Fat Pat

Big Moe, RIP

Turning the Screw: H.I.S.D., Trae, Lupe Fiasco, Prodigy, Soulja Boy, Roy Jones Jr., Ice Cube and More

Five Spot: Big Pokey

Welcome back to The Five Spot, a Rocks Off recurring feature. 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. Wednesday, RapRadar.com threw up an interview with former Roc-A-Fella rapper ... More >>

Turning the Screw: Dustin Prestige, Kid Cudi, King Tut, Rick Ross/50 Cent, Ludacris, Lil' Kim, T.I./Chris Brown, Fat Pat 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: "Dope," Dustin Prestige Wire To Wire Kid Cudi was tasered at an NBA All-Star Game party in ... More >>

Five Spot: 25 Lighters for Fat Pat

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. February 3 marked the 11th anniversary of the legendary Screwed Up Click MC Fat Pat's passing ... More >>

That's the Breaks

Houston rap labels and their artists look for that big deal

Hawk

Saturday, December 7

Grand Theft Auto X: The Screwston Chronicles

Saturday, December 7

Big Moe

Purple World (Wreckshop/Priority)

Fucking Transmissions, Begin Transmission

CD Review

The Scene Is Dead. Long Live the Scene!

Ideas toward a Houston-style musical Day of the Dead

Houston Hip-Hop

Mike Watts and his stable of northside rappers take a southside legend's style to the masses

Hope Springs Eternal

A northern suburb tops our third installment of rating greater Houston's taste in music

Trae Cool

An underground legend teams up with Rap-A-Lot in a bid to break nationwide

Fat Beats

The real reason Houston stays near the top of the chunkiest-city charts

Letters to the Editor

The real reason Houston stays near the top of the chunkiest-city charts

Local Rotation

Local Music Reviewed

Discman

DJ DMD goes national with his continental, Houston-based rap style

Five Spot: Big M.O.E. of the S.U.C.

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.We were flipping through the Trae playlist in our iPod yesterday, and "Swang" came on. "Swang," if you'll remember ... More >>

Five Spot: Remembering "Five Star General" Big Hawk

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.MTV's Cribs has to be one of this generation's finest cultural achievements. F ... More >>

Five Spot: The Illustrious Dustin Prestige

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.We suspect the goal of every music writer is to be able to answer "Who are you ... More >>

A Musical Guide to Post-Secession Texas: Houston and "Brazoria"

The final installment of our Five States of Texas project brings it all back home, to the new state of Brazoria, encompassing all of Southeast Texas from the Brazos Valley to Sabine Pass. ​Patron Saint: Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown. A master of rock and roll, country, Cajun/Creole, blues and jazz, n ... More >>

The H-Town Countdown, No. 7: Fat Pat's Ghetto Dreams

Roughly 84,000 rap albums have been released in Houston since 1989. We're counting down the 25 best of all time every Thursday. Got a problem with the list? Shove it. Just kidding. Friendship. Email sheaserrano@gmail.com. Fat Pat Ghetto Dreams (Wreckshop Records, 1998) ​During the course of resear ... More >>

Five Spot: Killa Kyleon's Purple Punch 3

Welcome back to Five Spot. Every Friday, we'll examine a recent bit of music news and, albeit sometimes awkwardly, tie it to a bit of Houston rap. It's five videos and occasional cussing. Send tips to introducingliston@gmail.com. ​One of the guys that we always (usually) enjoy listening to is the ... More >>

For Hip-Hop, Brown Could Be the New Black... or the New Wetback

​ For anyone following the Houston Latino rap theme as of late and are wondering why Rocks Off might be telling more of a cultural story than a hip-hop one with our artist profiles, it's because amongst the traditional hip-hop following in America, Houston's Latino rappers may very well be looked ... More >>

The H-Town Countdown, No. 6: Scarface's Mr. Scarface Is Back

Roughly 84,000 rap albums have been released in Houston since 1989. We're counting down the 25 best of all time every Thursday. Got a problem with the list? Shove it. Just kidding. Friendship. Email it to sheaserrano@gmail.com. Scarface Mr. Scarface Is Back (Virgin, 1995) ​There's this phenomenon ... More >>

The H-Town Countdown, No. 5: Lil' Keke's Don't Mess Wit Texas

​There are roughly 84,000 rap albums that have been released in Houston since 1989. We're counting down the 25 best of all time. We'll be here every Thursday. Got a problem with the list? Shove it. Just kidding. Friendship. Email it to sheaserrano@gmail.com. Back in July (when this here Count ... More >>

Turning the Screw: Fat Pat, Trae, Shane Sparks, Gucci Mane, The Kanye, Maino, Eminem, Kid Cudi, Bun B 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: "No Glory," Fat Pat Wire to Wire So Trae spent the holidays handing out thousands of pairs of shoes to ... More >>

The H-Town Countdown, No. 4: UGK's Too Hard to Swallow

Roughly 84,000 rap albums have been released in Houston since 1989. We're counting down the 25 best of all time every Thursday. Got a problem with the list? Shove it. Just kidding. Friendship. Email sheaserrano@gmail.com. UGK Too Hard to Swallow (Jive, 1992) ​How cocksure is Bun B? The first time ... More >>

The H-Town Countdown, No. 1: The Geto Boys' We Can't Be Stopped

Roughly 84,000 rap albums have been released in Houston since 1989. We're counting down the 25 best of all time every Thursday - or we were. Got a problem with the list? Shove it. Just kidding. Friendship. Email it to sheaserrano@gmail.com. Note: With all due respect to Prince Johnny C, Raheem, K-9, ... More >>

Nightfly: All Mixed Up

Houston Hip-Hop History Lesson Heats up Toc Bar.

