We know, we know -- Beyonce was able to gather a who's who of the Houston music scene for an "I Been On" remix. But Bey can't put together a Houston team like Mayor Annise Parker can. For years (we're assuming) the world has been clamoring for tow H-town giants to get together -- two men who have ... More >>
Houston has a professional football team. That teams is called the Houston Texans. A lot of people like them. Some of those people are rappers. The Internet has several forms of social media. One of those forms of social media is called Twitter. A lot of people use it. Some of them are rappers. Ju ... More >>
After leaving the Gumball 3000 afterparty in Las Vegas, I made it back to my hotel at about 4:30 a.m. The plan was to sleep for a few hours, then head to Los Angeles, where the rally was set to arrive at the finish line on Hollywood Blvd. Originally, I was going to hitch a ride with one of the Gumb ... More >>
More FPSF 2012 Coverage: • Summer Fest line-up reviews on the Rocks Off blog. • Free Press Summer Fest 2012: The Sexy, Sweaty Crowds • Popsicles and Pizza: The Food of Summer Fest • FPSF: The Bands from Saturday • FPSF: The Bands from Sunday Pretty Lights Free Press Summer Fest June 3, 20 ... More >>
Double Dragon, rapper Fat Tony's sophomore album hits the streets on June 1, with help from Tecla, Bun B, Murs, and others. The disc will be released on the brand-new imprint Young One Records, based out of Brooklyn. The youthful Young One label is an off-shoot of Partisan Records, home to Deer Ti ... More >>
​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, Lil O, E.S.G., Delo, hasHBrown, Medicine Girl, Mac, Chane, more. Not Invited: Marcus This Week's Prompt: King ... More >>
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: Bun B, TroubleSum, E.S.G., Brad Gilmore, Kyle Hubbard, Preemo, RoderickVonn, Kiotti, Zavey, D-Risha, more. Not Invited: Shonuf ... More >>
Remember that one awesome party, the invite-only one with the open bar that was sponsored by a liquor company, where everyone was beautiful and hip, and you got to mingle with Big Boi or Pharrell Williams or Bun B? Either you do remember, because you wish that every party you attended was half as am ... More >>
Download that. It's Intervention, a compilation album from 21-year-old producer Trakk Sounds (with help from the MP3 site Tha Fixx). It's fun; all original tracks (16) with all original verses (60!). Sounds, who currently shares a studio with regional tastemaker Rapid Ric, worked on it for ... More >>
Are you happy with your current city? Yeah? Then feel free to ignore this list of rappers from other cities drooling over all things Houston. It's likely to breed envy. Some of these come from gushing fans and some are random, but the vast majority illustrate just how much rappers love Houston. Dig ... More >>
Some rappers happen to be thoughtful, intelligent people. Each week Rocks Off will have some of them here discussing issues relevant to their culture. Photo illustration by John Seaborn GrayThis Week's Panel: Not Invited: This Week's Prompt: There are a bunch of things we're responsible ... More >>
Marco TorresBun B: As trill as it gets.You asked for it, you got it. Like KISS. Now, right now, you can buy single-day passes for this weekend's Best of Houston® BestFest on the festival's Web site, bestfesthouston.com. If the virtual ticket window isn't quite ready, give it a minute or to ... More >>
It's time for another fabulous installment of Magnolia City Mixtape. We took last week off, as we were still recovering from the whirlwind of Free Press Summer Fest. Call us lazy if you will, but this week we've got a double dose of local music news to make up for it. If you're into rap videos, this ... More >>
Marco TorresBun B at Free Press Summer Fest, June 4, 2011Yesterday, we linked to "Grippin' On the Wood," a churchy squish that unfurls into a snapshot of one of Southern rap's most engrossing talking points: Wooden steering wheels. Beyond simply being an enjoyable song, it's extra interesting ... More >>
It's Friday, June 3 - do you know what that means? That's right, Free Press Summer Fest is a scant day away. In mere hours the city shall be frolicking to the Satanic call of rock 'n' roll, getting sunburned and dehydrated, tripping on Lord knows what, and having a grand ol' time. Until then, howeve ... More >>
