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 »

Kweli made sure to draw his line in the sand EARLY in the year so his album would have the most shelf life in digital stores. Not only did the method allow for a longer promotion run, but there was also more time to iron out a great treatment for each visual. Read the rest of this entry »

Hooking up with DJ Drama and DJBooth.net, Jean Grae comes a calling with Cookies Or Comas: Gangsta Grillz Special Edition. Read the rest of this entry »

The B-Girl’s back but don’t expect any simplistic rhyme cadences from Rapsody. North Carolina’s lyrical Wonder Woman lives up to her name because she ensures that her bars won’t be taken in vain. And with that, some congratulations and a healthy round of applause are in order. This MC is spitting at the notion of the sophomore slump and saving it for the microphone so you can Thank H.E.R. Now. Read the rest of this entry »

If you saw a Jean Grae Gangsta Grillz mix coming, let me know in the comments. If you’re looking forward to seeing what Ms. Greasy and Drama have cooked up, you can sound off on that as well Read the rest of this entry »

Quick reminder for any and all in the 615 area. Hip-Hop will be in the building tomorrow at the Cannery. Come drink and be merry while live music plays in the ‘Ville. Read the rest of this entry »

Cinco de Mayo madness of the Hip-Hop type as Blacksmith emcee Talib Kweli brings his Gutter Rainbows tour to Nashville. Live at Cannery Ballroom on Thursday, May 5th. Alongside him will be opening act Jean Grae and local support provided by DJ Wick-It, Openmic and Stix Izza. Read the rest of this entry »

Uhm, who lit a fire under Jean Greasy’s rappin’ ass? Three straight days, three releases. Read the rest of this entry »

The snarky subliminal found in the title of Jean Greasy’s new single should come as no surprise as her cerebral cortex has been known to illuminate the show for sometime now, almost mirroring the fictional version of her moniker to strikingly close proximity. Approaching a beat with the A-B-C formula of lyric-lyric-punchline is like a peanut butter & jelly to woman; it bores her to the point where the majority of her raps Read the rest of this entry »

This summer, when we figured out why Based God was so damn strange, half of us realized there would be a point in time where his gimmick would work and the attention would lead to legitimate connects with legitimate artists. Then, with money in tow and opportunities to shine present, the Pack man’s lyrics would become less cooked and more bearable. Read the rest of this entry »

From the very beginning, “Uh Oh” sounds like the soundtrack to a horror film. Not the cheesy, faux-scary feel that usually draws a comparison like that, but the kind of atmosphere that makes Dracula’s castle or Camp Crystal Lake leap to mind. The stomping drums, fluttering synth and chanted chorus exude a sense of menace, and the gothic organ stabs bring the crashing lightning and pouring rain to complete the scene. Read the rest of this entry »

Before you splash the cash on Talib Kweli Greene’s new album next Tuesday, he and Myspace want you to get the full experience via your desktop to prove to you he has quality to earn your support. Featuring a colorful arrangement of musicians who bring put the grit in the art, see for yourself how the LP got its name and what he plans to bring to the game as the year’s first V.I.P. release. Read the rest of this entry »

Jean’s musical output hasn’t increased as much as I hoped since she linked up with Talib’s Blacksmith movement. Sure, Jeanius got its proper release, but other than that fans have been patiently waiting.  What I am grateful for are the strides her flow has made in the mean time and, while not an equal trade-off, it’s something that will help her down the line. Read the rest of this entry »

Festival fatigue has lingering effects that last for days and beset even the staunchest of music fans. The consecutive days of blaring bass, constant standing while nodding along to whatever beat’s playing, shaking more hands than a stumping politician, the lack of sleep & the consistent blur of it all create a war of attrition that few if any can survive without coming back feeling that perpetual motion feeling that’s similar to initial few minutes after having exited a swimming pool. Even days later, my wife yelled to have me assist with a chore and I immediately threw my hands in the air as if she were an emcee dictating what my response should be. Read the rest of this entry »

As late career renaissances go, Ski Beatz’ has to be one of the most unexpected. Nevertheless, the man behind “Dead Presidents” rise from the ashes has nothing to do with luck, but rather an ability to consistently craft pristine tracks for young MCs like Curren$y and Jay Electronica. Having gotten his mojo back, Beatz steps out of the background and into the spotlight with his own album, 24 Hour Karate School. The result is easily one of best exhibitions of the year. Read the rest of this entry »