Y'all Musta Forgot: K-Otix's Universal

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 should? Email sheaserrano@gmail.com. K-Otix Universal (Bronx Science, 2001) ​K-Otix are the Hawk and Animal of Houston rappers, a seeming ... More >>

Aftermath: Paul Wall & Chamillionaire, Together Again At House Of Blues

Photos by Marco Torres​ For more pictures from the show, see our slideshow here. 11:03 p.m.: This place is pretty well packed. 97.9 FM's G.T. is on stage. It's unclear whether he's the opening act or is just up there to fill time. He leans on a bunch of Houston classics to gain the support of the ... More >>

Is Z-Ro Too Big To Get Big?

Welcome back to Five Spot. Every Friday, we'll examine a recent bit of music news and, albeit sometimes awkwardly, tie it to a bit of Houston rap. We'll incorporate the number five in there somewhere. Send tips to introducingliston@gmail.com. ​A lot of the time, it's easy to pick what to write abo ... More >>

Should Living Rappers Profit From Dead Rappers?

Some rappers happen to be thoughtful, intelligent people. Every Monday (that isn't a national holiday) Rocks Off will have some of them hear discussing issues relevant to their culture. This Week's Panel: Fat Tony, Candi Redd, Yung Redd Not Invited: Diddy Photo illustration by John Seaborn Gray&# ... More >>

Vanilla Ice And 11 Other Artists Dallas Can Keep

​Tomorrow night at 2016 Mainstage, Houston gets to relive its (our?) dark white-rap past when Dallas native Vanilla Ice hits the stage at the venue formerly known Sammy's On Main. Yes, that Vanilla Ice, from our haughty neighbors to the north who can do no wrong in the eyes of Texas Monthly. ... More >>

Screwed Up Click

​Tomorrow night at 2016 Mainstage, Houston gets to relive its (our?) dark white-rap past when Dallas native Vanilla Ice hits the stage at the venue formerly known Sammy's On Main. Yes, that Vanilla Ice, from our haughty neighbors to the north who can do no wrong in the eyes of Texas Monthly. ... More >>

Rap's Top Five Dedication Songs

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. Have something you always wanted to ask a rapper? Email it to sheaserrano@gmai ... More >>

Who Makes The Mt. Rushmore Of Houston Rap?

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. cred​This Week's Panel: Bun B, Z-Ro, Chamillionaire, Lil Flip, E.S.G., Paul Wall, Fat Tony, A.D.D., Matt Son ... More >>

Which Houston Rappers Deserve Their Own Streets?

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. Have something you always wanted to ask a rapper? Email sheaserrano@gmail.com. ... More >>

Celebrating Big H.A.W.K.'s Legacy With Bun B & More

Some rappers happen to be thoughtful, intelligent people. Every Monday that isn't a national holiday (or thereabouts), Rocks Off will have some of them here discussing issues relevant to their culture. Photo illustration by John Seaborn Gray​This Week's Panel: Bun B, Paul Wall, Lil O, Starch ... More >>

Undergravity's Feel-Good Summer Hit & Other DIY Rap News

3-2-1 for the week in Houston rap: #SouthsideSummertime It seems fair to say that, considering the video now, Undergravity's "Southside Summertime" is the best Houston summer song since Mike Jones' "Still Tippin'" in 2004. It is an absolutely overachieving accomplishment by the duo and guest Da ... More >>

Five Posthumous Rap Albums Up For Debate

​Recently, and with a certain amount of controversy, Rap-A-Lot made available a bundle of previously unreleased songs disguised as a new Pimp C album. Posthumous records are unsafe footing. It's entirely capable that they can be built into capable, glorious, heartbreaking goodbyes; in 2009, ... More >>

Ask A Teenage Rap Promoter: How Did That Happen?

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. Have something you always wanted to ask a rapper? Email sheaserrano@gmail.com. ... More >>

Rappers Onstage: Who's Dramatic Enough For Broadway?

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. Have something you've always wanted to ask a rapper? Email sheaserrano@gmail.com. Photo illustration by John Seabor ... More >>

Eat It: Houston Rappers Love to Write Songs About Eating

Photo by Chase Steely ​One thing Houston rappers are proficient in-besides rapping great-is eating well. Many of the more influential artists were/are big and fat: Fat Pat, Big Pokey, Big Moe, Big HAWK, Big Mello, and Big Steve. Even DJ Screw was a husky man. That's not to say that their wei ... More >>

The Space City Beat Battle & The Best H-Town Producers Ever

​Despite a venue conflict, the championship edition of the Space City Beat Battle will go on Saturday evening at the Mercury Room. If you've never been to one it's almost like watching a ritualistic rite of passage where cocksure arrogance and chest pounding reign supreme. Sample based produce ... More >>

Which Were The Six Best Houston Rap Songs From The Nineties?

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. Have something you always wanted to ask a rapper? Email it to sheaserrano@gmail. ... More >>

Fourteen Years After His Death, Fat Pat's Legacy Continues Acting Bad For Scrilla

​In Huntsville, back somewhere around 2000, there used to be this club called The Tin Can. There are a bunch of reasons to remember The Tin Can; two stand out and another is unfortunately appropriate today. The most nefarious of the three: It had to have been the most unsafe club in America ... More >>