What would your Friday be without Magnolia City Mixtape? Pretty bleak, if you're trying to keep up on all the local music here in Houston. Thankfully, we're here to make that last day of the work week just a bit better. Propain launched his music video for the Departure track, "Say I Won't." Dire ... More >>
Marco TorresE-40 on the set of "Candy Paint"(phone rings) "What's up, this is Boom... Sure, I can do Boston... It's gonna cost ya." (click) The acclaimed music-video director and filmmaker Nahala Johnson, better known as Mr. Boomtown, sits inside of a Midtown bar one night last week, drink ... More >>
On April 26, 1988, 23 years ago today, UGK kicked off a long and influential career with the release of their cassette-only debut, The Southern Way. It's impossible to overstate the duo's Texas-sized influence on Southern rap. The slow-rolling, tough-talking grooves showcased on seminal albu ... More >>
Some rappers happen to be thoughtful, intelligent people. Every Monday that isn't a national holiday, Rocks Off will have some of them here discussing issues relevant to their culture. Photo illustration by John Seaborn GrayThis Week's Panel: Bun B, Propain, Devi Dev (97.9 The Box), Brad Gil ... More >>
Marco TorresBun B celebrated his 38th birthday last night at the launch of Vice magazine's new music site, Noisey.com at Austin warehouse district club Kiss & Fly.
Some rappers happen to be thoughtful, intelligent people. Every Monday or thereabouts, Rocks Off will have some of them here discussing issues relevant to their culture. "Don't nobody care about how much your watch cost" Photo illustration by John Seaborn GrayThis Week's Panel: Z-Ro, Paul ... More >>
Photos by Marco TorresTuesday night, Bun B moderated a discussion panel at St. John's United Methodist Church downtown. It was hard to find any information about the rapper on the Internet, besides the fact that he's from Port Aransas or something. Bun and his panel started out intending to ... More >>
Some rappers happen to be thoughtful, intelligent people. Every Monday, Rocks Off will have some of them here discussing issues relevant to their culture. Photo illustration by John Seaborn GrayThis Week's Panel: Bun B, Yung Redd, D-Risha, hasHBrown, Kyle Hubbard, Z-Ro, Kiotti Not Invited: ... More >>
At 11 p.m. Thursday night, the balance of power among Houston's female rappers (and all rappers, a little) shifted markedly, because that is precisely when Just Brittany's first proper EP, the unexpectedly polished and ambidextrous More Than Just a Pretty Face, was officially released. Brit ... More >>
Bun B examines hip hop and religion in his Rice U course
Some rappers happen to be thoughtful, intelligent people. Every Monday that isn't a national holiday Rocks Off will have some of them here discussing issues relevant to their culture. credThis Week's Panel: Bun B, Z-Ro, Chamillionaire, Lil Flip, E.S.G., Paul Wall, Fat Tony, A.D.D., Matt Son ... More >>
We're admittedly the most insular, introverted member of the Rocks Off team. You're more likely to find us sitting in our apartment with our headphones on digesting new music than out carousing with our peers. And we're OK with that, mostly because Daddy Rocks Off occasionally asks us to writ ... More >>
In many ways, rappers are akin to politicians. They possess oratorical skills, walk around with a posse, and always say things they don't mean. With the 2010 gubernatorial elections little more than a month away, Rocks Off wondered which rapper might be best suited to lead the great state of ... More >>
Photos by Marco TorresBun B at House of Blues, August 2010From coast to coast, Bun B is one of the hardest working man in hip-hop. In the course of his century-long career, he's managed to collaborate with nearly every artist in the universe, including some you've probably never heard of. Wal ... More >>
Some rappers happen to be thoughtful, intelligent people. Every Monday Rocks Off will have some of them hear discussing issues relevant to their culture. Photo illustration by John Seaborn GrayThis Week's Panel: Bun B, Chuckway, Preemo, Fat Tony, LeS, Killa Kyleon, Scooby, hasHBrown, Propai ... More >>
