It takes a confident man to share what’s in his heart but Nato Caliph has done just that with “Her.” Over a particularly melodic beat, Nato breaks down the key moments of a his relationship: how he and his boo met, the struggles in the middle and the joy of making it out the other side. Bryant Stewart’s soft choruses help keep the mood right, but it’s the truthfulness and certainty in Nato’s lyrics that tie it all together.

It’s the kind of mature, thoughtful track we’ve come to expect from the Lou native. No kids allowed here—grab it and enjoy. Read the rest of this entry »

Apple Somoza

People Really Hate Oprah [Warming Glow]

Yes Virginia, There Is Black Male Privilege [Racialicious]

10 Gifs That Will Make Your Day [College Humor]

Cop Vs. Cop: Paralyzing Punch Brings Felony Charges [Gothamist]

“Keep Pot Illegal!” Say Humboldt County Dope Farmers [Boing Boing] Read the rest of this entry »

Not in the literal sense obviously. Otherwise, I’d be telling this tale from beyond like Tiger’s dad.  Nah, this is a little different. Everyday after sundown since Easter has gotten progressively worse for me, not in a drastic way, but to the point where you say to yourself “What Next?” Kind of like John Calipari waiting to see who all was going to follow Wall and Cousins to the next level. Read the rest of this entry »

Following up the release of Vol. 1, the H2O-proof MC returns with sixteen of Ras’ classic tracks, and has an exclusive interlude where Ras gives some details on the A.D.I.D.A.S. project and announces the track “Goldyn Chyld 2.” With the rate & level of work he’s produced since his release from prison, it’s probably a safe bet for any Ras fan to go ahead & pre-order A.D.I.D.A.S. now. Until its release, enjoy another freebie courtesy of the the lyricist. Read the rest of this entry »

“Without you, love, it’s cold as f_ck, Life is a movie, we both say cut, But most times, darling, the sequel sucks.”

I sit down, start to do my usual scan of online things and lo’ and behold, there’s new material by Mr. Folarin, found via his Twitter. On the “Breakup Song,” our lyrical protagonist employs a nice double-time flow about the complexities of love & lust. And whoever LoLo is, he (or she) should get proper acknowledgment for working in the “All I Do” sample. Read the rest of this entry »

So many questions, so few answers.

– Why are there synchronized swimmers?

– What did that man pull out of the envelope? A ring?

– Are they all in love with the same woman?

– Do they all know they’re not actually into women?

– 1:12 ……..???????

– Who did this costuming? Can we fire them retroactively?

– Where are we? Read the rest of this entry »

Hip-Hop has come along way from Kool Herc cutting up breaks for an exclusive group of party-goers at 1520 Sedgwick Ave. in The Bronx. It’s no longer taboo for Jeanette the yoga instructor to be rocking out to “Soul Survivor” on her early morning jog; or for Gracie the art teacher at your daughter’s elementary school to be zoning out in the teachers’ lounge to “Shook Ones Pt. 2.”

Fighting Hip-Hop’s progression or the scope of talent pushing it forward is an exercise in futility. Instead of whining about who shouldn’t be participating in this game and pointing out everything wrong with an artist and his or her image, it would be more conducive to welcome those who are genuine in their attempts. Read the rest of this entry »

I respect the road Roc Marciano has taken. The former Flipmode role player paid the proper dues, and over the past few years has built a legacy in the underground as one of the last champions of rugged rap. After breaking out on “Cake” with his crew The UN on Pete Rock’s Petesrumentals he has gone on to release a handful of mixtapes and highly praised guest spots with the likes of Marco Polo and The P-Brothers. He seems to make concise and meaningful steps, shunning the current trends and means people go through for attention. Put it this way, Google his name and you won’t find much but mention it to a hardcore Rap head and you’ll get a wealth of knowledge.

With his official debut Marcberg dropping May 4th, and a vinyl EP-recursor dropping on April 20th, a few leaks have surfaced, namely “Snow” and “Raw Deal.” Granted I’m not scouring the NY streets, but I haven’t heard anything like this in a hot minute. From the drum programming to the loops filtered through blunt dust, the sound is undeniable. The rhymes fit the music; minimally descriptive with a cold delivery and dead serious in its intent. You hear it and know everything about it is correct. No flash, just rap and I’m never mad at that. Read the rest of this entry »

This is not a love song. But that shouldn’t take away any of the artistic merit related to unexpected soft rock sample used or the strong sentiments that Karim sends back to his hometown of St. Louis. Making sure The Force is always well represented, Karim operates under the guise that with growth comes change but there are certain sentiments that will always remain the same. So while he traded in his Cardinals cap for one with a Braves logo, he proves home is where the heart is with “Hello St. Louis.” Read the rest of this entry »

A society without satire & a sense of humor is a sad sad state. It’s that bit of edge that helps us all keep from taking ourselves too seriously. It’s what we missed during Aaron McGruder’s (and “The Boondocks”) sabbatical. That sharp sense & ability to take entities to task, calling them on their bs actions. But as they’re set to return to TV screens come early May, they’re sharpening their swords by providing their witty critique to Nike’s eery “ghost of Earl Woods” commercial as their target. Read the rest of this entry »

Honestly, I didn’t think there was any way that Court Dunn could continue to top his previous output in the One Shot series, done in conjunction with eskay & co. Since I’ve listened to both ‘Fest & Wale’s versions of this track countless times, I just didn’t see much room for growth to make this video worth watching. But Dunn did it. And he didn’t overextend or do anything dazzling. He simply added a minor interpretive twist (the keyboard & lyrics) that makes the short a good add to the burgeoning portfolio. Read the rest of this entry »

Claire Bella

America’s Shame: Confederates’ Defending Slavery [The Huffington Post]

Top 10 Worst Basketball Injuries [Dime]

Is It Still Cool To Be Black And Proud In Hip-Hop? [The Source]

David Simon On ‘The Colbert Report’ [Warming Glow]

The 15 Fans At Every Sporting Event [Sports Pickle] Read the rest of this entry »

One thing about the world, it will always keep you on your toes. Just last week a silent applause was given to Newark, New Jersey, and its first murderless month in over 40 years. Laugh, joke all you must, but if there is anything definite about Newark – Brick City isn’t exactly the nicest city in America. Read the rest of this entry »

New York Hip-Hop has fallen on hard times as no young talent has stepped up to fill the shoes of the long list of ‘90s legends that laid the foundation. Occasionally however, the city still produces some gems and we can add the Rustee Juxx/Marco Polo collaboration The eXXecution to that list. The album proves that New York (with an assist from Canada) and the one producer-one MC combo can still deliver in 2010, as long as the tracks hit hard enough. Read the rest of this entry »

Shawnna kick hot ish for b*tches that got they baby daddies locked in the pen and the slow jam hour for the radio, apparently. No longer content with battling it out with Luda, Shawnna is officially a nappy headed hoodstar. Always down for the getdown, Twist assists with that slo-flow from Chicago to certify this one BDS-ready. Read the rest of this entry »