Hip-Hop and Rap

Aceyalone @ Club Red

DMX Reportedly Granted Early Release from Prison

One of DMX's many mug shots.​Troubled hip-hop star DMX, whom we profiled just after he was sentenced to a year in the clink last December, will be released on July 1, according to the website hiphopwired.com. DMX (real name: Earl Simmons) was on the comeback trail last year when he was sentenced ... More >>

Devin the Dude Is Content to Light Up Another Cannabis Anthem

Lil Wayne's "John" Video Premieres Today, Showcasing Spare Tires, Knife-Wielding Strippers, and Rick Ross in a Wheelchair

Wikimedia Commons/RJ ShaughnessyLil Wayne​Lil Wayne's new video, "John," premieres today. Weezy's latest visual opus finds the rapper in an abandoned warehouse, outside on a dock, on top of a mountain of car tires, and surrounded by bats, while guest rapper Rick Ross rolls around in a wheelchair ... More >>

Hip-Hop Massacre's "Death to Bin Laden" Flier

​Everyone had a reaction to last weekend's downing of terrorist mastermind Osama Bin Laden, even the superstars of hip-hop.Rappers ranging from Public Enemy's Chuck D to Soulja Boy had something to say about Bin Laden's death via Twitter. For instance, Lupe Fiasco tweeted "Osama Dead!?! Afgha ... More >>

Diddy's Rise From Booger-Eater to Insurance Hawker to Superstar

Lupe Fiasco at Mesa Amphitheatre Last Night

hile using a band for a live hip hop show is no longer unorthodox -- The Roots, Lil Wayne, Atmosphere have all done it -- Lupe's show was unique. The Roots jam. Atmosphere's tour band jams. Lupe's band rocked.

Lil Wayne at U.S. Airways Center Last Night

Maria VassettLil Wayne performing at U.S. Airways Center last night.​Lil Wayne US Airways Center, Phoenix Tuesday, April 19, 2011 Lil Wayne has entertained the idea of morphing from a rapper into a full-fledged rock star for a few years now. Why would one of the world's most successful rappers wa ... More >>

Talib Kweli

Murs @ The Clubhouse Music Venue

Tony Morales, What Are You Listening To?

Tony Morales​Tony Morales Morales is the pit master at Big Earl's BBQ and owner of Desert Smoke BBQ. Cheer him on at the Arizona Barbecue Festival this Saturday, March 26 at the Scottsdale Waterfront. When you put your key in the ignition and turn on the radio, what station would play right now? ... More >>

B.o.B. Burns Odd Future on 'No Future'

​A fresh rap rivalry is brewing! This time it's B.o.B. and Odd Future that are throwing down, according to Billboard.B.o.B. has just dropped his hot new diss track "No Future," in which he's quite adamant about standing his ground as an established rapper."Body blow, upper cut, I do more than brui ... More >>

Travis Barker Calls His Critics Nazis

​Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker is not responding well to those who have critiqued his new solo album, Give the Drummer Some, according to Spinner.Many fans of his work with Blink-182 have recently expressed that they don't particularly care for his solo work. Barker responded by calling his crit ... More >>

Hustle and Grow

DJ Drama @ Club Trinity

It's a Rap

Canibus @ Club Red

Linkin Park Made Their OK Computer

All hail A Thousands Suns, the finest dystopian fusion a major label can buy

Busdriver on LA's Hip-Hop Scene, Giving Music Away for Free and Why European Audiences Rule

​It's been a good couple weeks for fans of indie hip-hop. Last weekend, Nocando and Open Mike Eagle stopped by the Hidden House, and this weekend, fellow LA underground rapper Busdriver is performing at the Red Owl in Tempe. (Tickets available here or at the door.) In a recent e-mail Q&A, Bu ... More >>

L.A.'s Open Mike Eagle Discusses Indie Rap's Mostly White Audience

Lil' Kim Beheads Nicki Minaj on New Mixtape Cover

​Nicki Minaj is dead to Lil' Kim, according to Idolator.When will these chicks stop ripping each other off? Nicki Minaj's whole character is partially modeled after and influenced by Lil' Kim. If Lil' Kim can't be the bad chick on the block then someone had to replace her, and Nicki Minaj came alo ... More >>

Activision To Discontinue Guitar Hero and DJ Hero

​The Guitar Hero franchise has officially been canceled by video gaming publisher Activision, according to Blabbermouth.The decline in the game's popularity was significant enough to make the company pull the plug. The DJ Hero franchise will also be coming to an end.Activision Publishing CEO Eric ... More >>

Lil Wayne Releases Green Bay Packers Anthem

Lil Wayne's not shy about rooting for green and yellow in the Super Bowl this year.​Lil Wayne will be rooting for the Green Bay Packers in this year's Super Bowl, according to SPIN.Weezy's all about reppin' the green and yellow, stating in his newly released Wiz Khalifa rip-off "Green and Y ... More >>

Beyonce and Sleigh Bells Collaborate in the Studio

​Diplo says noise pop duo Sleigh Bells have been hitting the studio with Beyonce, according to NME.The producer recently blogged about being in the studio together with the three musicians. Sleigh Bells' album Treats was played for the good people who work for Beyonce, and now they're working on s ... More >>

Travis Barker's Upcoming Album Has More Guest Artists Than Kanye's Did

​Blink-182 drummer/plane crash survivor Travis Barker is set to release a solo album on March 15, according to Consequence of Sound.Turns out he won't exactly be doing the project by himself, though. After Travis made some announcements about the album via Twitter without the knowledge of Intersco ... More >>

Can DMX Ever Stay Out of Trouble Long Enough to Top the Charts Again?

