind him or his endeavors because he’s been pulling together shows for ages. Even more, did you not see the footage of him belly-to-back suplexing a Kanye impersonator in Chicago a couple of weeks ago? Really, I was like “Oooh” and thought, “glad I’m with him and not against him.”

Anyways, Saturday, March 20th @ The Light Bar. Free entry. No wristbands or badge needed. Now, if you pencil that in along with the other two events where our name is attached, that’s parts of your Thursday, Friday and Saturday covered with quality entertainment. Read the rest of this entry »

Only Jimmel Kimmel, the king of lackadaisical late-night, would think to pull something this hysterically guapo off after the Oscars. As leader of the secret society which determines which chin lift gets what magazine cover, the Handsome Men’s Club consists of more stars than Orion’s Belt. Lenny Kravitz keeps the minutes on his Korg keyboard while Matthew McConaughey and Sting stir up commotion amongst the committee. Read the rest of this entry »

Before we could even digest Drake’s take (at least I haven’t), Royce comes through and slaughters the beat.  Seriously, there’s so much going on between the strings and bass, Royce’s flow gives each section some shine. Bells ‘n all.

Hopefully ambitious & aspiring rappers will wait for the next hot beat to spit over and leave this one alone. Or at the very least, play it for their boys only and spare us the time. Read the rest of this entry »

Cudder’s back with some more of that atmospheric ambiance for your speakers.  Flanked by Snoopy D-O-Double-G, the two craft another smoker’s anthem.  As for its purpose and landing place, your guess is good is mine.  I can see this fitting in quite nicely on Man on the Moon: The End Of Day or even him picking things up where he left off on his sophomore album Cudder: The Revolution Of Evolution. Read the rest of this entry »

Fresh from the frigid, rejuvenating waters of Ice H2o Records ‘Pone & Nore are reporting live from the streets of Iraq once again.  Whether it’ll have the same long term effects that it did for Rae is yet to be determined, but they’re off to a good start with this right here.  Gritty lyrics over murky keyboards and distorted bass are a winner 9 times outta 10 & this is no exception.

The camouflage season begins anew on June 15th when The War Report 2 drops.  So either check the back of your closet or hit up the Army/Navy Surplus store & get ready.

Download — Capone-N-Noreaga Feat. Imam T.H.U.G. & Musaliny – “Thug Planet”

Rock Steady’s DV One back with another Monday morning podcast delivery that revolves around pimpin’ and pandering music, or as he so eloquently put it “instead of a soundtrack its the track sound.” Well worth a listen because you can forget simply moving through genres; DV moves through decades of recognizable tracks. But each one is hand selected, making it all seem as if each song was originally made with the intent of putting a battery in the back of macks (and wannabees too). I can dig it because any mix that includes William DeVaughn’s “Be Thankful…” is certified in my book. Read the rest of this entry »

As I rise, giving honor to God who’s the head of my life, I figure there could be no better way to get the day and week moving than with a dosage of positivity. Despite the difficult circumstances each of us may face, Vybz Kartel reminds all to give thanks. And, if you’re not sure how, Di Teacha gives a few tips contained within the words of “Thank You Jah.” Read the rest of this entry »

“I’m a fighter, I’m a warrior, I’m a pugilist, I’m Ali, talking cash money stupid shit…”

For week two of his newly created Sports Sundays sereis, Michael Luther King (to the sellers of the rock) invokes the spirit of Cassius Clay, methodically bodying the beat with a calculated flow. Read the rest of this entry »

Shanice Barfield

Tom DeLay: People Are Unemployed Because They Want To Be [Crooks & Liars]

Thoughts On White Privilege [Attorney Street]

Call To 911: Girl, 8, Says Mom’s ‘Almost Dead’ [Detroit News]

Helpful Tips For Sports Celebrities to Navigate Social Media [Uproxx]

8 Teens Shot After Leaving Waka Flocka Show At A Skating Rink in Gary, IN [CBS Chicago]

Strawberry Says the ‘86 Mets Would be the ‘09 Yankees [Bronx Baseball Daily] Read the rest of this entry »

elZhi steps up with a video for “Deep” off the Leftovers Unmixedtape. The red and blues used play well and the opening scenes mixed with the Detroit emcee’s mannerisms bring back visions of early Nasir. eL blacks out, both figuratively in the video and lyrically, serving reminder that while there’s claims that rap is this or that, rap is alive and well. It just doesn’t reside on Clear Channel’s airwaves. Read the rest of this entry »

There’s a joke in here somewhere, I just know it.

This These have to be the most WTF YouTube videos of all-time.

So many questions, so little time to answer them. Is there an epidemic wave of Jungle Fever hitting Italy? Do Italian men secretly have “dark desires”? Is it still acceptable to call negroes “colored”? What happened to all the clothes? Are they implying that Black people lurk in your washing machine siphoning detergent, stealing clothes and kidnapping white people? Who comes up with this lunacy?

Also, the most important question, by far: What the….?