Any teacher can attest to the fact that each class taught has a different personality. Last year’s XXL Freshman class was full of eclectic, ambitious musicians who were either made or destroyed by their own decisions. This year, the class was intentionally chosen to be ambassadors to the streets. Each artist seems to fit that bill. However not everyone is living up to the precedents set by last year’s clan. Who’ll be the next break-out star? Who’ll be the newest expulsion? Read the rest of this entry »

Eminem has D-12. Curtis enlisted G-Unit. Ludacris hyped DTP. Nas brought us The Bravehearts. Jeezy put on the USDA Crew. And, of course, Neighborhood Nipsey shares the corner with his crew The Slauson Boyz. Read the rest of this entry »

No bullsh!t, I’ve been wondering what the hell happened to Nipsey Hussle for the past few weeks or so. Maybe he has been releasing music and I’m just not checking the right sites, but it felt like this freshman had been practicing the art of truancy. Thankfully, it seems as if Nipsey has enrolled back in classes and seems intent in putting on for his coast. Read the rest of this entry »

Mr. Thanksgiving and the producers who do it better the 2nd time, Cookin Soul, come through with another freebie on this glorious Tuesday to make your iPod smile. When is the last time you heard a compilation mixtape that was worthy of constant spins? More than likely it was a CS presentation. And with Drama giving his Gangsta Grillz stamp, it seems like they could be invincible. Read the rest of this entry »

Amelia Talon

8 Of The Creepiest Places to Check Into on Foursquare [Asylum]

Why Terrell Owens Can’t Find a Job in the NFL [Black Voices] Read the rest of this entry »

Obviously not getting the memo about Hov having LeBron’s ear, Vitamin Water & Don Cannon teamed up with a group of rappers from this summer’s top free agent destinations for The Choice Is Yours. Over the course of the three song mini mixtape we’ve got corporate synergy, fueling the flames, pandering/tampering or whatever else you want to call it at its best. With the Knicks, Nets, Heat, Bulls, Cavaliers, Lakers & Hawks all represented LeBron should have his plans for the next six to seven years of his life decided in a little over five minutes. Read the rest of this entry »

Put ‘em on up and turn the bass upside down! The grimiest cut from Malice N Wonderland now has motion picture visuals ganked straight from the Malice N Wonderland: The Movie. Snoop Dogg, the hero gets momentarily sidetracked by Cali from VH1’s funbags and has a few moments to kicc it with Nipsey Hussle and Terrace Martin before returning to the call of duty. Read the rest of this entry »

I’m not 100% familiar with 100% of Hussle’s material, but I’d say it’s a safe bet that this DanTheMan-handled RadioPlanet Quikvid portrays Neighborhood Nip exactly the way he portrays himself. A guy who’s laid back with an attitude when necessary. One who appears overly aged and apathetic alike from having seen more in his 20-odd years than most see in their entire lives.

At 1:28, this may as well be Nipsey’s elevator pitch.

An extremely dope, Cookin-Soul-produced elevator pitch, at that.

Along with the recommendations found here, DJ Whoo Kid and XXL have consolidated the year’s top Freshmen onto one mixtape to give the uninitiated a crash course in one sitting. It’s Big Sean, Donnis, Fashawn, Freddie Gibbs, J. Cole, Jay Rock, Nipsey Hussle, OJ Da Juiceman, Pill and Wiz Khalifa all competing for your headphone time. Will one of them make a new believer out of you? Read the rest of this entry »

Unified like the fiddy states, the Dub-E-S-T keeps their wheels in motion when Snoop Dogg is spearheading the movement. Case in point: his projects are so major, there’s not one host but three involved as evidenced on We Da West (Volume One) as DJ’s Scream, Skee and Whoo-Kid divide the pie. Throw in Nipsey Hussle, Soopafly and Tha Dogg Pound among others, and you’re dreaming of Californication with this mixtape. Read the rest of this entry »

If this is your first time seeing any of the artists mentioned, on behalf on the rest of the TSS Crew, I’d like to give you all a warm welcome to The Smoking Section. Because every last one of these rooks have been featured heavily on the site. None of these rappers are actually “new” or “freshman” in the traditional sense. Read the rest of this entry »

Based on last week’s five video freestyles courtesy of XXL Magazine’s Freshmen 2010, pick the proper order which best showcases the artists’ talent level from the following six answers. Read the rest of this entry »

Although the words “donate,” “Haiti” and “help” are no longer on the tip of every newscaster’s tongue across the planet, the crisis that left the Caribbean country in ruins is still an ongoing ordeal. There’s plenty of charities and movements out there for every able participant to contribute to in some form or fashion, and tonight unveiled the regurgitation of one the most popular ones ever created. Read the rest of this entry »

I’ma be honest with you. As much as I’ve seen and respected Nipsey Hussle’s come-up over the past year, I personally can’t say I’ve found myself enthralled enough to rehash a single song from the South Central MC’s catalogue. For no real reason, either. Read the rest of this entry »

Photo: Dre Eastwood

I took away two things from this clip: the music and the knowledge. Next Sunday is definitely going to be super for more than one reason. Aside from Colts/Saints, Curren$y and Don Cannon’s long-awaited collaboration, Smokee Robinson, invades speakers for the first time. Spitta, Wiz and Nip recently had a studio session for the project which included good weed and even better music. From the sounds of things, it seems to already be a front runner for the standout record.

Now, the knowledge. With the scent of kush and sour diesel permanently settled in the studio, the three cannabis connoisseurs discuss smoking habits. A blunt man himself, Hussle, takes in words of wisdom from Curren$y who warns about the dangers of blunts. Ever wonder why Nip always looks tired? Because he smokes blunts, not papers, according to the Mythblazers.

Respect: Steve-O for sending this through.