With a solidified position in the game, I often wonder what Face’s purpose is for continuing to make music. Part of me hoped he slowly ease out of the way after the weak showing that was Emeritus. He didn’t; he released Dopeman Music on iTunes. As a lifer, I’m glad he did because it’s a redeeming effort to a degree. The first six to seven tracks trump Emeritus, all Chevy-ready tracks that sound akin to Face from The Untouchable era. Read the rest of this entry »

Looking for a way to ease into your Monday? Too much of too many things and trying to shake the cobwebs? Try a dose of After The Smoke’s “Typical Weekend” to maybe wash away the bad and help you begin to relive the good from a weekend that could have lasted a few days longer. Here’s hoping the memories sustain until next Friday or at least provide enough encouragement for next weekend’s redemption attempts. Read the rest of this entry »

Footage of Styles performing last Tuesday @ SOB’s for the release of his new fiction novel, Invincible (available on Amazon). We could rank Lox members all day and Pinero will still be my favorite. Straight up, buddy’s performance was the truth. No way to express it otherwise. I think the his solo efforts, work with group and featured appearances are way underappreciated, but seeing dude string along song after song makes you realize how many anthems he and the trio have under their belts. Read the rest of this entry »

Mike Bigga spends his birthday with Adult Swim, touring them around his typical day in the A. Also starring Ms. Ann, Pill and Grandma, the camera allows us to watch as Killer gets cussed out, visits the studio to lay a few verses, does a few drops for The Boondocks…and eats. What? The man’s name is Bigga and he’s proud of it so you know there would be a few food stops along the way. Above all, the video is authentic. A portrait of the artist as a common man. Read the rest of this entry »

Two birds, one microphone. That’s how Tip is running thangs fresh out of the bing. The King gets his cross-promotion on with his adrenaline-filled street single for King Uncaged that also headlines the soundtrack to Takers, his new movie starring Matt Dillon, Idris Elba and Sith Lord Hayden Christensen. Read the rest of this entry »

Phil Ade has been quite successful on the JV team but now he’s taking aim for varsity. With the song “The Letter” and the solid video accompanying it, he makes a strong play to be considered for starting time in your playlist. I’d like to doff my cap to the young man for employing the DJ and scratches into his music. And honestly, he’s set to make a name for himself, having made very few (if any) musical missteps thus far. So far, so dope.

Hosted by Don Cannon, Phil’s mixtape, The Letterman, will be out July 6th via Okayplayer. Read the rest of this entry »

R. Kelly and Lil Jon share little in common, besides their ear for beats and the infamy of being eviscerated by Chappelle’s Show. Despite this and the many, many mockeries the duo have endured, they’re both undeniable hit makers and “Ms. Chocolate” is no exception. The beat brings the summertime heat and the denizens of South Beach club won’t mind if Lil Jon doesn’t have anything interesting to say as they dance their collective a$$es off. Kells and Mario carry the track anyways with their odes to the darker berries. Read the rest of this entry »

We haven’t always been kind to Boaz around these parts but that hasn’t stopped him one bit from continuing on his grind until he makes it where he’s trying to go. And as evidenced from the “I Won’t Stop” video, that place is the Oval Office. F#ck owning the Nets, Boaz knows real power comes with controlling nuclear launch codes, appointing Supreme Court justices and having legal immunity when installing a stripper pole in the Lincoln bedroom. Read the rest of this entry »

Since we all need a little “Inspiration” in our lives, Classified has decided to grace us with a visual for perhaps the most uplifting cut from his underrated Self-Explanatory album. The song and complimentary video tell the tale of Class passing along a beat over the Web to an aspiring rapper name Phil LaCroix, hoping to hear back after he had laced it. A few months later, the multi-faceted Maple Leaf producer/rapper got an e-mail from the rapper’s friend, who delivered the unfortunate news Phil had died in a car crash.

Eerie, yet moving, this amazing song is a reminder of how influential the fingerprints we leave in people’s lives can be, whether we know it or not. Plus, it’s an honest testament to how inspirational music can be for your life.

Download — Classified – “Inspiration”

And, if you’re still not sold on Class, watch this video of him preforming “Beatin’ It,” — one of the highlights from his catalogue — live from Halifax.

Can you make beats and rap to them simultaneously?

Classified can.

In time for your weekend wake, bake and watch, Wiz’s vivid video for “The Kid Frankie.” I can never remember the buddy’s name to right of Wiz but he’s gotta be one of the most chillax sidemen in rap right now. Extra cool so S/O to homie. Read the rest of this entry »

“Where the f#ck they was at in ’94?”

If there was way to track the stats between how many times I’ve played this song between the whip and house, I’m sure it would be leading in the most played column. Previously, I’ve already said enough about where this song stands with me, so I hit the backspace button for the two paragraphs I originally wrote. Time to let Bigga & the video continue the rest of the story.

GTRG BBB! Read the rest of this entry »

Yeahhhhh © Jeezy. Shoes so clean that they deserve a release party. But not a BS event. A real one with real emcees and authentic folks in attendance. The homie Ronnie Fieg celebrates the launch of the Asics “Super Red” Gel Lyte III. Performances by Joell Ortiz, AZ, Cirino, Consequence, Cormega, DJ Soul & DJ Enuff. Read the rest of this entry »

As someone who detests bratty, hipster skateboarders as much as I hate seeing joy on a child’s face, I must say that I love this video. As a man with a healthy love of his own genitalia, this video makes a single tear fall down my cheek. The short story is the kid has a skateboarding accident and screams like a banshee that his nethers have been punctured. 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.

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 »