Anyone familiar with the three-on-three basketball scene knows there are two types of teams competitors should be weary of: the star-studded bunch whose rep precedes them and the trio of slick combo guards who make up for any shortcomings with a solid grasp of the fundamentals and teamwork. Whether on the hardwood or in the vocal booth, Cali-based group Pac Div falls into the latter category. Read the rest of this entry »

I really wasn’t sure what to expect when Jarren Benton first set foot on our Perfect Attendance stage back in October with a Davy Crockett ‘coon hat on. Whoever coined the phrase “Don’t judge a book by it’s cover” obviously didn’t meet too many rappers, because nine times out of ten a rapper’s attire will be a dead giveaway as to what music will come out of their mouth. Read the rest of this entry »

You can miss Ms. Grae with all that talk life and liberties, it’s all about Cake Or Death for her in 2012. Over M-Phazes’ subdued and jazzy backdrop, Jean keeps it greasy while taking one last look at a relationship before leaving it in the rearview for good. Read the rest of this entry »

After securing my Concord XI’s a few days ago, I can finally sit back and take stock of what transpired over the last week. For the past few years, securing a pair of shoes took nothing more than me telling my boys to hold a pair of 13′s to the side and let me know when they needed the bread. That all changed thanks to a bevy of complaints being sent to Footlocker corporate Read the rest of this entry »

Tis’ the season for giving and LxE For The Uncool is dropping off a little stocking stuffer in the form of rhyme. Read the rest of this entry »

There will be several moments for everyone where they will have to take stock of their life and decide where they want to go next. It’s usually in these instances where the realization comes that something will have to be left behind for us to move forward. For Queens emcee Noah Caine, it was the moniker Hi-Jynx that had to be shed like a layer of snakeskin as he prepares for the next step in his journey. Read the rest of this entry »

Despite a mostly favorable reception to his debut album, Attention Deficit, lowly sales and an inability to see eye to eye with Interscope led to Wale parting ways with the label. Going back to what he knew best, Wale hit the Internet hard with new material and parlayed that into a new recording home at Rick Ross’ Maybach Music Group. Read the rest of this entry »

I forgot all about “Maybe It’s Just Me,” but I’m glad Classified decided to drop a video for the Handshakes And Middle Fingers track. There’s just something about this beat that makes me me want to grab a Newcastle do a couple of spins around the room. And even though it may not be a Notable Quotable, Brother Ali does the damn thing with the way his flow interacted with the beat. Read the rest of this entry »

All week long, the “sports guy” at my job has been talking about some “Carrier Classic” between the Army and Air Force that will be played tonight on the flight deck of an aircraft carrier. I feigned just enough interest to not appear rude and quickly found a reason to finish the conversation, walking away each time thinking “why in the hell would they play a football game on an aircraft carrier?” However, when he swapped “football” with “basketball” and then replaced “Army vs. Air Force” with preseason number one North Carolina vs. Michigan State on Veterans Day, the boy MZ’s interest level went from 2 to 10. Read the rest of this entry »

“Sometimes you gotta go away to make a comeback…” – Diz Gibran

Although it almost seems counterintuitive in today’s musical landscape, taking a step back from the spotlight can be beneficial. Whether it’s taking time out to regroup, plan the next move or find something to spark the artistic flame, time away can be well used in the right hands. Read the rest of this entry »

Nike’s Vac Tech construction has added a fresh perspective to several models throughout the year. I’ve been keeping an eye out on several of the AM90 and Dunk colorways that will be releasing over the next few months, but the Nike Air Max 90 Vac Tech “Tweed” are the closest Nike have come to making me reach for my wallet. Read the rest of this entry »

The spotlight shines just a little bit brighter on Lecrae with the release of the video for “Live & Let Live” from Statik’s Population Control. Hopefully this will be taken as the compliment I intend it to be, but listening to “Live & Let Live” gave me no indication Lecrae was a Christian rapper. I just heard a dope song. Read the rest of this entry »

It’d be easy to continue throwing praise on Kids These Days for making music that’s beyond their years but I think we’re past that point. Good music is good music and this group has clearly proven they’ve got a penchant for making it. Read the rest of this entry »

Tef Poe and Trackstar are reunited again for Power Over Everything. One listen to the new material from Tef and it’s apparent that he’s still operating in MJ mode. Read the rest of this entry »

When it comes to classic silhouettes, there are few out that are more beloved or revered than the Air Max 95. 16 years after its initial release, the AM95 still manages to secure numerous releases every year. I’ve been a fan of them ever since they released and have kept a couple pairs in rotation over the past few years. Despite those facts, a pair of AM 360′s or 2011′s almost always win out when I’m making my daily selections. Read the rest of this entry »