Death is a perfectly normal part of life and so is coping with it. However, when suicide is the reason for the funeral, the unanswered questions and self-condemnation can last a lifetime. So much to the point where it unnaturally becomes a part of life itself. You may remember the name Disco D; a producer who gained notoriety for producing one of the illest scores on 50 Cent’s The Massacre, back when new producers were still interesting. Read the rest of this entry »

It’s always possible to sense the end of a relationship coming, like the feeling in the air that appears before a thunderstorm. While it’s impossible to predict the exactly when the sky will open, or when the bond between two people will reach it’s breaking point, a certain unmistakable tension fills the atmosphere in those waning days. Read the rest of this entry »

With aggressive flows and scrunch face inducing punchlines, Slaughterhouse and The Lox come together to bring to mind a boxing match on this remix of “Put Some Money On It.” The beat features an uptempo pace and a vocal sample, which provides the audio equivalent of a ring for these verbal prizefighters to show off their skill. Just like the square circle, it gives them the space to do what they need to do with no unnecessary adornments or frills. Read the rest of this entry »

What made Lord Willin’ so memorable? The Thornton brothers acute skills? Chad and Skateboard’s trendsetting production? A simple matter of timing? Or a culmination of factors?

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Clipse – “Virginia”

There was a point in time when I would have unabashedly vouched for Jayceon Taylor. About the last time I could say that was around 2008 when Obama was still a senator. Since then, Game has seen his career struggle to keep its head above water with one unfulfilled release date and non-impactful mixtape after another. Read the rest of this entry »

At an undetermined point, I started collecting stickers. Unlike sneakers and other crap that I have a lot of, these serve no purpose because I’ll probably never stick them on anything. Instead, I just horde them and occasionally pour them out just to see which ones I have. The whole idea of collecting them wasn’t on purpose, even though I’ve been attracted to the small pieces of adhesive since my middle school days and picking up random ones associated with bike and skateboard companies. Read the rest of this entry »

Smoke DZA’s returns with Killa Kyleon for “Roll Up, Pour Up” produced by Cardo On The Beat. DZA’s The Hustler’s Catalog coming soon. Read the rest of this entry »

Technically and by e-terms, we’re late on sharing “Stoned” but who cares? Everybody’s sitting on their hands, waiting until Wiz’ album drops in March anyways. Expect the kid to sell a cool mil if the full length contains more sinewy material like this, alternating between rapping and sing-songy deliveries. Read the rest of this entry »

Words by C. Paicely

Tales of scorned lovers often echo from the estrogenic side of things, but guys get burnt too. N-Dex and Kayai split minutes on “Already,” breaking down every aspect of pissed off that they’ve felt at the hands of an incredulous vixen. The track aptly divides into a mix of R&B and Hip Hop without seeming more like one than the other. It’s catchy but, more importantly, it’s raw. Dex and Kayai bring an unfiltered freshness to subject matter that would otherwise immediately seep staleness.

“Already” is one of 17 tracks from N-Dex and Rapid Ric’s Ultra O.D. The cover art for this joint is an eye-catcher, borrowing from an Italian plummer who recently got his GTA on. Take a listen to the free, full project on N-Dex’s Bandcamp.

Photo: Boney Starks

Our “Collect Your Thoughts” competition is in full swing and the entries are coming in daily. We are thankful its been well-received and we want to pay it back by allowing everybody a chance to win free sh*t even if you haven’t entered yet. So we pose a quick, Black Thought trivia question. Read the rest of this entry »

So far, Alley’s Purgatory shapes up to be pretty tough, gauging by the previous leaks and today’s final leak, “True Story.” I’m not exactly smitten with the chorus here but the man’s voice and content continue to hit hard. Read the rest of this entry »

Naming a mixtape White Jesus might seem audacious. However, it only makes sense when you’re Slumerican crew member Rittz and the first, electric record from your forthcoming project is “Fulla Shit,” putting you alongside two young savants – country cousins Yelawolf and Big K.R.I.T. Read the rest of this entry »

Let the annual Jay Electronica anticipation begin to boil anew as the wheels are officially in motion for the enigmatic emcee to hopefully put the rap world in a vice grip in 2011. During a recent set in Toronto, The Come Up Show caught up with the Mr. Electronica, discussing everything from the multiple projects he’s currently working on to the therapeutic nature of crafting rhymes. Read the rest of this entry »

I only wear Nike watches. Aside from brand loyalty, my preference for the Swoosh’s timepieces comes from the sleek, low profile designs that keeps their watches tucked under my sleeve. As a somebody who bangs the hell of a watch during a rigorous day, I appreciate that they stay hidden but can take a knock or two if they do peek out. Also, I’ve become a complete sucker for black and (neon) yellow (c) Wiz over the past few years. So while I’m adverse to the idea of sinking a lot of money into wristwear, the new SportWatch could be an exception to my usually frugal watch rules as all of positives come together and receive a technological upgrade to boot. Read the rest of this entry »

A month ago, Miss Info and I had a brief exchange regarding Lloyd’s “Lay It Down” and how the track had a youthful sound that reminded me of how music is meant to excite and create energy. My understanding came from being at local high school basketball game and watching a pack of seven, little raggamuffins pseudo-crooning their hearts out in the bleachers as the tune played during halftime. Read the rest of this entry »