Email Author Shea Serrano

Awards

• 2012 - Best of the West/First Amendment Funding, Inc., published February 10, 2011

  "Getting Past the Bouncer"

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2011 Stories by Shea Serrano

• Review: Jett I. Masstyr vs. hasHBrown on Break Something

  published Dec 02, 2011

  A declaration, resolute and firm and unassailable: Jett I. Masstyr is a better producer than hasHBrown is a rapper. If Break Something, the year's second offering from hasH, serves no other purpose, i... More >>

• Artist of the Week: Bang Bangz

  published Nov 30, 2011

  Each Wednesday, Rocks Off arbitrarily appoints one lucky local performer or group "Artist of the Week," bestowing upon them all the fame and grandeur such a lofty title implies. Know a band or artist ... More >>

• Ask A Rapper: E.S.G. and the Rapper That's Going to be Better Than All You Suckas

  published Nov 30, 2011

  The hip-hop world is a less than sensible place - lots of times, you're even required to clarify when bad means bad and when bad means good - so once a week we're going to get with a rapper and ask th... More >>

• Rap Round Table: What is the Best Pimp C Song of All Time

  published Nov 28, 2011

  Some rappers happen to be thoughtful, intelligent people. Each week Rocks Off will have some of them here discussing issues relevant to their culture. This Week's Panel: A Whole Bunch of Twitter Folk... More >>

• Five Spot: Houston Video Spotlight

  published Nov 25, 2011

  Dudes, it the day after Thanksgiving. You shouldn't be reading junk on the computer. You should be celebrating with your family, talking about how awesome life is and how Rocks Off is just about the b... More >>

• Y'all Musta Forgot: Le$'s Luminescent Settle 4 Le$ Vol. 2

  published Nov 25, 2011

  "I gotta stay paid 'cause I like fly shit." -- Le$, "Gangsta" There was this time where, on Twitter, Le$ remarked that someone -- a street tough, presumably- had told him that his shoes were ugly. H... More >>

• Three Days of Thanks: Artist of the Week

  published Nov 23, 2011

  Each Wednesday, Rocks Off arbitrarily appoints one lucky local performer or group "Artist of the Week," bestowing upon them all the fame and grandeur such a lofty title implies. Know a band or artist ... More >>

• Three Days of Thanks: Ask A Rapper

  published Nov 22, 2011

  The hip-hop world is a less than sensible place - lots of times, you're even required to clarify when bad means bad and when bad means good - so once a week we're going to get with a rapper and ask th... More >>

• Three Days of Thanks: Rap Round Table

  published Nov 21, 2011

  Some rappers happen to be thoughtful, intelligent people. Each week Rocks Off will have some of them here discussing issues relevant to their culture. This Week's Panel: Not Invited: This Week's P... More >>

• Of Leather Diapers, Mulch and the Accessibility of Jay-Z

  published Nov 18, 2011

  Earlier this afternoon, a news bit landed in our inbox. It was about Jay-Z remarking (playfully) that his and Beyonce's baby, the first for both, was going to wear leather diapers. A story, then: ... More >>

• Review: Jack Freeman's Lynnie Free's Juke Joint

  published Nov 18, 2011

  A little more than a year ago, Jack Freeman, a magnetic underground R&B singer, released an EP called Dark Liquor. Here's what was written about it here in this space at the time: "It is, in short, e... More >>

• Last Night: Mac Miller at Warehouse Live

  published Nov 18, 2011

  9:55 p.m.: Mac Miller concert. Let's just get them all out of the way now: Asher Roth, Eminem, Yelawolf, Machine Gun Kelly, Paul Wall, Rich Hill, Aesop Rock, Bubba Sparxxx, El-P, MC Serch, R.A. the Ru... More >>

• Ask A Rapper: J. Cole vs. Big Sean, the Worst Song of 2011, More

  published Nov 16, 2011

  The hip-hop world is a less than sensible place - lots of times, you're even required to clarify when bad means bad and when bad means good - so once a week we're going to get with a rapper and ask th... More >>

• Mourning Big H.A.W.K.'s Should've-Been Birthday

  published Nov 15, 2011

  Big H.A.W.K. should've been 42-years-old today. He should've been getting ready to release his newest album, Birds of Pray, the title a play on his name and his unwavering belief in Christ, the mu... More >>

• Showcase Showdown

  published November 17, 2011

  Saturday's Houston Press Music Awards Showcase was spread out, with 50 bands playing over five areas and some 11 stages, which meant most... More >>

• Artist of the Week: HPMA Nominee Clory Martin

  published Nov 15, 2011

  Welp, you've made it. Tonight is the Houston Press Music Awards ceremony, otherwise known as Music Christmas, otherwise known The Opposite of the Holocaust, otherwise known as The Day Jesus Says "Fuck... More >>

• Rap Round Table: What Music-Related Thing Are You Most Thankful Forr

  published Nov 14, 2011

  Some rappers happen to be thoughtful, intelligent people. Each week Rocks Off will have some of them here discussing issues relevant to their culture. This Week's Panel: Rob Gullatte, Herney the Grea... More >>

• 2011 HPMA Showcase: What's Up, Dad Rockr

  published Nov 14, 2011

  Checkout the slideshows of the bands and the crowd at the Houston Press Music Awards Showcase. Josh Wolf, lead singer of rock and rollers Hell City Kings, is fantastic. And mesmerizing. And pasty. D... More >>

• Five Spot: Today is Remember The First Time You Listened To UGK Day

  published Nov 11, 2011

  Ah, Julio. Julio is a grown man now, probably about 32. I have not spoken to him in years. The very last time we were within earshot of each other was when I was college. I had come home on a break ... More >>

• An Opaque Review of Drake's Take Care

  published Nov 10, 2011

  [Note #1: Drake's Take Care leaked this past weekend. We didn't download it illegally, that's for certain. But if we had, here's the review we would've written.] Listen to this while you read this. T... More >>

• Rap Boom Reload: Thanks and So Forth

  published Nov 09, 2011

  Every time somebody writes a cover story, there's an accompanying blog post that goes with it, giving some sort of back story or little anecdote or whatever. That's what this is. This week, there wi... More >>

• Ask A Rapper: Scooby on Officially Being a Solo Artist (But Also Still Part of a Group)

  published Nov 08, 2011

  The hip-hop world is a less than sensible place - lots of times, you're even required to clarify when bad means bad and when bad means good - so once a week we're going to get with a rapper and ask th... More >>

• Rap Round Table: Who is Currently the Best Producer in Rapr

  published Nov 08, 2011

  Some rappers happen to be thoughtful, intelligent people. Each week Rocks Off will have some of them here discussing issues relevant to their culture. This Week's Panel: Slim Thug, Mug, Yung Redd, De... More >>

• Five Spot: New Music From Jack Freeman, The Monster, Scooyunda, Brook Gang and More

  published Nov 04, 2011

  Boy A and Boy B play their last soccer game of the season this Saturday. It's a little sad, really. They're just now to where they're excited to play. They were uncomfortable at first because, for r... More >>

• Y'all Musta Forgot: Third World's Strut

  published Nov 03, 2011

  Houston's history is dotted with albums that, fairly or not, have been swept aside. We'll examine them here. Have an album that you think nobody knows about but shouldr Email sheaserrano@gmail.com. St... More >>