Words by David D., Greg Whitt, Raj, Beware & Justin Tinsley

Hip-Hop is full of misogyny and sex acts with the most random, nameless women. But sometimes, rappers weave tales about ladies that hold special places in their hearts and/or spank banks. With that said, we’re going to take a look at some ladies named in classic Hip-Hop records. From Suzy Screw to Blowjob Betty to Brenda and her baby, all of these fictional lady characters are important in their own ways. Read the rest of this entry »

It appears Ice Cube will not be using his AK today. After the NBA season schedule was released and started our day off proper, Slick Rick has added a cherry on top, by releasing a new song with DJ Premier. Yes, you read that correctly. Read the rest of this entry »

You only get one chance to make a good first impression. Attention spans are as fleeting as ever in this world of instant gratification and 140 character limits. A rapper can gain or lose fans in just a few seconds, which is why it’s so important to hitthe track hard. Over the course of Hip-Hop’s history, a few songs have become iconic based solely on the opening lines. Read the rest of this entry »

Although his name rings the loudest, Rakim isn’t the sole inspiration behind Nas’ studious pen game. In fact, one could argue that Slick Rick’s presence is more dominant in the music of Nasir Jones, especially early in his career. (See the greatest Pete Rock song – concocted by Nas of course – for an obvious example.) Read the rest of this entry »

Mr. Davey D ran into the incomparable Slick Rick backstage at Rock The Bells: San Fran as he gave new rappers a crash course in da art of storytelling as well as admitting that his weight was a gaudy as his jewerly.

Props: Davey D (Duh!)

You can’t question the fact that Mos Def is one of the most talented emcees in the game. You can, however, question his commitment to Hip-Hop over the last five years. The lucrative opportunities offered to Mos on big and small screen have been too much for him to pass up. But you can’t take without giving something up, and what has suffered has been Mos’ musical career. 2006’s True Magic was panned for its lack of cohesion and consistency, the work of a man with too much on his plate.

The same criticisms can be raised on The Ecstatic, an, uneven unpolished offering from the aspiring Renaissance man. Employing his experiences from sojourning various poverty-stricken nations gives the music a contemporary influence, yet the biggest problem with The Ecstatic is its disjointed nature—there’s no consistent flow from song to song or overarching theme within the project. Read the rest of this entry »

As a melanin deficient rapper, gaining attention is the easy part. Earning respect on the other hand, may take double the effort. Coming out of Surburbia, Pennsylvania, Asher Paul Roth saw his career’s stock rise fairly quickly after releasing a famed Gangsta Grillz mixtape and landing the cover of XXL with the several other of his freshman counterparts. As one of the first to land a major label deal, young Asher is out to prove he’s more than an affirmative action contingent with his exceptionally divergent debut Asleep In The Bread Aisle. Read the rest of this entry »

In celebration of VH1′s Hip-Hop Honors show , The Crew is taking a look at a few of the honorees & their impact on Hip-Hop culture. This entry Slick Rick.

Yeah, we see you. Updating your lil’ Facebook statuses with random “Swagga Like Us” quotes. We hear ya, screaming Kanye’s Naaaa naaa naaaa… at the top of your lungs in the club. Nobody has swagga like us?

Seriously? Read the rest of this entry »

While cruising my parameters the other day in the homie’s whip, he threw on a CDR he had buried in the back of his 75-disc excuse to break into his car. It was beat up, to say the least. One of those mixes you’ve gotta’ spit on and rub off with your tee for it to actually play.

Anyways, somewhere in between SPM and Spitfya, Slick Rick’s “Street Talkin” made it’s way into rotation…and had my mind spinning more than the skipping disc.

It’s not that I’ve never heard it before, just that it’d been damn near three years and I’d forgotten about how dope a jam was when Slick Rick and Outkast was on it. Aside from the jazzy beat and dime piece chorus, The Ruler and Daddy Fat Sacks lace it easier than some Velcro kicks.

When the song ended for the second time around and my breezy feeling had alleviated itself due to some good old-fashioned Michigan springtime snow, I wondered aloud if Rick had a Greatest Hits album on the shelves. Upon returning home and checking Amazon, I was given the same answer I usually give when asked if one of my roommates can rock the Timbos.

That unsuccessful quest for convenience led me to this post. Read the rest of this entry »