2 Chainz

The Best Concerts In Houston This Weekend: Jeezy, CCA Conservation Concert, etc.

Jeezy Arena Theatre, May 17 A self-proclaimed hustler on the mike, the Atlanta rapper known as Young Jeezy has grown up quite a bit since his 2001 debut album dropped under the name Lil J. Rising through the ranks via his several independently released Dirty South mixtapes, he's now sittin' pretty ... More >>

Where Is Lil Wayne In the Lyrical Hot Water Hall of Fame?

Proving that it is almost never wise to compare the results of rough sex to Emmett Till's face, Lil Wayne was dropped from his Mountain Dew campaign last week. Emmett Till, for those of you who aren't familiar, was a 14-year-old boy who was beaten to death, shot, and dumped in the river for whistlin ... More >>

Free Press Summer Fest Releases 2013 Schedule & Stage Times

The moment many of you have been dreading has arrived: this morning Free Press Summer Fest announced this year's schedule and stage times for its fifth year, scheduled for June 1 and 2 in Eleanor Tinsley Park. The festival's eightysomething performers this year are spread across six stages from the ... More >>

From House Party to House Music: A Wild Friday Night In Houston

With a perfect combination of sun, clouds, and breeze, It felt as if Houston was making love to me as I escaped the treacherous, life-sucking fluorescent lighting of my Westchase office and moon-walked my way towards a Friday night full of booze, buds, and Budweiser. (I'm more of a Saint Arnold's dr ... More >>

The Rocks Off 100: Billy Dorsey, Grammy-Winning MARATHON Runner

Welcome to the Rocks Off 100, our portrait gallery of the most compelling profiles and personalities in the far-flung Houston music community -- a lot more than just musicians, but of course they're in there too. See the entire Rocks Off 100 at this link. Who? It is apt that songwriter and producer ... More >>

The Best of Coachella, Weekend One

Ed. Note: Rocks Off proudly presents to our readers coverage of Coachella's first weekend courtesy of our sister papers LA Weekly and OC Weekly. Karen O's Outfit Karen O's wardrobe on Friday night was bad-ass. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs front woman appeared on the main stage in a technicolor cape draped o ... More >>

The Worst of Coachella, Weekend One

Ed. Note: Can't have a Best of Coachella without a worst, right? Thanks to our (tired) Southern California friends at West Coast Sound and Heard Mentality. The Daft Punk Fake-Out Friday and Saturday, all anyone could talk about was if Daft Punk was going to show up during Phoenix's set. Why? Becaus ... More >>

Wonders Never Cease

Houston promotes its present-day music scene to the national media.

Raw Power

Iggy & the Stooges headline the fifth Free Press Summer Fest.

Fact: Pop Songs Always Give Brilliant Parenting Advice

I'm not sure who thought to film the fabulous display of parenting that is documented in the video below, but after watching this hot mess for exactly two minutes and 39 seconds, I've decided there's nothing quite as disturbing as a six-year-old rapping about how he can make my "booty pop." I refus ... More >>

Free Press Summer Fest '13 Announces Postal Service, Stooges, Cat Power, TV On the Radio, Social D, Geto Boys, Calvin Harris, etc.

Moments ago, the lineup for the 2013 Free Press Summer Festival was announced online at fpsf.com. Let's get to it, shall we?

Saturday Night: Rakim at Fitzgerald's

Rakim Fitzgerald's February 16, 2013 In the beginning, The God MC, legally known as William Michael Griffin, Jr., best known as Rakim, became one-half of one of hip-hop's very first groups, Eric B. and Rakim. The pair recorded a series of classic albums (Paid in Full, Follow the Leader) that have ... More >>

Friday Night: Fabolous, Meek Mill And A Brawl At Warehouse Live

Fabolous, Meek Mill Warehouse Live February 15, 2013 Rap is probably my favorite genre of music, though I could never really put into words why that is. Maybe it's nostalgia. Maybe it's because I grew up on Houston hip-hop and eventually found myself listening to the likes of Biggie, Ice Cube and ... More >>

Found Art: A Collection Of NBA All-Star Party Flyers From The Streets Of Downtown Houston

Yes, these were picked up off the ground along 100 yards of Polk near the Toyota Center, including a cool one from the City Of Houston about parking. The flyers are for parties, parties, and more parties, with appearances by Diddy, LeBron James, Kevin Hart, Gary Payton, Jay-Z, Casey Anthony, Cassi ... More >>

The Sounds of H-Town

Cactus Music wants your help with a "Community-Curated Playlist."

