*Straps on backpack*

2003-2004 was the David D. backpack era. My prized possession in my Jansport was Madvillainy, which is a polarizing album as people either hate it or absolutely love it. I still contest that it’s a 5 Cig album. Each song flowed seamlessly, with DOOM dropping gems all over Madlib’s creepy, whimsical and comical (in the good way) production.

“Papermill” is that classic Madvillain sound with a couple of hook-less minutes of DOOM spitting non-sequitors and off-kilter rhymes. His voice is missing that gravelly sound it had in the first album, which is a shame. Still, this track is vintage Madvillain. Apparently, this it from an album that is on the way. Expect the project to come out the day after DOOM actually shows up to a concert. Read the rest of this entry »

…And Tyrone Hill looks like Skeletor. Obviously, this correlation is not a pretty one.

The fact that Curtis Jackson — the man who once proudly posed on the cover of GQ in a tattered button-up shirt that was blowing in the wind and oozes more masculine machismo than Razor Ramon – now resembles the former NBA power-forward whose got a plaque in The Naismith for ‘Ugliest Player On The Planet’ is defintely not a good look. Literally and figuratively.

Granted, the sinking face makeover is for a movie role that will probably earn him more than his 10% of whatever shitty sales his next album, 50 Cent Does Electro To Try & Maintain Relevance: A Love Story, will earn. Given that prospect, being asked to lose 60 lbs. by some middle-of-the-pack-director might not necessarily be a bad thing. Read the rest of this entry »

With his very logical reasons related to money aside, I guess it does suck having to go to the bank and say “No, I’m the real Rick Ross. The real drug dealer, not the fake rapper from Florida.” Actually, I get confused with the other John Gotti quite frequently so I feel Mr. Ross’ pain.

Now that the real “Freeway” Rick Ross, is out of jail he’s ready to reclaim the rights to his name. The infamous L.A.-based drug trafficker is planning a lawsuit against Miami rapper Rick Ross (real name William L. Roberts II), for profiting off the unlawful use of his name, along with Def Jam, Universal, and others. XXLmag.com spoke to both Ross and his lawyers today (May 25) to find out more about their case. Read the rest of this entry »

Luda’s Battle Of The Sexes came and went like a one night stand, barely leaving a hickey on your iPod. But with Operation DTP/Def Jam, there’s money to blow (and hoes that do too) so, all you ladies out there get to live vicariously through the album’s latest visual. Read the rest of this entry »

The first thing you’re likely to see and remember from a visit to Nashville is “the Batman building.” And if you make it to a local nightclub, one of the neighborhoods or turn the radio dial to one of the few urban stations, Young Paper’s “Dope Boy Swag” will be heard more than once and etch a mark in your memory bank. Commonly referred to as “Tha City Paper,” this track has held the city down since before I posted and is still alive now, no exaggeration. Two days ago, I heard a few kids taking turns reciting the lines, arguing about who he referring to with each line and all that old sh#t. With a remix featuring Buck and a few more hood legends & city locales receiving shoutouts, I fully expect this one play through July’s park & picnic season. Read the rest of this entry »

And the award for the most befitting tune this Memorial Day weekend goes to… Read the rest of this entry »

At least, he sure as hell resembles the masked maurader in this picture.

Before Ricky offers the world a look into the daily workings of his mafioso type wheelings and dealings on Teflon Don, Memorial Day Weekend needs tending to first. Read the rest of this entry »

Last weekend’s Champions League final had more than a few winners outside of deserving champs, Inter Milan. First, there was raging cokehead yet the game’s greatest player, Diego Maradona. As current manager of Argentina, he’s been utterly incompetent with his team selections, but the play of Inter striker Diego Milito—in scoring both goals—helped to solve Diego’s conundrum as to who amongst Argentina’s stable of strikers should play alongside Leo Messi. Then, there was Holland, whose two most important matchwinners, Inter’s Wesley Sneijder and Bayern Munich’s Arjen Robben shone brightest in the match and walked away unscathed, despite fellow countryman and resident headcase Mark Van Bommel doing his best to injure Sneijder in the match’s latter stages.

And then there was Real Madrid. With Inter coach José “The Special One” Mourinho becoming only the third manager to claim Europe’s top prize with two different teams (his first came with Portuguese underdogs FC Porto in ’04) as well as adding the Italian league and cup titles to a cabinet already including English league and cup titles, Mourinho has been talking up his chances of leaving Inter to pursue the only worthwhile club honors still eluding him: Spanish silverware and a Champions League title with an unprecedented third different team. And so, while the basketball world has their eyes transfixed on LeBron and his next move, the futbol world patiently awaits Mourinho’s game-changing switch to Real Madrid to coach the likes of Ronaldo, Kaka, and whomever else money and Mourinho’s clout will soon buy.

