Do remember, The Renaissance was one of the best albums of 2008 — meaning it shouldn’t have strayed too far from your rotation. If so, this jazzy wonder featuring the lovely Norah Jones should make you want to revisit Q-Tip’s cultural journey thru Hip-Hop once again. Read the rest of this entry »

Sorry ‘Ye, but this is Q-Tip’s song so he had to be in the picture. I’m sure everyone will appreciate you dropping another verse though. Read the rest of this entry »

Words By Jason Hortillas

If you haven’t already listened to The Renaissance, you should, especially if you appreciate a Hip-Hop album dominantly produced by live instrumentation. When you see performances Read the rest of this entry »

As if I really need a reason to post a pic of A. Diva & those cute cheeks…

Fine specimen of feminity that she is, Amanda Diva apparently got into an e-skirmish recently. I’ll save you the story because Miss Info summed it up rather well. What I enjoyed most is Ms. Diva’s response was the following words in response to a commenter who that “She looks like she takes n– in her face…” Read the rest of this entry »

Generally, the bickering and babbling that coincides with ranking the year’s best LPs tend to blur the focus on the overall picture.

While some albums directly catered to personal preferences more immensely than others, all the selections emerged amongst the year’s best in regards to quality, visibility and of course, durability. Behold fifteen albums deserving of all the accolades and praises heaped upon them throughout the course of 2008. And their value will only solidify going in to 2009.

No order. No bias. Just noteworthy Hip-Hop.

Nas – Untitled

“From the brooding opening piano loop of “Queens Get The Money” to the uplifting snares on “Black President,” Nas channels his inner Walt Whitman as he explores the Black Diaspora. Lyrically though, his wordplay and delivery are sharp as ever as if all the attention to the title made Nas put extra effort and focus into his words…“ — From “America” – Review Of Nas’ Untitled Album

BONUS – Get familiar with Nas & DJ Green Lantern – The Nigger Tape Read the rest of this entry »

The title “Blogger” sounds so primitive. I envision a Blogger as someone who stamps his keyboard with rocks in his hands and fetches food by inserting a twig in an ant hill and eating whatever surfaces. But, alas, I am a blogger, and we are the first breed of e-Thugs — separated from punishment by the electro-glow of a computer screen. The blogging e-Thug has the most responsibility in the online community and abuses his power most often. Indeed, most blogs are top-of-the-noodle blather — for goodness sake, I’ve written about cereal Read the rest of this entry »

Yet another stocking stuffer from Kamal off The Renaissance. Read the rest of this entry »

Okaaaaaaaay, we’re reloaded.

This week the whole crew lined up to look back at the past, set sights on the future, and take aim at the current potential threats. Read the rest of this entry »

Hip-Hop is, and always has been, a young man’s game. As the giants of the 90′s enter middle age, they face an almost impossible landscape in which to continue making music. Trends and styles have changed, not necessarily for the better. So what’s a rapper to do? Recruit Chris Brown and Polow the Don in hope of keeping up with the youth? Or blow off record sales and the mainstream and make something that’s the natural progression of a past artistic portfolio? Read the rest of this entry »

It’s no gritty anthem, no bumper to bumper cabs in streets or crowded, bumpin’ into people subway song that would typify NYC. Read the rest of this entry »

Gotta love how these joints get liberated to CDQ some way or another. Read the rest of this entry »

Last night in the Fairfax district of Los Angeles, an impromptu listening party filled DJ boutique Turntable Lab in anticipation of Q-Tip. Heads, hipsters and ardent ATCQ fans formed intermingled pockets throughout the shop, waiting to see what he’d show up with. When he walked through the door, Tip carried his forthcoming album The Renaissance and the air of a DJ — a forever fan of music not stuck on himself.

“I don’t walk around with a million bodyguards,” Tip told the crowd when he stepped behind the DJ booth. “I’ve never been about trying to sell a million records… When we made records like “Bonita Applebum,” radio stations would say ‘I like this, but it doesn’t fit with this Guy record and this Public Enemy record.’ Now it’s ‘I like “Gettin Up” but how am I going to play it with this T-Pain?’” Read the rest of this entry »

Q-Tip wants to rock with you. Directed by Rik Cordero Read the rest of this entry »

Easily a frontrunner for best video this year. They don’t make ‘em like they used to, eh Mundy?

Q-Tip – Gettin’ Up