Busta Rhymes

Last Night: All-Star Weekend Kick-Off Celebration at Warehouse Live

Slim Thug, Z-Ro, etc. Warehouse Live February 14, 2013 If partying it up in the same building as a bunch of famous rappers sounds like a pretty good time to you, you're in luck: Every rapper in existence is in town for the NBA All-Star Game this weekend, and many of them are planning to have a few ... More >>

The Song Is a Lie: Mocking Manilow Is Mocking God

After spending all week thus far exposing the lies apparent in song titles from The Beatles and Kiss, it's time to tone it down a little bit both in heaviness and in rhetoric. Nothing says tone it down like adult-contemporary music, so that's the arena I fight the lie war in today. Rewind: The Son ... More >>

Remembering Hip-Hop Mogul Chris Lighty

Sitting at my desk for the past day or so, I've struggled to come up with words about numerous subjects. Since Sunday, I've had to assume control of my dad's company with him being in the hospital threatening critical condition. I've never been more scared or felt more vulnerable at that point - f ... More >>

Spike Jonze's Top 9 Music Videos

There's no doubt that Spike Jonze is an enigma of a director and artist. He's worked in all types of mediums: he filmed bullriders at the Astrodome, changed the world of skateboard videography, and visually recreated the brilliance of Maurice Sendak's Where The Wild Things Are. Plus, he's made us al ... More >>

Top 10 Interesting Things From Ice-T's The Art of Rap

Friday night, Ice-T's new hip-hop documentary The Art of Rap opened in theaters nationwide. I went and watched it at the AMC Studio 30 at Westheimer and Dunvale. Here are ten things from the movie that are interesting and one thing that will be picked over: 10. Grandmaster Caz Is Ruthlessly, Seaml ... More >>

Happy Birthday, Mr. T.! A Foolish Playlist For You To Pity

I have a hard time explaining the 1980s to my daughter. Mostly because she's, you know, two years old. Still, I imagine that even when she reaches an age where she's more willing to endure a conversation that doesn't involve strawberries and Dora the Explorer I won't be able to convey the strangene ... More >>

We Tell You Who Will Win Grammys So You Don't Have To Watch Them

SPOILER ALERT​The best thing about the annual Grammy nominations and awards shows is the clamor of anger that rises up when the mere mention of the event even comes up. Immediately people begin calling it a travesty, trotting out all the people who have been snubbed -- Jethro Tull beats Metall ... More >>

Rap Round Table: Is A Video Called "Stupid Hoe" Hype Williams' Best?

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 >>

"And A S.W.A.T Team in a Pear Tree": Hip Hop Christmas songs

​Have you grown tired of hearing the same played out Christmas songs on 99.1 yet? Of course you have. Even if you avoid the radio, you hear the music at the grocery store, company holiday parties, even at bars you escape to in order to avoid holiday overcheer. It's almost depressing. Christmas ... More >>

Happy Biebermas: 2011's Bumper Crop Of Holiday Albums

Wishing You An Adorkable Christmas...​The Christmas season started back in the late summer for Rocks Off when we began getting PR e-mails about so and so's new Christmas album, and then in October they started showing up in our stacks of snail mail. This year the biggest complaint amongst ev ... More >>

Justin Bieber's Voice Changes Just In Time For Christmas Album

"Say shawty, Merry Christmas, or whatever year-end holiday greeting that makes you happy." ​Children and adults alike are getting their holiday wish granted early this year, and they don't have to wait until Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Festivus or even Christmas morning to receive it. Justin Bieber's v ... More >>

Rappers Predict The Best & Worst Of BET's Hip-Hop Awards

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. This Week's Panel: Preemo, Kyle Hubbard, Brad Gilmore, Medicine Girl, D-Risha, Kiotti, Chane, Renzo, Mic Skills, ... More >>

Top 10 Hip-Hop Album Intro Tracks

​Before iTunes and Amazon gave us the luxury of picking and choosing which tracks we want off an album, we had to buy the entire CD or cassette tape to listen to everything we paid for. The intro tracks are usually what help us decide if the album is something we were going to love start to fi ... More >>

Top 10 Most Underrated Music Video Artists

The Material Girl. The King of Pop (and his sister). The Chili Peppers. Mr. West. Very few artists have become the musical equivalent of the two-sport athlete: Making memorable music and monumental videos. When those people had a new video to premiere, it wasn't a just a video, it was an event. I ... More >>

Which Rapper(s) Should Headline Summer Fest 2012?