Over the past two seasons, Madrid has been stuck chasing their bitter rivals Barcelona team in the Spanish league. In Europe, the difference has been more damning. In the last six seasons, Barca has claimed two Champions League titles and two more semifinal appearances, while Madrid has failed to progress past the round of 16 even once. But all that will change with Mourinho. Here’s four strong reasons why.

1. Ego — Madrid’s lack of patience has made their managerial position the most unenviable, pressure-cooker situation in futbol. But that shouldn’t bother Mourinho and, if it does, we surely wouldn’t know. Sh#t-talker supreme, Mourinho says what’s on his mind and does what he wants, right or wrong. And he even fancies himself God’s gift to management, once telling the English media upon his arrival at Chelsea, “Please don’t call me arrogant, but I’m European champion and I think I’m a special one,” hence the nickname. Coupled with his conquering of Barcelona with Inter, this should be enough to intimidate the defending Spanish champions.

2. Smart Spending — Though he has a penchant for buying Portuguese talent that has failed to work out (Tiago, Maniche, Ricardo Quaresma), his eye for African talent has been spot-on. Didier Drogba and Samuel Eto’o now look like steals and the decision to purchase Michael Essien and not teammate Mahamadou Diarra from Lyon back in ’05 was a masterstroke. In addition, he was famously against Chelsea’s signing of legend-of-the-fall-offs Andriy Shevchenko and plucking Lucio from Bayern Munich last summer was one of the differences in Saturday’s CL final.

3. Cristiano Ronaldo — Both are Portuguese, the best at their respective positions, narcissists, but most importantly, always have a point to prove. A match made in futbol heaven.

4. Lassana Diarra — At each of his most successful stops, Mourinho’s had world-class talent in his coveted “Makélelé” role of midfield destroyer—Costinha at FC Porto, Makélelé himself and Essien at Chelsea, and Cambiasso at Inter. There are few other players who can currently fill the position (Mascherano, Fletcher, Song, Busquets) but the twenty-five-year-old Diarra, who has teetered on world-class level for the past few seasons, looks poised to transcend with Mourinho’s coaching.

5. Defensive Solidity — Surely he’ll teach Sergio Ramos how to defend again.

Women. Emotional rollercoasters with double D airbags. You wish the ride could go along more smoothly but telling them that would just derail the entire traincar all together. The H-Town superstar, Hollywood Floss knows a thing or three about relationship drama. Filling his House Of Dreams with clouds of reality rap and nightmares towards the opposition, “She Said” is a nod to familiar waters for every partnership under the sun. Read the rest of this entry »

A weekend night on the town dressed in casual clothes. Nothing too prim and proper; newly pressed shirt and pristine kicks as key parts to your wardrobe. Haircut game proper from a trip to the barbershop earlier in the day. The vehicle wiped down by hand and the ashtrays emptied. Seats reclined and moving at a steady but slow pace, ready to take in the city lights & night life.

Setting things in motion with “Step Out,” Grip Plyaz makes a play to dominate your pregame playlist with this soulful ode to living the life. With a helping hand from Aleon Craft and production by The Weathermen, this is nothing short of theme music as Grip’s cadence coasts across the brassy backdrop. Music perfect for sailing along with no particular destination in mind except making memories out of moments. As if the vision couldn’t get any clearer, this Corey Davis-directed video should paint the rest of the picture.

Check out stills from the shoot @ Governed By Loyalty. Grip’s 6 Pack Vol. 1: A Prelude To Purp Wind & Fire, coming soon.

Thanks to the NFL hype machine, that will most likely be your reality come 2014. In an alleged “power move,” all the team’s owners voted to host Super Bowl XLVIII at the state-of-the-art new stomping grounds of the New York Giants and Jets. Read the rest of this entry »

Entering this post looking for humongously ripe arses? Have you ever heard said “man, that Dutch broad got a donk”? Didn’t think so. But if you’re looking for a good way to kill a few minutes out of your day, this butt’s for you. Read the rest of this entry »

Thanks to Ghettoville, USA, I can’t even see the words Coogi without smelling Axe body spray, weed and/or various flavors of Black & Mild®. Once an uber expensive clothing line reserved for the rich, famous and the Biggie, the hood has adopted the now accessible pastel fabrics for their garb of choice. Read the rest of this entry »

After a record number of entries, we’re proud to announce that Brett H. of Columbus, OH. won the Distant Relatives t-shirt & CD. Brett, report to the front desk and pick up your prizes.

Thanks to each and every one of you who entered. The more entries, the better the prizes will be. Support appreciated. Big respect due to Burn Rubber and Fat Beats for holding us down.

I’ve seen Apollo Brown win a few battles with beats at DetroitRap.com’s Monthly Mixers, so when word came through that this Grand Rapids resident remixed Diamond District’s “Streets Won’t Let Me Chill,” my mouse got to clicking. Upon examination, my tastebuds were ironically enlightened by Brown’s overcast shadow of dreary instrumentation samples, James Brown drums and a completely different take on DD’s downtrodden street dreams.

The result could be theme music for a 2011 remake of Taxi Driver. Read the rest of this entry »