Top 10 Bands Your Girlfriend Cannot Stand

A shared taste in music can be a critical part of any couple's relationship, from going to a concert on their first date to narrowing down that one special song for their first wedding dance. But what if that's not the case? Just from a bit of casual Googling, it's not difficult to find divorce atto ... More >>

Songs I Didn't Want to Hear at a Casino While Losing Money

Recently, I spent more than a little time at the Harrah's casino smack in the middle of downtown New Orleans, which was unfortunately the only place besides my hotel room floor where I could get some sort level of sanity away from football. If you have ever been to a casino, you know it is built l ... More >>

All the Rappers Who Will Be Here All-Star Weekend, Part 2

"Are you going to StripperFest?" "Excuse me, am I going to what?" "StripperFest. It's a thing at All-Star Weekend." Rewind: All the Rappers Who Will Be Here All-Star Weekend, Part 1 If I told you a complete stranger with his or her own guide to All-Star Weekend told me such a thing, I would be ... More >>

Old Gold: The Explosion of Vintage Jewelry In Hip-Hop

In the past year, the hip-hop scene has traded in a great deal of its diamond-encrusted Jesus pieces and record-label logo necklaces for items with a bit more "vintage designer" style. From coast to coast, we are now seeing entertainers and tastemakers flash their vintage Chanel and antique Versace ... More >>

Coachella 2013 Takes It Back to the '90s

Coachella, the Only Music Festival That Matters (or so we're told), announced its 2013 lineup late Thursday night, no holograms or Rolling Stones included. Instead, two beloved '90s UK acts whose popularity in the U.S. is spotty at best, Blur and the Stone Roses, headline the first night of the tw ... More >>

Is "Die Young" Really the Most Controversial Hit Song Right Now?

December was supposed to be Ke$ha's big month. She was releasing a new album, critics were starting to see her as a serious artist, and "Die Young" was on the verge of becoming her third Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 single. But it was not to be. After the shootings in Newtown, some people didn't want t ... More >>

We Need More Rapper 8-Bit Video Games

2 Chainz and Juicy J have owned 2012, whether you like it or not. Both of them could have ran for President of the Ratchet United States of America and won in a landslide on the 2 Trippy ticket. Their greatest gift to mankind this year? Time-wasting awesomeness in the form of 8-bit video games. Y ... More >>

The Rest of the Best: Houston's Top 5 Hip-Hop Venues

5. Grooves of Houston Grooves is an apropos name for this Third Ward hot spot: It's groovy. Besides hip-hop and R&B, the club also also plays jazz, which probably accounts for the mixed bag of ages found here. One word of caution, though: Get there early, and dress to impress. Grooves' popularity me ... More >>

6 Cool & Cheap Weekenders: Dinosaur Jr., Some Stones, Big K.R.I.T., Optimo Radio, etc.

Dinosaur Jr. Friday, Fitzgerald's Dinosaur Jr. may be one of the most underrated indie-rock acts of the past 25 years. They weren't as sexy as Pearl Jam or as populist as Nirvana, but the music dripping from the instruments of the criminally-unsung J Mascis, bassist Lou Barlow and drummer Murph has ... More >>

Big K.R.I.T.

Last Night: 2 Chainz at House of Blues

2 Chainz House of Blues September 26, 2012 "It's ya birthday, It's ya birthday! Bad bitch contest, you in first place!" -- 2 Chainz At the #MadeInAmerica festival in Philly a few weeks ago, only two performers graced the main stage both nights. The first was Jay-Z, the mastermind and curator of th ... More >>

The 5 Best Shows In Houston This Week: The Go-Go's, 2 Chainz, etc.

The Go-Go's Monday, House of Blues God bless the Go-Go's. If Monday's House of Blues show is anything like last August's all-killer-no-filler HOB date - and it should be, since the reunited five-piece isn't pushing any new "product" - you're in for a real treat. Listen to "Lust to Love," "How Much M ... More >>

Upcoming: Bonnie Raitt, P.O.S., REO Speedwagon, Richard Cheese, Wiz Khalifa, Etc.

2 Chainz: Wed., Sept. 26, 8 p.m., $25-$150. House of Blues, 1204 Caroline, Houston. Above & Beyond: Sat., Sept. 22, 8 p.m., $20-$50. Stereo Live, 6400 Richmond, Houston. Alien Ant Farm: Fri., Oct. 12, 8 p.m., $14/$18. Scout Bar Clear Lake, 18307 Egret Bay Blvd., Houston. Allen Stone, Sister Sparr ... More >>

Lil Keke Shows True Heart of a Hustla, Talks Z-Ro's "Retirement"

Rewind: Lil Keke Springs First Free Mixtape, Da Leak As a legend and someone who's done everything on his own terms, Lil Keke sees the current climate in Houston and must adapt. Hence him crafting his first ever free mixtape in Da Leak. Continuing on from our interview Friday, Keke tackles the ment ... More >>

#MadeInAmerica: The Rain, Restrictions & Randomness of Day 2

Day two of the first-ever Made In America music festival felt considerably less hectic and crowded than day one. The blazing heat of the previous day was replaced with scattered showers, and the humidity that follows, making for a sticky and slippery situation on the Ben Franklin Parkway. The crowd ... More >>

#MadeInAmerica: Jay-Z, Obama & G.O.O.D. Music Close Out Day 1

Rewind: #MadeInAmerica: The Heat, Crowds & Fireworks of Day 1 The setting was grand: One of the most iconic set of stairs in the world, in one of the most historical cities in the country, showcasing one of the most successful people in the entertainment business. The very same steps that Rocky Bal ... More >>