Photos by RizohThursday's unanimous winner Phranchyze advances to the national Red Bull EmSee finals in Detroit.Outside on Westheimer, a small crowd of young music lovers has gathered in front of Numbers. Before Rocks Off even makes our way into the building, we're immediately greeted by soul ... More >>
"I get 5 mikes, you say The Source ain't shit. If your favorite would've won, would you say the same shit?" - Bun B, "B.M.F. Freestyle" Photos by Marco TorresBun B at House of Blues, August 4; see here for our review and slideshowWhoever came up with that saying "if you've got nothing nice t ... More >>
Photos by Marco TorresBun B House of Blues August 4, 2010 Ed. note: See a slideshow of last night's concert and BunB's Tuesday meet-and-greet. 9:24 p.m.: An R&B femme is performing as one of the opening acts. She has some dancers with her, which is cool. Some of them are men, though, which ... More >>
Bun B For Lafayette - ATLiens Freestyle from Decatur Dan on Vimeo. • Dave Bry at the witty pop-culture blog The Awl writes about rap music's eternal embrace of consumerism, using Bun B's most recent release, a rap written in honor of Japanese clothing company Lafayette, as an example. It's a great ... More >>
Welcome back to Turning the Screw, Rocks Off's weekly rap post. It probably won't rhyme, at least most of the time. E-mail tips to introducingliston@gmail.com. Thanks, homies. Single of the Week: "O.G." C. Loc, Bun B and Z-Ro Wire to Wire Bun B is still leaking tracks from his non-mixtape mixtape i ... More >>
On the heels of Bun B's all-star (if borderline interminable) "Houston 4 Haiti" relief concert at Warehouse Live Monday night that reportedly raised in the neighborhood of $10,000, the venue will open its doors - albeit in the smaller studio room - for another benefit Friday night starring f ... More >>
Welcome back to Turning the Screw, Rocks Off's weekly rap post. It probably won't rhyme, at least most of the time. E-mail tips to introducingliston@gmail.com. Thanks, homies. Single of the Week: Juicy J & Project Pat feat. Slim Thug & New Genesis, "Ike Turner Pimpin'" "I'm a motherfuckin' ... More >>
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 them to explain things. Something you always wanted to ask a rapper? Email introducingliston@gmail.com ... More >>
Welcome back to Five Spot. Every Friday, we'll examine a recent bit of music news and list five reasons why it's either brilliant or dumb-assed. Send tips to introducingliston@gmail.com.Marco Torres​ Yesterday, N.O.R.E. released "Set Trip," a wispy, "Look How Tough I Am," available-via-Internet tr ... More >>
Chris Gray​Ben Wesley is killing with a song that, according to his good buddy Cornbreadd, he wrote two days ago. It just keeps building and building on itself, spreading its wings rather than collapsing under its own weight. Wesley started out with a guitar and a bass strapped to him, hunched ove ... More >>
Welcome back to Five Spot. Every Friday, we'll examine a recent bit of music news and, sometimes awkwardly, tie it to a bit of Houston rap. It's five videos and occasional cussing. Send tips to introducingliston@gmail.com.Mddl Fngz is a hard hitting (and totally texter-friendly) rap group that forme ... More >>
Welcome back to Five Spot. Every Friday, we'll examine a recent bit of music news and list five reasons why it's either brilliant or dumb-assed. Send tips to introducingliston@gmail.com. So we were reading this Bun B interview the other day, and among discussions of how the final UGK album is p ... More >>
Has it really been a year already? Indeed it has: On December 4, 2007, Port Arthur-born MC and producer Pimp C was found dead in his Hollywood hotel room; the Los Angeles County Coroner listed the cause as a combination of sleep apnea and accidental overdose of codeine-containing cough syrup. To s ... More >>
A conversation with the incomparable Bun B
KTRK has a "Meet the Rapist!" contest
Confused by what all our hometown rappers are talking about? We’re here to help.
Find everything you're looking for in your city
Find the best happy hour deals in your city
Get today's exclusive deals at savings of anywhere from 50-90%
Check out the hottest list of places and things to do around your city