Some rappers happen to be thoughtful, intelligent people. Every Monday that isn't the day after a gigantic local music festival, Rocks Off will have some of them here discussing issues relevant to their culture. Photo illustration by John Seaborn Gray​This Week's Panel: Trae, Wreck, Roosh Wil ... More >>

How Long Will DMX Stay Out Of Jail This Time?

Some rappers happen to be thoughtful, intelligent people. Every Monday, even on national holidays, Rocks Off will have some of them hear discussing issues relevant to their culture. Photo illustration by John Seaborn Gray​This Week's Panel: Paul Wall, Delo, GT Mayne, Show, Mr. Wired Up Oh Boy ... More >>

Seven Food-Inspired Rap Songs

Yeah, they actually exist. Here are seven tasty rap tributes to food sure to get you salivating. 7. Freestyle Fellowship - "Cornbread" Aceyalone recommends a meal plan that will have you reaching for a bottle of Pepto. Cherry coke, cantaloupe, and a trip to the chocolate bar? Uh...no, ... More >>

Chalie Boy Is Here... All Year Long

Last year, Chalie Boy enacted a promo campaign called "52 Weeks of Chalie Boy," wherein he released one flow a week for the entire year. It was an auspicious bit of market saturation. This year, he's upped the stakes a bit and adapted the premise into "12 Months of Chalie Boy Videos." We're certai ... More >>

What Is The Best Album Cover Ever?

Some rappers happen to be thoughtful, intelligent people. Every Monday Rocks Off will have some of them here discussing issues relevant to their culture. ​This Week's Panel: Bun B, Lil Flip, Hollywood FLOSS, hasHBrown, Kyle Hubbard, Renzo, Brad Gilmore and Nash White Not Invited: Kanye, bec ... More >>

Dwele

The Weak Links In Seven Great Rap Crews

Wu-Tang Clan ain't nothin' to fuck with... except maybe U-God.​Logic suggests that being surrounded by artistic brilliance would give the less endowed a natural boost. But if talent were contagious, failure wouldn't exist, and neither would this list. Every rap group, big or small has one memb ... More >>

Does Being An Actor Compromise Your Rap Career?

Some rappers happen to be thoughtful, intelligent people. Every Monday that isn't a national holiday, Rocks Off will have some of them discussing issues relevant to their culture. This Week's Panel: Paul Wall, Damien Randle, Sam Sneed Not Invited: Freekey Zeekey, for getting Dipset back together ... More >>

Asher Roth

Turning the Screw: T-Pain & Friends, Pimp C, Asher Roth, Kanye vs. Colbert, Q-Tip, Suge Knight, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Young Jeezy, Paul Wall and 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: "Chopped and Screwed" Lil' O, T-Pain and Ludacris Wire To Wire Matt Sonzala et al. paid tribute ... More >>

Turning the Screw: Fela Kuti, Jay-Z, Left Eye, Lil Wayne, Ed McMahon, Ciara, DMX and More

Tonight: Starbucks Mixed Media Series at Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

The Spread: Treasures on Westheimer

J Dilla and Lupus

Power-walking tracks to remember the beatsmith by

Rap Not So Macho

Don't Fear the Reaper

The annual return of the Greil Marcus Rock Death Meter

DMX

Year of the Dog...Again

Back in tha Mix

The MFAH's Mixed Media Series

Glazed Tracks

This sweet party is Dee place to be

Fannypack

See You Next Tuesday

Bling Thing

A hip-hop summit preaches what it doesn't practice

The Neptunes

Clones (Star Trak/Arista)

Up Close and Personal

Jamaican dancehall stars bring back the lovers' rock

Straining Day

Narc desperately struggles to prove its grit

Black Gold

A gusher lay beneath the surface, but you had to drill deep

Motor City Mellow Men

Slum Village plays catch-up to the White Stripes and Eminem

Tha Liks

Saturday, February 2

A>S>H>S to A>S>H>S, Bust to Bust

Hounded by the authorities, an experimental band and its mortifying collaborators look for a home

Da Bombing

The postering of West Gray

Men in Black

Method Man and Redman have a Blackout, tour with Family Values

Rotation

Rotation

Children of the Korn

Career Girls

Rotation

Rap of Ages Inc.