DMX Moved to Mental-Health Unit at Arizona State Prison Complex

Arizona Department of Corrections Rapper DMX​Rapper Earl Simmons, better known as DMX, is housed in a mental-health unit at an Arizona State Prison Complex facility called Alhambra near 25th street and Van Buren.DMX was sentenced to a year in jail (minus 113 days served) on December 16 ... More >>

Ghostface Killah: Apollo Kids

Ghostface Killah - Apollo KidsThere's only a few new releases this week and, oddly enough, they are pretty much hip hop and R&B. I suppose Christmas is the time for giving... Jamie Foxx and Keri Hilson albums.Tucked away in this week's new releases is the 9th studio album from Ghostface Killah - ... More >>

50 Cent Sued by Caliber For Copyright Infringement

​Part of G-Unit isn't feeling so hot right now. Rapper and actor 50 Cent is being sued for copyright infringement, according to Billboard.It turns out that rapping about how you've got tons of money isn't always a good thing. Atlanta rapper Caliber is filing a lawsuit against Fitty and the produce ... More >>

Everlast and Everything You Need To Know About White Rappers Explained

Hip-hop Hero

Pale Comparison

Everlast and Everything You Need To Know About White Rappers Explained

Curren$y @ The Clubhouse

EPMD @ Celebrity Theatre

Brother Ali and Islam's Other Great Rappers

Dr. Dre ft Akon & Snoop Dogg - Kush

​Song: Dr. Dre ft Akon & Snoop Dogg, "Kush"Context: Dre's new single really is a pile of shit. I can't believe we waited a decade to hear single that has Akon's overplayed ass on it. If all of Detox is this bad the Doctor needs to keep it unreleased. Dre Dre ft Akon & Snoop Dogg - K ... More >>

Rap Songs Fit for a Tea Party: Hip-Hop Songs with a Right Wing Bent

​Maybe you've heard: Today is election day.This year's election is a little different than the 2008 one, though. It seems not everyone is happy with the progress the Kenyan/Indonesian/Martian guy who usurped the presidency has been making toward converting our economy to socialism. Crazy, right? S ... More >>

Eminem Recording New Tracks With Dr. Dre

​Eminem has confirmed he's recording with Dr. Dre again, according to MTV News.Marshall announced on Satellite Radio that he and Dre are brewing up something good, saying that he might rap over one of Dre's new beats.After one more single gets released from his latest album, Recovery, Eminem plans ... More >>

Gorillaz Leader Damon Albarn on Pacific Ocean Garbage, Pop Music and (Not Knowing Who) T.I. (is)

​There really is a plastic beach. Not with Lou Reed and a bunch of cartoons making hip-hop music -- that's just a fictional backdrop for the third Gorillaz record -- but in the Pacific Ocean, where a soupy mixture of oceanic garbage has massed together to form something scientists have named the ... More >>

Incoming: Combichrist, Buddy Guy, John Mayall, EPMD, Warren G

​It's a lighter load for this week's incoming shows -- mostly due to the fact that we had two different sets of incoming shows last week. That's not to say that there aren't some doozies amongst this week's announcements, though. For those fans of old-school hip hop, we have EMPD making a ruc ... More >>

Nas and Damian Marley's Reggae-Rap Project Explores Their Roots

Tech N9ne, & E-40 @ Marquee Theatre

50 Cent Caught in PC Snafu After Gay Men Kill Themselves Around the Same Time He Supports Cunnilingus

​A gay rights group is up in arms about tweets from 50 Cent they seem to believe had something to do with the recent spat of tragic, high-profile suicides of young, gay men. "If you a man and your over 25 and you don't eat pussy just kill your self damn it. The world will be a better place," he t ... More >>

Bad Laugh Tracks: The Most Annoying Recorded Laughter in Pop Music

​When I heard Ke$ha's "Your Love is My Drug" on the radio the other day, aside from making remarks about how sloppy she is, I couldn't help but mention to my friend that I thought the song was terrible.I was thrilled that the song was nearly over until Ke$ha struck a chord with one of my old pet p ... More >>

T.I. Sticking to His Motto, "Live Your Life:" Arrested for Alleged Drug Possession

Tiny and T.I.​T.I. has been arrested! Already? What took so long? Cue the sad trombone noise. TMZ broke the news early this morning that the Atlanta-born rapper and his wife Tameka "Tiny" Harris were pulled over late last night on Sunset Boulevard by an L.A. County Sheriff for making an illegal ... More >>

Game

Game

Caffiend: Crunk Energy

​Those unfamiliar with the meaning of the slang word "crunk" may not see the humor in naming an energy drink after the term, but in hip-hop speak, "crunk" means being stoned and drunk -- hardly an "energizing" state of being.Nevertheless, Crunk Energy is surprisingly refreshing and invigorating. W ... More >>

The Roots: How I Got Over

​There may not be a track released the rest of the year that has an ounce of the substance and effortless polish of "Dear God 2.0" off of How I got Over -- the long-awaited new album from The Roots.The song employs a genius guest vocal from Jim James of My Morning Jacket and Monsters of Folk fame ... More >>