by Alex Shtaerman As Hip-Hop continues to evolve to encompass an ever-increasing variety of styles, subject matter and viewpoints, the torch of mainstream success is also concurrently passed – whether it’s from artist to artist, borough to borough, coast to coast, or from city to city. More often…
by Alex Shtaerman With multiple classic albums under his belt and a catalog that spans a number of eras as well as decades, Too Short reigns supreme as the undisputed godfather of Bay Area Hip-Hop – that much is certainly clear. However, when it comes to many of…
by Alex Shtaerman When it comes to hardcore techno, Lenny Dee is not just a legend. He is the legend. As one of New York’s earliest techno pioneers, Lenny’s career inspired an entire movement when his famed Industrial Strength Records imprint became the world’s first hardcore techno label…
by Alex Shtaerman While his reputation as one of the most savage MCs on the planet has remained largely unblemished for well over a decade, it is Raekwon’s exploits in recent years, or perhaps the lack thereof, that, for some, has brought into question the service at The…
by Alex Shtaerman As one half of the legendary Brooklyn Hip-Hop duo Smif N Wessun, General Steele has long had an affinity for the borough that has, to a large extent, come to define his career. Few artists have brought to life the essence of Brooklyn’s gritty undercurrents…
by Alex Shtaerman If you want to know whether legendary Hip-Hop trio Cypress Hill is still on their grind, there can only be one answer to that question: a resounding YES. Boasting a global cult following for nearly two decades, Cypress Hill has been the epitome of Hip-Hop’s…
by Alex Shtaerman The late ‘90’s would witness rap music in the United States coasting into an unprecedented era of mainstream popularity and commercial success. As many of the adverse circumstances that profoundly shaped the genre at its inception and through the creative explosion of the 1980’s began…
by Alex Shtaerman Hailing from the Queens, New York projects of Queensbridge and Lefrak City respectively, Capone-N-Noreaga first burst onto the national stage in 1996 with the release of the landmark single “L.A., L.A.”. At a time when many New York artists found themselves embroiled in a vicious…
by Alex Shtaerman To say Y-Love is somewhat of an anomaly in Hip-Hop may be a gross understatement, even by today’s standards. Many might consider the path Yitz Jordan took in life to itself qualify as remarkable. Born to a Puerto Rican mother and an Ethiopian American father,…
by Alex Shtaerman Lending powerful insights into a medley of broken English and abstract slang is nothing new for Cappadonna. A legend in the borough of Staten Island long before he first appeared on Raekwon’s classic LP Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, Cap has since forged a die…
by Alex Shtaerman As an MC, beatboxer, DJ and visual artist, Hyphen-One is a throwback to a time when Hip-Hop wasn’t just a CD you bought at Best Buy, but rather, a way of life. “If I didn’t break my thumb the first time that I rocked a…
by Alex Shtaerman With the release of their sixth studio album, A History Of Violence, indie Hip-Hop powerhouse Jedi Mind Tricks continues to forge ahead amid turbulent times, delivering their signature brand of hardcore socio-political rhymes and eerie soundscapes that aims to recapture the formula established on their…
by RiotSound contributing writer Todd Davis In case you didn’t know, Sadat X, member of legendary Hip-Hop trio Brand Nubian and the self-proclaimed “Dot Father” is back. Following a two-plus year hiatus, the veteran MC is still kickin’ knowledge and taking no shorts with the release of his…
by Alex Shtaerman For nearly a decade and a half the Kottonmouth Kings have championed their own unique brand of Hip-Hop and punk rock fusion, dropping at least an album a year while touring virtually non-stop across the United States and abroad. Since 1994 the Kings of Rip-Hop…
by Alex Shtaerman Emerging out of the West Coast Hip-Hop revolution of the late ‘80’s, Kam first burst onto the scene as an affiliate of Da Lench Mob, a rap group mentored by Ice Cube following the rapper’s contentious departure from N.W.A. in 1990. After dropping his debut…
by Alex Shtaerman It goes without saying that very few rap groups can claim an iconic global following comparable to the one commanded by Hip-Hop legends Cypress Hill. And as B-Real, Sen Dog and DJ Muggs are set to be honored at the 2008 edition of VH1’s Hip-Hop…
by Alex Shtaerman Born and raised in the Bronx, NYC, Kid Capri burst onto the national stage in the early ‘90’s as the in house DJ for HBO’s legendary stand-up comedy showcase Def Comedy Jam. Renowned for his uncanny ability to rock virtually any crowd, Kid quickly became…
by Alex Shtaerman For nearly a decade DJ Revolution has manned the turntables on the set of the longest running Hip-Hop show in the history of commercial radio, The World Famous Wake Up Show with hosts Sway and King Tech. Syndicated internationally from its home on Power 106…
By Inga “International” Newson While many artists wait for that “close to retirement” moment in their careers to establish their very own record label, Los Angeles County born rapper Greed took the step as soon as the MC saw his buzz gaining momentum, establishing his very own independent…
by Alex Shtaerman Currently serving out a three and a half year jail sentence in relation to gun possession charges brought against him in 2007, Prodigy, while incarcerated, is by no means broken. Since dropping H.N.I.C. Pt 2 in April, P has continued to work on everything from…
by Alex Shtaerman While many trends in music have a tendency to come and go within the context of a single calendar year, there are those special legacies and traditions that are able to endure for decades despite seemingly endless attempts to erode them or dismiss them as…
by Alex Shtaerman If you don’t know about Onyx just ask anyone who was old enough to be in a club in ’93 about what would happen when “Slam” came on. To be brief, the crossover anthem would usually drive the crowd into a bewildered frenzy. If Hip-Hop…
by Alex Shtaerman As one of Hip-Hop’s most respected and prolific lyricists, over the last decade and a half AZ has built a cult like following spittin’ his signature brand of refined street knowledge, blending the experiences of a hardened East New York native with the complex insights…
by Alex Shtaerman While few can argue that Hip-Hop has undergone some drastic changes over the past decade and a generation gap has emerged within the culture, it is a rare event when someone actually tries to bridge the divide. In today’s world it seems like many of…
by Alex Shtaerman Regardless of whether you love them or hate them, one thing is clear: The last time anyone dominated the rap game the way G Unit has over the last five years was back when Snoop, Pac and Dre were rollin’ with Suge Knight in the…
by RiotSound contributing writer Todd Davis Recording artist, thespian and author are just a few of the many hats worn by Tracy Lauren Marrow, more famously known to his fans around the world as Ice T, the motherfuckin’ godfather of West Coast gangsta rap, in case you didn’t know!…
by RiotSound contributing writer Todd Davis Pioneering Hip-Hop DJ Joseph “Grandmaster Flash” Saddler is one of the chief architects of breakbeat DJing, cutting and mixing, as well as a founding member of the legendary Hip-Hop group Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five. In his early years Flash played illegal…
by Alex Shtaerman As one of the most prominent reggaeton artists in the world, Daddy Yankee has won awards, gone platinum and set attendance records in a recent tour of South America. But if you think he’s just another new kid on the block, you might just need…
By RiotSound contributing writer Todd Davis Hailing from Oakland, California, Del the Funky Homosapien began his career honing his songwriting skills as a contributor on projects for his cousin Ice Cube and Cube’s protégés Da Lench Mob. In 1991, with his cousin’s help and musical input, Del dropped his…
by Alex Shtaerman As Hip-Hop continues to evolve in the new millennium it often feels like different artists rise to prominence or fall off on almost a daily basis. With too many crews and clicks to name, much less keep track of, sometimes, as a fan, it’s nice…
by Alex Shtaerman While some stubborn Hip-Hop fans may still be lamenting the breakup of Gang Starr, a union between two legends in Guru and DJ Premier that yielded arguably the most extensive catalog of hardcore east coast Hip-Hop ever put to wax, those who have kept their…
by RiotSound contributing writer Todd Davis Born Peter Phillips in the Bronx, New York in 1971, the now legendary Hip-Hop producer, known to his fans around the globe as Pete Rock, seems to have been destined for a career in music at an early age. As a young child…
by RiotSound contributing writer Todd Davis When one thinks of Hip-Hop, especially women in rap, it would be criminal not to include this veteran rhyme-stress in your favorites list of top ten MCs. Born Lana Moorer in Brooklyn, New York, MC Lyte fell in love with music at an…
by RiotSound contributing writer Todd Davis It’s been nearly two decades since the Mobb Deep saga initially began. Comprised of two young rappers, Albert Johnson, born in Hempstead, New York, and his future partner-in-rhyme Kejuan Muchita, the duo first met as teenagers while both attending the prestigious Art and…
by Alex Shtaerman Set to drop his latest album, Super Gangster (Extraordinary Gentleman), December 4th, longtime street-hop favorite Styles P has continued to stay relevant amidst Hip-Hop’s changing eras in a way few MCs that started rhyming a decade ago have been able to do. A member of…
by Alex Shtaerman As one of New York’s most respected lyricists, Queensbridge icon Cormega has kept a relatively low profile in recent years. Quietly gathering momentum for what many fans have been anticipating for some time, on November 20th Mega is set to drop his first full length…
